Studying RV living

[Thomas]

Hi gang, and thanks for all the great information so far.  I'm a retired paratrooper, married, no children, no worries, home paid for, etc.  For several years I've been studying lifestyle alternatives.  I've studied several countries as candidates for expat living.  I've studied several varieties of non-traditional housing including tiny, shipping container, cement dome, etc.  My current curiosity is mobile tiny homes or DIY motor homes.  I'm an accomplished wood working hobbyist and am Jonesing for a project.  I also fly a kit-built experimental light sport aircraft - a powered parachute.  It's super cheap, super easy to learn, and I get such a thrill out of tinkering with something in my shop and then flying it.  So that's my groove:  I make unusual stuff that everyone is fascinated by but few would actually purchase.  An example is attached. 

During our pandemic adventure it's occurred to me what a bad idea it is to pay rent, to be dependent upon a job, an economy, or anything for one's shelter.  I have never purchased anything - including homes, vehicles, education - that I couldn't pay cash for.  I've only ever owned two vehicles, excepting the Harley, and they were/are both Chevy vans that I made comfortable for camping and for a hotel or Army school accommodation alternative.  It was always a great sense of freedom to know that everything I valued was paid for and would fit in my van - that I can leave right now and never return.  Now if I'd gone just one extra little step and been the weirdo that actually lived in my Chevy van when I was younger instead of paying rent, I would be a millionaire today. 

This is part of my idea to develop a DIY motor home solution.  I want to build out a vehicle to live in long-term for the price of about a year's rent.  I want to offer a young person the opportunity to live in a van for ten years, and the opportunities that can become available after banking 9 years worth of rent money.  A future millionaire dwelling.  

I'm currently leaning towards a Ford E450 box truck of 14-16 feet.  Lots of the Penske's are of this variety, some with 150,000 miles of life remaining on the engine and transmission.  Notice that I've studied many things, that I don't live as an expat in Central America, I don't live in a tiny home, but I do fly a powered parachute.  I don't actually do all the things I study. I study until I find a challenge that I can't find a work-around for that doesn't include selling my house.  So I'm chicken - afraid to commit in a way that there's no turning back from.  The box truck seems like an idea I can do without commitment.  I need to sell my Harley anyways - I got a new appreciation of how dangerous it is after learning to fly.  I'm thinking the proceeds from selling the Harley and my Chevy van would put the project within my reach.   That way I could test the waters without commitment:  Do the build, then take it out for 90 days of product testing.  If a few good test trips convince me to go full time, then I sell the house and wander...in search of a cool place to build a dome home.  Or sell it to a future millionaire.

 

[nature lover]

Welcome Thomas. Although you are not a tank engine you seem to be very useful.You might not get that reference since you don't have kids. I Liked everything in your intro except selling the harley. My family is a motorcycle family. All of the men have bikes. My brother retired from the Harley final assembly plant in York PA. He worked his way up from test driver to plant shift foreman. One of my son's worked there too. Very nice model. I am sure many would love to buy your work but only a few could ever pay for the hours you have into it. You have been seeing Bob's videos but here is a lead to KC's latest it may give you food for thought about what a fine woodworker can do in rig building.



and another woodworkers rig that I like



and another built by a pro for a van dweller



and there are many more to insprire a woodworker with talent

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome to the CRVL forums Thomas! With good woodworking skills you'll be able to build a beautiful home in a box truck. Keep us updated!

To help you learn the ins and outs of these forums, this "Tips, Tricks and Rules" post lists some helpful information to get you started.

Most of our rules boil down to two simple over-riding principles: 1) What you post should provide good information (like your introductory post), and 2) Any response to someone else's post should make them feel glad they are part of this forum community.

We look forward to hearing more from you.

 

[kygreg]

If you are interested in box-trucks, I highly recommend also considering a step-van. I looked at both and thought the step-van was the easy winner. In a step-van, the passenger's area is the main entry and exit, no other doors needed. The floor is lower, making it easier to get in and out. If you take the divider wall out between the cab area and back you effectively add 5 feet to your living space for free. Worth taking a look anyway.

 

[Thomas]

If you are interested in box-trucks, I highly recommend also considering a step-van.

There's a lot of things I love about the step vans.  I can't seen to find one of the size I like designed primarily for highway driving.  

 

[LERCA]

Certain things just can’t be studied. You plan and plan and plan and read and read and read and read and reality is far different. I think you do some research then jump in. I will say if I had a house there is no way I’d sell to live on the road. As we age we sometimes need surgery or physical therapy or have illnesses (I’ve had to deal with all three) and our mobility becomes more limited or we lose our vision or coordination etc. My opinion which is free so take it as you will is to spend as much time on the road as you want and keep the house. Most homes appreciate over time. Vehicles don’t. Tioga George was a rarity.

 

[kygreg]

They make step vans with 10-22 foot boxes, that's a pretty good range. I would think a box truck would do better on the highway, but neither would be great. I steer clear of highways and never travel long days, so no problem for me.

 

[Thomas]

 I will say if I had a house there is no way I’d sell to live on the road. As we age ...surgery, etc. 
  

Very insightful. I could end up turning the house over to a property manager for a few years.

 

[maki2]

Certain things just can’t be studied. You plan and plan and plan and read and read and read and read and reality is far different. I think you do some research then jump in. I will say if I had a house there is no way I’d sell to live on the road. As we age we sometimes need surgery or physical therapy or have illnesses (I’ve had to deal with all three) and our mobility becomes more limited or we lose our vision or coordination etc. My opinion which is free so take it as you will is to spend as much time on the road as you want and keep the house. Most homes appreciate over time. Vehicles don’t. Tioga George was a rarity.

Loss of mobility and loss of vision are not all that compatible with taking care of a house. I do not regret selling my house at all because it was literally a physical pain in my life. It is a whole lot easier to have a dwelling place that creates far fewer chores. Remember if you are living on a limited income you can't afford to hire out everything that needs doing when you own a house and if you mobility and vision are compromised you simply can't DIY what needs doing.

 

[Dingfelder]

FWIW, I live in a community of people who are almost all 70 plus. They all have a fair amount of money, but it isn't Beverly Hills. Still, they are doing very well.

Some of them started out doing most or all of their landscaping, but all have gardeners now. Especially since their desire to have a great and "respectable" place made them mostly plan out landscaping that needed lots of maintenance, from weeding to raking to sprinkler repair. After a while, it got tiring and tiresome, and they have more money than energy to make up for what they used to have when planning their retirement -- more money than sense.

Houses and their responsibilities become bigger and bigger as you age and/or accumulate injury, limitation, or disability. Income generally does not rise accordingly. So houses become a bigger and bigger burden you look forward to less and less. If you are in a HOA, maintenance can go from obvious and easy to a difficulty to a curse to a threat to lose your property and alienate your neighbors. It's just the way big dreams and big liabilities can work over time.

Keep a house for investment by all means, if that's what you're into. But I'd advise anyone to be very wary of building into it excessive costs by way of elaborate maintenance necessary to maintain things like landscaping, including maintenance for all kinds of things like pools and fountains, sprinklers and other watering systems, beds and planters, walkways, etc. None of the people in this neighborhood have the ability to keep up physically with the tasks they put before themselves at younger ages; some can't do it with lesser income than they used to get; some feel anxiety or even despair that they showy displays they reveled in when younger are beyond their ability to maintain on their own or pay for today.

Ego can get out of line with reality tomorrow, even if that would be hard to imagine today. Better to plan for your future. And for all the expense of repairing, say, a van or RV/trailer, it's not like maintaining a house. And the insurance for the latter sure is cheaper.

It's not always clear-cut which is the right choice for an aging someone. A house is great until you have to maintain and pay for it all by your aged self with little income. A van is great until it breaks down and you have nowhere to go. Either one might eat up surprising amounts of money year by year and still wind up leaving you out on the streets.

 

[GypsyJan]

I will be selling the house and living in a vehicle...as long as I am physically able. As I age, I crave a more simple lifestyle with less chores and worries. When I am no longer able to travel, I plan to rent instead of own so the owner will be responsible for maintenance and repairs, not me.

Even then I will be cautious about where I rent...HOAs can be power-hungry and demand payments for storm damage, etc. for community areas, even in senior citizen rentals.

 

[LERCA]

After my mother tuned 80 she lost her vision, her mobility, her hearing. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s she can no longer drive and can barely walk. Had she sold her house she’d be in big trouble. She has many friends in the same situation.
A condo is a good choice. Where we live they are somewhat expensive compared to the rest of the country but the HOA fees are low. That’s because local cities got around low income housing by building 55 plus.
Houses can be rented out. Where we live they just keep going up in value. If your area doesn’t increase in value that’s something else. But I’d never give up a place to live. If you get into an accident and lose your vehicle. It sounds really exciting and romantic to sell your house and hit the road but those of us who don’t have have that protection see it quite differently. I worry every dayz

 

[Thomas]

But I’d never give up a place to live. If you get into an accident and lose your vehicle. It sounds really exciting and romantic to sell your house and hit the road but those of us who don’t have have that protection see it quite differently. I worry every dayz

I'm hip to that. And my home is simple, solid, and my pension can cover its upkeep as far as the eye can see. It's paid for, and is very nice. It might be the hippest place on earth - I dunno, I really need to confirm that. I think I can turn the house over to a property manager for a few years, so I can wander in search of the actual hippest place on earth - at which time I would buy a patch of dirt, sell the house, and build anew, smaller. Or I guess return home. Sigh. At any rate, I am in the middle of polishing up the Harley to sell. Beyond that I'm going to be sensitive to the signs. I'm kind of guided. Used to think I was just chronically fortunate but, looking back, there were always signs guiding me through whatever adventure I got into. I'm really looking forward to whatever I end up doing. In the mean time, we have friends living with us - they got caught without a chair when the music stopped. If you were to wreck your rig, you could camp out at my place while we rebuild it - truly - so try not to worry.

 

[NomadicFoodie]

My side gig until COVID was helping the elderly downsize, or accomodate "boomarang" kids, basicly helping people organize their space to suit their changing needs.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford a place AND a van that's the best of all worlds and yes, a rental management company won't necessarily make you money but will keep your place up and keep your investment. However, if it's an either/or decision (van or property) please talk to your family and make a plan B & C. You may want to sell your property and put the cost of a Continuing Care Retirement Center into an investment so when RV life ends you have eldercare in place. Again, my sense of this forum is that very few people can afford that. All in all, get a financial plan together that gives off more income as you age. The most expensive years of most US based peoples lives are the last 2-5 years. I have seen too many situations where a house has been sold, the owner downsized into a rental and gave money to their kids as an early inheritance and ended up caught short at the end and the kids didn't help out as much as the parent expected. Plan, get it in writing, get agreement from whomever you plan to care for you (physically/financially) in writing and hit the road knowing where you will likely end up once you can't RV life any more. Don't put a deposit on a CCRC too early, you might find a better one on your travels!

 

[ImagineGoTravel]

FWIW, I live in a community of people who are almost all 70 plus.  They all have a fair amount of money, but it isn't Beverly Hills.  Still, they are doing very well. 

Some of them started out doing most or all of their landscaping, but all have gardeners now.  Especially since their desire to have a great and "respectable" place made them mostly plan out landscaping that needed lots of maintenance, from weeding to raking to sprinkler repair.  After a while, it got tiring and tiresome, and they have more money than energy to make up for what they used to have when planning their retirement -- more money than sense.

Houses and their responsibilities become bigger and bigger as you age and/or accumulate injury, limitation, or disability.  Income generally does not rise accordingly.  So houses become a bigger and bigger burden you look forward to less and less.  If you are in a HOA, maintenance can go from obvious and easy to a difficulty to a curse to a threat to lose your property and alienate your neighbors.  It's just the way big dreams and big liabilities can work over time.

Keep a house for investment by all means, if that's what you're into.  But I'd advise anyone to be very wary of building into it excessive costs by way of elaborate maintenance necessary to maintain things like landscaping, including maintenance for all kinds of things like pools and fountains, sprinklers and other watering systems, beds and planters, walkways, etc.  None of the people in this neighborhood have the ability to keep up physically with the tasks they put before themselves at younger ages; some can't do it with lesser income than they used to get; some feel anxiety or even despair that they showy displays they reveled in when younger are beyond their ability to maintain on their own or pay for today.

Ego can get out of line with reality tomorrow, even if that would be hard to imagine today.  Better to plan for your future.  And for all the expense of repairing, say, a van or RV/trailer, it's not like maintaining a house.  And the insurance for the latter sure is cheaper.

It's not always clear-cut which is the right choice for an aging someone.  A house is great until you have to maintain and pay for it all by your aged self with little income.  A van is great until it breaks down and you have nowhere to go.  Either one might eat up surprising amounts of money year by year and still wind up leaving you out on the streets.
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I really appreciate this post. Sobering. It highlights that no choice is perfect and we simply need to carefully choose our lifestyle poison.

 

[Qxxx]

Hey Thomas, one thing you will find is that a lot of people travel full-time for several years, and then settle down again. Also, a lot of people like me like having a home base (S&B) from which they travel (for me about 4 months out of the year) and return to. FWIW, if you're not living in a rig full-time, and which contains most of your possessions, you can get by with a much less expensive vehicle. I have a van with a minimalist build, and find it perfectly adequate for my own travels.

If you're really interested in a box or bread truck conversion, there are 2 guys you might look at their experiences. Note the 2nd guy is totally off the wall, IMO, but who am I to say. Only the Shadow knows.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiehnvEFQoPHv1FGUxfNA8g/videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/mlmpauly/videos