Overcoming the Stigma: Why Manufactured Housing Deserves Respect in New Hampshire
Dan Marois, Editor
New Hampshire Real Estate Digest, New Hampshire Realtor Magazine, Maine Realtor Magazine
When my wife and I made the move to a 55+ manufactured housing community in Rochester, New Hampshire, it felt like a true homecoming. Having grown up in Berlin and then spending 37 years maintaining a conventional split-level home in Maine, taking this step was both a return to my Granite State roots and a major eye-opener.
Like a lot of folks, I’d heard the old stereotypes about "mobile homes." But living here quickly sets the record straight.
Now, to be fair, not all manufactured home parks are created equal. We've all seen run-down properties out there that give the industry a bad name, and that lack of care feeds into the old prejudice. But well-managed communities prove what is possible when high standards are enforced.
Our neighborhood in Rochester is quiet, beautifully kept, and governed by sensible rules that keep every property looking pristine. There is a genuine sense of pride among neighbors who actively look out for one another. These aren't temporary shelters from a bygone era—they are solid, well-crafted, attractive homes built in climate-controlled environments to tough quality standards.
Yet, despite how great these communities can be, an unfair stigma persists—especially when it comes to financing.
If you buy a manufactured home in a land-lease community, many lenders still classify it as "chattel" or personal property. In plain English, they treat your primary residence the same way they treat a car or a boat.
That mislabeling hits buyers right in the wallet:
Higher Rates: Personal property loans often carry interest rates 2% to 5% higher than traditional home mortgages.
Shorter Loans: Buyers are frequently pushed into 15- or 20-year payment schedules instead of standard 30-year terms.
Higher Monthly Costs: Extra interest costs make it harder for retirees on fixed incomes and working folks to protect their nest egg and build equity.
It is time to change the narrative. Well-kept manufactured housing offers a safe, attractive, and sensible housing option at a time when New Hampshire desperately needs real solutions. Local zoning boards and mortgage companies need to catch up to reality, drop the outdated prejudices, and give these quality homes—and the wonderful people who live in them—the respect and fair treatment they truly deserve