For Sale signs in the RGV

C-Bears wrote:

joebedford wrote:
Many units available in our (Florida this year) park for a few thousand dollars. 20 years old but in good shape generally.

There are two major factors that we are seeing which really effect the price of park models in Florida. The big mark up comes with units that are in a park where you actually own your lot instead of renting it. The other major factor is location, how far away is the park from the beaches.

Yep. That's one of the main things we like about the park we're in - it's well away from the beach. I'd pay more to stay here but for some reason most people like to be near the salt.

arnko37 wrote:
Around the Punta Gorda FL area you can buy a park model plus the lot in a decent resident owned park for 40k or 45 k. Monthly assessment around $200 would include mowing, water and sewer.In some cases a little more. This is less than 5 miles to a beach. Punta Gorda was voted one of the 5 best ares in the USA to retire.We like it here.

That is close to one resident owned park we found recently down here in Ft. Myers. It is exactly 3 miles from the beach in Ft. Myers Beach, and the monthly HOA fees are only $50.00 a month! Cheapest fees we have seen so far in our search. Some units are older single wides that have been added on to but very well maintained, others are newer park models. The entire park is extremely well kept and has a nice pool. Prices vary from $89,000 to $150,000.

My Mom used to have a unit in your area several years ago. Lets just say she had a little storm damage, not that it couldn't happen anywhere in Florida. To this day she says she wishes she would have never moved from Punta Gorda to North Fort Myers.

The RGV park I am in has about the same number of listings as in the past. Actually the inventory for sale after spring 2014 was the lowest in the past five years. Prices vary for mobiles from $20,000 to over $100,000 if it is double wide manufactured home. Most are in the $40K range. There are a limited number of park models for sale. Where I see the distressed market is the RV lots for sale. They can be had for a fraction of what people once paid. The park is offering to give away lots to individuals that will agree to place a park model on one for four years. All the person has to do is pay the annual dues.

We are seeing more baby boomer since last year.

Around the Ocala area (recently talked about in a different thread) you can purchase a base home for $35K and up. Monthly is $400 which includes just about everything plus outside painting and new roof every 10 or so years.

Clicky for Ocala, FL

I would think these would give RV park models a serious run for their money with the newer snowbirds coming down the road. Might explain why park models and RV's aren't selling unless highly discounted. What Dad and Mom paid so much for, the kids now can't give away to the following generation.

Around the Punta Gorda FL area you can buy a park model plus the lot in a decent resident owned park for 40k or 45 k. Monthly assessment around $200 would include mowing, water and sewer.In some cases a little more. This is less than 5 miles to a beach. Punta Gorda was voted one of the 5 best ares in the USA to retire.We like it here.

joebedford wrote:
Many units available in our (Florida this year) park for a few thousand dollars. 20 years old but in good shape generally.

There are two major factors that we are seeing which really effect the price of park models in Florida. The big mark up comes with units that are in a park where you actually own your lot instead of renting it. The other major factor is location, how far away is the park from the beaches.

My mother purchased a beautiful 2 bedroom/2 bath unit with tons of space. Even had a stamped 2 car driveway and located in a North Fort Myers gated community. Units have been purchased in her resort for anywhere from $50,000 to $180,000 in recent years. Problem is the management company is jacking up the lot rent when someone sells their unit, making it almost impossible to market it. Older folks find themselves in a bad situation when one of them dies and the other one has to sell and move back north. Due to the huge increase in lot rent they end of selling a $100,000 unit for $25,000.

JoeBedford wrote:
Many units available in our (Florida this year) park for a few thousand dollars. 20 years old but in good shape generally.

....ya, this seems to jive with my quick search of RV park park models for sale now. The older (and, seemingly well cared for) models set up in permanent parks I'm seeing are in the $9k to $20k range...with monthly park fees in the mid $300s range + utilities (this is in central/central north Fla, not the coastal resorts!).

Exchange rate also comes into the picture for Canadians

....that's for sure. With the Canadian dollar down an astounding 20 cents (exchange cost to the guy on the street), this is a massive incentive to go instead to Mexico, Spain, etc...

The Canadian dollar is really a petro currency, so it is almost 100% correlated to the price of oil and our interest rates (interest rates attracting foreign investors). One way to try and justify the huge differential if you are a Canadian RV snowbirder heading to the US, is to consider the off-set gas prices in the US now vs. when the Canadian dollar was close to par, and reconcile that difference against all your (planned) in-USA expenses...

Once the Canadian government (read: our banks) raise interest rates (soon to come), you'll see the CAD climb again (resisted only by the continuing falling oil $$ commodity).

Exchange rate also comes into the picture for Canadians

Many units available in our (Florida this year) park for a few thousand dollars. 20 years old but in good shape generally.