Buying An RV Lot

[Ricebug]

We're looking at buying an RV lot somewhere in Western Washington. I see a lot of properties with the caveat that you can only live there X number of days per year. Other properties don't mention it.

Is it a seasonal thing? I figure if it's mine I should be able to live there all year 'round. What say you?

Terry & Sherry

[DallasSteve]

timmac wrote:
But I thought RVs were for traveling and not the headache of living in one on land with all the BS restrictions and such.

Keep life simple and just rent.

How about:

1 - It's cheaper
2 - It's more flexible

In the first years of retirement I don't think I would do it because I would want to travel and explore. As I get older I may want to stay in one place more. But I could also have the option to live part of the year where it's warmer and part of the year where it's cooler. But I would like to have the option to try to rent it out the other part of the year, if there are willing renters. If I'm using a northern park in the summer and a southern park in the winter I may not get any renters when it's not occupied.

[Dr_Bobs_Patient]

We are also considering buying a RV Lot in a RV Resort. The sales person explained the county code as one cannot occupy the site for more than 180 consecutive days. And the RV cannot be on a permanent foundation, licensed at all times, and cannot have a permanent sewer connection. I asked about mail and she suggested the UPS store just down the road.

This resort is set up that the lots are titled like condos, not deeded. Now that being said, I will check out the county codes for myself, as I have been lied to before!

Peace
Bruce

[seaeagle2]

In Washington State, its zoning laws / tax laws, all the rv places have the same rule for the same reason, if the spots are occupied over 1/2 year, another set of zoning and real estate tax laws kick in, so to avoid it, can't stay more than 180 days, most parks enforce by recording at the gate when your vehicle enters and exits.

[ol__yeller]

I understand that buying a lot in a camping club or some such could be subject to a 180 day rule but what about just buying a camping lot that is stand alone? I know there are many lots along the Washington coast that have permanent/semi permanent RVs on them and I don't think they are restricted by how many days they are occupied.

[timmac]

But I thought RVs were for traveling and not the headache of living in one on land with all the BS restrictions and such.

Keep life simple and just rent.

[dons2346]

Steve,
We were outside Boise,ID and stopped in a rv park. In the registration, it was plain language that we would not be allowed to stay for more than 179 days. I ask why and was told it was a department of vehicles regulation. So , it just isn't Washington that has some wacky rules.

In the case of our park, yes it is perfectly legal to have two lots and move from one to the other at the end of a 180 stay. It is the sitting in one spot that the state and county regulate. Either the state or county would probably never say anything, but a lousy neighbor might. In my case, we let the county govern it and if they want to kick someone out, they can do it. Our binding site plan and conditional use permit says that the association has to have a method in place to "monitor" the 180 day limit. Nothing is said about enforcement.

[DallasSteve]

dons2346

Thanks for the reply. If that's the way the law or the deed is written then that is the rule, but it seems to violate the intention of the law. The law is saying "We are concerned that people may live in a structure that is not worthy of full-time use." But the restriction is saying "We also don't want you to be able to use the land more than half the year for no good reason." The law can't prohibit you from taking your RV to another park or at least another state or country and living in it 365 days per year, unless they get the United Nations involved. I'm being a little exaggerated, but not much. I might really consider buying lots in two parks to have nice affordable year-round RV living, and the government isn't really protecting us with those rules. It sounds more like something motivated by some business interests in the final analysis. Free market capitalism in bed with government.

Steve

[dons2346]

DallasSteve wrote:

dons2346 wrote:
If you want to live in an "RV" then you are limited to a maximum of 180 days. This isn't a county thing, it isn't a park thing, it is a state regulation and is controlled by the state department of vehicles.

I am president of such a place where the lots are deeded property and those living there in an "RV" are by law, limited to mo more than 180 days sitting on their deeded property.

Now, if the state doesn't check..........well let your conscience be your guide

You (a park president) sound like someone who could answer this question: In general, at such parks, can you live in your "deeded property" for 180 days then rent it to someone else for the other 180 days? Could two neighbors even do a reciprocal agreement like that?

The park I am president of is located in Washington and the question you propose could be answered in a couple of ways depending on the declaration and the bylaws of the association.

Our particular association was established and limits how the deeded property can be occupied. In our case, we have some lots that are 365 and some that are 180 occupancy. On the 365 lots you can install a park model, mobile home or a double wide and live there 365. If you elect to put a 5th wheel, trailer, or a motorhome on the 365 lot, you are limited to 180 days occupancy. This is a regulation of the state that "RV's" are limited to how long they can be occupied while in one spot. This time limit also applies to a regular trailer/rv park.

On the 180 lots, they are limited to 180 days total occupancy so you could not live there for 180 and rent it out for 180 or trade locations with a neighbor for the second 180. This is the way our declaration/bylaws were written which were guided by the county binding site plan. In other words, the county told us how the property can be used. The 180 occupancy starts Jan1 and ends Dec 31 of the year.

Any thing else, let me know.

[Chris_Bryant]

We own a lot in Sarasota at a resort- deeded in a Co-op park- the previous owner lived for years in an RV before putting a Park Model on it. The only caveat for us to rent it out is long term rentals require background checks, etc. So- local laws and rules would be the guide.

[DallasSteve]

dons2346 wrote:
If you want to live in an "RV" then you are limited to a maximum of 180 days. This isn't a county thing, it isn't a park thing, it is a state regulation and is controlled by the state department of vehicles.

I am president of such a place where the lots are deeded property and those living there in an "RV" are by law, limited to mo more than 180 days sitting on their deeded property.

Now, if the state doesn't check..........well let your conscience be your guide

You (a park president) sound like someone who could answer this question: In general, at such parks, can you live in your "deeded property" for 180 days then rent it to someone else for the other 180 days? Could two neighbors even do a reciprocal agreement like that?

[dons2346]

If you want to live in an "RV" then you are limited to a maximum of 180 days. This isn't a county thing, it isn't a park thing, it is a state regulation and is controlled by the state department of vehicles.

I am president of such a place where the lots are deeded property and those living there in an "RV" are by law, limited to mo more than 180 days sitting on their deeded property.

Now, if the state doesn't check..........well let your conscience be your guide

[davosfam]

We are at Cowlitz Timber Trails and love it there. If you buy a double lot, you get double the days and will get even more days if you have a holding tank.

It's a great place to camp and I love that we can keep our 5th wheel there year round. Just have to pack up food and clothes and drive 45 minutes. Easy camping.

[Ricebug]

I really appreciate the advice from all of you. The more I read these posts and spoke to the wife, the more disagreeable the thought of buying an RV slot, no matter how pretty the view.

After all, the purpose of the RV lifestyle is to enjoy the accompanying freedom. Parking on a slab and letting the RV deteriorate beneath the PNW rain and snow contrasts poorly to that goal.

Besides, if my wife doesn't visit a Walmart every other day, she starts vibrating and going into withdrawals. Having to drive 30 miles one way to accommodate her fix would be a real pain.

[timmac]

Be careful what the realtor also says, I know of RV lots that sold in Boulder City NV at a RV park and no mention of only living there for 6 months on and 6 months off and many RVers lived there for a number of years till the developer sold the rental department and the new buyers found the law for living full time in RV parks and called the city on the people living fulltime, they did this to get people to move on so they could make more money renting the lots, you also will have HOA dues and laws to make living on your lot a headache, I would pass on this and just rent.