At about 1,120 square feet, the 28x40 singlewide sits in the small-footprint part of the size range, and that footprint drives almost every number that follows. It is normally configured 3BR/2BA and, built as one section transported whole, tends to attract first-time buyers and small households who need a real second bedroom without paying mid-size prices.
This guide reads the 28x40 through an owner-finance lens: the real return comes from selling on terms and collecting a monthly note rather than from rent. This guide works the 28x40 singlewide on those terms: what the floor area actually buys you, what it costs to acquire and renovate, the rents and resale it supports, and the placement and inspection details that decide whether a given unit is worth pursuing. National demand for affordable manufactured housing has held steady per Census shipment data, and the small-footprint segment is a durable slice of it.
Key Takeaways
- A 28x40 singlewide delivers about 1,120 gross square feet (roughly 1,050 sq ft of usable interior).
- Typical configuration: 3BR/2BA, sized for small-footprint-footprint demand.
- Acquisition band: $18K to $38K depending on era, condition, and market.
- Full renovation: $8K to $13K, scaled to the 1,120 sq ft of flooring, paint, and mechanicals.
- Post-renovation rent: $575 to $800/month in most markets, roughly a 4 percent cash-on-cash return on the all-in basis.
Size and Configuration
A single 28-foot-wide box 40 feet long, delivered and set as one piece. Nominal area is 1,120 square feet; after wall thickness and mechanical chases, usable interior is closer to 1,050 square feet.
This size comfortably holds a 3BR/2BA with a real primary bedroom and one or two secondary rooms near 10 by 11 feet, plus a defined kitchen rather than a galley.
Room-by-Room Layout
Spreading 1,120 square feet across a 3BR/2BA plan, the approximate room sizes a 28x40 singlewide supports look like this. Treat them as planning figures; exact dimensions vary by manufacturer and floor plan:
| Space |
Approx. dimensions (ft) |
| Primary bedroom |
15 x 12 |
| Secondary bedroom |
12 x 11 |
| Living area |
18 x 13 |
| Kitchen |
14 x 9 |
At 28 feet of combined width the rooms read close to site-built proportions, which is a big part of why this size rents and resells well.
Acquisition Cost
Asking prices for a 28x40 singlewide span $18K to $38K. Use vintage and renovation scope to place a given unit inside that band:
| Vintage / Condition |
Typical Acquisition |
| Pre-2000, full renovation needed |
$18K to $23K |
| 2000 to 2010, moderate work |
$23K to $28K |
| 2011 to 2018, light refresh |
$28K to $33K |
| 2019 to present, move-in ready |
$33K to $38K |
Chassis, floor, and roof condition decide where in this band a real unit lands.
💡 Did You Know? A full renovation on a 28x40 singlewide runs about $8K to $13K, scaled to its 1,120 sq ft.
Renovation Budget for a 28x40
Renovation is a square-footage problem, so a singlewide at 1,120 sq ft costs more to turn than a smaller home. Budget against the floor area, not a flat per-home number:
| Line item |
Cost range |
| LVP flooring (1,120 sq ft) |
$3,400 to $6,700 |
| Interior paint |
$800 to $1,500 |
| HVAC (sized for 1,120 sq ft) |
$2,200 to $4,200 |
| 2 bath update(s) |
$1,400 to $2,800 |
| Subfloor, plumbing, exterior |
$2K to $6K |
That lands a full renovation at $8K to $13K. Pricing a 1,120 sq ft home off a 14-wide benchmark is the most common way investors underbudget this size.
Upgrades That Pay Back
Not every dollar spent on a 28x40 singlewide earns its return. On a 1,120 sq ft home the upgrades that reliably pay back are the ones tenants and buyers see and use: durable LVP flooring across the full footprint, a clean and functional kitchen, and the 2 bath(s) brought to a modern standard. Those carry the $575 to $800 rent and the $54K resale. Spending on cosmetic extras that do not move the rent, by contrast, just inflates the $38,500 basis. The discipline on a home this size is to renovate to the rent the small-footprint footprint actually commands, then stop.
Return on Investment
A representative rental underwrite on a 28x40 singlewide:
- Acquire: $28K
- Renovate: $10,500 (all-in $38,500)
- Rent: $700/month
- Lot rent: $450/month
- Operating expenses: $120/month
- Net: $130/month, about $1,560/year
- Cash-on-cash: roughly 4.1 percent on the all-in basis
Owner financing changes the math. Sell the same home for $54K with $6,500 down, finance $47,500 at 12 percent over 10 years, and the note pays about $680/month. The down payment alone recovers a large share of the all-in cost in year one, and the interest spread is where this size earns its keep for operators who can carry paper.
Operating Costs and Cash Flow
The headline rent on a 28x40 singlewide is not the number that matters; the number that matters is what survives the monthly carry. On $700 of in-place rent, a realistic operating stack looks like this:
| Monthly line item |
Amount |
| Lot rent |
$450 |
| Property tax (on $28K basis) |
$30 |
| Insurance (1,120 sq ft) |
$15 |
| Maintenance reserve |
$55 |
| Vacancy reserve |
$40 |
| Management |
$55 |
That leaves roughly $55/month, about $660/year, in true net on a $700 rent. The larger the footprint, the more the fixed lines (tax, insurance) climb, which is exactly why a 1,120 sq ft home has to clear a higher rent than a starter unit to produce the same margin. Underwrite to this net, not to gross rent, and the 28x40 holds up.
Transport and Installation
A 28x40 singlewide ships as one 28-foot by 40-foot box and is set on its piers and tied down in a single placement. At 28 feet wide it is an overwidth load in most states, so build in permit and possible escort costs. There is no marriage line to seal, which removes the single biggest structural risk a doublewide carries. Budget $3,500 to $8K for transport and set, depending on distance and how much the route fights you.
Lot Requirements
A 28-foot-wide singlewide needs a lot that can actually take it. The bare minimum after setbacks is around 40 feet of width, but 48 to 73 feet is typical for parks that accept this size. Confirm three things before you contract: that the park accepts a 28-foot-wide home, that the lot has utility clearance on both sides, and that the 40-foot length fits the pad and setbacks. Some pre-2000 parks were laid out for narrower homes and cannot take this width at all.
Financing a 28x40 Singlewide
Older or lower-value units in this band lean on chattel (personal-property) lenders, who price for the collateral and keep terms short. On an all-in basis near $38,500, an investor putting 15 percent ($6K) down finances roughly $32,500. At 12 percent over 10 years that is about $465/month, which the $575 to $800 rent comfortably covers. The financing takeaway for this size: verify the title status (real property vs personal property) early, because it decides which lenders and which loan products are even on the table.
Inspection Priorities
On a singlewide the chassis and the 40-foot floor system carry the most risk. Walk the full length checking for soft spots, frame rust, and prior sag between piers before you commit. Then size the HVAC against the 1,120 sq ft: a home this size needs adequate tonnage and duct reach, and an undersized system is a habitability problem you inherit at closing. Finish with the roof, the belly wrap, and the tie-downs. Skipping any of these on a singlewide this large is how a clean-looking deal turns into a five-figure surprise.
Closing Checklist for a 28x40
Before you sign on a 28x40 singlewide, confirm each of these. They are the items that, missed, turn a good basis into a bad one:
- Title status: real property or personal property, and is it clean and transferable?
- Lot fit: does the park accept a 28-foot-wide home, and does the pad take the 40-foot length with setbacks?
- Frame and floor: walk the full 40-foot chassis for rust, soft spots, and sag.
- HVAC: is the system sized for 1,120 sq ft (about 2 to 2.5 ton) with duct reach to every room?
- Numbers: does the deal pencil at a realistic $700 rent and $38,500 all-in, not the top-of-band figures?
Clear all five and the 28x40 is a deal worth pursuing.
How the 28x40 Compares to Neighboring Sizes
Holding the 28-foot width and singlewide format constant, stepping the length up or down moves square footage, room count, and rent in step. It is the cleanest way to see where the 28x40 sits on the ladder:
| Configuration |
Sq ft |
Layout |
Acquisition |
Rent |
| 28x32 singlewide |
896 |
2BR/1BA |
$22K |
$575 |
| 28x40 singlewide |
1,120 |
3BR/2BA |
$28K |
$575 |
| 28x48 singlewide |
1,344 |
3BR/2BA |
$34K |
$700 |
Each added foot of length is mostly bedroom and living space, so the rent gain per foot is real but the acquisition and renovation cost rise with it. The 28x40 is worth choosing over a shorter unit when the local rent spread justifies the extra all-in dollars, and over a longer unit when lot length or budget is the binding constraint.
Tenant Profile and Rental Demand
Owner-finance buyers at this size are households priced out of bank lending but able to carry a payment, which is a large and under-served pool. A 28x40 singlewide rents to first-time buyers and small households who need a real second bedroom without paying mid-size prices. That profile sets the rent ceiling at $575 to $800/month and, more importantly, the turnover rate: the deeper the demand pool for the size, the shorter the vacancy between tenants. When you screen inventory through a buying guide, weigh this size against the rent it actually commands in your specific park, not the sticker price alone. A 3BR/2BA at this footprint tends to hold tenants longer than a smaller unit, which is where the real return on a larger home shows up.
28x40 Singlewide vs Doublewide
At the same 28x40 label, 28x40 double wide works out to about 2,240 square feet versus 1,120 for this home. The wider footprint of the doublewide adds rent and broadens the buyer pool but costs more to acquire, needs a wider lot, and carries the marriage-line risk a singlewide avoids. If lot width and capital allow, the larger home usually wins on return per dollar; if the park runs narrow lots or you want the lowest entry price, the smaller one is the cleaner play.
Resale and Exit Strategy
Plan the exit before you buy. A renovated 28x40 singlewide at an all-in basis near $38,500 has three realistic exits: hold and rent for $1,560/year of net, sell outright to a retail buyer near $54K, or owner-finance it and collect $680/month on the note. The small-footprint footprint holds value well because its buyer pool is the broadest in the park. The single biggest driver of resale on this size is not cosmetics; it is whether the home is titled as real or personal property and whether the lot conveys or transfers cleanly. Sort that out at acquisition and the 28x40 stays liquid when you want out.
Market Outlook for the 28x40
Demand for the 28x40 singlewide tracks the broader affordable-housing shortage, which has not eased. The small-footprint footprint serves first-time buyers and small households who need a real second bedroom without paying mid-size prices, and that buyer is not going away. Two forces specific to this size are worth watching: park acceptance of 28-foot-wide homes is the gating factor as more communities cap lot widths, and replacement cost. New manufactured homes at this footprint price well above a renovated unit at $38,500, which keeps the renovated 28x40 priced competitively and supports both rents and resale through the hold. The owner-finance case strengthens when bank credit tightens, because the buyer pool for terms grows exactly when rates rise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pricing renovation off a smaller home; a 1,120 sq ft floor costs materially more in flooring and HVAC.
- Contracting before confirming the park accepts a 28-foot-wide home on a lot that fits the 40-foot length.
- Assuming a singlewide this long has no chassis or floor sag without walking it.
- Underwriting at top-of-band rent ($800) when the realistic, in-place number is closer to $700.
- Ignoring title status until financing, then discovering the loan product you assumed does not apply.
Common Questions Answered
How many square feet is a 28x40 singlewide?
About 1,120 gross square feet, or roughly 1,050 square feet of usable interior once you account for wall thickness and mechanical chases. That footprint is what places it in the small-footprint tier and drives its rent and resale.
How many bedrooms fit in a 28x40?
A 3-bedroom, 2-bath layout is standard at this size. The 40-foot length is the constraint on bedroom count more than the width, so floor plans at this footprint cluster around 3BR/2BA.
What does a 28x40 singlewide cost to buy and renovate?
Acquisition runs $18K to $38K by vintage and condition, and a full renovation adds $8K to $13K. A typical all-in basis is near $38,500 before you place a tenant.
What rent does a 28x40 support?
Post-renovation rents land between $575 and $800/month in most markets, with $700 a reasonable in-place midpoint. On the all-in basis that is roughly a 4 percent cash-on-cash return before appreciation.
What lot width does a 28x40 need?
Plan on at least 40 feet of usable width after setbacks, with 48 to 73 feet typical in parks that accept this size. Confirm the park policy and utility clearance before you contract.
Is a 28x40 singlewide a good first investment?
Yes, for many investors this small-footprint size is a sensible entry point: the $28K all-in basis is approachable and the 3BR/2BA demand is steady. Either way, the deciding factor is buying it right and confirming the lot fits a 28-foot-wide home before you commit.
How long does a 28x40 take to renovate and rent?
A full renovation on 1,120 sq ft is typically a 3 to 6 week job once materials are on site, with flooring and the 2 bath update(s) driving the timeline. Budget another two to four weeks to place a tenant in the $575 to $800 band, faster in markets where the 3-bedroom demand pool runs deep.
🎯 Key Takeaway: At roughly 1,120 sq ft and a 3BR/2BA layout, the 28x40 singlewide targets small-footprint-footprint demand with a near-4 percent cash-on-cash profile.
Ready to Grow Your Portfolio?
The 28x40 singlewide is a small-footprint-footprint workhorse: the size buys real 3BR/2BA demand, the renovation math is predictable, and at an all-in basis near $38,500 the rent and owner-finance numbers both pencil. Buy it right and place it in a lot that fits, and it earns reliably.
Book a Free Consultation with our team to pressure-test a specific 28x40 deal against your market and capital.
