Please talk me out of buying an RV


xebec

New Member
So here's my situation. I just got a job in Boston, but rents there are out of control--$1200 to $1400 a month for a shoebox. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to buy a house, but my feeling is that after the election they're going to start printing money to pay for this Iraq war, inflation is going to shoot up and the housing market will collapse, which makes now the WORST time to buy a house.

A friend of mine then suggested that I just buy an RV and live in it! Sure, it depreciates, but I can get a macked-out RV for less than Boston rent, and at least at the end I have an RV. I'd have to get rid of a ton of furniture, but hey, perhaps that's a good thing.

So what am I overlooking? Talk me out of this, people. Tell me why this is a bad idea.

--Andrew
 

brucep

New Member
Please talk me out of buying an RV

I've been in RVing for a couple of years, but have been in boating for many years, including a couple of years as a live-aboard. Plus, I've met many RVers who live in their Class A's. I can tell you it's a great life style, but you definitely have to be frugal with space and weight. Remember, even in the largest Class A, you're only looking at about 425 square feet. I suspect that space rent will be $500-800 per month, and add onto that the payment of the motor home, the gas, insurance, etc and you probably won't be saving much money, if any. Also, RV parks and mobile home parks tend to have a less affluent population with the attendant problems there. Next, mobile home parks get sold and converted quite regularly, so it becomes something of a nomadic lifestyle, and finding an RV park that will allow permanent residents can be problematic. Finally, the lifestyle attracts a pretty limited mate population. It takes a special person to put up with the limited space, and "breathing room" can be difficult, if not impossible to find. Where do you go if you have a fight? My advice is that unless you are going to travel a lot, don't buy an RV to live in. Besides, the neighbors will complain when you crank up the music.
 

Gary B

Senior Member
Please talk me out of buying an RV

Hi Andrew, welcome to the forum, my opinon but I thing your not thinking straight about our economy and inflation. But lets say you are right then a RV would be an even worse place to spend money, they would be worth next to nothing! :eek: In gthe Boston area you'll need a very high line coach in order to live in it during the winter, most are not made for northern US wintering, keep in mind the wall are 2" thick, most have single pane windows and lots of them, they are up off the ground so the wind wipps all around under over etc., water lines are often next to an outside wall. I'd think over the buying a home idea, jmho. :) :laugh: :cool: :bleh: :approve:
 

Kelly Sammons

New Member
Please talk me out of buying an RV

I'd hate to talk you out of buying an rv because i love mine. However, I accepted an assignment in Boston & found nothing but trouble.

First, there are NO RV parks within a 25 mile radius of the city and not all of the parks stay open year round. In fact most close mid-Oct. Including ones in New Hampshire. The closest one in Foxboro is VERY expensive in summer and you may need to move from site to site to accomodate newcomers.

Plus driving around Boston you're probably aware of how narrow the streets are. So even if you find a parking lot, sidewalk, friend's driveway to park in, getting the RV around will be pretty tricky.

If you or a friend had a piece of land outside of town that you could park on you might be ok. You'd need something level, with electricity & sewer (ideally). You would need to winterize your buggy for the harsh winters as well.

A lot of my neighbors are seasonal. They park there RV's at different parks for the the entire year but only live in them for the length of the summer season. They live elsewhere around the area during the winter. Not sure you'd save up enough money through the summer to pay winter rents in town.

Hope that helps! As for me, I'm outta here in a few weeks. Good luck!

kelly
 

consolidation

New Member
Please talk me out of buying an RV

Andrew,

Buying an RV to live in doesn't sound like a bad idea...at least to me! I am just out of college and can't afford the skyrocketing house prices. So, I've bought a lot in an RV resort and am buying an Alfa to live in. I plan to live in my RV for a few years to ride out the housing market. I feel like I will get a better quality of life in the RV than in a condo or small house. I also own the lot, so I can personalize it with stuff I like.

If you can find a full-time RV resort in the Boston area, I'd say go for it! Be sure to check state rules/laws regarding full time RVing. In my state, the law dictates that I have to vacate my RV/lot for 24hrs every 6 months.

Good luck!
TJ
 

janicenlarry

New Member
Please talk me out of buying an RV

Seems like a good answer to your problem. In my travels I have run across many construction guys who travel job site to job site and live in their units. Be sure you have a well insulated unit for the cold country. Have heard many complaints about 5th wheels being hard to heat with their big windows and leaky slide gaskets so investigate before buying. Bound to be cheaper in the long run if you buy right.
 
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