Manufactured Housing Q4 Market Report: Occupancy Spikes, Investment Activity on the Rise
Highlights:
- The national manufactured housing market closed 2019 on an upswing, with occupancy rates rising, rents continuing to tick higher and investment activity strengthening.
- Occupancy spiked in the fourth quarter, reaching 93.8 percent, up 110 basis points for the year. The South region recorded the greatest annual improvement, while the Pacific region had the highest overall occupancy rate.
- Manufactured housing rents posted a 3.6 percent gain in 2019, reaching an average of $547 per month. In 2018, rents posted a similar rise, increasing 3.5 percent.
- Investment activity accelerated in 2019, with the fourth quarter recording the highest sales velocity of the year. Prices rose in 2019, with the median price reaching $39,400 per space, up 10 percent from the 2018 median price. Cap rates have averaged approximately 6.3 percent for the year, down 60 basis points from the average in 2018.