Anyone have regrets about having gone full-time?

Thank you! Some great and serious considerations to take into account.

Our situation is that we are really tired of the area in which we live. It is in Southern rural GA, in a tiny town of 400 people. We have to drive 30 miles to the nearest decent grocery store. 1 hour to better stores with more selections. We got stuck here after my mother passed away and left me the house...which is al paid for.

We have wanted to move away from here for years...possibly to CA, but not sure where in CA, so when we started thinking about traveling and RVing, it occurred to us that we could travel around until we found a place where we wanted to settle.

Is it necessary to go stick and brick at any point, even if we settle? Could you not just park the 5er in a mobile home park or buy a lot and park your rig there for the rest of your days?

CKNSLS wrote:

I brought this up on another thread and really didn't get any answers. In most parts of the nation real estate is up 20% compared to a year ago (Some areas even more). So if you own a depreciating asset such as an RV-there is no way to realistically keep up with the real estate market. If you have cash there is no investment where you can make a 20% return. Unless your fortunate enough to have lots and lots of money (some on this board do). So if you go full time you have a great chance of not being able to get back in to the real estate market if you wish to or need too. You would not to be able to afford the same house you sold to go full timing.

Selling everything and going full time is a decision one could regret.

That's how we're thinking. We don't want to sell low then have to buy high a few years later.

WyoTraveler wrote:
No regrets. Just don't full time anymore. Full timed about 4 years. Too many hobbies that require a home base. Met many people on the road that sold everything and bought their RV. 10 years later their RV need to be replaced. They became out paced with inflation. They became stuck in run down RV parks that would accept their older RV. Or in addition had major health problems and couldn't get back into a stick home. In a few cases one or both had lost their drivers license due to medical issues. Met one RVer. His wife died and he just wanted to get back into a stick home but could no longer afford it. We got stuck in that park over night. Barking dogs, screaming rug rats. One night was all we could stand.

We RV. Maybe one to Three months then back home again. Then plan the next trip. We plan to always keep our home base. I am sure you will find many RVers that have RV'd full time for 10 to 15 years and still love it. That is what is so great. We can enjoy as much or little as we choose. No one size fits all. However, you need to sit down and think about everything. Hobbies, money, medical etc. Make a list of everything. Then decide what is best for you.

I brought this up on another thread and really didn't get any answers. In most parts of the nation real estate is up 20% compared to a year ago (Some areas even more). So if you own a depreciating asset such as an RV-there is no way to realistically keep up with the real estate market. If you have cash there is no investment where you can make a 20% return. Unless your fortunate enough to have lots and lots of money (some on this board do). So if you go full time you have a great chance of not being able to get back in to the real estate market if you wish to or need too. You would not to be able to afford the same house you sold to go full timing.

Selling everything and going full time is a decision one could regret.

For over 30 years, I've traveled and worked on a 1099. The past 10 as an extended RV traveler, of which the last several years has been as a full timer. I've nearly dislocated both knees, kicking myself in the rear-end for not transitioning sooner to the lifestyle. The added expense, maintenance and worry of a sticks & bricks is off the table. The days of long commutes back and forth are over. An exit strategy... yes. But, I've joked about just being put into a Glad bag and placed out on the curb for pick-up.:B

We full timed for about three years. Got tired of trying to do maintenance on a Detroit 60 in campgrounds so bought a home port. This is really the best of both worlds: We can go anywhere, anytime we want but have a place to return when we want some down time. :)
It also gives me room for my hobby too. I love Mini Coopers and now I can keep an MCSa with a supercharger just for my toy. :C

None! Only regret is we weren't able to do it sooner!

No regrets after 5 years. Exit plan is to rent small apartment or duplex in retirement community when we can no longer full time. Both people have to be 100% committed to make it work. A sense of adventure and flexibility is the key. We say "no yard to mow... no hay to pitch"...

I was thinking more about your question. I'm not being a smart arse in what I say but if everyone or 90 % of the people posting here had positive remarks about full timing it really wouldn't say anything about what you should do. As I said above its ALL about money. I know someone that took a GM buyout offer and thought they were rich. They ended up with a motor home with a blown engine parked down south in a kids back yard. House gone, buyout gone. They took a total and complete buyout so they weren't ss age. No pension, no health care, no ss. Nuttin, nadda, zilch. They thought they were rich over $140,000.
So again its all about money and plan B and even C. If you full time and blow an engine is there $3,000 to$10,000 sitting there? If the trans goes out a month later is there $3,000 without affecting anything AND enough money to say well things have changed health wise, we need to buy a mobile or something in az or Florida. I hope everything works out well for you. I know how much some decisions weigh on our minds.

Regrets? Only one, We should have started ten years earlier! We have been out 7 years now and loving it.

I guess we are considered full time now, so the house but staying in my daughters guest room waiting for a new grandchild this month. Then we are off bouncing around until Florida in January. I believe in an exit plan, we had considerable amount of equity from home sale we put aside for a future buy. We just don't want a house to keep up with, keep clean or worry about when a storm comes through and we are 1000 miles away. Even with the kids checking on it we would still worry and a house sitting for 6 months with no one living in it is not good either. Not having one gives us complete freedom to go and do as we like. You do need an exit plan though, if you live long enough you won't be able to rv then what?