The wife and I were talking the other day about how changing demographics will affect the park model retirement communities. We are currently in the Apache Junction/Mesa area. Have no clue how many thousand park models are in the area, but it is significant. Where we are, most of the park model owners are well into their seventies and eighties. They are early baby boomers and parents of boomers. Numerous units are vacant and for sale as the residents are aging out. We're not seeing younger boomers in park models. All that said, we see high end mixed RV/park model communities such as The Palms in Yuma and Canyon Vistas in Gold Canyon going like gang busters. To us, they appear to be niche markets for the wealthy. They have a $300,000 to $500,000 motor home sitting beside a $200,000+ casita. Many of the residents do appear to be a bit younger than the AJ/Mesa crowd.We visited friends in one of the older park model communities where the units are from the 1970s and '80s. Units needing upgrading are available in the $10,000 range and even cheaper. The units are small and crammed in together.We know that 10,000 boomers are turning 65 every day. What are they doing? We know the market for class C and smaller units is booming. We saw one they other day with four slides! Most of these people seem to want to see the USA moving from place to place rather than buying a park model in Arizona and other snowbirding states.Appreciate your comments and observations.

I've given this a whole lot of thought. The best answer that I came up with is the new wave wants experiences not activities. Those older crammed park model parks were always focused on activities. Moving around the south in a high end rig staying at swanky parks is more of an experience.

Thunder Mountain wrote:We know that 10,000 boomers are turning 65 every day. What are they doing? Many are still working. 65 is not the modern retirement yer.

When those of us who are in their early 60's finally turn 80, we'll be snatching up those park models then. When the old joints are replaced by titanium (like one of mine is), and the remaining joints are bone-on-bone, all the laser eye surgery is no longer working because our old eyes have changed, yet again and now we can't see to drive any more, and everyone we know is now dead, we'll be looking for places like those park models in warmer steady climates to find a place to die peacefully!No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!

DutchmanSport wrote:No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!I love your optimism. It reminds me of me in my 60"s. My goal then was to RV until age 75, and then look for a 55+ community to round out the snowbird experience.I wish you well, but for me, five back surgeries ended that goal early -- much too early, but I've enjoyed Imperial Bonita Estates for the last eight years. There's much to be said about affordable 55+ communities!

DutchmenSport wrote:When those of us who are in their early 60's finally turn 80, we'll be snatching up those park models then. When the old joints are replaced by titanium (like one of mine is), and the remaining joints are bone-on-bone, all the laser eye surgery is no longer working because our old eyes have changed, yet again and now we can't see to drive any more, and everyone we know is now dead, we'll be looking for places like those park models in warmer steady climates to find a place to die peacefully!No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!That's a pretty good summation. :)

What does the future hold for 55+ park model communities?

John_Joey
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
I've given this a whole lot of thought. The best answer that I came up with is the new wave wants experiences not activities. Those older crammed park model parks were always focused on activities.

Moving around the south in a high end rig staying at swanky parks is more of an experience.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
Thunder Mountain wrote:

We know that 10,000 boomers are turning 65 every day. What are they doing?

Many are still working. 65 is not the modern retirement yer.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
When those of us who are in their early 60's finally turn 80, we'll be snatching up those park models then. When the old joints are replaced by titanium (like one of mine is), and the remaining joints are bone-on-bone, all the laser eye surgery is no longer working because our old eyes have changed, yet again and now we can't see to drive any more, and everyone we know is now dead, we'll be looking for places like those park models in warmer steady climates to find a place to die peacefully!

No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!
fchammer1
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
DutchmanSport wrote:
No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!

I love your optimism. It reminds me of me in my 60"s. My goal then was to RV until age 75, and then look for a 55+ community to round out the snowbird experience.

I wish you well, but for me, five back surgeries ended that goal early -- much too early, but I've enjoyed Imperial Bonita Estates for the last eight years. There's much to be said about affordable 55+ communities!
bighatnohorse
Explorer II
Jan 27, 2018
DutchmenSport wrote:
When those of us who are in their early 60's finally turn 80, we'll be snatching up those park models then. When the old joints are replaced by titanium (like one of mine is), and the remaining joints are bone-on-bone, all the laser eye surgery is no longer working because our old eyes have changed, yet again and now we can't see to drive any more, and everyone we know is now dead, we'll be looking for places like those park models in warmer steady climates to find a place to die peacefully!

No worries there, give us another 20 years and we'll be there!

That's a pretty good summation. :)
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
One of the mantras of RVing is, "if you don't like the weather or the neighbors, just move".
I suspect that has a lot to do with it. I think 60-80 is still pretty young in terms of traveling and seeing and experiencing things you've only dreamed or read about, or seen on the TV. I think that may be why fewer people are picking up roots up north, only to put them down farther south. They want to maintain their mobility for as long as possible, after decades of always returning to the same address every day after work or whatever. Modern day nomads?

I know it's our preferred travel mode. We spent the last 10 years as "tourists", literally touring North America, but as we get older, we realize we'd now like to slow down a bit, and stay a while at some of the places we used to use as our favorite stopovers along the trails.
Doesn't mean we'll park it permanently, just for longer than a day or two, depending on the weather and the neighbors. :B
bdpreece
Explorer II
Jan 27, 2018
I think DutchmenSport has it pegged. Our own experience follows this pretty well.

We started RV'ing in the 70s on weekends, as the kids older and vacations got longer we traveled further. When I retired we traveled longer and further. Now just getting the motorhome ready to go is a hard job.

Last year we purchased a lot and park model in Yuma and are settled in for the Winter. We talk about doing one more cross country trip but somehow it just does not seem worth the effort.

While talking to a realtor it was mentioned that most of the park models change hands on an average every 10 years.
Chuck_thehammer
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
I can not speak of all 65ish people

my wife barely made it to retirement... and must escape the Cold to breath..
I retired early with back problems.. after 4 operations.
We Both worked most of our lives.

so we are starting to look at a park model.. and stay south ... full time.
a 30x8 foot trailer is to small..
and $50k is way out of the budget..
TomG2
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
The OP asked, "What does the future hold for 55+ park model communities?"

To survive and make money, I think many parks will follow the lead of some mid-level parks in South Texas. They are relaxing the age requirements and allowing younger people to share the RV park lifestyle. Some are still employed. Swimming pools, exercise rooms, recreational halls, clean bathrooms, relatively safe streets, and low rent must seem like Heaven to many. Look around the park community and you will find a lot of people who do not have nearly as many amenities.

Therefore, my answer to the question is, "Move over folks, there are others who want to enjoy what we take for granted". With park models aging and becoming cheaper, more people can afford them. Not as a second home, but as full time residences. Look for a school bus coming to your park soon.
Cobra21
Explorer
Jan 27, 2018
The Park Models sold well when gas was $4 a gallon. Now with cheap gas it's the motorhomes, things again shall change.
Brian