I currently have a parking space at home and really enjoy it. Some folks are not able to have RV parking at home for any price. Consider the following:Suppose there were two identical houses for sale but one had a space for RV parking (compliant with any codes, ordinances or covenants) and the other one didn't have an RV space. Would you pay more for the one with RV parking? How much more would it be worth to you?Let's say a space at an RV storage facility costs $60 per month. If that same $60 were applied to a monthly payment on a mortgage instead, it would buy an additional $12,000 on a 30-year mortgage at today's interest rates. Would the convenience and security of having your RV parked at home be worth paying an extra $12,000 for a house that has RV parking? For me it would. How about you?

It would be worth it to me and probably for the person looking for an RV spot while house shopping. No way would I put my rig in a storage lot. Our home here in FL is the only one of the block that has room for an RV.

Not sure if it is worth $12, but I would be willing to buy a more expensive home Lets say it is $60 a month now...what is it going to be in 30 years? But will still need the RV spot in 30 years. Easier to work on when it is home, easier to keep an eye on too. Insurance may be cheaper too.

Not having the RV parking would be a deal-breaker for us. We've become too accustomed to having the trailer parked on the side of the house, plugged in, ready to go at anytime. Any new home would have to meet this need.

when I bought my latest home, one thing I told the realtor was that I needed a place to park my RV. we didn't bother looking at any places that wouldn't accommodate one. too many other variables affecting price than to figure out actual value of parking place. bumpy

If you are making the argument for resale purposes, having an RV parking pad is likely to hurt the resale value in the real world. Most home buyers do not have RVs. They want lawn and landscaping, not a big hunk of concrete beside their home. The value of the home is till going to be determined by location and condition. In your example, does the home without the pad have zoning restrictions? If so, by definition the homes do not have equal locations. If a pad could be installed, the value added to the other home would, at most, be the cost of installing a pad, and probably a lot less since the existing pad would almost assuredly not be exactly what the new owner would build since his building options are limitless. Your value exercise might be a good way to decide if you want to build a pad or not, but it doesn't directly correlate to purchasing.

How much is an RV parking space at home worth to you?

118 Replies

toedtoes
Explorer III
Feb 01, 2015
They know.

Please don't think that hiding your RV is going to protect you from burglary. Most burglaries are committed by teenage males who live within a one mile distance.

They know you're gone because their best buddy Joe is the son of your neighbors. Joe's parents mention your vacation while Joe and his buddy are at the house. Later, buddy casually asks Joe "so what house do those friends of your parents live in". Joe tells him. You come home to a burglarized home.

If you really want to prevent burglary while you're on vacation, get a housesitter. If you can't get someone to stay, then ask several friends to stop by during the day (*).

*Most home burglaries are done during the day while adults are at work (and teenage males are hanging around bored).
xzyHollyxyz
Explorer
Feb 01, 2015
the bear II wrote:
...The reason- if stored at home, when it's gone the bad guys know you're gone

That's exactly one reason why I just built a new garage for my little trailer...no one knows if I'm home or not! (a windowless garage)
C_Schomer
Explorer
Jan 19, 2015
We didn't hesitate to pay about 30k more to get an upscale house on 3/4 acre with a deep garage, RV gate and lot layout that's perfect for a huge RV garage. Also NO HOA! After looking at the junk tract homes on postage stamp size lots with HOAs it was a no-brainer. Craig
ncrowley
Explorer II
Jan 18, 2015
We spent three years looking for a place to retire and a requirement is we be able to build an RV garage. Since there is a door, no one knows if you are home or not. I can work on the RV anytime I want and be plugged in when I need to. The RV is protected from the elements. It took us a lot of time to find a community that allowed the building of RV garages but we found one is a wonderful area. We have been here for over a year and are very happy with our decision.
campingliz
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
I assume we are in a minority, but we recently bought a home with an RV garage. Love having the RV so convenient. Too funny, now that it is "inside" the RV also serves as a popular guest room when the house is full of people.

Hilarious, but we had to add a carport for one of our two cars, as we just have a double garage.

Happy camping!
toedtoes
Explorer III
Jan 15, 2015
The bad guys will most often just walk up and ring the doorbell. If no one answers and there is no movement inside the house, they will go around to the back and force their way in. Rarely are they "casing the joint" long enough to know if you have an RV or not, let alone know that it's gone.

The only bad guys who will target you based on an RV not being in the driveway are those that live in your neighborhood. Most likely they are your neighbor's teenage kids and their friends. They're going to know you're gone whether you store your RV at a lot or store it at home.

The best way to prevent burglary when you're not home is to have someone stay in your home while you're gone.
AAFD
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
I have s space next to my home with a Gray/Black dump. I keep my class A in a covered storage place for 50 a month.

KC
Hammerhead
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
the bear II wrote:
The RV space would not be a buying point for me. We have never stored our RV at home. The reason- if stored at home, when it's gone the bad guys know you're gone

That's one nice thing about not having your RV at home and something we never even thought about 15 years ago when we had room to park our camper next to the garage. Around here, the lots are so small that it would be rare to find any home built in the last 40 years with space for an RV parking pad.
Travlingman
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2015
Sold our house last fall, and when I had it built I had a concrete RV pad poured, 40'. House sold a lot quicker than we planned, and our realtor told us one big reason was the RV parking. Said she had a lot of customers who wanted that.

Have been looking and can't find a house that has the parking or would be able to make the parking and a place to garage my dually. Gave up looking, and having another house built. Breaking ground today if weather holds off. Having another 40' pad poured, and this time it will have a 50 amp hookup, sewer, water and cable. Had driveway designed so it is a straight back in. Garage lengthened to fit my truck. Having driveway at road widened to make easy back in.

It is costing me, but worth every penny. Have had to do the storage before, never again. Have saw the damage done at lots, the break ins, having to take stuff to and from camper, trying to keep it clean.

But to the question, what is it worth to me? As the commercial says, Priceless.
kcmoedoe
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
wa8yxm wrote:
How much was parking at home worth to me $368.00

The lot behind my lot was vacant, So for $368 (includes 18 dollar title transfer fee) I purchased that lot to park the RV on, Cleaned it up a bit, took down a dead tree (Firewood, Yippie) and had a parking lot for the RV plus a major "Upgrade" to the value of my property.
If lots sell for $354 in your neighborhood, I don't see how anything you could do to your property would result in a "Major Upgrade" in value.