Living Fulltime in RV

[bustedoldman]

Anyone doing this currently? Are you in a travel trailer, 5th wheel, park model or tiny home on wheels? Pros/cons? tips, tricks, advice? Contemplating if its time to pull the trigger on a new adventure......

[Special T]

Are you currently owning a home or renting?
Camping trailers aren't built very well. If it was under a roof you would probably be good.  A friend lived in a 5rh wheel brand new for 4 years and now it has rot in the slide outs and the thing is trashed. Not worth what he paid for it. My folks lived in a park model Mobil homes for several years while building their house.they are better but not by much. More comfortable but just as prone to decay. If I were to live in a park model I would   make sure it was an uncomplicated roof then put a metal roof on that covered it and  both sides for a place to get out of the weather and reduce how much water hits the sides. All of this in Washington. West side.

[2MANY]

I have a friend that lives in a 5th wheel in Idaho.
Seems to work for him but not my choice.

[pianoman9701]

A guy I used to work with sold his Sherwood, OR home and is travelling the country in a Marathon coach. They're pretty happy. 

[ghosthunter]

I know several folks living full time.

If your plan is to travel around full time with a home base parking spot. I would not buy any stick built trailer. I would go with a fiberglass trailer . There is virtually no maintenance on the roof except for wash and wax couple times, checking chalk around vents. You will pay more for fiberglass but will come out ahead in maintenance and resale value.

I would look at Escape Industries in Chilliwack BC. Look at online videos on their site.
They have a 5 th wheel and now a 23 ft. Light weight.

 My good friend lives in a stick built 5 th wheel, under a roof next to his sons shop.
Seem to be happy enough. No way I would live full time in a stick built with out a roof over it.

Also size in a consideration. If you want to travel around everything is better wit smaller units.
 
I have another friend who has lived 20 years in a motor home in a RV park. He never moves it. But has to treat the roof every so often.

[ghosthunter]

I have given thought to it. My wife and I are in our 70s. And we both have a back up plan in something we’re to happen to the other.

My plan is to sell the house and most the stuff. Buy or build a shop on a small chuck somewhere. The shop would be big enough to house my toys and park a 20 ft trailer in.

In the winter I would stay  in the shop sleeping in the trailer. Spring summer travel around.
I think it’s important to have a plan for when you are too old to travel around, somewhere to go back too for the final stretch.

[ghosthunter]

Probably not what you had ion mind. But you can learn a lot from this guy.



https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq103rgEqP8X2_7L4bDoFKg

[Special T]

Probably need more I formation from you to actually help.

[Humptulips]

I've stayed long term in Parks while working and trapping out of State. Came to know my neighbors there.
It seems to me everyone thinks they are going to travel around when they start out but end up living in a Park full time after a while. It costs to travel and staying short term in Parks is costly too.
Like said RVs are junk for the most part and will rot out if you are living in them full time. You just can't get away from the humidity problem.
Just me but I would pick a place I liked to live in an affordable house and downsize your RV for trips instead of figuring to live in it full time. It will last longer and you will have a place you can call home to go which gets to be more important the older you get.

[bustedoldman]

Currently renting but owner is selling, not interested in buying in the area as i'm leaving in the next 5-10 years. Ideally buying property in MT, WY, N/SD, NE, OK and would like to take the RV with me and live on the property until finished building.

[jrebel]

Currently renting but owner is selling, not interested in buying in the area as i'm leaving in the next 5-10 years. Ideally buying property in MT, WY, N/SD, NE, OK and would like to take the RV with me and live on the property until finished building.

For what it's worth....It's a great time to buy if the price is right.  It is no longer a sellers market with rates up.  Make the seller an offer and if you can pick it up for a reasonable price....buy it!!  In 5-10 years you will build equity in a house.  A trailer will depreciate faster than my bowels emptying after eating from a taco truck.  When you decide to leave, sell and take the equity to buy property or build on the property. 

[teanawayslayer]

We lived in our 30’ Jayco for 300 days while we were building our house. It was crowded with 4 of us but made it work. It’s not ideal but if it’s just one or two people piece of cake! If I were to do it again I would build a shop first and pull the trailer in the shop. Gives you a lot more options for more space.

[bustedoldman]

Its just the wife, dog and me, so should be plenty of room! The housing is terrible around here, and with the high rates I just dont think a $2000 dollar mortgage payment is worth it even if i do end up with a little equity and thats pending the housing market when I decide to leave. I could buy a fixer upper but really don't want to spend my free time working. Maybe best option is to buy a lot, put up a small shop with lean to and park the camper there? I'm pretty open minded so keep throwing ideas and suggestions my way................Thanks Guys!

[baldopepper]

We sold our home in the south sound and moved to the air stream land yacht harbor in Lacey. Gotta own an airstream to live there, but very reasonable cost wise. Lot of full time air stream owners there like us that maintain a base on the Westside because that's where the kids and grandkids are.  Lots of 15-20 year old airstream trailers there that the owners still travel the country in and have held up well  Ours is 5 years old and honestly I could sell it tomorrow for more than I paid for it.  Spend most of our time at our place on the eastside but nice to have a safe, reasonably priced Westside  place also.
 
 
 

[vandeman17]

Its just the wife, dog and me, so should be plenty of room! The housing is terrible around here, and with the high rates I just dont think a $2000 dollar mortgage payment is worth it even if i do end up with a little equity and thats pending the housing market when I decide to leave. I could buy a fixer upper but really don't want to spend my free time working. Maybe best option is to buy a lot, put up a small shop with lean to and park the camper there? I'm pretty open minded so keep throwing ideas and suggestions my way................Thanks Guys!

If you are going to build a shop, just include some living space. A sleeping area, bathroom and kitchen/living room is all you need. I would love to do something like this at some point down the road.