MontegoMag

On 7/22/2019 at 10:08 AM, Roads of Life said:

Another thing to consider... startup costs. After you buy, what do you need to make it safe and livable?

haha...if its not...I won't be buying it! I am not a mechanic OR a handyman!

Thanks for the continuing feedback, I have been away for a few days...due to someone turning in front of me and I and my wife becoming human crash test dummies! Yep...you've watched the slow motion videos and you can empathize how I felt hitting a stationary object at a full 45mph!

Soooo...now that I am having to buy a new vehicle...my consideration is this...

Do I buy an SUV and begin considering a TT again...or stick with my plans to get a Class C and only buy a new vehicle with the intent of selling it when I hit the open road in 4 years? I like the idea someone had about using a pickup bed for secure storage after capping it...but the whole TT whipping down the road gives me pause!

ps...sorry if the pic is too big...I don't have a photo editor

17 hours ago, Kirk W said:

You might benefit however, from reading up on just what domicile means and how to change it. It is much more than just where your mail is sent. 

10 hours ago, FL-JOE said:

We discovered if you are financing an RV some banks get skittish if you are full time with a mail service address.  

Exactly...a fine example of something I hadn't considered...though I will finance before I sell my S&B.

I read the article you linked Kirk...and it is still as clear as mud to me. As it states...."domicile" and "residence" seem to be interchangeable terms. Can anyone explain it to me as if I were a child?? (Not too far a stretch) Can I buy a house in any state...and have a domicile address in TX and be tax exempt? Can I spend my f/t days and years in an RV in VA and still claim residency / domicileability in TX and remain Tax exempt? Can I go head, today, and switch my domicile/residency to my daughter's addie in TX and start becoming tax exempt this year? Its all so convoluted!

Moving on...

What about banks? We current;y are, and have been, banking with a local credit union and we love it. We manage about 6 accounts through them..and I also billpay 100% through them. When I leave the state...is it better to switch to a nationwide accessible bank? I know I will still be able to access them electronically...but if I sell something and someone writes me a check...where do I cash it...where do I deposit it? It would feel very strange not to be able to walk into a my bank and not do business face-to-face...if the need or desire arises.

And then...there's black water!! UGHHHH!

Speaking of that...does anyone use Planet Fitness or YMCA to $#@!, shower and shave while you are meandering? That is also my plan. I currently have a PF membership but I wonder how populated the USA is with them or if it would be better to get a YMCA membership. I don't see us staying at a campground near as often as I will need to do those things and it will be too easy to hit a gym every other day or so and save my fresh water and avoid any ...<gulp> BLACK water!  🤢

Squeamishly yours...

Ain't gonna Be As Long As It Has Been...

MontegoMag

12 minutes ago, FL-JOE said:

The first time we "sold out" and went full time we used our oldest son's address.  Just like SWharton said, almost all of our stuff was done electronically so there wasn't much mail.  It was easypeasy and he would forward it to us if we needed him to.

Yes...this option appeals to us as well. My wife's oldest lives in Lubbock and will be there long after we are gone. So that is a strong base address for us. I guess, always having had a S&B (puffs up with pride at starting to learn the RV jargon!), I am confused regarding vehicle registration...federal and property taxes...voting locations and all the other things I haven't even thought of that require a "permanent" address. As I said...being a lifelong CNC programmer and machinist...I could very easily pick up part time jobs along the highway at small machine shops. if need be. What do I put down as a residence addie??

<scratchin' my noggun>

I am smarter than the average bear...but some of this stuff give my melon a dull ache!

Ain't gonna be as long as it has been...

MontegoMag

6 hours ago, Zulu said:

Will you me on Medicare when you retire?

Yes, I will turn 65 and start my SS and my Medicare all at the same time.  I don't know how it all works yet...but its on my list of things to find out!

5 hours ago, SWharton said:

If you are not comfortable, or don't want to burden your daughter, get an Escapees address from their Mail Service.

I'll have to find out more about this because that sounds like a very doable option! Thanks!

6 hours ago, Bigthinkers said:

I can't find a 2010 Winnebago View 24V for sale (didn't find anything older than 2014 in that model), ...Have you been in that model? Will the rather cozy confines be comfortable for 4-6 months, full-time?

Here is where I am showing my ignorance! I HAVE toured the 2019 24V and yes...like it very much. I was not aware the V didn't make its appearance until 2014. But when I retire in 2023...that will be just right! LOL

I can live in a cave...as long as O have a frige...TV...computer and a LazyBoy! My wife on the other hand....

4 hours ago, richfaa said:

My suggestion would be to take it easy make no snap decisions.

If I go much slower...I'll be backin up! haha

2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Welcome to the Escapee forums! We are happy to be able to help and will do our best.

In my opinion, starting now to plan for retirement is not too early but rather it is a wise decision. Those 4 years will pass far more rapidly than you expect. I am a transplant to east TX myself and believe that you are on the right track to consider this area. We found the area aroun Tyler to be avery good place for retirees as it still has much of the beauty and security of rural places but has a city of 100k as an anchor. Tyler is the medical center of east TX with 2 major teaching hospitals and 4 major medical facilities. Taxes here are still reasonable and real estate prices are modest. We do get cold weather but it rarely stays below freezing for 24 hours and snow is very rare. Spring is a long season here, starting in late February most years and flowers are out in March. It can get hot and and sometimes humid but nowhere is weather perfect. TX is a very RV friendly state.

Thanks...you have all welcomed me very warmly and I appreciate all the imput!! Keep it coming!

Actually Tyler is one of the first cities I explored...and for the medical facilities specifically. I am a diabetic and do have some complications from that and healthcare availability is a major consideration. And while we want to be near a city of 100-200K...we will be looking toward the suburbs and countryside surrounding those cities.

We have kids in Corpus...Lubbock...Mule Shoe and Evansville, IN. So Tyler seemed like a good fit. And when I learned of all the extensive medical care available...it moved to the front of the line. 

I understand what everyone is sayingm as far as taking our time to see the country and all it has to offerm but I have been to every state and Canada and Mexico. It isn't as if I havent already seen a lot of it. But our choice to settle in East Texas is more a matter of spreading ourselves out more evenly among our 6 kids and 22 grands than it is finding the ideal area to sette in. As far as that goes...I am a beach bum and my wife is a mountain mama! Where we have currently live is ideal for both. I am 5 minutes from the beach and 3 hours from the Appalachians. So we will never agree on the "ideal" place to settle. If I had my way...I'd move to Peru and rid myself of seasons altogether!! LOL I can stand 75-85 degrees year round with 1500 miles of beach!

Again...keepthe imput coming and I'll ask questions as I think of them....like...

Black water dumping...UGH!

Ain't gonna be as long as it has been...

MontegoMag

Heya Folks...first post here.

I have spent most of the day thumbing through the newbie folder and I can't find a thread that fits my exact situation so I'll lay it on ya and see what I uncover!

I am a machinist by trade and I am counting down the time I have left to retire (Jan 2023)! I currently have a mortgage with my wife and we live in Virginia Beach area. Once we retire...we hope to relocate to the mid-west...somewhere below the snow belt...probably East Texas. We have kids and grands in TX, IN, IL, NC, KY and CA so we hope to buy a home somewhere centrally located. Plus it looks like TX is a retirement friendly state.

My thoughts at this time is to consider...

• Selling our house and contents (early spring 2023)
• Buying a used Class C RV (summer 2022) Currently leaning toward a 2008-2010 Winnebago View 24V. (Love the king sized rear bed!)
• Hitting the road at a leisurely pace and checking out different areas to settle down (spring 2023) Texarkana area...Gulf Coast area...Ozarks...Lake Texoma...San Antonio area...etc?
• Buy a retirement home...and start accumulating STUFF again! (fall/winter 2023)
• Probably selling the RV in favor of a pontoon boat if we find a waterfront home.

I know it seems a bit early...but I don't know how much I don't know and I figure it is better to start planning now than to wait until we buy an RV to begin our learning curve.

We have walked through a Class B...too small. Neither of us want to consider driving a Class A. So whatever Class C we decide on, we'd like it to be as stealthy/streamlined as possible as we won't be settling in an urban setting. We will be visiting the small towns and byways, looking to take advantage of great peaceful areas...and hopefully a well maintained Estate sale on a house. You just can' do that by spending week long vacations before-the-fact and driving rental cars around from a hotel base. That's why we are now considering the RV to make a 4/6 month transition to our retirement home.

I guess that's about it for now. Of course, I have a million questions but I will spend some more time searching the threads that already address them before hounding you too much more. I guess the immediate question I have is regarding an address to use while we are on the road. Can we just claim one of our kid's addresses in TX until we buy a place?

Seriously...if y'all can think about those issues that are MUST consider items  before we even go down this road....throw it out there!

Ain't gonna be as long as it has been...

MontegoMag