NADA Manufactured Home Values: How the Guide Works and How to Read It

NADA manufactured home values come from a guide first published in 1973 under the NADA name and now published by J.D. Power. It estimates a home's depreciated replacement cost from its manufacturer, year, size, state, condition and features. It values the structure only, so land, lot rent and local sales are left out.

Many lenders and appraisers still call it "the NADA book." This page explains who publishes it, what goes in, how to read a report line by line, what it costs, how lenders rely on it and why you still need local sales to know what a mobile home will sell for. Looking for a Kelley Blue Book value? Read why there isn't one.

Who publishes NADA manufactured home values now?

J.D. Power does. The guide was first published in 1973 for the manufactured housing industry (J.D. Power tutorial, 2022). J.D. Power bought NADA's Used Car Guide division in 2015, and in 2018 it acquired National Appraisal Guides and NADAguides.com, which added manufactured homes, RVs, boats and motorcycles to its values (J.D. Power Valuation Services). The values now carry the J.D. Power name.

J.D. Power says its used manufactured home values are updated six times a year and cover manufactured, pre-HUD mobile and modular homes (MH CONNECT for Used Homes). LotRoll is not affiliated with J.D. Power.

What information does the NADA guide use?

J.D. Power's consumer request form asks for these details (J.D. Power online value report):

   • Identity: manufacturer name and trade or model name.

   • Location: the state the home is in.

   • Age and size: year manufactured, width and length in feet.

   • Condition: excellent, good, fair or poor, each defined on the form.

   • Features: roofing and siding type, porches, steps, skirting, doors, windows, central air, appliances, bath fixtures and similar items.

If you do not know the manufacturer or model, the form bases the value on length, width, year, state and condition. The professional version adds region, extra floor area such as an expando or tip-out, optional land-lease community and wholesale adjustments, and about 350 features to choose from (J.D. Power professional report, report comparison).

J.D. Power says its base values are drawn from open-market sales data, excluding repossession, foreclosure and auction sales, gathered across nine regions of the country (J.D. Power tutorial).

How do you read a NADA value report?

A used home report builds the value in steps. J.D. Power's sample report, for a 2008 double-wide from its September to October 2022 edition, shows the order:

1. Base structure value: the starting figure for that make, year and size. In the sample, $53,637.
2. State location adjustment: a percentage for the state. The sample applies 101%.
3. Guide book retail value in average condition: the result of steps 1 and 2.
4. Condition adjustment: a percentage up or down. "Excellent" in the sample applies 114%.
5. Additional features: a dollar amount for each listed item, such as fixtures, doors and carpet.
6. Total adjusted retail value: the final figure. In the sample, $72,017.

The report states that this figure is the "depreciated replacement cost of the home and added features in retail dollars." In plain terms, it estimates what it would cost to replace the home at today's retail prices, minus wear for its age and condition.

What does the NADA value leave out?

The same sample report says the value "does not include adjustments for land, community 'in place location value', or local market comparable sales," and that "this is not an appraisal form." That leaves out several things that move a manufactured home's sale price:

   • Land. A home on land the owner holds sells as real estate, and the land carries its own value.

   • Lot rent and the community. In a land-lease community, buyers weigh the monthly lot rent, the rules and how well the community is run. The professional report offers a land-lease community adjustment, but no guide can price one community against the next.

   • Local demand. How many buyers are looking in your town right now, and how many homes are for sale.

   • Things a form cannot see. Recent repairs, the state of the roof and floors, or problems such as unpermitted additions.

How much does a NADA manufactured home value report cost?

As of October 2026, J.D. Power's site lists two single-use reports for used homes:

   • Basic Used Home Value Report: $35, built for consumers buying or selling, with a limited feature list. J.D. Power says it is not intended for appraisers using Form 1004C/70B (source).

   • Professional Used Home Value Report: $55, with the full feature list, and compatible with the 1004C/70B appraisal form (source).

J.D. Power adds a 2% surcharge on credit card payments except in Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine and Oklahoma. Appraisers, lenders and dealers who need many values can buy an annual MH CONNECT subscription instead. Prices change, so check the current price on J.D. Power's site before you order.

How do lenders use the NADA guide?

It depends on whether the loan covers the home alone or the home and the land.

   • Home-only (chattel) loans. Homes in land-lease communities are generally only eligible for chattel financing, and homes titled this way are often valued with a published guide (CFPB, 2014). For a higher-priced loan secured by a manufactured home and not land, federal rules let the lender skip a full appraisal if it gives the borrower one of three things: the manufacturer's invoice for a new home, a cost estimate from an independent cost service, or a valuation by a trained person with no stake in the deal (12 CFR 1026.35(c)(2)(viii)). The CFPB's guide to the rule names a NADAguides value report as an example of an independent cost service (CFPB HPML appraisal rule guide).

   • Mortgages on the home and land. Fannie Mae requires a market-based value built on comparable sales and supported by a cost approach, and the appraiser may report the cost approach on a published cost service's form (Fannie Mae Selling Guide B4-1.4-01). In this case the guide value is one input to the appraisal.

Why do recent comparable sales matter alongside the guide?

The guide tells you what the structure is worth on paper. Comparable sales tell you what buyers actually paid for similar mobile homes in the same place. Two identical homes can sell for very different prices if one sits in a well-kept community with moderate lot rent and the other does not. That is why Fannie Mae leads with the sales comparison approach for manufactured homes.

Comparable sales have limits too. The CFPB notes that in low-density areas there may be few manufactured home sales to compare against (CFPB, 2014). When that happens, look at sales from a wider area and weigh any single number with care. For more on the factors behind a home's price, see our national guide to manufactured home valuations.

How do the main value sources compare?

   • NADA / J.D. Power guide. What it measures: Depreciated replacement cost of the home, in retail dollars. Who uses it: Lenders on home-only loans, appraisers, dealers, insurers, buyers and sellers. Cost: $35 basic or $55 professional report (October 2026). Limits: Leaves out land, community location value and local sales.

   • Appraisal. What it measures: A licensed or certified appraiser's opinion of market value. Who uses it: Mortgage lenders, estates, courts. Cost: Appraiser's fee; ask for a quote. Limits: Takes time; one person's opinion on one date.

   • Comparable sales. What it measures: What similar homes nearby actually sold for. Who uses it: Buyers, sellers, agents, appraisers. Cost: Free to low cost. Limits: Few sales in some areas; homes differ in condition.

   • Assessed value. What it measures: A value set for property tax. Who uses it: County assessors and tax offices. Cost: Free public record. Limits: Set by tax rules, which vary by state; may differ from sale price.

Prices as listed on J.D. Power's site in October 2026. Sources linked above.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a NADA value the same as market value?

No. It estimates the home's depreciated replacement cost and, by J.D. Power's own description, does not include land, community location value or local comparable sales. Market value is what a buyer will pay in your area.

Can I get NADA mobile home values for free?

J.D. Power charges for its reports; the basic consumer report was listed at $35 in October 2026. A lender or dealer may already have run one for your home, so ask them for a copy.

How often are NADA manufactured home values updated?

J.D. Power says its used manufactured home values are updated six times a year. Each report shows the guide edition it used, so check that date before relying on an older report.