Sold the coach...Things we learned

Well, we sold our 2003 Allegro Bus on Thursday afternoon.  Lots of emotions floating around.  Sad for us...but happy for the new owner.  He is VERY excited.

I learned a lot about how best to sell an RV: 

*The first thing....advertise...advertise....advertise.
*The next most important thing is, it should be immaculately clean inside and out.... and ours was.
*Everything needs to be in great condition...ours was.
*Stage it.  Leave things in the RV that make it feel warm and inviting i.e. rugs, towels, lamps, nic-nacks, bedspread, pillows.  Don't strip it down.
*Have it set up as if you were camping in it, awning out, sun shades on the windows, welcome mat by the front door along with a lawn chair or two sitting on the patio.
*Allow the interested/party "committed prospective" new owner to spend the night.
*Take a test drive on both 2 lane roads and on a freeway.
*Have all manuals for everything itemized, organized and easy to get to.  We set up a file with everything in it as an easy reference.
*Also provided all the maintenance records.

We met at our financial institution and arranged for a wire transfer from the new owner's account to our account.
Then we returned to the coach and signed title papers, bill of sale and transfer documents.

We are so excited for the new owner, who specifically wanted a Tiffin Coach.  He is now driving home cross country.

We are reliving motorhome memories and things we did.  We had that coach a long time and she was part of the family.  But Tim (hubby) has agreed if I'm really miserable without an RV, we will buy a small trailer so I can get my RV Fix.

Marsha~

Congratulations!

You've raised the bar on an RV Forum tradition; It used to be that you'd put new tires on a coach, then trade/sell it. You folks put on new tires, batteries, and valances before deciding to sell  ;D

Glad the sale went fine for you. Only thing you didn't mention was a record of all maintenance and repairs that was done over the years.

I now have three large  manilla folders full of receipts for work that has been done on our coach. Everything is listed by miles and dates so the prospective buyer can see how it's been taken care of for it's entire life. 

Arch....I modified the message.  We did include all maintenance records.

Marsha~

To add to this...

When advertising include LOTS of pictures, and links to even more pictures, have them a normal size so folks aren't waiting forever for your 3 foot picture to load and shrink. Do not show sideways and upside down pictures.

Include an inside layout or floorplan, even if you have to draw it yourself. I drew mine with a computer art program and it came out pretty darn accurate.

LONG lists of all the features and details, inside and out. Don't advertise certain things need "minor" repairs, if they are minor then get them done ahead of time.

Write your ads offline and check over and over for spelling and clarity, then copy and paste the final perfect ad.

At the end include a list of "freebies" things that aren't attached to the rig you are including, folks love freebies too. Things like sheets,  dishes, pots and pans, rocking chairs etc.

Before they arrive to see the rig, start everything up way ahead of time  to make sure all is working. Nothing worse than spending an hour trying to start the generator while the buyer loses interest. Spend the extra money to keep the fridge running with propane or electric, and keep cold drinks and ice in it at the very least. A temperature gauge in the fridge showing it is icy cold is a good thing too.

Don't play phone tag, answer your phone at all times so you can snag a buyer. People lose interest and forget who they called about what, especially when it takes hours or days to get a return call.

Marcia,
Where did you advertise and which venue  finally  worked?
Betty

Betty,

Dream Finders.com and also on RVTrader.com  RVTrader by far was much much better, with better response.  The ads were identical.

The ad was posted on Thursday, the buyer flew out on Wednesday of the following week and bought it that day....closed the deal on Thursday.  Let me tell you we had a ton of stuff in it which is now in my garage as we had duplicates of everything.  Now we have to take all that to Wyoming next Spring.

Now we have our little Hyundai Tucson SUV tow car up for sale.

Miss Mermaid,  Good information to add.  However, both venues highly suggested to place full pictures not reduced one on the ad.  And it made a difference for people to look at.  I got a ton of compliments on the photos.

Marsha~

I missed you putting your coach on the forum for sale page.  Sure wish I would have seen it. 

Robin

    Sorry to do a bit of thread drift, but reading this post makes me a bit sad over the number of us who have recently sold their RV's.  Marsha and Tim, there is little doubt that you will sorely miss the RV lifestyle, I know that Donna and I do miss it terribly.  We have gone from looking at Class Bs, to a smallish TT, but are now back looking at Class Bs.
    However, with 3 stick and brick places to maintain we so far have resisted and I'm sure you 2 will move slowly before you make the right decision.  It has been a pleasure meeting up with you 2, and we too have a lot of good memories of those get togethers.
    Good luck regardless of what ever you way you go.

Ed & Donna

Hfx_Cdn said:

    Sorry to do a bit of thread drift, but reading this post makes me a bit sad over the number of us who have recently sold their RV's.  Marsha and Tim, there is little doubt that you will sorely miss the RV lifestyle, I know that Donna and I do miss it terribly.  We have gone from looking at Class Bs, to a smallish TT, but are now back looking at Class Bs.

Ed & Donna

Click to expand...

Hi Marsha.  Glad you were able to sell it so quickly.  Hope you got a good price.  I was doing my daily ritual of checking all the RV's in Craigslist, RVT, RV Trader and the rest and found yours.  But it was being sold by someone else.  Check out this ad.  https://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/rvd/5826085718.html  This guy literally copied your ad and inserted it below his. 

Marsha, first let me congratulate you on the selling of the MH. However, I read your post with much emotion.  I have always enjoyed the post that you have made on this message board and I am also emotional because DW (Hilda) and I are facing the fact that it is time to start planning to sell our MH.  Hilda, our three kids and I started camping with a pop-up camper in 1970.  I am 78, have prostate cancer and have had heart surgery.  Hilda will be 74 in December and had 2 heart surgeries 6 months apart with complications in the last 18 months.  I know that it is time but I am having a hard time coming to terms with selling.  Again congratulation.  However, continue to contribute to the board.

Frank 

Gary, thanks for the link, we are contacting the authorities.  Geesh.  I knew I didn't like Craig's list, this just confirms it.

Frank, this has been a very difficult decision, but it was time.  We are thinking of getting a small travel trailer and are having a park model put on our RV lot in Wyoming.  It will make things much easier. 

The new owner left early Saturday morning and even now, I wonder where the coach is and if he is taking care of her.  :-\

Marsha~