Pickering said she will likely appeal after Lancaster County raised her Pheasant Ridge mobile home assessment by 141%, far above Manor Township’s overall 80% increase in property values.
The reassessment has alarmed residents in the land-lease community, where many are seniors or low-income homeowners already paying rising lot rents — Pickering said her household now pays $900 a month to Sun Communities.
County officials did not explain the valuation method, but real estate and housing industry figures said assessors can rely on market sales, and recent Pheasant Ridge resales have topped $100,000, including a similar home sold for $114,900 in June.
Legal-aid advocates argue those prices reflect a tight affordable-housing market rather than true appreciation of mobile homes, which can depreciate and are not tied to land ownership.
Pickering is seeking an appraiser with help from a real estate agent friend; the appeal could cost $300 to $500, underscoring how challenging the process can be for limited-income mobile home owners.