Yes, or at least yes in many cases. There are more than a few restrictions, though, and only brand-new modular homes placed on permanent foundations are generally available, but exceptions to this are made in cases where there is an existing USDA-backed loan on the property or the USDA is selling a property it acquired as a part of a foreclosure. The USDA program also has geographic and income limits to navigate. You can use their lookup tool to see if you are eligible.
USDA mortgage regulations dealing with manufactured housing (aka "mobile homes") are all part of federal regulation "7 CFR Part 3555, section 208". The following is extracted or excerpted from the regulation; for clarity, we have added emphasis in several areas. There are five sections to the regulation, and if you are thinking about trying to use the program to finance a manufactured home, you should get to know them.
Sec. 3555.208 Special requirements for manufactured homes.
Loans may be guaranteed for manufactured homes if all the requirements in this section are met.
Section A. Eligible costs.
In addition to the loan purposes described in Sec. 3555.101 (defines what RD loans can be used for), Rural Development may guarantee a loan used for the following purposes related to manufactured homes when a real estate mortgage covers both the unit and the site:
(1) Purchase of a new manufactured home, transportation, permanent foundation, and installation costs of the manufactured home, and purchase of an eligible site if not already owned by the applicant; and
(2) Site development work properly completed to HUD, state and local government standards, as well as the manufacturer’s requirements for installation on a permanent foundation.
Section B. Loan restrictions.
The following loan restrictions are in addition to the loan restrictions contained in Sec. 3555.102:
(1) A loan will not be guaranteed if it is used to purchase a site without also financing a new unit.
(2) A loan will not be guaranteed if it is used to purchase furniture, including but not limited to: movable articles of personal property such as drapes, beds, bedding, chairs, sofas, divans, lamps, tables, televisions, radios, and stereo sets. Furniture does not include wall-to-wall carpeting, refrigerators, ovens, ranges, washing machines, clothes dryers, heating or cooling equipment, or other similar items.
(3) A loan will not be guaranteed to purchase an existing manufactured home and site unless:
(i) The unit and site are already financed with an Agency direct single family or guaranteed loan;
(ii) The unit and site are being sold by Rural Development as REO property;
(iii) The unit and site are being sold from the lender's inventory, and the loan for which the unit and site served as security was a loan guaranteed by Rural Development; or
(iv) The unit was installed on its initial installation site on a permanent foundation complying with the manufacturer's and HUD installation standards.
(4) A loan will not be guaranteed for repairs to an existing unit, unless the unit meets the requirements of Sec. 3555.208(b)(3).
(5) A loan will not be guaranteed for the purchase of an existing manufactured home that has been moved from another site.
Section C. Construction and development.
(1) To be an eligible unit, the new unit must have a floor space of not less than 400 square feet.
(2) The unit must be properly installed on a permanent foundation according to HUD standards, and the manufacturer's requirements for installation on a permanent foundation. A certification of proper foundation is required.
(3) All wheels, axles, towing hitches and running gear must be removed from the manufactured home.
(4) Unit construction must conform to the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (FMHCSS) and be constructed in compliance with the HUD heating and cooling requirements for the State in which the unit will be located. Any alterations, such as garage construction, as a new unit must comply with FMHCSS.
(5) The site development, installation and set-up must conform to the HUD requirements and the manufacturer's requirements for a permanent installation.
(6) The unit must meet or exceed the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) in effect at the time of construction.
(7) The lender must maintain documentation of construction plans and required certifications.
Section D. Warranty requirements.
(1) The applicant must receive a warranty in accordance with HUD requirements for new manufactured homes on permanent foundations.
(2) The warranty must identify the unit by serial number.
(3) The lender and applicant must obtain certification that the manufactured home has sustained no hidden damage during transportation and, if manufactured in separate sections that the sections were properly joined and sealed according to the manufacturer's specifications.
(4) The manufactured home must be affixed with a data plate, placed inside the unit, and a certification label, affixed to each transportable section at the tail-light end of each unit which indicates that the home was designed and built in accordance with HUD's construction and safety standards in effect on the date the home was manufactured.
(5) The lender must retain a copy of all manufacturers' warranties in the lender file.
Section E. HUD requirements.
You can review the FMHCSS and HUD requirements or see a more user-friendly version at the Cornell Law Library.
Section F. Title and lien requirements.
To be eligible for the SFHGLP, the following conditions must be met and documented in the lender's file:
(1) A manufactured home loan must be secured by a perfected lien on real property consisting of the manufactured home and the land;
(2) The manufactured home must be taxed as real estate as applicable under State law, including relevant statutes, regulations, and judicial decisions;
(3) The security instrument must be recorded in the land records and must identify the encumbered property as including both the home and the land;
(4) If applicable State law so permits, any certificate of title to the manufactured home must be surrendered to the appropriate State government authority. If the certificate of title cannot be surrendered, the lender must indicate its lien on the certificate;
(5) The mortgage must be covered by a standard real property title insurance policy and any other endorsement required in the applicable jurisdiction for manufactured home ensuring the manufactured home is part of the real property that secures the loan; and
(6) The borrower must acknowledge the unit is a fixture and part of the real estate securing the mortgage.
