Forum Discussion
Bill_Satellite
Aug 21, 2016Explorer II
If you are planning to go fulltime (assuming I read the OP correctly) why would you want to own a piece of property requiring you to stay in one place for a substantial length of time?
I made the mistake of buying a lot at the Great Outdoors in Titusville, FL but at least I had planned to live there for several years. The fees, the owners battles and the legal issues reared their ugly heads on a regular basis and those with deep pockets ran the place and had no qualms about suggesting that a "one time" assessment be charged to all owners to pay for whatever idea they had. Your board of directors can (and likely will) do this as many parks like to plan for the future without any plans for serious unforeseen problems which might come up years down the line.
If you plan to move on a regular basis (my personal opinion of a fulltimer) then property ownership should not be in any of your plans.
The exception to this "rule" would be a membership similar to the Thousand Trails organization. To make this membership work, you must be willing to stay at the limited number of parks available but there are many available. You just have to be willing to go back to the same places over and over again. The length of stay is usually limited and the monthly fees can add up so you just have to make sure that you understand that you are getting into and what fees you are obligated to before you sign. Please pay attention to that word....obligated.... Once you sign the papers you cannot get out of those obligations even if your plans change. Even if they change due to health.
I was lucky in that I sold my property before the real estate market crashed and I made a technical profit on the sale. However, I owned the property and did not stay there for a couple of years before it sold so whatever perceived profit was mostly eaten up by the monthly fees I paid while not there.
I made the mistake of buying a lot at the Great Outdoors in Titusville, FL but at least I had planned to live there for several years. The fees, the owners battles and the legal issues reared their ugly heads on a regular basis and those with deep pockets ran the place and had no qualms about suggesting that a "one time" assessment be charged to all owners to pay for whatever idea they had. Your board of directors can (and likely will) do this as many parks like to plan for the future without any plans for serious unforeseen problems which might come up years down the line.
If you plan to move on a regular basis (my personal opinion of a fulltimer) then property ownership should not be in any of your plans.
The exception to this "rule" would be a membership similar to the Thousand Trails organization. To make this membership work, you must be willing to stay at the limited number of parks available but there are many available. You just have to be willing to go back to the same places over and over again. The length of stay is usually limited and the monthly fees can add up so you just have to make sure that you understand that you are getting into and what fees you are obligated to before you sign. Please pay attention to that word....obligated.... Once you sign the papers you cannot get out of those obligations even if your plans change. Even if they change due to health.
I was lucky in that I sold my property before the real estate market crashed and I made a technical profit on the sale. However, I owned the property and did not stay there for a couple of years before it sold so whatever perceived profit was mostly eaten up by the monthly fees I paid while not there.
About Motorhome Group
38,762 PostsLatest Activity: Nov 29, 2025