Moving to California!
To a resident-owned 55+ mobile home park.
Forum Discussion
Thanks for all the replies.
I also posted on Escapees and IRV2. Similar responses on all, but each web site had its own "flavor".
To answer/respond to some of your questions/comments:
I received several comments like this, particularly Texans, one of the favorite full-timer states. However, I'm switching to part-timing and I wouldn't want to have a home (or home base) in Texas.
Why? My reasons are based on our 3-month 2017 journey through TX and my long-time friend who has lived in Austin (the 'Blueberry in the tomato soup') for several decades.
- TX health care consistently ranks near the bottom in multiple state-by-state comparison studies. My "brush" with TX health care was when I went for treatment in a health center near Corpus Christi. When I asked if they took Medicare, they said they didn't take "Federal" insurance. Right.
- With the exception of Austin, we don't care for TX politics. Enough said.
- Petrochemical Industry. There seemed to be refineries and chemical plants everywhere we traveled. Next to a beautiful county park in Quintana and the overwhelming stink in Beaumont.
Yes, we've had park model in AZ for several years. Yes, that's a good idea to check the books of our new HOA community.
However, after looking at multiple places in multiple states, we settled on Idle Wheels in CA because:
- It's a resident-owned 55+ park. The park residents, like me, elect a board that sets the rules and HOA fees, currently at $90/month compared to $719/month in our previous HOA.
- Idle Wheels appears to be very fiscally responsible. In 1990 park members formed a corporation and bought the park with a $1.2 million mortgage . . . and paid it off 8 years later.
- Idle Wheels appears to be Innovative. The community bought land and invested in a large solar array that has reduced electricity cost to park members (currently 18 cents/KWh compared to PG&E's 25 cents/KWh).
- Laid Back. Just one example . . . a new home owner in the park wanted increased regulations on pet dogs and an architectural committee to regulate things such as house colors. The Idle Wheels board turned him down on both issues. I like these people already.
Many of these types of comments . . . and there's really no arguing with them. The cost of living in CA is significantly more than the state we're leaving -- AZ.
However, from our 6-year experience in AZ, the writing is on the wall. For example, the recent park model buyers in the AZ campground we're leaving have been affluent Californians & Nevadans and park model prices have skyrocketed. The HOA fees in our park have increased 107% from 2014.
And if you think Californians moving to AZ (and TX) are going to leave their politics and regulations behind, then check the results of this latest election in AZ.
Yes! Yosemite is an hour up the road.
Yes! RV storage is free.
Tx!
I also posted on Escapees and IRV2. Similar responses on all, but each web site had its own "flavor".
To answer/respond to some of your questions/comments:
navigator2346 wrote:
Good luck
I received several comments like this, particularly Texans, one of the favorite full-timer states. However, I'm switching to part-timing and I wouldn't want to have a home (or home base) in Texas.
Why? My reasons are based on our 3-month 2017 journey through TX and my long-time friend who has lived in Austin (the 'Blueberry in the tomato soup') for several decades.
- TX health care consistently ranks near the bottom in multiple state-by-state comparison studies. My "brush" with TX health care was when I went for treatment in a health center near Corpus Christi. When I asked if they took Medicare, they said they didn't take "Federal" insurance. Right.
- With the exception of Austin, we don't care for TX politics. Enough said.
- Petrochemical Industry. There seemed to be refineries and chemical plants everywhere we traveled. Next to a beautiful county park in Quintana and the overwhelming stink in Beaumont.
Lwiddis wrote:
Have you previously lived in a community managed by an HOA?
Have you examined the HOA’s books? How much in reserve?
Yes, we've had park model in AZ for several years. Yes, that's a good idea to check the books of our new HOA community.
However, after looking at multiple places in multiple states, we settled on Idle Wheels in CA because:
- It's a resident-owned 55+ park. The park residents, like me, elect a board that sets the rules and HOA fees, currently at $90/month compared to $719/month in our previous HOA.
- Idle Wheels appears to be very fiscally responsible. In 1990 park members formed a corporation and bought the park with a $1.2 million mortgage . . . and paid it off 8 years later.
- Idle Wheels appears to be Innovative. The community bought land and invested in a large solar array that has reduced electricity cost to park members (currently 18 cents/KWh compared to PG&E's 25 cents/KWh).
- Laid Back. Just one example . . . a new home owner in the park wanted increased regulations on pet dogs and an architectural committee to regulate things such as house colors. The Idle Wheels board turned him down on both issues. I like these people already.
agwill wrote:
Say hello to all kinds of taxes and state regulations.
Many of these types of comments . . . and there's really no arguing with them. The cost of living in CA is significantly more than the state we're leaving -- AZ.
However, from our 6-year experience in AZ, the writing is on the wall. For example, the recent park model buyers in the AZ campground we're leaving have been affluent Californians & Nevadans and park model prices have skyrocketed. The HOA fees in our park have increased 107% from 2014.
And if you think Californians moving to AZ (and TX) are going to leave their politics and regulations behind, then check the results of this latest election in AZ.
Yosemite Sam1 wrote:
For one, you are near Yosemite (or recently renamed, Yose Miyt.). And don't have to pay extra for RV storage.
Good luck and I wish you well..
Yes! Yosemite is an hour up the road.
Yes! RV storage is free.
Tx!
