RV resorts in Florida

[travelalot2some]

Has anyone else noticed that rv rental parks are becoming scarce? The park we are currently at has made it clear they want to sell all the lots and don't want renters. Another place we checked with basically said if you want to be here 3 months, then buy a lot. We don't want to rent to you.

It seems that renting in Florida is going to become more difficult each year for those that want to have a long term rental. We don't want to buy; we aren't ready to settle and for the price of the lots and all the additions, you can buy a house.

Looks like we will be looking elsewhere for the winter months...

[pawatt]

sunblade50 wrote:
I am going to be retiring in November and was not open to going to Fla. for the winter but after this winter's weather it seems that we are going to look in Fla. now. We currently have a park home in Michigan and would like to find a nice park to check out next winter to find a place that we can winter at. We are looking for a year round park where we can purchase a park home for the winter months. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

Please start a new thread for this, you are likely to have much better response.

[sunblade50]

I am going to be retiring in November and was not open to going to Fla. for the winter but after this winter's weather it seems that we are going to look in Fla. now. We currently have a park home in Michigan and would like to find a nice park to check out next winter to find a place that we can winter at. We are looking for a year round park where we can purchase a park home for the winter months. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.

[C-Bears]

travelalot2some wrote:
Has anyone else noticed that rv rental parks are becoming scarce? The park we are currently at has made it clear they want to sell all the lots and don't want renters. Another place we checked with basically said if you want to be here 3 months, then buy a lot. We don't want to rent to you.

It seems that renting in Florida is going to become more difficult each year for those that want to have a long term rental. We don't want to buy; we aren't ready to settle and for the price of the lots and all the additions, you can buy a house.

Looks like we will be looking elsewhere for the winter months...

We have wintered in the Fort Myers/Fort Myers Beach area the last two years. If we consider the CG fees and fuel getting down here, plus the cost of renting our spot for 4 months, we spend over $7,000.00. That is money you will never get back.

House values are on the rise again. In this area of SW Florida they are increasing 4% to 7% each year. I'm currently not getting that much interest on my savings.

We just signed a contract on a 1700 square foot house, 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 2 car garage, new pool and pool cage just installed, and all new stainless appliances. My annual cost of ownership for this property will be just over $10,000 per year, and that even includes such things as lawn service, pool service, and alarm company fees.

So in my mind I can now spend 6 months in Florida instead of 4 for the added investment of around $3,000 per year. After 10 years, instead of having thrown away over $70,000 in rent, I could possibly sell my property and walk away with over $100,000 in profit.

[lakeside013104]

OPer must be at the same park we recently left. The Owner is pushing to sell park. The folks who purchased sites do NOT have to follow park rules concerning pets. Our neighbor's dog barked for hours on end. Park management said there was nothing they could do because the folks owned their lots and they could not kick them out.

Staff was rude and acted like it was a huge effort to answer questions or pass out mail.

Rec room and dog park was 3/10 of a mile walk from center of park.

There is a sewage processing plant 1/2 mile to the west from the park. When westerly winds blew, sewer smell was horrible for hours on end.

Sites owners are stand offish and snobby. Sites are VERY close together.

Fireworks from Disney and Universal studios was heard every evening from 9 pm to 1030 pm.

This park has rates from $700 to $1000 per month. You have to rent a box to get cable television. Wi-Fi was almost NON existent.

We would NEVER stay here again.

Lakeside

[fla-gypsy]

The owners of the property will rake in bookoo cash and then can just walkaway from it and leave the site owners to maintain it through dues/fees. Personally I wish that none of them could sell the sites but it would probably be the end of private CG's like these as the property is often very valuable. The merchandising of paradise continues.

[pawatt]

This is even happening in Minnesota especially on the lakes. Mostly seasonal sites with just a few if any daily and weekly sites.

[Executive45]

Many people buying those lots consider them "seasonal" meaning they recoup some of their purchase/costs through a rental program. Usually it's a 60/40 split...I wouldn't buy a lot unless they had a rental program....Dennis

[Ivylog]

Many RV parks sold out ten years ago to condominium because of the higher density they had. This is especially true of SE Fla over SW Fla where there are even new parks being built. The only two newer RV resorts on the SE coast is Outdoor Resorts St. Lucie West and Aztec in Broward county. Pretty sure Aztec is a old CG that they have completely redone.
Even when a park goes ownership, there are still sites to be rented, but not as many. After the downturn of 08 things are finally coming back and prices and rents are going up. Supply and demand.

[Dutch_12078]

The Florida park we're in right now has 25 lease sites, and 99 sites for travelers, and no plans to change that any time soon.

[Dog_Folks]

This seems to be a trend not only in Florida, but in many areas of the country.

It is probably more noticeable there.

[azrving]

Not only Florida parks but I seem to run into a lot of parks that are nearly full of permanent residents. Like my grandfather said....half a loaf of bread is better than nothing.

Tourists and seasonals vs people who are faced with lower wages in today's job market and find an RV better than an apartment may be part of it? Guaranteed monthly income by people who are more captive and reluctant to move.