Seeking advice on where to live in our RV (land in Colorado?)

[PKI]

A friend has fifty cars, with most being crusher saves or long term projects, so I understand the affliction. Sounds like your hobby is under reasonable control. It's a distraction, but not an obstruction to solving your problem.

My recommendation is that you resolve your wife's studies. Then, she needs to find her dream job. That drives the relocation area.

The small towns in Eastern Colorado offer land at a reasonable cost, because they don't support much business. But that only works if you can match the dream job with the location.

So, I don't know where you can find land. I just know it's not as impossible as you seem to feel that it is. Some caution is needed when you see others doing what you want to do. It's that grandfather thing, that those who came before get as an accommodation.

Ideas - convert an unused fire station - gas stations often sit un-used - you mentioned an RV park - a disused motel - a vacant restaurant - small towns have opportunity - farm house/barn with all land sold - lot and RV/mobile home allowed while you build - job with accommodation .... rent to buy .... partnership .....

[mj6599]

I was born and raised in the Denver metro over 60+ years ago and this is the reason I want out way to many people moving here. That's my 2 cents take it or leave it.

[Teledoc]

Though a much longer haul, the Pacific Northwest deserves a hard look. RV friendly, and west of the Cascades the climate very moderate year round so lower utility bills for the RV. And as another person who also hates high temps, the year round temps are great.

Nature abounds, and your snow fix can be had simply going up slope in the Cascades. So much great hiking (like in CO) including the PCT.

As a negative (from the perspective of a frequent visitor), I would critique the Seattle and Portland areas as being quite crowded, traffic on I-5 horrendous. But, there are many rural areas away from these zones.

I write this sitting in my RV trailer in central Colorado now on a hiking vacation - yes, very beautiful country indeed. But, for a fellow nature enthusiast, take a hard look at the PNW to see if significantly more friendly to your needs you've outlined.

[Unclepaul]

Lots of opportunities right now in Colorado. Easy to pick the weather you wish to have by choosing the elevation best suited to your lifestyle.

Lots of inexpensive land, suitable to bring in your RV. These will be in relatively unpopulated areas where neighbors would not be put off by your "stuff".

Right now there is a tremendous demand for RV mechanics to service the older rigs. You could work for a local company or do the very popular mobile mechanic. Would allow you to set your own hours, make a living, and put to use your tools and knowledge.

Of course there is never going to be a "perfect" situation, but often just a "good" situation is enough to enjoy a happy life.

You could even purchase a commercial Yard, where it is fenced in and you could store your own projects along with your customers rigs when they are sitting, waiting for a part.

Don't know if having all those older cars is a blessing or a curse. They can be a source of pride and accomplishment, but also can become anchors, holding you back from future growth. Only a little introspection on your and your wife's part can hope to bring you to an understanding.

Also be sure that you are running to Colorado, not running away from Texas.

While your wife is studying, she should also be able to essentially run your "back office". Can take care of the phones and paperwork for your mobile mechanic business. Allow you to do what you love, spend lots of time together and build a solid financial future for the both of you.

[FatChance]

Originally Posted by mj6599

I was born and raised in the Denver metro over 60+ years ago and this is the reason I want out way to many people moving here. That's my 2 cents take it or leave it.

+1

To the OP: I lived in Colorado for 50 years and left in 2016. It was a great place, but it is not now what it was then. Too crowded, way too much traffic, too many regulations, too crowded, the state government has headed way off in the wrong direction for me (IMHO), too many who got their (expensive) plot and then shut the gate for others behind them, taxes are too high and going up, way too crowded etc.

Not to single you out, but a big part of the problem is that too many Texans and Californians got tired of where they lived, moved to Colorado to get away from where they were, then tried to make Colorado more like where they left. That is happening to all the last best places in the mountain west now that so many people cashed out or can do their high paid tech/financial work online. That, or the others who have to scrape by to pay for the high costs of living, land values, taxes, etc. It's a rich man's state.

With the way things are going, it will only get more difficult to do what you want to do in Colorado, especially the more livable places, for better or worse.

I have many great memories of what Colorado was even a decade or two ago, but like an old friend who let you down and you moved on, I lost any interest in renewing my relationship with Colorado.

Maybe you would have more luck in Nevada, Oklahoma or Arkansas for all the specifics you mentioned?

[partygrrl]

I would recommend going with the dilapidated/fixer-upper house option, preferably one that has an old barn or room to build a carport/roof/storage area for both the MH and your other vehicles. Motorhomes are awesome to live in because they are mobile. Living full-time in a motorhome that never moves is a drag, imho. Issues other people mentioned, like lack of insulation and roof snow load, along with things like propane being a damp heat and condensation build-up during the winter, not to mention the limits of showers and laundry would all be things I would consider (as someone who has full-timed for years both while mobile and parked in one place for an extended time).

It sounds as if you have already pretty much decided on Colorado, but you may want to look into Montana...they get snow, have mountains, and tend to be way more lax with property rules and building codes (and less crowded) than CO. Also look into things like taxes...property tax vs sales tax, etc, can be a huge hidden cost.

I also feel like it is important to reiterate what several others have said...any decision you make about where to live should definitely be done while considering both yours and your wife's future employment because many areas would be completely illogical based on travel time to/from work and winter driving conditions.

[PLDieter]

When I first explored the RV lifestyle, I looked into possibly wintering here in Wisconsin in a 5th wheel or motorhome. Every expert I talked to assured me of the same thing - there is NO WAY to live in extreme winter conditions (like Colorado) in a mobile home of any type other than one specifically designed for it (like you see in Trailer Parks.) Your plumbing would freeze, and the lack of an enclosed foundation would suck the heat out of your unit faster than any furnace could compensate for.


If you want to live in your rig, you will need to consider a warmer climate than Colorado, or do both Colorado and a warmer spot and play "snowbird" every year.
I believe certain parts of Florida are kind of loose about land use, as are some places in Texas. Very few places are open to storing multiple vehicles on the land, as they are often considered to be "eyesores." Some fools look at that and see "junkyard."

Originally Posted by golfclapperx

Alright everyone, this will be a very long and complicated group of questions but I finally decided I'd try just asking for some advice.



My wife and I live in a motorhome in Dallas, TX and we would like to move to Colorado. I am 32 and she is 27, and we are pretty broke. We took a couple week long road trip all over Colorado just before the pandemic really hit, and we learned a lot about real estate, building codes, zoning, what's involved in adding utilities to land, and so on. What we would really love is to buy a plot of land for the RV and all our other "stuff" (will get to the stuff momentarily), and live on it.



On our trip we found lots of RV parks with decent pricing which we could find a way to afford. We also found out that no matter where you are in Colorado; way up in the mountains, in the city or in the middle of the desert, there is always an HOA/POA, and there are always building codes that forbid RVs (at least as a permanent dwelling).



Ok, the STUFF... We have a 23' motorhome and a 23' travel trailer, 3 utility trailers, 1 car dolly, and 9 classic cars. Yes...9. We saw plenty of houses in certain areas with a ton of cars and trailers, even motorhomes out back. Obviously even though it's against whatever rules, people can still own all this stuff and get away with it if they own a house in certain areas.



Oh, and we also have 5 cats. The cats are not all in our motorhome at once, but on the road they will be.



If we did qualify for a home loan, which we don't because our credit is marginal, we could buy an old dilapidated house (which is what I'm into by the way) and park all our junk in the back yard. The problem is not only can we not afford that, we don't really want it. What we want it to buy land to live in our motorhome on.



Now before everyone says that I need to sell some cars, let me just say that I'm far too attached to them for that to happen, but that I have multiple last resort scenarios planned for storing them. Everything we own besides the motorhome we live in could potentially be stored elsewhere. This is not my preference since I'd like all my stuff completely accessible and ready to be worked on whenever I feel like it.



Number 1 preference: Buy land in Colorado, install utilities and septic if needed, live in RV on the land and park all my jalopies there as well


Other considerations in no particular order: RV parks, somehow buy a cheap house just to be "allowed" to park things out back, some combination of RV parks and boondocking, rent or buy a large storage building both for living in and storing everything in (not likely allowed or affordable), and...what other ideas do you all have? Any advice is greatly, greatly appreciated. This has had us very stressed out for a couple years now.

[Acustode]

As a 33+ yr resident of CO, I can tell you it's hard to do what you want to do. We were hoping to live in our RV while we build a home, but we're finding the restrictions very tough in the areas we want to be. I find the rules/regs much less strict in WY and yet WY has a fraction of the people, amazing mountains and some really cool small towns. I'd investigate WY, just make sure you find a way to protect yourself from the wind when you find your land.

[Mtn Gal]

I lived in CO for 41 years before retiring to travel North America. Land away from the cities is far cheaper to buy, particularly on the western slope (west of the mountains) or in south central CO, from maybe Bayfield to east of Pagosa Springs. Some rural subdivisions on 5 or more acres have few or no covenants. If you can afford a 35 acre or larger the covenants may allow RV living. The biggest challenge to buying land in CO besides the price is water. Developers are requires to provide a community water source if there is no municipal potable water source on parcels under 35 acres. On parcels 35 acres or larger you will probably have to drill a well or haul in water which gets expensive. Living in an RV -you want below 7,000 feet elevation otherwise the snow load will be too great on your RV. Not to mention how cold it gets in winter at higher elevations. I also love around the Mancos area which is on Hwy 160, west of Durango down in SW Colorado. You might explore Utah too as they have lovely mountain areas as well as lower elevations that are remote and nice to live in. CO is an expensive state to live in so be careful where you buy. Good luck with your search.

[Mtn Gal]

I agree with the person who suggested you explore Wyoming. It’s one of my favorite states. No state income tax, wide open spaces, lots of wildlife and lower overall burden. I like the area around Laramie which is west of Cheyenne along I-80. I have seen lots with mobile homes on them in town. It’s a cute western town and the Univ of WY is there.

[dhwgulf]

I am in a little different situation, but I have found the same restrictions (very frustrating), either the county/city has zoning restrictions or the HOA prohibits RVs. Unless you plan th buy in the boonies or a very large tract, your chances are slim.
We have found tha a good alternative may be to buy a home that you find satisfactory (check restrictions about septic capacity) and park your RV there with your vehicles (there are likely restrictions on old jalopies, which in my mind are more appropriate than the restrictions on RVs). I live in Florida and my neighbors are continually working on old cars and their yard is a disaster. I believe the city has ordinances to prevent this - it is a nuisance for the whole neighborhood.
Have a good day and good luck.

[FatChance]

Originally Posted by partygrrl

I would recommend going with the dilapidated/fixer-upper house option, preferably one that has an old barn or room to build a carport/roof/storage area for both the MH and your other vehicles. Motorhomes are awesome to live in because they are mobile. Living full-time in a motorhome that never moves is a drag, imho. Issues other people mentioned, like lack of insulation and roof snow load, along with things like propane being a damp heat and condensation build-up during the winter, not to mention the limits of showers and laundry would all be things I would consider (as someone who has full-timed for years both while mobile and parked in one place for an extended time).

It sounds as if you have already pretty much decided on Colorado, but you may want to look into Montana...they get snow, have mountains, and tend to be way more lax with property rules and building codes (and less crowded) than CO. Also look into things like taxes...property tax vs sales tax, etc, can be a huge hidden cost.

I also feel like it is important to reiterate what several others have said...any decision you make about where to live should definitely be done while considering both yours and your wife's future employment because many areas would be completely illogical based on travel time to/from work and winter driving conditions.

I agree with all of this except for a couple things. Propane heat is not damp because the exhaust gases are vented outside so it is dry heat, just like in a home, we don't have condensation problems from propane heat. Condensation comes just from just breathing, cooking and showering, but a dehumidifier works a treat. In high elevations in western winters, humidity is usually in single digits.

As for insulation and snow load, it depends on your rig. While my wife has been working in the cardiac cath lab we have been at over 7000' elevation in Flagstaff (about 8 miles east of the ski area in the San Francisco Peaks) for 3 years. With the right rig, winters are not a problem in the right location. Our 2004 MADP has good insulation, double pane windows, heated basement, a propane furnace, 50 Amp service, heated water hose and sewer hooked up all winter, a big propane tank that is filled regularly and aluminum roof joists and got through single digits, big wind! and 3'+ snow storms (shovel off the roof after every storm!).

Never a problem, you just have to be conscientious. That said, I wouldn't get much farther north without second thoughts. You're in Texas so you may not yet appreciate Colorado winters.

We lived in Durango for 20 years and think Cortez, Co might be a good choice for you to explore if you have to be in Colorado.

[wingnut60]

San Luis Valley, somewhere around Ft Garland? Seen that area?

[arcaguy]

A couple of things. First off in order to do what you want to do you need to be in a rural area where your neighbors farm for a living, not somewhere where folks have 10 acres and call it a ranch. Fortunately for me I have always lived east of the Mississippi where HOA and POA (whatever those are) are not common. As I have said I never want to paint my house purple but I also never what to live any place that I can't. With all of that said in most places if you keep your vehicle collection out of sight (like behind a solid fence) the local governing body usually won't and can't say much, because if your neighbors can't see it it's not blight, especially if the vehicles are licensed for the road. As to living in the RV I think you have a steeper hill to climb there. I live in an area where folks are not supposed to live in an RV but some do, but there is almost always a house on the property. I'm thinking that the dilapidated house is the way to go, find a spot for your RV quite a ways from the house and fix the house up and rent it. Maybe you could turn it into a workshop. Like another poster said if you can find a place with commercial zoning with living quarters live will probably get much easier for you. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.