Full time for a short time, well almost a year!!! - RV-Dreams Community Forum

fulltime4ashortime · RV-Dreams Community Member

Full time for a short time, well almost a year!!!

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

First of all... welcome!

Sounds like you're planning to be stationary in your travel trailer for an extended amount of time (versus what many of us do here, travel full time in our RVs). Which are different considerations for selecting a RV. I'm not all the familiar with the larger models of travel trailers out there, but your choice to buy used is likely a wise one as you're planning to resell it once your construction is complete.

Shop around, and concentrate on a floorplan that will work well for your family as a temporary home - sounds like you'll need to consider bed spacing for all, as well as ample workspace for homework. The last time we shopped for trailers (a couple years ago), the pickings were slim for having two separate bedroom areas. As you're not going to be moving it yourself once you have it parked in your barn, if you found something beyond your truck's load rating, you can likely borrow/rent/hire another vehicle to deliver - so I wouldn't let weight be all that much of a limiting factor.

Another consideration is that you might want to consider small mobile homes instead, that will give you more space and better optimized for stationary living. Travel trailers and other RVs make a lot of trade offs for being in motion. Building a new home is stressful enough, why add stress by trying to also adapt to RV-life if you're not going to be utilizing the primary benefit of one?

Best wishes,
- Cherie

fulltime4ashortime · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hi! Thank you! Thats a good thought, unfortunately we are limited to the RV because the covenants in the area wont allow the mobile home. We also thought of building out rooms in the barn, but time constraints would put us in a hotel for who knows how many weeks? :) The travel trailer is instant and then can be resold so that why we were leaning in that general direction. There are just so many to choose from!!! Its hard to figure out which ones are quaility and hold their resale value best??? and fit our needs at the same time Lots to figure out!!! :) thanks you for your advice! much appreciated!

Cindy T · RV-Dreams Family Member

Since all RVs go down in value, I'd probably focus first on finding a rig with the best floorplan for your needs. I'd get a good used model that is just a few years old, in the best possible condition. If you stay with the familiar brands like Keystone or Jayco, I'll bet you will find something that will work for you & that you can sell after you're finished with it.

I don't think you mentioned if your barn is heated, or if you'll need a rig to withstand cold weather. If you're concerned about cold weather, you should pay attention to the insulation package that the trailer has.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Polly,

First of all, welcome to the RV Dreams forums. You will find a lot of knowledgeable folks here, some of whom have some pretty extensive experience with travel trailers. We used to have one, but only for a couple of years before trading for a fifth wheel.

Incidentally, Jo and I live in Oklahoma as well. We are living full time in our fifth wheel in the Oklahoma City area.

Now, a question or two. Do you have to live onsite during the build, or would renting something in the way of a house or apartment close by be an option? Part of the reason I ask is because a truck that only pulls 8000 lbs may not allow you to get a very large camper, especially for a family of 4.

Do you live anywhere near Oklahoma City? If so, I can recommend Lewis RV on East Reno near Eastern as a reputable dealership. Over the years, we've bought three RV's from them. If you are close to there, consider buying a used one (if available) to help lower the costs.

If you are only buying for a period of 9 months to a year while building, I'm not sure that you would be able to recoup your investment on a travel trailer after only that short of period of time.

If you have further questions and want to, you could ask us more questions using the private message feature of the forums. My advice may not always be great advice, but it is always free.

Terry