Anyone have regrets about having gone full-time? We would like to hear about any that have decided that it was NOT the right lifestyle for them and why.Thanks in advance!

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.

In 2010 we made the decision to leave Ohio for Florida and live fulll time in a 38 foot 5th wheel. Fully equipted with 2 a/c units, King bed, washer/dryer, flat screens, etc. etc. etc. We found a park that we love in Fort Myers Beach, small, simple and with the greatest neighbors that anyone would want. BUT.....After one season, a park model became available that was a little larger, great lot location and at a price we found we could not pass up. We bought the unit and in the last year have redone nearly the whole thing to meet our needs...new counter tops, sinks, faucets, appliances, flooring, etc., etc., etc..Luckily I have done most of the work myself but with such great neighbors, there is always someone to jump in and give a hand or offer advice. We got rid of the 5th wheel and purchased a Pleasureway Excel TS. We now have a base of operations in Fort Myers Beach and use the Pleasureway to explore. We just finished a 4,000 mile trip back up to visit in Ohio, the east coast and through Nashville and now waiting for our October trip to KW. It is great to keep that base of operations for regular necessities like doctors and dentists. This gives us both worlds. Our friends who live full time in RVs spend 6 months here in our park. They also have become more settled here planting some temp. roots and spending 6 months with their families up North. We did take a small loss on the 5th wheel. It is a tuff market out there for RV's. Down here in Florida there are a million of them to compete for the $$$ available. The fuel prices are a main concern if you are not going to shore up for any length of time somewhere. The next would be how much of the maintenacne can you do yourself. Repair shops are expensive and you probably will not have a close relationship with a shope where you are only traveling through. This is the right choice for us but may not fit all your needs or urges to travel. Hope this helps. Just ask any RVer and you will find they all want to help with insight and suggestions. Good luck. B safe, B happy, Go RVing !!!

We have been fulltime almost 2 years are still loving it, for us it is a much lower stress lifestyle. We probably have added years to our life's.One point that was made in a previous post is having an exit strategy, at some point we will not be able to Fulltime and then what do we do.We have a somewhat loose plan for that but since we are still working fulltime and enjoying life we will cross that bridge sometime in the future.Right now we are living everyday like there is no tomorrow !!!

We are not full timers but I'll throw my thoughts out. As said above you have to have a plan B. Thats probably where people get in trouble. I always think of things in a way that let's me have an exit or plan B. If I dont have it, I dont do it. If I dont have the money in the bank I won't put it on a charge card so to speak. It all comes down to money. Retirement, sick of working, sick of dealing with morons all are stressful, emotional things that we want to escape from but not at the risk of landing in possibly a worse situation.

we are into our 10th year and thinking of going back to a fixed location. Problem is we have the MH that has to go before we can have the funds to settle. One of the biggest problems we are facing and I would guess others are, are the prices are going up faster than our income. We had not planned for the downfall of the economy and after loosing one full retirement income we have to workcamp. Paying workcamp jobs are getting harder to find since many people (settlers) are living in campgrounds and will work for site.

Anyone have regrets about having gone full-time?

2oldman
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
MookieKat wrote:
WHERE are you living???!!!!!
According to the city shown below his username, Ft. Gibson.
2112
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
CKNSLS wrote:
2112 wrote:
CKNSLS wrote:
I just retired form Southern California a year ago. I sold my home (of 20 years) in Southern California for double the price I paid.
I'm curious: Is this considering purchase price and selling price alone or does this also include every penny you put in the house over the 20 years?
Such as interest paid, taxes, insurance, upkeep? New roof or flooring? Water heater or an air conditioner/furnace? Maybe HOA fees? Install a new pool maybe? You should include that $2000 lawn tractor and other lawn tools if purchased, or lawn fees paid for someone else to mow.

All of that applies when considering true profit, but I'm sure you knew that.

All things considered, I can sell my house for over double what I paid for it but I have at least 4X paid into it. My only profit is the satisfaction and pride of home ownership. But that wasn't free :(

Back on topic: I have never gone full time and most likely never will so I have nothing to add. Sorry to drift off-topic again.

House was new when I bought it. Consequently, no capitol repairs. The vast majority was TRUE PROFIT. In addition to my home, I own several rental properties, so I am quite familiar with ROI, CAP rates, etc.

Back on topic-I will never go full time-you don't get appreciation from something on 4 wheels-usually!
Again, and I apologize for harping on this: You realized a 200% PROFIT on every penny you paid for home ownership?

The only reason I'm stuck on this is the fact that I would have to sell my house for almost 3X appraised value to get such a return and that is including the fact I haven't been paying P&I for over two years. I too have a custom built home sitting on 10 acres I built 26 years ago and has been paid off for two years now.

I'm just wondering where I went wrong :S
MookieKat
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
teamfamily5 wrote:
We have been fulltiming for 2 months almost no regrets we live in a gated community somthing we would not be able to afford in a stick home next to a lake and a mountain view and 15 min to the ocean and beach 75 degree days and 60degree nights loveing life :)

WHERE are you living???!!!!! That is exactly what we are looking for!!!

Sounds like somewhere in CA!!
teamfamily5
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
We have been fulltiming for 2 months almost no regrets we live in a gated community somthing we would not be able to afford in a stick home next to a lake and a mountain view and 15 min to the ocean and beach 75 degree days and 60degree nights loveing life :)
BarbaraOK
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
CKNSLS wrote:

Back on topic-I will never go full time-you don't get appreciation from something on 4 wheels-usually!

So why are you posting in this thread since you have nothing Germaine to the question the OP asked?

Guess i'm also curious as to why you would spend time in this section on fulltiming?

Barb
texasclarks
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
drsolo wrote:
"Think of trying to get 150 hormonally driven, rebellious, mouthy teenagers to take out the trash... all at the same time".

Quote of the day!

Exactly! Thank you to all the teachers who do it for the joy of teaching...it is definitely not the $$.
CKNSLS
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
2112 wrote:
CKNSLS wrote:
I just retired form Southern California a year ago. I sold my home (of 20 years) in Southern California for double the price I paid.
I'm curious: Is this considering purchase price and selling price alone or does this also include every penny you put in the house over the 20 years?
Such as interest paid, taxes, insurance, upkeep? New roof or flooring? Water heater or an air conditioner/furnace? Maybe HOA fees? Install a new pool maybe? You should include that $2000 lawn tractor and other lawn tools if purchased, or lawn fees paid for someone else to mow.

All of that applies when considering true profit, but I'm sure you knew that.

All things considered, I can sell my house for over double what I paid for it but I have at least 4X paid into it. My only profit is the satisfaction and pride of home ownership. But that wasn't free :(

Back on topic: I have never gone full time and most likely never will so I have nothing to add. Sorry to drift off-topic again.

House was new when I bought it. Consequently, no capitol repairs. The vast majority was TRUE PROFIT. In addition to my home, I own several rental properties, so I am quite familiar with ROI, CAP rates, etc.

Back on topic-I will never go full time-you don't get appreciation from something on 4 wheels-usually!
2112
Explorer II
Sep 08, 2013
CKNSLS wrote:
I just retired form Southern California a year ago. I sold my home (of 20 years) in Southern California for double the price I paid.
I'm curious: Is this considering purchase price and selling price alone or does this also include every penny you put in the house over the 20 years?
Such as interest paid, taxes, insurance, upkeep? New roof or flooring? Water heater or an air conditioner/furnace? Maybe HOA fees? Install a new pool maybe? You should include that $2000 lawn tractor and other lawn tools if purchased, or lawn fees paid for someone else to mow.

All of that applies when considering true profit, but I'm sure you knew that.

All things considered, I can sell my house for over double what I paid for it but I have at least 4X paid into it. My only profit is the satisfaction and pride of home ownership. But that wasn't free :(

Back on topic: I have never gone full time and most likely never will so I have nothing to add. Sorry to drift off-topic again.
drsolo
Nomad
Sep 08, 2013
That said, I have never known a teacher who did it for the money. Teaching comes from the heart. Hats off to ALL teachers!

Thank you. Teaching is more like a 1 person performance which requires audience participation, an audience that doesnt want to be there or participate. It can and does lead to burn out, one reason teachers need more "time out" like the military does when they cycle back home. I tell people who think teaching is easy "Think of trying to get 150 hormonally driven, rebellious, mouthy teenagers to take out the trash... all at the same time".
Dog_Folks
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
I guess my family does this inheritance stuff differently.

My parents left me virtually nothing. My dad did leave me a full wood shop full of tools. BUT while I was growing up, I had every advantage, private school education, new cars, etc. Anything I could possibly want.

When my dad said: "I am not going to due a rich man" I responded with, "Dad I do not want anything, you have already given me everything my entire life."

We have done the same thing when we retired. My son got the very same tools, but that is about all he will see. I did provide him a good childhood and a good start in life, however.

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