Don Fenley is semiretired from a 45-year career as a journalist. His news blog — Core Data — focuses on local housing data and localized reports about the core elements of the Northeast Tennessee economy.
Don Fenley is semiretired from a 45-year career as a journalist. His news blog — Core Data — focuses on local housing data and localized reports about the core elements of the Northeast Tennessee economy.
Don Fenley is semiretired from a 45-year career as a journalist. His news blog — Core Data — focuses on local housing data and localized reports about the core elements of the Northeast Tennessee economy.
Tri-Cities manufactured home sales posted a modest 7.9% year-over-year gain in May. There were 68 sales, up from 63 last year. While overall activity ticked up, pricing patterns and time-on-market performance reveal a market navigating affordability pressures and shifting buyer expectations.
Greene and Sullivan counties topped the region with 14 sales each. While Greene’s total was down from 22 in May 2024, Sullivan doubled its performance from last year. Carter County reported six sales (down from seven), while Hawkins and Johnson counties held steady.
Price sensitivity continues shaping the market, and sellers are adjusting prices to close deals. The average reduction from the original list price to final list price last month was $12,322, only slightly below the $12,717 average cut in May 2024.
County-Level Price Reductions
• Hawkins County: Average cut of $11,238.
• Carter County: A{span}verage{/span} cut of $6,000.
• Sullivan County: Av{span}erage{/span} cut of $3,929.
• Greene County: A{span}verage{/span} cut of $3,000.
Average Selling Prices Dip in Most Counties
Shifts in the average sales price suggest buyers are holding firm on budgets but actively participating in the market. Several counties saw year-over-year declines in average sale prices with one exception:
• Greene County: Dropped from $208,123 to $194,907.
• Sullivan County: Fell from $240,429 to $213,921.
• Hawkins County: The exception, the sales price rose to $205,994 from $198,544.
Homes are also moving faster in some counties than they did last year:
• Carter County: Days on market dropped from 76 to 47.
• Hawkins and Johnson counties: Also saw significant improvements.
• Greene County: Time on market increased slightly, from 65 to 71 days.
The five-month trend affirms manufactured homes are playing an increasing role in the local landscape. Despite mild sales growth, pricing flexibility and affordability remain central to market dynamics. Sellers are increasingly adapting to tighter buyer budgets, and quicker closings show a healthy but competitive environment.
May’s manufactured home sales accounted for 8.9% of the region’s total home sales last month.
Don Fenley is semiretired from a 45-year career as a journalist. His news blog — Core Data — focuses on local housing data and localized reports a bout the core elements of the Northeast Tennessee economy.
