2gypsies wrote:
Many folks sell their house. They invest the money for the future. Everyone is different. Many retirees don't want the big house and yard to take care for in later years and still many don't want to live in a harsh climate. Keeping a house is added expense and worry if you leave it vacant or if you have renters. Putting your furniture in storage is a big expense. Later on if you buy in a retiree community you can find many homes or Park Model trailers for sale that come completely furnished. If you've thought out your plans and you're both onboard for full-timing then go for it. It's a big weight off your shoulder taking off free with no baggage behind.
We had never heard of full-timing until our first winter travels. We talked to so many that were extremely happy. That spring we retuned to our 2500 sq ft lake house with a big yard and sold it and everything in it over the summer and never looked back.
Only those who have done it can tell it like it is. :)
Selling your home makes sense for many but not all.
We are in the midst of selling our family raising home but that was planned years before thinking of RVing and goodness knows I'd heard of full timing years before that decision was made; just a good financial and maintenance strategy for many Americans, who realise that their S+B is the easiest to acquire tax deduction and asset they'll ever get.
Capital gains tax figures into this when you realise that the median price of a US home is about 350K according to the last US census. With that in mind, cold reality, requires careful thinking before pulling the plug on home ownership. I live in a region where prices are well north of the median cost and want to stay here after my RV adventure so knowing all my options and the cost further down the road makes sense. Real estate prices in your region may be lower which helped making your decision easier.
I see a raggedy looking "stealth" van (still emblazoned with a moving company's name) occupied by a couple of a certain age most every year for the past decade on the CT shoreline. It parks in the local WM, supermarket lots, and when they are flush, at local SPs. Spoken to the occupants and they seem to be nice people who fell on hard times yet goodness knows I wouldn't want to make their errors. I worry when we don't see them around but they popped back up last year after a 2 year hiatus.
I suggest people open their eyes to current realities/possibilities in their area and make their life choices accordingly.
Your years of F/Tming adds wisdom to this site but doesn't preclude common retirement or pre-retirement thought.
