Oak Ridge

Independent Assessment

Sun Communities' site maintains a dedicated 'Home Sales' section for Oak Ridge with multiple individually addressed, currently or recently listed for-sale homes, which is the same land-lease home-purchase model documented at other Sun Communities and comparable manufactured-housing-REIT properties nationally (residents own the home, lease the lot, pay monthly lot rent). This confirms a genuine for-sale option exists at this specific community, resolving the ambiguity in favor of in-scope, land-lease publication. However, Oak Ridge's total site count, its original build/establishment date, and the current specific lot-rent dollar figure applicable to the purchase-and-lease tenure track (as opposed to the separately marketed straight-rental track) were not independently confirmed, as secondary sources did not consistently report them for this specific community.

Who May Find This Community Appealing

Budget-conscious buyers wanting an age-qualified manufactured-home community with a national REIT operator's professional management and on-site amenities (clubhouse, banquet hall, BBQ area, pond) in Kankakee County -- reasonably close to the Chicago Southland and to Kankakee River State Park -- will find Oak Ridge's for-sale, land-lease homes appealing; renters seeking a 55+ setting without homeownership may also find Oak Ridge's separately marketed rental units of interest, though the rental option is a distinct arrangement from the for-sale, land-lease homes.

Homes, Builders & Development History

Oak Ridge is operated by Sun Communities, a national manufactured-housing and RV-community REIT, at 1099 Oak Ridge Drive in Manteno. The community's original development date and founding developer were not confirmed. Sun Communities' own site lists specific individually addressed manufactured homes available for purchase within the community, alongside a subsidiary rental-home offering; both operate within Sun Communities' standard land-lease framework in which the company owns the underlying land, streets, utilities, and common amenities.

Current Pricing & Market Positioning

Current sale prices for homes at Oak Ridge have not been independently verified; Sun Communities' own site lists specific homes for sale by address, but individual listing prices were not reviewed. A separately marketed rental listing was found at $1,199/month for a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit, which reflects the rental option rather than the for-sale, land-lease option. Buyers should request current for-sale home pricing and lot-rent figures directly from the Sun Communities Oak Ridge sales office.

New Construction vs. Resale Considerations

Oak Ridge's 'Home Sales' listings on Sun Communities' own site indicate the availability of individual manufactured homes for purchase within the community, generally on a resale basis (existing homes previously placed on leased lots) rather than new manufactured-home placement, though whether Sun Communities also offers new-home placement options at this specific community was not confirmed. Buyers of a resale unit should request a full independent inspection of the home and confirm the community's current lease terms and transfer/approval process required when purchasing.

Taxes, Insurance & Special Assessments

In a land-lease manufactured-home community, the home itself is generally taxed separately from the underlying land (which remains taxed to Sun Communities as the land owner); buyers should specifically ask the Oak Ridge sales office and the Kankakee County Assessor's office how property taxes are assessed and billed for a home on a leased lot, and confirm whether the home is titled as personal property or as real property, which affects financing and taxation.

Community Layout & Lifestyle

Oak Ridge centers community life around its on-site clubhouse, which includes a fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen and meeting space, and hosts organized activities including bingo, golf outings, and other social events for residents. Additional amenities include a banquet hall, BBQ area, community and computer centers, a pond, and a library. The community's own marketing describes it as 'beautifully maintained' and situated in the Chicago Southland's exurban Manteno area.

Shopping, Healthcare & Airport Access

Oak Ridge is located at 1099 Oak Ridge Drive in Manteno, Kankakee County, with secondary sources noting proximity to Kankakee River State Park, the Manteno Veterans Home, Chicagoland Speedway, and less than an hour's drive to Chicago.

Age Qualification & Material Ownership Restrictions

Oak Ridge is directly and repeatedly marketed as a 55+ community by operator Sun Communities' own site and by independent secondary aggregators, with one aggregator specifically describing it as 'an age-restricted community with a 55+ age requirement.' This is treated as a reasonably confirming signal for a land-lease manufactured-housing community, though the recorded lease-agreement clause or a state manufactured-housing-community filing specifying the exact legal age-restriction language and verification procedure was not independently reviewed. Buyers should confirm current exact restriction terms directly with the community office.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

As a land-lease community, buyers of a for-sale home at Oak Ridge own the home but not the underlying land, meaning monthly lot rent is an ongoing cost separate from any home financing; the current specific lot-rent dollar figure for the purchase track was not confirmed. Oak Ridge's total site count, original establishment date, and the current inventory and pricing of homes actively for sale versus for rent at any given time also remain unconfirmed; buyers should request this directly from the Sun Communities sales office and confirm which tenure track (purchase-with-lot-lease versus straight rental) applies to any specific unit they are considering.

Comparison With Nearby Communities

Oak Ridge is a separate, independently operated land-lease 55+ manufactured-home community in Manteno, alongside Maple Valley (managed by Hometown America) and the smaller Maple Ridge Mobile Home Park. Oak Ridge is distinguished from the other two by its operator, Sun Communities, a large national manufactured-housing REIT, and by offering both a confirmed for-sale/land-lease track and a separately marketed straight-rental track at the same address -- a dual-tenure structure not found at Maple Valley or Maple Ridge.

Current Listings

Sun Communities' own site (suncommunities.com/illinois/oak-ridge/find-a-home) lists current available for-sale homes by address, and the company separately markets rental units at the same community; a connected local agent familiar with manufactured housing can also assist.

Can you buy a home at Oak Ridge, or is it rental-only?

Both. Sun Communities' own site lists specific homes for sale by address at Oak Ridge (buy the home, lease the lot), and the community separately markets rental units as well.

Is Oak Ridge a land-lease community?

Yes, for its for-sale homes: residents own the individual manufactured home but lease the underlying lot from Sun Communities, the community's operator.

Where is Oak Ridge located?

1099 Oak Ridge Drive, Manteno, Kankakee County, Illinois.

Is Oak Ridge age-restricted?

Yes, the community is directly and repeatedly marketed as a 55+ community by its own operator and by independent aggregators. Confirm the current exact restriction language with the community office.

What is the lot rent at Oak Ridge?

Not publicly confirmed; buyers should request the current exact figure directly from the Sun Communities sales office.