Snowbird bang for buck: parked fiver or park model?

[Snowman9000]

I know some of you get all wound up at any discussion of dollars and cents here. So this is not the thread for you. 🙂

For AZ snowbirding, staying on a rental lot at one park all season, if we have no desire to use a big RV for any other trips, does a park model make more sense?

The assumption is we would pay annual rent, and the fiver or unit would sit there year round.

The fiver would be easier to move somewhere if we decide to. Although I'd have to pay someone because we won't have a big enough truck anyway. The park model, I'm not kidding myself, even though it CAN be moved, as a practical matter it has to be sold in place.

But I'm guessing the park models will be more comfortable in many ways and will hold up to the weather better. Is there any real reason we might want to buy a fiver instead of a park model, for long term on a year round rental lot?

We'd probably buy used either way. Lightly used, if it was going to be a fiver.

[Catrider1]

You might want to check out Dessert Gardens RV Park in Florence Az. We went the park model route this year and gave up a 40' 5th wheel. Our costs are $87 a month and that includes everything except electric. Water, trash, pool, hot tub, laundry, everything is included. Also, I am only a member here, have nothing to do with sales or management. Just a great place to land.

[MNGeeks61]

When you say "park models" I don't think of slides... ours is 11'6" wide and just under 35 feet long, under 400 sq. ft.

somewhat like this
click

Destination trailers do still have tanks and slides and are still plenty long.

like these

I'd stay in the park itself to get an idea of what it's like first.

[almcc]

We actually looked at this issue in southern California, we stay in a high end RV resort on a golf course, no park models there, at about $1500 per month. Next door is a place with all double wides and built homes on an 18 hole golf course, the used double wides are selling for about $20,000 and up, monthly all in costs are about $1,000. Ther are some rental units, we may try that before deciding plans in the future when it will be harder to haul the RV.

The ambience and folks in both place make it a tough decision, both are good places!

[homefor2]

We chose to buy a large older 5th wheel and stay in our favourite park. We pay $75 to have it towed to a storage place only 5 miles away and pay $55.oo per month for storage. This is pretty economical considering we don't have to haul it back to Canada and don't have to own an expensive truck. If we decide this park isn't for us, we can have it moved somewhere else. I believe this is the most flexible plan and very affordable.

[darsben1]

We looked at condos, apartments and houses when we first came to AZ. The problem with them IMO is that most of those places the neighbors go to work and come home leaving you alone all day. In the evening the people who work just want to kick back and get ready for the next day at work (just like we did) in an RV resort you have things going on all the time and if your are bored it is your own fault.
As for fiver vs Park model. I am with the rent one group.
For a list of rentals in the park I am in go to
http://albartsch.com/index.php/rent-spread

[BarbaraOK]

Swell1, You are paying a lot more than we do. Property tax on the PM is ~$110/yr. Water/sewer/trash is $30/month. Electricity runs us around $4-75/month while we are here ($75 being a cold month) and a flat $20/month while we are gone. Yes, we could have it turned off, but we have the house opened up for us before we get there, plus we have some things done that require them to get to use the utilities, so it is just easier to pay the flat monthly charge. Rent is less than $500/month. But each park will be different and it takes some time to figure out where you want to be and what you consider a reasonable cost. We spend 6 months here, then 6 months with the MH on the road. Best of both worlds for us.

Please do stay at a number of parks you are considering for at least a month or more to see if you want to be there. BTW - you can get a PM for $15K OR LESS in late September, early October when ppl decided they do not want to make the trip again or a spouse has passed away. Lots of models (yes they are older) are between $15K - $25K. We got ours for less than $15K and figure when we are down we will just sign it over to companies that pull the old ones out to use on construction sites, etc.

Barb

[BarbaraOK]

Definately an RV park with a Park Model over a condo. Cheaper, friendlier, our park has 4 pools and 4 spas, huge quilting area (with long arm), and cheaper than what has been mentioned before.

Barb

[2gypsies1]

Janss wrote:
For your first season, I suggest renting a park model for one month in each of four or five different parks. I know it would cost more to do this, but if you're planning on several years of snowbirding in one place, I think it might be worth it.

This is what I'd recommend. Also, you mentioned 'no slides'.... Park Models do have slides.

Why don't you do some detailed figuring on paper and list everything you can think of... fuel hauling a trailer or storage fee when you're not using it for 9 months (really a waste), transport cost if you don't have a truck, both ways will have an electric charge for long-term, etc.? Call some parks and find out with the approx. taxes are, rents, etc.

The parks in the greater Phoenix area are filled with Park Models. You could easily find a newer one on a lot already and most likely furnished with kitchen stuff, etc. They change hands all the time.

I agree, a condo is definitely not the same. Folks in them don't sit outside and chat like in a RV park. It would be harder to get to know anyone. Good luck!

[Snowman9000]

Us out West wrote:
Why not just rent a condo?

We would expect to meet more people, make more friends, and have more activities in an RV park. If that was not the case, sure, we'd rather live in some sort of sticks and bricks.

[Fizz]

Bird Freak wrote:

Us out West wrote:
Why not just rent a condo?

Best answer yet!:B

Not really.

One is living in an apartment, elevators, long hallways, small balcony.
The other is like living outdoors, BBQ, drive to the door.

[Bird_Freak]

Us out West wrote:
Why not just rent a condo?

Best answer yet!:B

[Fizz]

We have stayed in a few parks that mixed trailer and park models.
We found these parks very insular and clicky. You either get along or you don't.
I would rent first if you find a park that looks good.

[Us_out_West]

Why not just rent a condo?

[Janss]

For your first season, I suggest renting a park model for one month in each of four or five different parks. I know it would cost more to do this, but if you're planning on several years of snowbirding in one place, I think it might be worth it.

[Swell1]

I looked into this same type thing in February. I actually stayed in a park model that the park lets you try. Here's what I found. Park models used cost from 25k to 125k depending on amenities. The real kicker is the yearly rent. The site cost is $6400.00 per this does not include water, electric, or garbage and there's a tax for the lot. You don't own the lot but you pay a tax to leave the trailer there. To put a 5er or travel trailer on the lot is 800 per month plus electric which is metered. from the people I talked with you can expect about a 4% increase to the lot rent for the park model every year. The 5er seemed to be a better deal for me since I would only be there 3 months out of the year. If you decide you want to try out a park model they have a program called the fly and buy. it cost nothing if you don't buy and they'll pay for you airline ticket if you do. It was a great way to see if that's what you want.
Good luck