Looking for a membership club....

[dlbarr]

....where YOU actually OWN the real estate. Like these:

http://gbntone.org/index2.html

http://www.laketyee.com/index.htm

These are located in my home state of Washington. Problem is they are 4-6 hrs away from where I live. Looking for something closer in OR, WA or ID. Anybody know where to find such clubs? they seem to be very few & far between.

[Kirk W]

I believe that you need to look again......

 

Gold Bar Nature Trails is a private member owned camping club. Members
purchase memberships which give them exclusive rights to the use of a
specific site within the park. There are 1200 membership sites within our 273
acre park. Members do not own their sites, rather they own a 1/1200 share of
the park.

This is pretty much like the Escapee co-op parks and also the one where we live. The second property you do get a deed to a very small portion of land but with very limiting restrictions and you can never put a permanent home there.

 

Lake Tyee Zoning and Use
Lake Tyee is located in the forestry zone of Skagit County and is permitted under a planned unit recreational development. Owners, their families and guests, may use the facilities and common property. Your individual lot may be used for vacation and recreational camping purposes only for a period not to exceed 210 days a year. No year-round residency or residential buildings are allowed in the subdivision. You may not build a home or a cabin on your lot, and you cannot subdivide your lot, although there are permissible improvements that you may make to your lot. These improvements are outlined in the Amended Restrictions and Declarations. A copy is available on request.

[Barbaraok]

You didn't say where you live. On the east side of the Cascades?

[dlbarr]

You didn't say where you live. On the east side of the Cascades?

 

Yes, east of the Cascades - TriCities area.

 

Kirk, thanks for the clarification on the GBNT membership. I stand corrected on that. Nevertheless, the Lake Tyee ownership model is closer to outright ownership and provides not only a "lake place" to go to, but also a gated, secure spot to leave your RV without the typical storage fee - type costs associated with owning an RV. Just curious if anyone knew of something similar in other spots closer to where I reside.

[lasttruck]

Northwest of Newport http://skookumrendezvous.com/

 

More options http://www.rvparkstore.com/rv-lots-for-sale/washington

 

Good luck!

[Chris-n-Dennis]

You may be better off looking just for land via Landwatch and snagging some property where you can put in your own hookups.

 

Or, have you checked out a TT annual site membership, or a K&N site membership? Both have parks that are closer to you.

[Kirk W]

Nevertheless, the Lake Tyee ownership model is closer to outright ownership and provides not only a "lake place" to go to, but also a gated, secure spot to leave your RV without the typical storage fee - type costs associated with owning an RV. Just curious if anyone knew of something similar in other spots closer to where I reside.

While I'm not quite sure what you have in mind, the Lake Tyee model in operation is not much different from the membership model of Golden Bar and Escapee co-ops in that all utilities, amenities, and even access is controlled by the association, or whatever the organization is called. Security and similar things are usually pretty much the same no matter the type of ownership, assuming a gated community. In my investigation when we were shopping, the main advantage that we found to the deeded type of property is that those are usually less difficult to find financing for a resale. I found Lake Tyee to be particularly interesting as most of their lots are circular and totally surrounded by common property. The Google Earth view is interesting. Looks like it might be a pretty nice place if you want vacation only property.

 

One thing we found was that day to day differences in closed communities were not much different in a membership park than a deeded one and membership communities usually have some tax advantages over deeded, but that also varies by state.

[dlbarr]

While I'm not quite sure what you have in mind, the Lake Tyee model in operation is not much different from the membership model of Golden Bar and Escapee co-ops in that all utilities, amenities, and even access is controlled by the association, or whatever the organization is called. Security and similar things are usually pretty much the same no matter the type of ownership, assuming a gated community. In my investigation when we were shopping, the main advantage that we found to the deeded type of property is that those are usually less difficult to find financing for a resale. I found Lake Tyee to be particularly interesting as most of their lots are circular and totally surrounded by common property. The Google Earth view is interesting. Looks like it might be a pretty nice place if you want vacation only property.

 

One thing we found was that day to day differences in closed communities were not much different in a membership park than a deeded one and membership communities usually have some tax advantages over deeded, but that also varies by state.

 

Well, I'm open to other alternatives but I just figured, as you indicated, that resale of deeded property is probably easier. Not that "membership rights" don't constitute ownership, but I do prefer the traditional asset class of real estate itself. Also, many of those Lake Tyee properties can be purchased for <$20k plus annual taxes of $200-300, which is an incredible deal IMO. Would be interested in learning more about the membership plans you mention as well as the tax advantages. Where could I find that data?

[dlbarr]

You may be better off looking just for land via Landwatch and snagging some property where you can put in your own hookups.

 

Or, have you checked out a TT annual site membership, or a K&N site membership? Both have parks that are closer to you.

 

Have any links to those? I searched K&N Site membership and came up with some stuff that wasn't RV related. Thanks.

[Chris-n-Dennis]

 

Have any links to those? I searched K&N Site membership and came up with some stuff that wasn't RV related. Thanks.

My fault, should have caught that typo. K & M resorts. In both cases I've never seen information on the web, its always been at the resorts only.

[whj469]

In many of the RV ownership parks, I own one in the UP of MI, you own your lot and have use of all

of the parks common property etc. There are real estate taxes and your annual fee which pays for almost

everything in the park, real estate taxes on the common area, garbage, water system and up keep on everything in

the park. They may be run by a board of directors either elected by the lot owners or, as in one that I own, each lot owner is a board

member. If and when you no longer need the lot you can sell it.

As a lot owner you must follow the rules developed by the board even if you don't like then. I have input into the rules as a board member

but if I don't like the 10 year RV rule which states that your RV must be 10 years old or newer, there in not much that I can do about it.

There are a number of RVs older but they are granted a waiver if they look good but no guarantee on getting the waiver. This option requires

that you like the place and want to be there. I think that it is important to like the other lot owners because many activities at the park will be with fellow

lot owners. The park is open from May 1st until October 1st. I wouldn't want to be there in the winter.

When I got this one in the UP about five years ago, I looked at many others in northern states were the summer weather is cooler then south east Texas.

Others from up north buy RV lots in places with good winter weather, AZ, FL or south Texas.

I have seen many RV ownerships lots in all price ranges. I paid $13,000 for the one that I have and I wouldn't consider the higher priced ones because I wouldn't want to

tie up lots of money in one because it may be hard to sell when you want out. Good Luck

[trostberg]

I am still learning about the Escapee Coops but with a 3-5 year waiting list at many if not all of them, I would think resale is not a bit issue at least in this type of park. My understanding is you sell it back to the Coop without a wait even if there was not a wait list...is that correct?

[Kirk W]

My understanding is you sell it back to the Coop without a wait even if there was not a wait list...is that correct?

Not really. Each park is managed by a board made up of member/owners and each has it's own rules. All of them require any sale to go through the group and most (all but one I believe) limit the amount an owner can increase the price from what he paid, thus controlling the price to keep memberships reasonably priced for new folks to move in. It is my understanding that Jojoba Hills voted to change to selling for whatever the market will bear a few years back. I don't believe that any of the parks give a seller his money before a new buyer has been found.

[trostberg]

I thought you just received what you paid for it and it was sold to the coop to resell. Plus the cost of certain improvements to a cap. But again that can vary as you say.

 

And if there is a wait list I would think the wait would be short.

[Dutch_12078]

With the Lake Tyee deal, I don't think I would want to own a property that I'm barred from using for 155 days a year.

[2gypsies]

RE: Escapees' co-op parks:

 

The turnaround for selling and getting your money back is short. However, it depends on the wait list for buying. If there's no wait list the co-op is not going to buy you out.

 

Also, some wait lists are very short and depending on the co-op, when your name comes up as #1 you can reject it and move yourself down to the bottom of the list again. In some parks there is a limit on how many times you can do this. This can happen when folks are not ready to buy yet.

 

Some people put their name on the wait list as soon as they're full-timers because some wait lists may be long. The Benson, AZ co-op is like this - it's always had a long wait list because it's a great park. However, they have an excellent, unique way of handling it. If you're ready to purchase and it doesn't depend on where your name is on the wait list - it can be #1 or #300 - if you're the lowest number to call in on a Saturday, then the lot is yours. There have been many instances where a high number has gotten a lot. #1 can stay #1 forever with no obligation to move down to the bottom of the list.

 

Bottom line - each co-op runs differently so do your research.

 

The Escapees Rainbow parks are also completely different than the co-op parks. Those lots/homes are owned and sold individually. For instance, if you want to buy into the Congress, AZ park you can do so immediately because there are many to choose from and there are no wait lists.

[dlbarr]

With the Lake Tyee deal, I don't think I would want to own a property that I'm barred from using for 155 days a year.

 

Well, yes, there is that. But depends on what you're looking for.

 

For me, I'd like to have a tangible place that has value & can be resold. The RV can sit there on the property for 365 days/yr even though YOU can't be there full-time. At this stage, I'd only be there something much less than 6 months/yr but have my "storage" concerns resolved and I can get my money back when done. While there are association dues, the fuel costs of moving the RV to & from the location are avoided. Admittedly, I am new at this and there is much I have to learn but given our needs & inclinations at present, that type of arrangement seems to have the most appeal.

[Kirk W]

For me, I'd like to have a tangible place that has value & can be resold.

All of the membership or co-op parks that I know of allow the resale of memberships. I doubt that there would be many co-op parks if that were not true. I know that I sure would not have bought a home in one if it were not the case. The difference in actual practice is very small between a park with deeded land which has an attached requirement that you be part of the home owner organization and deed restrictions on what can be done on our built on the property. Actual operation is very little different between the two. We bought our membership/home from the original owner and there are some homes where that have changed hands two times. Many sites in the Escapee co-op parks are now in the hands of the third or fourth owner.

[dlbarr]

Thanks Kirk. Like I said, I have much to learn about this process. I will expand my search to include the "non-deeded" membership only concept. Appreciate the input.