Buying An RV Lot

If you want to live in an "RV" then you are limited to a maximum of 180 days. This isn't a county thing, it isn't a park thing, it is a state regulation and is controlled by the state department of vehicles.

I am president of such a place where the lots are deeded property and those living there in an "RV" are by law, limited to mo more than 180 days sitting on their deeded property.

Now, if the state doesn't check..........well let your conscience be your guide

We are at Cowlitz Timber Trails and love it there. If you buy a double lot, you get double the days and will get even more days if you have a holding tank.

It's a great place to camp and I love that we can keep our 5th wheel there year round. Just have to pack up food and clothes and drive 45 minutes. Easy camping.

I really appreciate the advice from all of you. The more I read these posts and spoke to the wife, the more disagreeable the thought of buying an RV slot, no matter how pretty the view.

After all, the purpose of the RV lifestyle is to enjoy the accompanying freedom. Parking on a slab and letting the RV deteriorate beneath the PNW rain and snow contrasts poorly to that goal.

Besides, if my wife doesn't visit a Walmart every other day, she starts vibrating and going into withdrawals. Having to drive 30 miles one way to accommodate her fix would be a real pain.

Be careful what the realtor also says, I know of RV lots that sold in Boulder City NV at a RV park and no mention of only living there for 6 months on and 6 months off and many RVers lived there for a number of years till the developer sold the rental department and the new buyers found the law for living full time in RV parks and called the city on the people living fulltime, they did this to get people to move on so they could make more money renting the lots, you also will have HOA dues and laws to make living on your lot a headache, I would pass on this and just rent.

Are some RV parks selling spaces like condominiums, but you can only use them part of the year? How much does that cost, typically? Can they rent the space to others while you are not there or can you rent the space to others while you are not there? This sounds like time-share for RVs, but maybe that's not what the OP was asking about. Maybe they are looking at buying their own land outright and improving it for RV living.

Wife and I looked at a park model-only resort a few times. They told us clearly that full-time living was prohibited, which they enforced by not allowing mail delivery and probably other means. Besides being their rule it also violates local zoning (this is Pennsylvania, a relatively high-regulation state).

In most parts of the country you can't live in your vehicle, full stop. RV's are titled vehicles (as are park models). Mobile homes are deeded and have to meet HUD standards and are different legal animals.

That being said we've all seen 'campgrounds' with obvious full-time RV residents. Around here it usually boils down to location. Rural townships are more likely to let something like this slide. No resources to enforce the laws and residents that don't care anyway.

My question is, why buy trouble? If local laws prohibit what you intend to do and you plow ahead anyway, you're asking for problems sooner or later.

Pleasant Forest Camping Club in Lacey, warning, the I-5 corridor in that area is awful and getting worse. One reason I sold my lot there. Evergreen Coho SKP park in Chimacum, Wa. This is a great park. Research it under the Escapees Club. Good luck. PM me if you like. The SKP park may fit your needs perfectly. Very affordable too. Year round, OkThere is a waiting list for lot ownership. 7 years for us. Down to about 2-3 years now, (Lease owner). Still you can stay as a regular member. $29.00 annual membership fee. Great weekly, monthly rates.

The particular limits you are referring to often have to do with housing codes that permit year round living only in structures that meet local codes or HUD rated for permanent residence. On top of that, local codes may be "no permanent residence" for RV park vs Mobile Home Park zoning. Zoning commisions and city/county councils have their own ideas of what makes sense.

In other parts of the country, there are climate issues that limit the season, would not expect this for western Washington.

If the terms of use don't meet your needs, don't buy in. The "why" is irrelevant, as you are not likely to change it.

Hey Ricebug,
We are also Terry and Sherry.

Sherry

Last year we bought a lot from a private party in a RV park in Key Largo , Florida.
It is a deeded lot and we can live there year round if we want to.

Jack L