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Old 11-27-2022, 08:45 AM   #1
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Park Model's... Coffin Home...

Thought I'd post this info about park models.... I call them coffin houses... I own in a park that has many of these, about 70%, that have been placed on the RV lots. first, most of them use 50 amp service, not 200amp like most normal houses are wired for. 2nd, the are power pigs. they use a lot of power for cooking, heating and AC... as much as a small house if not more. older ones are worse as the insulation is very poor. If you choose to buy one of these for your demise expect to have to come up with at least $200. per month during cold and warm seasons, for most folks it will be closer to $300. Some have propane service too, the total will be the same. Propane is almost always needed for these because of limited electrical service available in an RV park. An occasional park is built with 100amp service so it is designed for these coffin houses... Maintenance on coffin houses is done by local housing contractors/ handymen, not by RV repairmen.... The jobs are small so many over charge because of their construction, expect to pay higher prices...
been an owner in one for 6 years now.... the residents move in but they are carried out... when the golf cart parade behind the fire truck goes by one can pretty much figure out what is going on.... I've seen the HOA fees go up 45%. After folks die in their little coffin house's they are rented out for a couple of years because at sale you have to disclose if some has died in the unit. When the property declines then the HOA gets involved, the property is sold and the whole process starts again. As 55+ community folks think that they can have their youngsters move in and take care of them but the HOA has rules against this, under age 55 long term family care givers are watched carefully to make sure they leave.... I like being here, but wish I had chose differently.... I thought I was buying an RV lot, but turns out it is just another old folks rest home... I thought it would be cheaper than a retirement apartment, wow... was I wrong, it just appears that way....

If you are in one of these communities and they want to switch you from door clicker's to transponders, don't do it... huge PIA... if the cell phone system burps your guests or vehicle you are in with out a transponder won't let you in to your home...Transponders are only $50 and you are only allowed 2....
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Old 11-27-2022, 08:47 AM   #2
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Why don't you sell yours and move on? You sound like a very unhappy person.
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Old 11-27-2022, 08:56 AM   #3
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forgot to mention, fire insurance... have to carry it, $100 per month... HOA $220... land taxes $50 Utilities $300. and $60k for the lot... but no rent... assuming you buy the coffin home, no payment... most start about $90k installed for the little strippy ones. good news, free water and trash collection.
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Old 11-27-2022, 09:17 AM   #4
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Upwards of $2800/mo. to get into a retirement apartment where Mother is. Cable and cleaning are extra. Must put up with maintenance and security checks that are often unannounced. No personal outdoor area to enjoy.
Hope this helps!
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Old 11-27-2022, 09:32 AM   #5
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Guess you are not living in one of those 'coffin' homes so why do you care?

You sound unhappy. Maybe time to let those wheels roll
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Old 11-27-2022, 04:03 PM   #6
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<snip>...good news, free water and trash collection.
Well, the way I look at it, nothing is ever FREE. Possibly a better way to put it is that they're "included in the HOA dues" ...??

We didn't have to pay separately for water and trash but our HOA board voted to raise the dues each time the trash collection company raised rates for the park. Our dues went up each time a big maintenance project was done on the septic system or the well and water system.

On another note, though, our park model that we once owned was very well insulated and matched most stick built homes. Also, the builder's attention to detail was superior and far exceeded the custom-built home we have now.

The company is out of business ...the 2008 recession did them in, but perhaps they went out of business because they built such a good product for ~$60k 'ish.
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Old 11-27-2022, 04:46 PM   #7
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Although we do not live in one, our primary residence is in Mesa, Az. The literal land of what you describe as 'coffin' homes. You could not be more wrong. The majority of these park model homes are used as second homes, winter destinations. Living in Arizona yourself, it escapes me how you don't see, realize, and understand that.
The owners come back year after year. Some enjoy top notch amenities, activities, and entertainment possibilities, depending upon the community.
Most enjoy a very physical, active lifestyle. Golf is huge....would be an understatement. There are plenty of activities to occupy one's time. Not to mention the lasting friendships that many develop, enjoying a very active and busy social life, among others that like, love and care about them.
Most can easily "afford it"....or they would not come year after year.

Maybe the OP should not paint with such a wide brush.
There are many that are quite happy with their 'coffin' homes.
If you are so unhappy.....consider moving on.
Make room for others that enjoy the park model lifestyle.
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Old 11-27-2022, 04:49 PM   #8
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What is the difference between a park model and destination trailer?
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Old 11-27-2022, 04:55 PM   #9
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What is the difference between a park model and destination trailer?
Park models stay in one place permanently unlike destination trailers. As soon as a park model is towed to its destination, the hitch and wheels are removed. But with a destination trailer, the hitch stays attached, since it can be used for travel.
The park model has to be hooked up to residential water and sewer, whereas, a destination trailer can be self-sufficient. A destination trailer has fresh, grey and black water holding tanks.
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Old 11-27-2022, 05:06 PM   #10
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I have seen some destination trailers that were not self-contained. I'm not sure if they still sell them or not but one way you can tell quickly is if it has a residential toilet, then you know it doesn't have holding tanks. I've seen some models where you can have your choice ...with or without holding tanks. Obviously, one without holding tanks (not self-contained) would have to be hard plumbed to the sewer as a "tiny house park model" would have to be. Again, I'm not sure if that's still the case or not but I know it was 15 to 20 years ago.

Here's a typical "destination trailer" or sometimes referred to park trailers: HERE or HERE

Sometimes even salespeople call a destination trailer a park model

But a "real" park model, as far as I'm concerned, often appears like a tiny house, or like THIS, THIS, or THIS
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Old 11-27-2022, 05:52 PM   #11
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As ever, it sucks to be old and poor and have to live in a trailer park. My sympathies.
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Old 11-27-2022, 06:36 PM   #12
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As ever, it sucks to be old and poor and have to live in a trailer park. My sympathies.
Well, I think that's a tiny bit presumptive.

The park in which we bought a lot and owned for about 12 years was in an upscale RV resort where the majority of sites had park models. We had a multitude of professional residents there who were old but definitely not poor ...e.g. retired doctors, lawyers, accountants, LEOs, firefighers (my neighbor was a retired firefighter), teachers --quite a few retired teachers, etc., etc.

These people, like us, were not forced to buy and live in a "trailer park" but did so by choice as a lot of us used them as seasonal residences ...snow birders, etc.

Yet we all complained of same and/or similar things that the OP is complaining about. We too had several people die in their park models, motorhomes, trailers, etc. We even had two suicides during that time we owned a site in the resort.

We had a park model and an adjacent RV pad where we could park the motorhome when we were there. Some really put a lot of money into their lots ...fancy outdoor kitchens, expensive landscaping, elaborate storage buildings, etc., etc.

I'm going to guess that the OP is not necessarily old and poor and forced to live in a RV resort or trailer park as you've assumed. But that's just a guess on my part.
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Old 11-27-2022, 06:44 PM   #13
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It does sound like the OP is very unhappy. Why live like that? Life is WAY too short. Just move if you are that miserable, IMO.
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Old 11-27-2022, 09:43 PM   #14
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Yeah, OP's so disgruntled, I guess I assumed he wasn't there by choice. Does sound more like a trailer park than "resort."
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