Streakn1
Veteran Expediter
As a spinoff from a recent thread, thought I'd post this.
Why does one really choose a more expensive way to maintain a home-twenty to call their own, when other comfortable and more economic options are available. Especially for those of us that see these more expensive, high maintenance options 4-6 times a year and only for a few days at a time? In our case an average of 320 days of a 365 day year is spent on the road away from home to make the big bucks. And to do what when you do come home, spend most of that time cleaning , repairing, etc. Why does one continue pay (as we do) for a lawn service to maintain a lawn they barely get to enjoy, pay utilities one rarely uses to keep the home powered up?
Like us, having a place of their own to call home is important to many, verses living in a motel or a room in a friend or family members home during off time. Especially when one (we) can afford their own residence instead. More and more the Luxury RV is becoming a viable option for people like us who's careers keep them (all) on the road away from their more expensive homes. Especially when retirement is still 10-15 years away and one is truly settled in their current job of choice. Plus unlike a fixed structure or mobile home the RV offers easy mobility, yet the same elegance as most higher end homes, but in a more compact, affordable space.
As A-Team and others on this forum have done, I think with the economy and real estate value being what it is today, dumping the elephant that isn't appreciating as it once did and if your lucky is worth what you owe the mortgager (many aren't even that lucky) is a serious consideration. Walk away from that huge profit you thought you were gonna get cause it ain't there and wont be for a while. Example: Quarter million dollar almost brand new home next door. Nice safe residential neighborhood. On market for over two years now. No buyers! Bank now owns.
So much for real estate investments. Not saying an RV is going up in value, in fact it is going to do the opposite. But the money one saves $350-550/mo payments plus $250-350/mo lot rent W/S/E/C-tv included, verses $550- 2500 mortgage and $200-400/mo utilities,etc allows for a nice chunk of change to be placed into investments etc that are far more beneficial than real estate you have to maintain right now. Food for thought.
In fact we went to an RV show not long ago to look at residential (full time living) Luxury Fifth Wheel coaches and were blown away with what can be bought with today's economy The coach we picked ( DRV [Doubletree RV] Mobile Suite) that sold new in 2008 for over 100K can be purchased in like new condition for less than 50K today. Not good for the seller but great for the buyer. Plus going into it knowing this "home" is not being bought as an investment to grow, depreciation is not as great of concern. But the monthly savings, ease of maintenance, freedom and ease to relocate at will, far out weight the losses on the initial investment. Anyway, I want a bigger RV than the one I'm driving now.
Why does one really choose a more expensive way to maintain a home-twenty to call their own, when other comfortable and more economic options are available. Especially for those of us that see these more expensive, high maintenance options 4-6 times a year and only for a few days at a time? In our case an average of 320 days of a 365 day year is spent on the road away from home to make the big bucks. And to do what when you do come home, spend most of that time cleaning , repairing, etc. Why does one continue pay (as we do) for a lawn service to maintain a lawn they barely get to enjoy, pay utilities one rarely uses to keep the home powered up?
Like us, having a place of their own to call home is important to many, verses living in a motel or a room in a friend or family members home during off time. Especially when one (we) can afford their own residence instead. More and more the Luxury RV is becoming a viable option for people like us who's careers keep them (all) on the road away from their more expensive homes. Especially when retirement is still 10-15 years away and one is truly settled in their current job of choice. Plus unlike a fixed structure or mobile home the RV offers easy mobility, yet the same elegance as most higher end homes, but in a more compact, affordable space.
As A-Team and others on this forum have done, I think with the economy and real estate value being what it is today, dumping the elephant that isn't appreciating as it once did and if your lucky is worth what you owe the mortgager (many aren't even that lucky) is a serious consideration. Walk away from that huge profit you thought you were gonna get cause it ain't there and wont be for a while. Example: Quarter million dollar almost brand new home next door. Nice safe residential neighborhood. On market for over two years now. No buyers! Bank now owns.
So much for real estate investments. Not saying an RV is going up in value, in fact it is going to do the opposite. But the money one saves $350-550/mo payments plus $250-350/mo lot rent W/S/E/C-tv included, verses $550- 2500 mortgage and $200-400/mo utilities,etc allows for a nice chunk of change to be placed into investments etc that are far more beneficial than real estate you have to maintain right now. Food for thought.
In fact we went to an RV show not long ago to look at residential (full time living) Luxury Fifth Wheel coaches and were blown away with what can be bought with today's economy The coach we picked ( DRV [Doubletree RV] Mobile Suite) that sold new in 2008 for over 100K can be purchased in like new condition for less than 50K today. Not good for the seller but great for the buyer. Plus going into it knowing this "home" is not being bought as an investment to grow, depreciation is not as great of concern. But the monthly savings, ease of maintenance, freedom and ease to relocate at will, far out weight the losses on the initial investment. Anyway, I want a bigger RV than the one I'm driving now.
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