New Platform MHarketplace Aims to Simplify Manufactured Home Ownership

As manufactured housing becomes an increasingly vital solution to the nation's affordability crisis, a new online platform is stepping in to address a critical gap: connecting homeowners with the services they need throughout the ownership journey. MHarketplace (mharketplace.com) launched today with a nationwide directory of manufactured home communities and a growing network of service professionals, including transporters, installers, title professionals, insurers, and lenders. The platform aims to be a trusted starting point for buyers and homeowners, offering not just listings but also education and connections to local businesses.

The timing is significant. Manufactured housing is America's largest source of unsubsidized affordable housing, with roughly 100,000 new homes shipped annually at an average price of about $115,600—less than one-third the cost of a comparable site-built home. National occupancy in manufactured home communities is near 95 percent, and researchers view this housing type as critical for closing the affordability gap. Yet, for the families it serves—often first-time buyers—the industry remains fragmented. Questions about titles, financing, transportation, insurance, and community living are answered by a disconnected array of businesses that are difficult to find because no single platform connects them.

Jacob Campbell, founder of MHarketplace, identified this disconnect firsthand. "The problem was never a lack of good people," he said. "I've sat in homeowners' living rooms and worked alongside manufacturers, retailers, lenders, transporters, and community owners. The expertise exists everywhere in this industry. What's been missing is the connection—homeowners simply don't know these businesses exist. MHarketplace makes the ecosystem visible."

The platform offers several key features: a searchable community directory organized by state and city, a trusted services network that connects homeowners with local professionals, plain-language educational resources on titling, financing, transport, insurance, and community living, and a growing marketplace for buying, selling, and renting manufactured homes. By making these services discoverable, MHarketplace positions itself as a complement to existing listing sites, addressing the entire ownership experience—from pre-purchase education to post-purchase services.

"Visibility isn't marketing—it's opportunity," Campbell added. "Great businesses deserve to be found, and homeowners deserve to find them. Manufactured homes have improved dramatically; public perception hasn't kept pace. Every confident, well-informed homeowner helps close that gap, and that strengthens the entire industry."

The economic implications are substantial. The manufactured housing industry generates $12 billion annually, and many of its businesses—often family-owned and decades old—have remained largely invisible online. By increasing visibility, MHarketplace could drive more business to these companies, supporting local economies and potentially lowering costs through increased competition. For homeowners, better access to services and information could reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with manufactured homeownership, making this affordable option more viable for more families.

MHarketplace is live now, rolling out state by state with national coverage of community directories. Service businesses can claim and enhance their listings, while homeowners and buyers can browse communities, services, and educational resources free of charge. As the platform scales, it could become an essential tool for an industry poised to play a major role in solving America's housing challenges.