Hi Everyone. Well, after 15 years the RV-Dreams Community Forum is coming to an end. Since it began in August 2005, we've had 58 Million page views, 124,000 posts, and we've spent about $15,000 to keep this valuable resource for RVers free and open. But since we are now off the road and have settled down for the next chapter of our lives, we are taking the Forum down effective June 30, 2021. It has been a tough decision, but it is now time.


We want to thank all of our members for their participation and input over the years, and we want to especially thank those that have acted as Moderators for us during our amazing journey living and traveling in our RV and growing the RV-Dreams Family. We will be forever proud to have been founders of this Forum and to have been supported by such a wonderful community. Thank you all!!

Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Using our RV to live in since we lost our home to foreclosure


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 13
Date:
Using our RV to live in since we lost our home to foreclosure


My husband and I lost our home to foreclosure 2 years ago. Since then, we are in our 2nd rented home, on a yearly lease. It's up for sale but we knew that going in. We had no choice since we have 3 old dogs and could NOT find ANYONE willing to rent to us out here in SE PA...Chester County. My husband is a flooring contractor...25 yrs in the business. Work isn't always steady so we live paycheck to paycheck and it's getting harder and harder to keep our heads above water. We juggle and rob Peter to pay Paul. I like the place we're in because of all the space but we honestly don't know if we'll be here next year. The landlord could decide not to renew the lease, it could get sold. Meanwhile this summer, I'm gong to have yard sales to try to sell most of the stuff we have in storage. It will be hard not being able to have our furniture and items I've collected over the years but we're seriously thinking of just moving into our Class A RV and trying to find someone who will rent us a site with W/E/S hookups. We don't know where to begin and my husband is situated out here work wise. He's getting more leads but most of the work is Insurance jobs so he doesn't get paid until the people who subbed him get paid. We're thinking it would be so much cheaper to live in the RV and rent might be a lot cheaper. We just don't know where to start looking or how to even begin. We don't want to leave SE PA because of my husband's work and we want to be able to visit the grandkids a couple times a month. We have no savings and while he makes good money when he works, it's spotty right now. Any info and advice is VERY much appreciated. Feel free to email me directly at: aneokle@yahoo.com



__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1248
Date:

I'm so sorry to hear about your unfortunate financial situation. While I'm not in the same boat (or should I say RV) as you, I certainly know what it's like to have your dreams put on hold due to no money. DH and I have been planning to become full timers since 2010. Every year we say we'll have the house on the market by spring. But after living here 22 years and not having done any cosmetic work, the place needs some major prettying up before we can consider it, if we want to make enough to sell and buy the RV with.

My husband is also a subcontractor - in the computer industry, so I'm very much aware of the feast or famine state of being and living hand to mouth when jobs aren't steady. Not to mention that just about every time we save just a little money to put towards a household project (such as flooring!), something comes up to eat those funds -- usually the car needs major repairs, an appliance, or just last week, I needed an emergency appendectomy, so now it's more medical bills to deal with. Some days I feel like we'll just never get out of this financial hole and move on to the greener pastures we so urgently want to live in.

I'm sure I haven't given you any advice that you need regarding costs to live full time in your RV, but hopefully I've helped you feel a little less alone financially. My view would be to absolutely live in the class A but I'm sure there are many other factors to be considered. I do wish you the best of luck.

__________________

Cheryl B. in her new RV

(well, not new any more! Full timing since 6/25/14)

2008 DRV MS 36TKBS3 (the CoW: Castle on Wheels), 2005 Ford F550 hauler (the Bull)

My blog is http://mitcheryl-rv-journey.blogspot.com/

My business: www.AZAdminSolutions.com



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1417
Date:

Do an Internet search for all the Campgrounds in your area, then start driving around, checking them out and inquiring about seasonal sites. Seasonal sites can be for 4 months or 12 months, every campground has a different fee structure and term...good luck, one more thing, maybe your husband can offer his services to the Campground, (maintennance, cleaning, etc...) often you can work off your site rental, also check out Workamper News.....

__________________
GOING FOR IT


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 13
Date:

We have begun to check out the CG's and thank you for the wonderful advice.



__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1107
Date:

We are from Chester County before we went fulltime 13 years ago, so welcome neighbor.

Try Brandywine Creek Campground in Lyndell.



__________________

Jack & Danielle Mayer
PLEASE USE EMAIL TO COMMUNICATE

http://www.jackdanmayer.com,
2009 Volvo 780 HDT, 2015 New Horizons 45'Custom 5th, smart car
New Horizons Ambassadors - Let us help you build your dream RV.....



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 5398
Date:

Angela.

With regards to finding a place to park the RV so you can live in it, check out any mobile home parks in your area.  While I know nothing about them in Pennsylvania, here in Oklahoma City, there are a number of mobile home parks that have areas for RV's or can allow a regular mobile home lot to be used by an RV.  If you foresee that you will be in the area for some time, you may find it to be less expensive than the campgrounds and RV parks.

Terry



__________________

Terry and Jo

2010 Mobile Suites 38TKSB3
2008 Ford F450
2019 Ford Expedition Max as Tag-along or Scout

Our photos on Smugmug



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 503
Date:

I'd put pencil to paper & create a list of your current expenses, then compare the expenses you'll have if you move into the RV.

For example, your house rent vs lot rent in an RV park.  Utilities - are any included in your current rent?  What utilities will you have to pay in a campground?

Is your Class A a 4-season unit?  If not, what expenses might you incur to make it more livable during winter?  Also, your propane & electricity cost in winter may be fairly high if your rig is not well insulated.

Insurance is another budget line item.  You might want to change the insurance you have on the RV when you're living in it full time.

These are just some items to compare to see if moving into the RV would really be cheaper.  



__________________

Cindy T

08 Mobile Suites 38RLSB3



RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1756
Date:

Slightly different situation with equity in the house and some savings, but our number crunching leads us to believe our savings to retirement will accumulate much more quickly once we've sold the S&B and are truly mobile, homeless but not houseless! I work from home (or RV) and DH has a mobile business with art shows as his primary income.

__________________

FT - July 2013

 

2010 38TKSB3 DRV Mobile Suites

2012 Ford F450

 

Dale and Ruth Travelling with Tazzy Kat!

 

IMAG0142_zps070d30d8.jpg

 

 

 

 



RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 13
Date:

Thanks everyone for the wonderful advice and information. They are all good ideas and suggestions. I hope you all enjoy your weekend. Oh boy, it's gonna be in the 70's this week coming up. Woohooo...can't wait. I'm already scoping out new sandals.

__________________


Hostess

Status: Offline
Posts: 494
Date:

You may want to think about a trailer of some kind since you are going to be stationary.   The price of a motorhome includes an engine and in your case, you don't need an engine.

Insurance will be cheaper on a trailer because it doesn't have an engine.

Just some food for thought.

Good Luck!

 



__________________
Free Yourself! Change your Life! Live your DREAM!


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 184
Date:

We have been full-timing for two years now, and operate a consulting business from the road,but for the first year and a half, we were tied to a local business we owned and finally closed. We had a house to sell and had some equity, but quickly realized that our savings and equity would last us a lot longer in retirement, so we found an excellent local RV park, which offered extended stay rates, deeply discounted,which were lower than any rent we could find in a place we would want to live. One of our neighbors in the park had just your situation,and has been happily living in their class A while the husband is working. They are quite happy doing so, and they have been able to recoup financially, by doing this. You mentioned that your husband is a flooring contractor. The folks I mentioned decided to re-do all the floors in their coach,as well as other mods on the coach. They found a flooring guy who was willing to replace the carpet and flooring with new carpet and laminate flooring,on-site here in the park. The contractor did such a good job and at a price far less than any of the RV places wanted, that we and two others had the same guy do ours (even though our coach is two years old, we wanted laminate and the carpet on the slides and stairs was showing wear. I suspect the guy will get more work as a result, as this is a busy park with lots of in & out activity. We went to a local flooring distributor, picked out what we wanted,paid for the material and then paid the guy for his labor. Just mentioning this a an area for thought. We are now mobile 3/4 of the year, but come back her for a few months each year. We were very pleased to get this done onsite..a big deal for full-timers(with old dogs, too!). Terry offers a great possibility of looking for nice mobile parks set-up to take RV's. We couldn't find that here, but  wish we had.Since we no longer have to be "in town" for the business we closed, we found a place 55 miles out, with super amenities, for $250 less per month than we now pay, when we are here. Our experience is that it costs less to live as we now do than when we had the house. While we have mild winters, we have very hot summers, and even with metered electric, we pay less than in the house. We were very lucky that the buyer of our house bought everything in it, as well, and I realize that things became simpler for us, but I think you are wise to consider the R.V. option. I wish you well. Richard



__________________

Richard & Ginny, travel with Buster,our Schnauzer boy. 2010 Ford Lariat PSD;2011 Open Range 345 RLS, 5th wheel."Not all who wander are lost".



RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 13
Date:

Hi Linda, We already Have a Class A. We don't have savings and we'd never afford to buy a trailer with our credit. The whole point is living in what we have to save money. But thanks for the advice.



__________________


RV-Dreams Community Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 13
Date:

Hi Richard, I appreciate all your helpful advice. That is exactly why we're considering living in our RV. It's just a matter of finding a place out here in PA that would let us live on a site year round. I'm not ready to move out of state and leave my children and grandchildren behind yet. Thanks again.



__________________


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 1395
Date:

R-angel; Nope; Nada; No way. They don't build RV's for that cold weather. The propane heat; even if you use electric backup will be a huge expense. Been there done that living 25 miles South of Wash. D.C. which I believe is milder than Chester, Pa.
I apologize for sounding a bit negative. I am not saying it can't be done; insulating around the bottom, a heated water hose and maybe the sewer hose. Look for a unit with a heated basement and holding tanks; cold weather package would be of great help. Think I would also want sliding windows instead of the crank out style. Also a roof that has some pitch from center to sides to allow the snow melt to run off. Flat roofs and heavy snow can create roof leaks!!!

__________________

Life is too short. Live it Now!

Currently at Shady Acres RV Park   Lebanon; Tennessee

http://1Irishrover.blogspot.com

 



Hostess

Status: Offline
Posts: 494
Date:

Oh I didn't realize you already have a motorhome. :)  Then that makes perfect sense!!!



__________________
Free Yourself! Change your Life! Live your DREAM!


RV-Dreams Family Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 488
Date:

This is an older post, hope your situation is going well!

One idea that occurs to me, if your husband is a flooring contractor, perhaps being in an RV might expand his working territory? Maybe you could use the opportunity to seek out jobs farther afield, also, there are "night watch" opportunities for parking an RV, maybe if your husband scores a job on a larger construction site, you could park there, and do duty as the night watchmen.



__________________

2004 Fleetwood Fiesta 26Q Class A

 

Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us