Community Forums

HD4Mark · 01-23-2017, 08:16 AM

After about 12 years, a class C then our class A it looks like we will be ending RVing soon.

The CG we have spent winter get aways at then 6 years of most of the winter at has been sold to become a "resort hotel". We really can't find anything the same in the area but want to stay here from some time in Oct or Nov until April or May. There are some other CGs around but they are either completely booked (one for 5 years out), terribly expensive or we just do not like.

That with the MH getting older and and investment in a new one that will rapidly depreciate does not make sense for us at this point in our lives.

So we have purchased a condo nearby with dock space and will own instead of renting. DW likes it and so do I. It will be a shock to our systems to go from a CG with 200 units to a condo with 12. Can't see the tiki bar being very crowded there.

We will also miss the stops we make every year traveling from the frozen north to paradise. Even a Walmart stop over is an adventure.

Somewhere down the road we might buy a tow behind or something to get our camping fix and even use it to got to our stops on the way south.

It's not a farewell, I'll be hanging around here and trying to help but I can see losing interest over time.

okcnewbie · 01-23-2017, 08:40 AM

Sounds like you've had a grand experience so far.

It's all about location, location, location. You've found a great location and that's why it's so expensive. Congrats on the new condo.

Steeljag · 01-23-2017, 08:48 AM

Wishing you the best !

450Donn · 01-23-2017, 08:53 AM

I am looking at the same thing. we simply can no longer aford to travel like I want to and DW is not willing to give up her house. So once the weather brakes and I can get some pictures our fiver is going on the market. we have held on for over 30 years thru fat and lean times, but now that we are retired finances being limited its time.

HD4Mark · 01-23-2017, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 450Donn

I am looking at the same thing. we simply can no longer aford to travel like I want to and DW is not willing to give up her house. So once the weather brakes and I can get some pictures our fiver is going on the market. we have held on for over 30 years thru fat and lean times, but now that we are retired finances being limited its time.

We bought the class A at a time when we could see retirement coming soon. Figured that we would be in it for longer periods and wanted to be comfortable. And we are. It's a nice MH but is getting to the stuff needs to be replaced point. Right now one slide topper is shot. We will replace it before selling because it will help sell and I do not like to sell anything that isn't in good shape or at least honest about it.

Money wasn't really an issue but the cost of camping in the Keys is getting out of sight. Kind of had to look at where we wanted to invest our funds.

MSHappyCampers · 01-23-2017, 09:36 AM

Sorry to see you go but we wish you all the best in this new adventure!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

HD4Mark · 01-23-2017, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHappyCampers

Sorry to see you go but we wish you all the best in this new adventure!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

Thanks Joe & Annette, I always enjoyed your posts. I'll still be around. We still need to take the MH back north in April so we will be RVers at least that long.

Smitty77 · 01-24-2017, 10:11 AM

Best of luck on this transition, and yes to the tow behind for getting our fix

!

What region are you doing this in? You mentioned the Key's, and dock, is this in Florida?

Enjoy the new setup!
Smitty

GBDTN · 01-24-2017, 06:15 PM

Wow you must be at Point o Vue! Very nice. This will be our only year,but the weather has been grand. We just started to ft. Trying to recuperate after all those years.

HD4Mark · 01-25-2017, 07:59 AM

We are in Marathon in the "middle" Keys of Florida. The park is Knight's Key RV resort and marina. It's the third or so "sale" to become a hotel/condo resort but the others all fell through.

Many of our friends have already found new accommodations in or near Marathon. It's one of those places you just don't want to leave I guess. Close enough to Key West so you can shoot down for a day and get your fill of touristy things but far enough away so its not touristy.

Hit_the_Rhod · 01-25-2017, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HD4Mark

We are in Marathon in the "middle" Keys of Florida. The park is Knight's Key RV resort and marina. It's the third or so "sale" to become a hotel/condo resort but the others all fell through.

Many of our friends have already found new accommodations in or near Marathon. It's one of those places you just don't want to leave I guess. Close enough to Key West so you can shoot down for a day and get your fill of touristy things but far enough away so its not touristy.

We've enjoyed Knight's Key Resort as well. We like the feeling of Marathon vrs Key West, except for short day trips too. Has the sale actually been finalized? Seems like the last two dragged forever, but haven't heard anything recently.

twinboat · 01-25-2017, 09:11 AM

We have wintered 6 years now, in Marathon, out on a mooring.

They have been closing that CG for almost that long.

Here is the latest from the local paper.

http://www.flkeysnews.com/news/local...124451824.html

HD4Mark · 01-26-2017, 05:46 AM

The managers tell us the CG will only be open until the end of April. It sounds like this one is for real. Although last season they threatened to start demolition of buildings in the middle of the winter snow bird season. We made the mistake of moving to another CG and it was not the same. The buildings are still here. So we are here for the last blast and hope the construction either does not get going in Feb. or at least doesn't bother us. We are probably far enough away but some of the sites on the harbor will be pretty close to where they are proposing to start.

Last year they told employees that no one would lose their job. Then they let the liquor license slip and immediately fired four people. Again they are promising jobs to employees but that may be after the place opens and that could be years. Some of the folks that work here can't weather that storm unless they find work elsewhere.

I like how they say the said "telling the Marathon Planning Commission at the time a hotel would benefit the city more than an RV park." Sure in tax revenues maybe. He will truck in all the food and liquor. People will stay put in their sterile white washed luxury resort and not spend a dime with local merchants. End of rant, sorry.

Our plans were to keep coming to Knight's Key in our MH until we could not do it any longer. Well things change so we did to. This will be a shock to our systems but we will own the condo and lose the fear of being kicked out anytime plus we get to stay in Marathon.

Hit_the_Rhod · 01-26-2017, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HD4Mark

The managers tell us the CG will only be open until the end of April. It sounds like this one is for real. Although last season they threatened to start demolition of buildings in the middle of the winter snow bird season. We made the mistake of moving to another CG and it was not the same. The buildings are still here. So we are here for the last blast and hope the construction either does not get going in Feb. or at least doesn't bother us. We are probably far enough away but some of the sites on the harbor will be pretty close to where they are proposing to start.

Last year they told employees that no one would lose their job. Then they let the liquor license slip and immediately fired four people. Again they are promising jobs to employees but that may be after the place opens and that could be years. Some of the folks that work here can't weather that storm unless they find work elsewhere.

I like how they say the said "telling the Marathon Planning Commission at the time a hotel would benefit the city more than an RV park." Sure in tax revenues maybe. He will truck in all the food and liquor. People will stay put in their sterile white washed luxury resort and not spend a dime with local merchants. End of rant, sorry.

Our plans were to keep coming to Knight's Key in our MH until we could not do it any longer. Well things change so we did to. This will be a shock to our systems but we will own the condo and lose the fear of being kicked out anytime plus we get to stay in Marathon.

Didn't hurt that Pritam Singh, the developer paid Tens of Thousands of $$ out of pocket for all new windows & other upgrades for the Marathon City Hall out of pocket shortly before the committee agreed to his building proposal . . . . apparently just out of the goodness of his heart!

I agree with the above sentiments that the people using this type of all inclusive resort will be unlikely to spend a lot of money in the rest of Marathon. The resort is supposed to be around $1,000 a night for rooms when complete. Not sure how he is going to attract people to Marathon who will spend that kind of money when the community is a much lower key (no pun intended) area. When he "built" the Truman Annex in Key West, the word was that the construction company went bankrupt at least once, got new investors, screwed a bunch of them, and then bilked the Gov't out of a bunch more money before it was finally finished . . .

It will be interesting to see what his strategy will be here. His permit is for a Hotel, they wouldn't give a permit for Condos. However other high end hotels in Marathon started out as "hotels", after built went bankrupt, then new corporation (with many of the same board members) bought them out at a fraction of the cost, and then sold units as condos. Permit was only needed to BUILD, not to reclassify as condos and sell!