Gary RV Roamer said:
Is your idea to travel with the kids during the time you are back in the USA? What about school for them, and their relationship with their friends? Aren't you likely to be anchored to one place anyway?
We would travel some. The mobility would be a benefit for me, because I am not the most social animal in the world. I really like the idea of being able to pull up stakes and haul butt if the neighbors get to be horses' butts. But it would help a heck of a lot with summer traveling to the coast, Hunting Island, seeing family. My kids don't socialize in my neighborhood, their social lives are at their mothers place for the most part. Just no one their age around. I am anchored to an area, for sure. I don't want to reside more then an hour from my ex, and she would probably freak if I was even that far. Yeah, she has little actual SAY in what I do, but I'm not looking to stir up any beehives with her unless I feel I HAVE too. Ultimately, I want to live as close to my kids as possible, because that has worked out exceedingly well so far and all 4 of us like it.
If you don't travel, or at least move the RV once in awhile, there seems to be no advantage in a trailer vs a mobile home, or at least an RV "park model". Storing a trailer is no hassle free, especially in a region that experiences cold winters. Plumbing has to be winterized, etc. Nor is living in an RV trailer ideal during winter months in norther regions - they are not designed for cold climates, and frankly don't do all that well in very hot ones either.
Considered a park model, but like the flexibility or one with all the plumbing to boondock if I have to/choose to. Would hate to come into town and not be able to get a spot in a local RV Park because they are all full. WIth a park model, I'd be screwed. With a full RV, I could chill for a few days, see if something opens up. I am not sure how big a concern this actually is, however. Input? WHat kind of temps ARE cozy in an RV, generally (I realize there will be a lot of variance for make model and year of course)? What could I reasonably expect to be comfortable in?
What size are you considering? The largest RV trailer is quite small compared to a house or apartment - less than 400 sq ft and more typically about 250 sq ft. You probably have a single room in your house that is nearly that size. Kids can take up a lot of space, inside and out. Toys & games, bicycles, etc. And two beds in addition to your own.
I have a 30' TT in mind. I would consider being able to park it and drive off in my truck almost essential, nothing else makes sense to me. I would want as large as I can reasonably go and still feel comfortable handling the beast, preferably also without having to upgrade vehicles (currently drive a 1998 Yukon so 5500-ish on the tow, and I think 600 on tongue weight; would firm the numbers up solid well before making The Move but I have 8 months at least). Anything longer than 30', and it seems I am edging up to size limits in local RV Park; many seem to not be able to handle 32' or greater. Not looking to limit my options. My house is currently a 3br/2.5 bath @ 1350-ish sqft. I use MAYBE half of it. The rest is storage space and room I had to fill with furniture to stop the echoes. I have a bedroom I didnt go in for a year or more. Crud, that takes my usage down to less than half. I work on ships for a living, so my ideas on space tha ti need are a bit constrained.
What about your present home is a pain? Why do you expect an RV will be any less?
1. I pay for a security system to prevent furhter breakins. And it's still bypassable if you know a thing or two, easily done actually and while it prevents thefts it wont come in and secure my property for the month or more I am at sea.
2. I have no effective way to guard against vandalism, and since some of my neighbors and I recently fell out big-style thats a worry. Even a camera system (further money) that records everything is bypassable.
3. paying for yard care when I am gone sucks. so does yard work when I am home.
4. I am in the place 6 months or less in the year, yet I have the maintenance to do for a "full-timer" in a house. That sucks because I spend a much greater proportion of my time doing crap I don't like. I realize RV's are maintenance hogs, but my idea of it is that it's a heck of a lot smaller, less expensive, and easier to do for one man. My house is a split level built into the side of a hill, replacing fascia behind a gutter becomes a totally different proposition when you look down and it's 35 feet to the ground.
5. an RV in a locked, secured self-storage lot when I am gone offshore would have, I imagine, greater security from catastrophic events than a stick-built home. A branch falls off a tree and hits the roof of my covered RV parking space, and I look up, say thats too bad, and drive off. Same tree branch falls in my yard and skewers my roof of my stick-built house, it could easily be a month before I get home and find a month of rain in my living room. The damage that could cause to a house is tremendous. Yeah, insurance takes care of a lot of it, but they want to give you depreciated value, not replacement value.
These are my ideas. I realize there may be some lack of realism in here, and that some of my ideas about RV's are not realistic (hence me joingin an RV forum and coming to chat with the experts while I still have 8 months or more before being able to make a move.). Any input is welcome.