Manufactured Home Loans in Tennessee: FHA, Conventional, VA and USDA Rules
Which loans finance a manufactured home with land, what the home must meet, and how Tennessee’s affidavit of affixation makes it real property.
Quick answer
Yes, you can get a regular mortgage on a manufactured home in Tennessee if the home and land are titled together as real property. FHA allows 3.5% down at a 580 credit score; conventional loans start at 5% down (3% on MH Advantage); VA and USDA can be 0% down.
The home must be built on or after June 15, 1976 to the HUD Code, sit on a permanent foundation, and in most programs never have been moved from its first site.
Program rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against HUD Handbook 4000.1 (Update 18), the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, Freddie Mac, VA and USDA regulations. Program terms and eligibility are subject to agency and lender guidelines and may change.
At a glance: manufactured home loans in Tennessee
- FHA: 3.5% down at 580+, 10% at 500–579
- Conventional: 5% of your own funds; 3% on MH Advantage
- VA and USDA: 0% down for eligible buyers and areas
- Home: HUD Code (built on or after June 15, 1976), at least 400 sq ft, permanent chassis
- Title: home and land together as real property, via Tennessee’s affidavit of affixation
- Not covered: homes on rented lots usually need a chattel (personal property) loan
Which loans can finance a manufactured home?
| Loan | Minimum down | Occupancy | Key manufactured-home rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHA (Title II) | 3.5% at 580+; 10% at 500–579 | Primary residence | Foundation certified by a licensed engineer or architect to HUD’s Permanent Foundations Guide; moved directly from factory or dealer to the site |
| Conventional, Fannie Mae standard | 5% from your own funds (unless 80% LTV or less) | Primary (single- or multi-width); second home (multi-width only) | At least 12 ft wide; fixed rate or 7- or 10-year ARM; no investment property; cash-out multi-width only, after 12 months’ ownership |
| Fannie Mae MH Advantage / Freddie Mac CHOICEHome | 3% | Primary residence | Factory label; site-built features such as a porch, low-profile set and engineered foundation |
| VA | 0% for eligible veterans | Primary residence | Permanently affixed to a lot the veteran owns and classified as real property |
| USDA guaranteed | 0% in eligible areas, under the income cap | Primary residence | The mortgage must cover both the home and the site; new or qualifying existing units; never moved from another site |
Sources: HUD Handbook 4000.1 § II.A.1.b.iv.(B)(7) and § II.A.2; Fannie Mae B5-2-02 and B5-2-03; Freddie Mac CHOICEHome; 38 CFR 36.4301; 7 CFR 3555.208. Lenders can set stricter credit, age and property requirements. Program terms and eligibility are subject to agency and lender guidelines and may change.
What does the home itself have to meet?
- Built to the HUD Code: on or after June 15, 1976. HUD calls earlier homes “ineligible for insured financing.”
- HUD label or data plate: the red HUD certification label on each section, and the data plate inside. If a label is missing, the lender orders a label verification letter from IBTS, which issues them on HUD’s behalf.
- Size: at least 400 square feet (FHA, Fannie Mae, USDA). Fannie Mae also requires at least 12 feet wide.
- Permanent chassis and foundation: wheels, axles and hitch removed, set on a permanent foundation. FHA requires an engineer’s or architect’s certification that the foundation meets HUD’s Permanent Foundations Guide; a certification from an earlier FHA loan can be reused if nothing has changed.
- Never moved: FHA, Fannie Mae and USDA require that the home went straight from the factory or dealer to its current site.
- Flood elevation (FHA): the home must sit at or above the 100-year flood elevation.
Program terms and eligibility are subject to HUD, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA, USDA and lender guidelines and may change.
How does a manufactured home become real property in Tennessee?
Through an affidavit of affixation. When the same person owns both the home and the land, the owner records the affidavit (Tennessee Department of Revenue form RV-F1322101) with the county register of deeds and surrenders the home’s certificate of title, or the manufacturer’s certificate of origin on a new home, to the county clerk with a certified deed and the recorded affidavit. In the affidavit, the owner swears the wheels and axles are removed, the foundation meets code, utilities are connected, and the home will be taxed with the land.
Once recorded, the home is treated as part of the land, per the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service, and a mortgage can cover both. If the title still has a lien on it, that lien has to be released first, which is usually handled at closing.
What if the home is on rented land?
Then a standard mortgage usually won’t work. Fannie Mae allows leased land only inside an approved condo or PUD project. Homes in a land-lease community are usually financed with a chattel loan, secured by the home alone. The CFPB’s 2021 manufactured housing report found about 42% of manufactured-home purchase loans were chattel loans, which tend to carry higher rates and fewer consumer protections than mortgages, though they close quickly with low origination costs. FHA’s Title I program also insures some chattel loans, with terms up to 20 years for the home alone.
What are MH Advantage and CHOICEHome?
Conventional programs for newer manufactured homes built with features closer to a site-built house, so they can be financed and appraised more like one. Fannie Mae’s MH Advantage requires the factory MH Advantage sticker, an engineered or HUD-guide foundation with a masonry or poured-concrete perimeter, a low-profile set, a covered porch of at least 72 square feet, a driveway, a sidewalk, and gutters. New single-section homes built after June 4, 2026 also need an attached garage or carport. Freddie Mac’s CHOICEHome is similar, allows up to 97% loan-to-value with Home Possible or HomeOne, and is for primary residences only. Program terms are subject to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and lender guidelines and may change.
What does an FHA loan look like on a $250,000 manufactured home in Robertson County?
| Item | FHA (3.5%) | Conventional standard (5%) |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price, home and land | $250,000 | $250,000 |
| Down payment | $8,750 | $12,500 |
| Base loan amount | $241,250 | $237,500 |
| Upfront mortgage insurance | $4,222 (1.75%), financed | None |
| Total loan amount | $245,472 | $237,500 |
| Ongoing mortgage insurance | About $1,327 in year one (0.55%) | Private MI until 20% equity; varies with credit |
Illustrative example only. Actual interest rates and APRs vary based on loan program, borrower qualifications, property, market conditions and other factors. Closing costs, prepaid taxes and insurance, and the foundation certification are not included. FHA premiums per HUD Mortgagee Letter 2023-05; subject to HUD, Fannie Mae and lender guidelines and may change.
To try your own numbers, including the property tax for a specific Tennessee address, use the Tennessee mortgage calculator.
What are the catches with manufactured home loans?
- Homes built before June 15, 1976, homes that have been moved, and homes on rented lots generally don’t qualify for these mortgages.
- Fewer lenders finance manufactured homes, and many add their own minimum credit score or home-age rules.
- A missing HUD label, an uncertified foundation or an old title that was never surrendered can delay closing; check these before you go under contract.
- Appraisals need comparable manufactured-home sales, which can be scarce in some rural areas.
- Single-wide homes are limited to primary residences on conventional loans, with no cash-out refinance.
Manufactured home loan FAQ
Can you get a mortgage on a single-wide in Tennessee?
Yes, if it is on land you own, titled as real property, at least 400 square feet (and 12 feet wide for Fannie Mae), built on or after June 15, 1976, and your primary residence. Conventional loans don’t allow cash-out on a single-wide. Program terms are subject to agency and lender guidelines and may change.
Can you finance a manufactured home built before 1976?
Not with FHA, VA, USDA or conventional loans. These programs require the HUD Code, which took effect June 15, 1976, and the HUD label or a verification letter proving it. Older mobile homes are usually financed with a personal loan, a chattel loan or cash.
Can you buy the land and the manufactured home together?
Yes. FHA, VA, USDA and conventional loans finance the home and land as one property once the home is permanently affixed and titled as real property. USDA requires the mortgage to cover both the unit and the site. Program terms are subject to agency and lender guidelines and may change.
Do you need a foundation certification for an FHA manufactured home loan?
Yes. FHA requires a licensed engineer or architect to certify the foundation meets HUD’s Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing. A certification from an earlier FHA loan can be reused if the foundation hasn’t been altered or damaged. Fannie Mae’s standard program does not require one.
What credit score do you need for a manufactured home loan?
FHA’s minimums are 580 for 3.5% down and 500 for 10% down, and conventional loans generally start around 620. Many lenders set higher minimums for manufactured homes, so the score that works depends on where the loan is placed. Terms are subject to agency and lender guidelines.
Where these figures come from
| Figure | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|
| FHA manufactured-home eligibility, foundation, down payment | HUD Handbook 4000.1, Update 18, § II.A.1.b.iv.(B)(7), II.A.2, II.D.5 | Revised Aug 12, 2026 |
| FHA Title I terms | HUD Handbook 4000.1 § II.E.4 | Revised Aug 12, 2026 |
| Conventional property rules, MH Advantage | Fannie Mae B2-3-02 | Feb 4, 2026 |
| Conventional loan eligibility and borrower funds | Fannie Mae B5-2-02; B5-2-03 | Dec 10, 2025; Oct 8, 2025 |
| Freddie Mac manufactured homes and CHOICEHome | Freddie Mac, Manufactured Homes; CHOICEHome | Retrieved Oct 27, 2026 |
| VA definition of an eligible manufactured home | 38 CFR 36.4301 | Current eCFR |
| USDA manufactured-home rules | 7 CFR 3555.208 | Current eCFR |
| Tennessee affidavit of affixation and title surrender | UT CTAS; TN Dept. of Revenue form RV-F1322101 | Retrieved Oct 27, 2026 |
| Chattel lending share and costs | CFPB, Manufactured Housing Finance | May 2021 |
Related guides
- FHA, conventional, VA and USDA loan pages.
- Down payment assistance in Tennessee.
- Construction loans, if you’re weighing a site-built home instead.
- Robertson County mortgage guide.
- Buying or refinancing around Music City? See my Nashville, TN mortgage broker page.
- About Christopher Armantrout, the licensed originator who wrote this page.
Call me at (615) 671-9178. Send me the home’s year, its HUD label or data plate photo, and whether the land is included, and I’ll tell you which loan fits before you make an offer.
If it’s after hours, grab a time on my calendar, or start an application and I’ll review it and reach out with a plan.
Valor Mortgage, LLC · Christopher Armantrout, Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #1210804 · Valor Mortgage, LLC is powered by Encore Lending Group, LLC, NMLS #1249911 · Licensed in Tennessee · Equal Housing Opportunity
724 S Main St, Springfield, TN 37172 · (615) 671-9178 · christopher@valor.mortgage · NMLS Consumer Access
The dollar figures on this page are illustrative examples for general information only and are not an offer, a rate quote, or a commitment to lend. Actual interest rates and APRs vary based on loan program, borrower qualifications, property, market conditions and other factors. Program fees, limits and terms are set by the agencies named above and change without notice; all loans are subject to credit approval, income verification and property appraisal. Not all applicants will qualify.