Choosing Between a Land Leased or Land Owned Manufactured Home Community

Land Lease Community

If you grew up in a small town, you’ll remember that feeling of community, that sense of living where everyone knew your name. What if you could recapture that feeling?

In manufactured home land-leased communities, that feeling is alive and well. There is often a sense of safety and security within these communities, where residents care about the well-being and health of their neighbors.

In land-lease communities, you will own your home, but rent the land on which the home sits. Depending on the community, these fees can range from $300-1,000.

In many communities, your monthly fee will cover lawn care, water treatment, and the use of community amenities. In resort-style communities, your fee may be slightly higher, but will often include access to luxury amenities.

For instance, in Rolling Greens, a 55+ luxury manufactured home community in Ocala, the amenities are state-of-the-art. In this community, the lot rent includes base rent, water/sewer, lawn maintenance and curbside trash service.

Residents also get to enjoy numerous amenities, from a new state-of-the-art clubhouse, to the 18-hole executive golf course. Like other land-lease communities, Rolling Greens hosts monthly events, which helps establish a vibrant and active sense of community.

When looking into land-lease communities, ask the manager about their guidelines to ensure they fit your lifestyle. These guidelines are in place to help maintain a pleasant environment for all residents, and to help ensure the protection of your investment.

You’ll find that the guidelines encourage residents to take pride in their homes and their community. It’s something you’ll see as you drive down the street, and something you can count on.

One great aspect of purchasing a home in a land-lease community is the low up-front costs. You won’t have property taxes assocaited with your home, nor will you have the up-front cost of purchasing land along with a home.

If you’re looking for affordability, great amenities, a well-maintained neighborhood and a sense of community, land-lease manufactured homes are a great option.

Land-Owned Communities 

Land lease communities offer a lot of benefits, but the downside is that you don’t own the land on which your home sits. In land-owned manufactured home communities, residents own both their homes and the land.

When you purchase the land/lot in this type of community you will be purchasing the land with a specific legal description. The land price can range from $35,000 to $75,000. Monthly maintenance fees range from $100 to $300.

Monthly dues are for the use of the facilities, amenities and common area. This option means you will not have to pay a larger monthly lot rent, but your initial costs will be much higher, as you will have to purchase the home and the land.

Land-owned communities are a good option for people who have more money to invest. All lots in a Land Owned Subdivision will be owned by individual owners who form a Homeowners Association. The members of the Association elect a board of directors to manage common elements.

Land-owned communities still feature much of that same small town feel as land-lease communities. They will often host events and have resort-style amenities, just not as often as a land leased community.

Choosing a manufactured home community can be daunting. Whatever you choose, be assured that you’ll make wonderful friends and have a home that you can love for years to come.

Especially with new construction manufactured homes, you can expect all the same details and stylistic features you’d find in a comparable site-built home, with the added benefit of being energy efficient.

If you’d like help selecting a manufactured home community in Florida, our dedicated team of specialists would love to help. Contact us to learn more, or to see what homes we have available for purchase and to rent. Whether you’re looking for something permanent or seasonal, we’re here to help!