The manufactured housing industry, a critical source of affordable housing in the United States, has long been difficult for buyers to navigate due to a lack of centralized information and connections. A new online platform, MHarketplace (mharketplace.com), launched today to address this gap by providing a nationwide directory of manufactured home communities and a network of service professionals, from transporters to lenders.
According to industry data, 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 communities is near 95 percent, and researchers see manufactured housing as a key tool for closing the affordability gap. However, the process of buying and owning a manufactured home involves numerous disconnected businesses, leaving buyers without a single starting point.
Jacob Campbell, founder of MHarketplace, said the idea came from his experience in the industry. "The problem was never a lack of good people," he said. "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 a searchable community directory, a trusted services network, buyer education, and listings for buying, selling, and renting homes.
MHarketplace positions itself as complementary to existing listing sites, focusing on the services and education that surround the transaction. "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 platform is live now and rolling out state by state, with national coverage of community directories. Businesses can claim their listings, while homeowners and buyers can access resources for free. By connecting the ecosystem, MHarketplace aims to make affordable homeownership more accessible and support the businesses that serve it.
