We sold our Endura close to two years ago. While we have missed some aspects of RVing, as time goes by we miss it less and less. As we were driving home from the Boston RV show we kind of had an epiphany. For what we would spend on the set-up we want, we are starting to hit the bottom end of what we can get a cottage on a lake for. So we started analyzing all the bits and pieces, mostly dogs, time factor, and where we live. We did take our dogs with us on a number of occasions, but we are explorers. It's not unusual for us to leave at 9 a.m and return at 9 p.m. That's not fair to the dogs Fortunately we have a great doggie hotel they love and that loves them. We don't want to take them where it's really hot because being "yankee" dogs they don't deal well in the heat. More of an issue is where we live and our inability to get more than a week or two at a time off of our jobs. We can only get so far in that short time frame. Driving the eastern seaboard can also leave one with VERY frazzled nerves, and we've discovered the 2 day drive back from somewhere in the Carolinas or Kentucky/Tennessee often leaves us feeling like we were never on vacation. Last Saturday we took the day and scouted cottages along a number of lakes about 2.5 hours from the house. The thought of being able to just hop in the truck with the dogs and some clothes without the hassles of hooking up, finding strange places, etc., is becoming more appealing, at least for now. The Springfield RV show is in a few weeks and we'll probably make the trek out there anyway but my gut feel is our RVing days are at least temporarily done. All subject to change of course!

Well looks like it's time for a change for you guys then. I feel like we're just getting started in the adventure of RVing and discovering what America has to offer. Our youngest is 5 and finally old enough to take a longer trip. For now we have the next few years roughly planned out of where we would like to take the kids. I do wonder if after enough years of that if we will be burned out of it, that's kind of how you sound. Or at least it's time for a change. All things change right? Maybe in a few years when the dogs are gone and you've been in the cottage for some time, that too will get old and you'll get back into RVing or perhaps you'll find a new hobby......personally I'd like to be a frequent cruise ship passenger! ;-)

Having been lucky enough to enjoy private cabins on lakes, condos in the Keys and Rv'ing to many places, whatever floats your boat is just fine. Nobody else really cares..........Have fun :C

After reading your post, I have to agree with a lot of what you said. We are not in the position that your in as we are upside down on our fifth wheel, so for now I guess we will use it when we can.In one way we are lucky that we do not have the northeast coast to deal with, so for few hours we can be either in Savahanna or Jacksonville beach. Good luck with your lake cottage and not only you but the dogs will love it also.

The main thing is to enjoy what your doing. My wife and I love RVing because we can have a lake house 1 weekend and a mountian retreat the next. As long as your enjoying life you've won the war, enjoy.

I do wonder if after enough years of that if we will be burned out of it, that's kind of how you sound.That's a good way to put it. Don't misunderstand me, we've absolutely loved the lifestyle, the good, the bad, the ugly and especially since we started with it when our son was 4 (our first pop-up). We were blessed with a child who travelled very well at a young age. Yes, things do change. But when these dogs are gone, there will be 2 more in their places. Dogless just isn't for us.Part of the whole issue is hubby. His gramma on his dad's side had a cabin on a lake in Groton, MA. She taught him how to row when he was young. His other gramma had a house down the Cape near the beach. He has 22 cousins on that side and it wasn't unusual for 10-15 of them to be piled into one tiny house. He's looking to recreate some of that when our son (hopefully) has kids. Plus we are avid kayakers and would love to be able to keep the boats at a cottage and go out to paddle early in the a.m.

Looks like we might give up the RV Lifestyle (gasp!)

57 Replies

okhmbldr
Explorer
Feb 04, 2014
You can have the best of both worlds….owning an RV and never eating a penny of depreciation.
First example: (I’ll use round numbers, but the principle is the same) you have $100,000 to purchase a motorhome/fiver/tt. You make the purchase and after five years your investment is now worth about $40,000.00, after ten years it might get you $10,000-$15,000. And now you’ve become too old to enjoy the RV so you sell out and have a small sum to use towards the purchase of a place to live.

Second example: You purchase a decent rental property for $100,000.00. It rents for $1000/mo. After taxes and insurance you still net a nice $800/mo. income. Then you find a nice motorhome/fiver/tt and finance it for 10-12 years and use the $800/mo rent to make your payment. After ten years you sell the RV and get $10-15,000 which pays off the balance you still may owe.
But…..you still own a home that is now worth $120,000.00. You sell the rent house and get a nice condo on the beach, or a great lake home, all paid for by someone else.
(note: you must have the $100,000 in cash to purchase the rent house or the plan won’t work).
I know some of you will crab about renters tearing up the house, that may happen, but good management won’t allow it to happen. It’s a plan that will work.
frankdamp
Explorer
Feb 04, 2014
We'll probably end up selling our rig this spring. It's just getting too expensive on a limited retiree budget. If the Washington State legislature makes good on its threat to add another 11 cents a gallon to what is already one of the highest gas taxes in the nation, that will be the final nail in the coffin.

I'm a bit concerned that no-one else in Washington will want to buy our gas hog! That tax will certainly put a massive damper on RV use and will probably result in the bankruptcy of a lot of CGs, when their revenue source doesn't visit any more.
Aridon
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
Real estate is always a better money investment than wheel estate. No arguing that.

Some just don't NEED to have another piece of real estate, have other investment, don't want to just go to the same vacation home for 30 years etc..

For us, the money we put into our class A was a sunk cost. We knew we would never get it back and just like going to a casino with a grand or two to have some fun its just money that will likely never come back. Lost the day we picked it up and paid for it.

So long as you go into it knowing that or that you are essentially renting that unit (not going to have anything at the end) or pre paying or pissing away money (whatever your case may be if you have a note on your unit, pay it up front or just buying a toy)its not a big deal. If you think its some kind of smart financial investment then yeah its a bad move because its a cash sink for sure.

Anyway, RVing is in no way similar to having a vacation home. The two are fairly different and obviously different strokes for different folks. The OP is making a good decision for themselves and it fits their needs. We should applaud that and let everyone make their own decisions on what will make them happy.

Obviously if paying $60 a night and adding up your diesel, then your depreciation is going to keep you up at night then an RV might not be for you.
Cloud_Dancer
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2014
We all have our reasons.....
Me? I actually enjoy maintaining and repairing my motorhome, BUT (drum roll) ONLY if I can do it while it's parked in my backyard next to my garage where I have all my tools and equipment....(and at my leisure). Of course, by doing so it might explain why it has never stranded me, nor has it ever been in a repair shop.
AND, the real clincher is that I enjoy driving it ssooo much. AND, it's the only way to travel, especially if you need to take your fur babies.
This is just an explanation, I'm not selling neither motorhomes nor cabins.
I fully understand that people will buy whatever they can afford, and whatever suits THEIR needs.
I hope Crowe finds just the right place for HER.
John_Joey
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
My 2C's

After 25 years my cabin is now 8 times in value.
In 6 years my RV lost 35% of value
Both took money to maintain and use
Both took effort to maintain and use
Most people who camp dream of their own private lake place away from crowds.
Most lake people could care less about other lakes then their own.
Having a cottage does not mean you can't venture out and explore.
The MH had more memories for DW and I, and was much less work.
The cabin built much stronger family ties.
I would sell a RV for a cabin, but never the other way.
wbwood
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
Cloud Dancer wrote:
wbwood,
You struck a nerve, so to speak. In my case, it was more like $176,000 that I "threw away". Well, some people would see it that way.
My story: Through the years, many of which were spent enjoying five different gasoline motorhomes (always bought them as "clean, one-owners") I decided that some day I would special order a new big diesel pusher (just like I wanted). I loaded it up with options and specials, drove the list price up to a whopping $230K. But, through a dealer in North Dakota, bought it at a discount. That was in early 2003. And now, it's worth maybe half,...probably less. I bought it for cash, from profits made through sale of real estate and airplanes. BUT, what if I had invested the money in something that I knew would NOT depreciate?
My excuse, as always, is that my whole life has been about having a good time.
Now, while we could've bought a permanent place on the lake, it's not what we really wanted. We decided that what we prefer is to enjoy different lakes. ALSO, we actually enjoy having a permanent base (stick & bricks) in a big city of our choice. We truly enjoy all that a big city has to offer (too long too list). And, we decided that the only way to travel is in a big diesel pusher.
And, we enjoy all of it now, because in a few years we will no longer be healthy enough to do all of the above.

My advice to Crowe is to stay smart by doing the research (what you're doing), then at the appropriate time decide what YOU want and where you want to do it.
Enjoy life,....it's too short not to.

Haha... my numbers were as examples. The fact is, that you can buy a stick n bricks house and a "mobile home"...the "mobile home" will always depreciate. Generally a stick n bricks will not. Not always the case. But you also have to look at the useability of an RV. If you can only use the Rv for a trip more than a few hours away for only a couple times a year, but can do a quick trip a couple hours away on the weekends to a cottage, then it might make more sense to do the cottage thing. That is, if you are looking at it financially. Trust me, i've considered buying a piece of property in the mountains an hour away and putting something small on it. At least small in the beginning. And I may one day, when I'm more afraid of throwing my money away....lol
wbwood
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
colliehauler wrote:
wbwood wrote:
Crowe, I can wholeheartedly understand where you are coming from. I know there are many that will boast that they would never do that sort of thing or that they would never stay in a hotel or whatever. But honestly, what you mentioned is very true. Economically, it's not the best way of doing things. You can buy a $100,000 RV set up and if you are lucky, in 20 years when it's paid off, it will not be worth very much at all. But you can a cottage for $100,000 and in 20 years, it will be worth at least what you paid for it, hopefully more. The ease of going to a place you know where everything is already there and set up also saves you money. You are also more likely to use it with it being closer to you than you would try to make those long trips once or twice a year on a short timeframe. And if you want to see something else that is further away, you can always drive there or fly.

Good luck!
Just wondering where you can get a lake house for 100K? Where my seasonal is at the cheepest Fixer uper is 300K. The cheepest empty lot was 160K.

Those numbers were figuratively speaking.
travelnutz
Explorer II
Feb 03, 2014
Crowe,

Maybe the moving away from the Boston area that you keep hinting about is what you really need and in your future. Spending even 15 minutes stuck on a highway with your RV hardly moving, of course except for something like an accident issue, is 15 minutes of your life wasted and you'll never get it back! We would never put up with it since there's so many ways to get around it in many many areas of this country. Also, with a much lower cost of living and much lower taxes too!
Crowe
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
But I definitely would not let a dog (or dogs) dictate my world.

Dogs aren't dictating. It's just a factor.

Find a friend with a nice big cabin and keep the RV. Life is way to short and you can't take it with you.

It's also too short to spend it stuck on a highway trying to GET to the campground!
AggieDad
Explorer
Feb 03, 2014
I understand we all have changes in our outlooks. But I definitely would not let a dog (or dogs) dictate my world. Dogs come and go.