If you’re exploring manufactured home community living or you’re already a resident wondering exactly what your monthly site fee covers, you’re asking the right question. Site fees (what used to be called “lot rent”) are one of the most important line items in your housing budget, and understanding what’s included, what isn’t, and how they change over time puts you in a much stronger position as a homeowner.
Here’s what every current and prospective manufactured home resident should know.
What Is a Site Fee?
A site fee is your monthly payment for the land your home sits on, as well as for the infrastructure and amenities the community provides. Think of it like a homeowners’ association fee, but it also covers the land lease itself.
Unlike a mortgage, which builds equity in a structure, your site fee is what gives you the right to place your home in a specific community and access everything that community offers. That makes it essential to understand exactly what you’re getting.
What Site Fees Commonly Cover (and What They Might Not)
Not all site fees are created equal. Across the industry, what’s included varies significantly from community to community. Here’s a breakdown of what we recommend you look for and what to ask about before you sign a lease.
Land Lease. At a minimum, your site fee covers the right to lease your specific home site.
Water and Sewer: This is one of the biggest variables. Some communities include water and sewer in the site fee; others bill them separately. And when they’re billed separately, costs can fluctuate significantly year over year. Ask specifically: Is water and sewer included? If not, how is it billed, and who maintains the infrastructure?
Trash and Recycling Basic trash removal is common, but recycling pickup is not universal. If sustainability matters to your household, this is worth confirming upfront.
Snow Removal and Road Maintenance Private roads are the norm in manufactured home communities, meaning they’re not maintained by the city or county. Ask how roads are plowed in winter and who is responsible for ongoing upkeep, pothole repair, and tree maintenance along roadways.
Amenities: Fitness centers, clubhouses, ponds, parks; these vary widely. Some communities offer robust amenities; others offer none. If amenities are listed, ask whether they’re included in your site fee or billed as add-ons.
What to Watch For: Amenities listed in marketing materials that aren’t actually maintained. Unclear responsibility for private road and infrastructure upkeep. Limited or no recycling service.
How Do Site Fees Change Over Time?
This is the question most people forget to ask, and one of the most important.
Site fee increases are common across the industry. On average, communities raise site fees 5–6% annually. Many tie increase to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation. CPI-based increases can feel modest in stable economic times, but when inflation spikes, as it did in recent years, those increases can climb significantly and catch residents off guard.
What to ask before you sign a lease: How much have site fees increased over the past 3–5 years? Are increases tied to CPI, a fixed percentage, or community discretion? How much notice will you receive before a rate increase takes effect?
Understanding the increase structure helps you budget with confidence and avoid surprises.
One More Thing: Who Owns the Community?
Many manufactured home communities are family-owned, which can mean a strong sense of stewardship and long-term investment in the property. However, when a family-owned community reaches a generational transition point, the sale of the community can significantly impact residents. Corporate community ownership is quickly growing in this industry. This can catch some off guard. A community transitions from family ownership to corporate ownership.
What’s Included at New Durham Estates
At New Durham Estates, we believe transparency builds trust. Here’s exactly what your site fee covers:
Your Land Lease. Every home has its own dedicated address within our community, a detail that reflects how seriously we take each resident’s place here.
Underground Water and Sewer Infrastructure We own and maintain our underground water and sewer systems, meaning residents are not currently billed for these services. We maintain this infrastructure, so you don’t have to think about it.
Trash and Recycling Pickup Both are included. We’re committed to making responsible waste management easy and accessible for every household.
Snow Plowing Our private roads are plowed, so when winter hits Northwest Indiana, you can get in and out safely.
Private Road and Infrastructure Maintenance Our roads, common areas, and community infrastructure are maintained by us, not dependent on municipal schedules or budgets.
Fitness Center Residents have access to our on-site fitness center without a separate membership fee.
Community Office Complex Our professional on-site office means there’s always a point of contact for questions, maintenance requests, and community matters.
Our Stocked Pond is one of our favorite features, a beautifully maintained stocked pond that’s part of the landscape and life of our community.
Budgeting for Success
Your site fee is one of the most consequential numbers in your housing budget. Knowing what it covers, and what it doesn’t, helps you compare communities fairly, budget accurately, and choose a place you’re proud to call home.
At New Durham Estates, we’ve built our community around the belief that residents deserve to know exactly what they’re paying for, and that it should genuinely improve their quality of life.
