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Cristos · 09-29-2021, 09:53 PM

... and selling your house: the ONLY way to STOP Full-timing - excepting for brief stays on Boondockerswelcome and the kindness of family and friends - is to buy and develop property to park the damn Motorhome. IT CAN BE A TRAP! Forget about renting an apartment, and most urban/suburban/HOA home rentals can NOT get you OFF The Road. Oh, "I'll just buy a little rural property" is NOT gonna be smart with today's RE madness. Storing your RV indoors is $300+ a month and outdoors is seldom a good idea. Just sayin'

SargeW · 09-29-2021, 10:47 PM

I have full timed off and on for 14 years. The one thing that is constant is that anyone considers going full time needs a "entrance plan" and an "exit plan" as very few will full time until the end. I do know that some folks have no means other than to continue to full time, but that's not the rule.

Age catches up with all of us, and sooner or later most will want to come off of the road. For some that means just finding an acceptable RV park somewhere, putting the rig on blocks, and hooking up for the final time. It's not for everyone, but I have been in hundreds of campgrounds across the country, and it is a way for some to settle down.

twogypsies · 09-29-2021, 11:03 PM

Totally agree. Everyone needs an 'exit plan'. When we sold the house we invested the money. That was our exit plan. No regrets.

FLJOE · 09-30-2021, 06:20 AM

First of all, I'm not sure the OP is actually talking about full time living in a trailer somewhere or actual full time RV traveling.

While we are starting our 11th year I will agree you need to be financially prepared to come off the road and purchase property as part of an "exit" plan. Past that our exit plan has no date, no location, or much else.

DutchmenSport · 09-30-2021, 06:30 AM

We didn't sell the house. We did a quick claim dead and deeded the house over to our son. Meanwhile, we're enjoying the road. We return back to the house (it's a large house, originally designed for an extended family (parents, grandparents, kids), so all the remodeling I did on the house is still in place, and we can return home any time. (which we do to re-group, service the camper, and catch up on mail). And then we're off again.

When the time comes to park it permanently, we'll continue to live in the camper in the drive way.

The house is in the country, I installed 50 amp RV service, have water and can dump in the septic tank. Some places we've visited, we agree ... why in the world did we ever come HERE, the house has more seclusion, quiet, peace and solitude than these commercialized camp grounds. Of course the house is in the country and our neighbors are coyotees.

amosnandy · 09-30-2021, 07:30 AM

I don't know if you intended to title your post "FOOL TIMING" but a lot of people do.

Yes, I had an entrance and have an exit plan. When I retired from full time work, (I'm fortunate that I can work summers or for that matter anytime I want) I didn't blow the entire budget. Started with a 15 year old gasser for $22,500. Five years in that, and I only make 2 runs a year, Minnesota to Mexico and back. Five years later and enough investment payoff to upgrade to an 06 DP, enough time away from my sticks and bricks home, and planning on selling it in the spring. One more RV upgrade, (the last I hope) and $50,000 to $75,000 buy in to a 62 plus senior co-op. When I'm ready (read that have to) come off the road, I'll move to the co-op and leave there in a box.

Two rules I live by. Don't make these life changes while in debt and don't go in debt to finance your full timing. Being in debt at my age means I'm pretty much upside down in my ability to pay in full before I check out of the last campsite.

Traygar · 09-30-2021, 07:42 AM

Thanks for posting this point of view. I used to have full-timing as a retirement goal, but this is why I doubt we'll ever go full-time. Oh I'm sure we'll do some long journeys when we retire, assuming we're able, but having our home-base is important to us.

arcaguy · 09-30-2021, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amosnandy

Being in debt at my age means I'm pretty much upside down in my ability to pay in full before I check out of the last campsite.

I once heard a banker say it doesn't take a genius to die with a million dollars in the bank it takes a genius to die a million dollars in debt. The moral of the story is that if you die owing money you never have to repay it. While I do agree it's not a good idea to go into debt to full time I don't think it hurts to borrow some money to purchase a retirement home, after all the bank should have sufficient security in the collateral and you won't care because you're dead. Just a different perspective on the subject.

amosnandy · 09-30-2021, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcaguy

I once heard a banker say it doesn't take a genius to die with a million dollars in the bank it takes a genius to die a million dollars in debt. The moral of the story is that if you die owing money you never have to repay it. While I do agree it's not a good idea to go into debt to full time I don't think it hurts to borrow some money to purchase a retirement home, after all the bank should have sufficient security in the collateral and you won't care because you're dead. Just a different perspective on the subject.

And if your upside down in it, your estate will have to pay the difference. If you leave no one, wife or husband or kids with that debt I guess you'd be ok walking (or dying) away from that debt. I am not. My bill will be paid in full when I check out.

Somebody pays for your debt, one way or another. Well unless you are the Federal Government.

R.Wold · 09-30-2021, 08:29 AM

I like the “live rich, die broke” concept. I only want to leave a very modest inheritance behind, but it takes some planning to make sure your reserves last till the end while still enjoying the fruits of your labor. I certainly don't want to run out, but I wont leave any debts behind either.

TXiceman · 09-30-2021, 08:35 AM

We had sold out everything and went full time and planned to come off the road to a smaller place and a smaller RV. Well, with the crazy real estate market now, I will not go back into the market with these overinflated prices. We have a perfectly fine home on wheels and will just ride this out for a few more years and see what happens. We have a nice place to park the RV and still travel if we want to.

Ken

Barbaraok · 09-30-2021, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amosnandy

And if your upside down in it, your estate will have to pay the difference. If you leave no one, wife or husband or kids with that debt I guess you'd be ok walking (or dying) away from that debt. I am not. My bill will be paid in full when I check out.

Somebody pays for your debt, one way or another. Well unless you are the Federal Government.

You don't leave your family in debt, just they may not get anything from the estate after your bills are paid. Which is why we make sure we give our kids money NOW, when they can really use it, rather than have anything left over when we die.

Barbaraok · 09-30-2021, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cristos

... and selling your house: the ONLY way to STOP Full-timing - excepting for brief stays on Boondockerswelcome and the kindness of family and friends - is to buy and develop property to park the damn Motorhome. IT CAN BE A TRAP! Forget about renting an apartment, and most urban/suburban/HOA home rentals can NOT get you OFF The Road. Oh, "I'll just buy a little rural property" is NOT gonna be smart with today's RE madness. Storing your RV indoors is $300+ a month and outdoors is seldom a good idea. Just sayin'

Obviously you are not a traveling full timer. Thus you will never know the true freedom that full timing brings. We retired in 2006, sold the house, gave the kids the furniture, etc., and said there's your retirement, and away we went. Yes, we are slowing down, and at some point will have to hang up the keys, but we still do 6 months on the road, 6 months in our park model, and are still putting money into investments. Key is to decide what you want to do in retirement and do it.

BTW, not sure why you are so angry. Did you get into this without looking at all of the ramifications?

Kid Gloves · 09-30-2021, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cristos

... and selling your house: the ONLY way to STOP Full-timing - excepting for brief stays on Boondockerswelcome and the kindness of family and friends - is to buy and develop property to park the damn Motorhome. IT CAN BE A TRAP! Forget about renting an apartment, and most urban/suburban/HOA home rentals can NOT get you OFF The Road. Oh, "I'll just buy a little rural property" is NOT gonna be smart with today's RE madness. Storing your RV indoors is $300+ a month and outdoors is seldom a good idea. Just sayin'

It sounds as though going full-time might be a decision with which you would not be comfortable.