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Another Texas Co-op?


kb0zke

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So far we've only visited two Escapees Co-ops (The Ranch in NM and Lone Star in TX). We liked both, but central Texas would be a better connection for our family than SW NM. Lone Star has quite a waiting list, which says that maybe there is at least some demand for a second SKP park in Texas. My personal preference would be close to Corpus Christi, but that may be too close to Hondo.

 

Any thoughts?

David Lininger, kb0zke
1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

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Thanks, Linda. Yes, I know Escapees isn't starting new co-ops. I was wondering if anyone was interested in exploring the possibility of starting a new one. There is a thread on starting a new SKP co-op in New Jersey, and I wondered if anyone was interested in another one in Texas.

David Lininger, kb0zke
1993 Foretravel U300 40' (sold)
2022 Grand Design Reflection 315RLTS

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I suspect that you might be able to find people to buy in once one was started, but it would take a lot of capital and significant risk for the people who fund it. I suspect that those are the main reasons that none have gotten started. Our community began as a private venture where residents were given a "life lease" on their site and once the lots were about half sold out the group incorporated and became a separate entity.

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

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  • 8 months later...

In my home park here in Nevada I think we have over 20+ people on or waiting list. With the increase in people taking up this life-style it might be something to look into. After all that's how the co-op parks got built in the first place, by member willing to put up the money in a new park. Our park here in Nevada is now over 25+ years old now.

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10 minutes ago, ms60ocb said:

I could be interested at the right place and preferably Hill Country.

Clay 

Places like this exist in the Hill Country, but are not SKP Co-ops.

We have a lot at Rocky Point Retreat near Medina, Texas (south of Kerrville). It is a beautiful, quiet spot. Not as developed as the SKP Co-ops and generally no organized activities, but it suits us perfectly. Some folks are like us, still on the road 10 - 11+ months each year, but many are now full-time on the property in either their RV or in a Park Model. 

We got our place mostly as an "in the future" spot, but enjoy stopping in there briefly once or twice each year if we're in the neighborhood. 

http://rockypointrvretreat.com/about-us/

Mark & Teri

2021 Grand Designs Imagine 2500RL, 2019 Ford F-350

Mark & Teri's Travels

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I also would like to start a new park. I would think that if we could get 20 or 25 people to put up some money we could start one. The Texas Hill Country would be very nice. I would think that the Livingston State Bank my  do the financing. Some of us who put up the funds for lots upfront could go on site and get in done. Count me in!

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There is a book in the libraries of many of the Escapees Rainbow and Co-Op parks that describes the history of Escapees. The title is "History of the Escapees Club" and was written by Kay Peterson. One chapter is devoted to the creation of the co-op parks and describes the many challenges that the early Escapees had to overcome to build a park. The two major ones were the costs of land and the regulatory burden.

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I can tell you after completing the first phase of a private RV park in SW KS - possibly the easiest place in the country to build - that you will find it very, very difficult to jump over the governmental, power company, water company, EPA, etc hurdles that are now in place. It is a daunting process, especially in any place that has zoning....where we built does not. And it still was not "easy".  But it is possible.

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Recently spent a month in Florida and noted that there are many "condo" parks there which operate in a similar style to the co-ops, the major difference being that the lots are specifically deeded and the common areas belong to the association. Not only are the costs lower than renting, but the shared ownership gives each owner a say in the parks affairs and also the potential to belong to a community and participate in management, board, day to day operations etc. Have also seen these (condo) on the Jersey Shore and Minnesota.

Starting one of these from scratch seems like a daunting task. I sure admire those who have gone before me!

 

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We live in a co-op community in east TX and there are some clear differences between a condo. Each type has some advantages and some disadvantages. Another type of operation is one that sells a "life lease" and there are several of those in TX also. Lone Star Corral in Hondo is a co-op and it was the model used when our community was organized but ours began as a "life lease" community and then converted to a co-op. A co-op is managed by a board of directors that the member/owners elect, while with a "life lease" the developer continues to hold title to the land and to operate the community. 

Developing a new community is not an easy thing but it has been and can be done. Probably the most difficult part is finding someone to make the commitment to act as the developer and to manage the property through the membership sale and development phase of the project. Both Lone Star Corral and Bass Lake were built with mostly volunteer labor from the early members who stayed on site and did most of the work. Having read the book "History of Escapees" and also studied the history of our park, I can tell you with confidence that the keys to success in this type of development are a strong person in the role of developer and a core group of committed members that are willing to work long, hard hours in the early stages to get the initial infrastructure installed and working. I was not part of this park in the early days when it all began so I can't take any credit for what has developed here, but I do currently serve our community as president of the corporation so have a pretty good working knowledge of how such parks operate. If you are serious about starting such a park, I would be happy to share any knowledge that I have or history of our park with you. Feel free to contact me if I can help. 

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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