buying a lot

[Tim and Peggy]

We have been FT (on the road) for the past 16 months. We are currently in Palm Desert, CA and are leaning toward the purchase of an RV lot at Outdoor Resorts Indio. The price is reasonable (its all relative). Prices range at the community between $35k-450K. The HOA is $475/month and if we did it we would probably be on the road 7 months and here for 5 months.

We are curious about anyone else who has purchased an RV lot and if so. If not, why not.

 

Thanks.

 

[Kirk W]

We didn't own any real property for more than 10 years and liked it that way because it eliminated a lot of ties to a particular location. We felt a lot of freedom living that way. Eventually my wife tired of the constant moving so we bought a lot in an RV co-op community near Tyler, TX. At that point we began to slow our travels and were completely stopped for a year when Pam had major surgery. Because she was forced to use a knee-walker the stick apartment we had was much easier for her than the RV. Later we downsized and no longer travel fulltime. 

One comment that may be important is that we did not have covid-19 to deal with and we have had less complications because we are off of the road. Each situation is different but that is our story. 

[tworootless]

Fulltime for over 12 years, (stateside & overseas) we settled in a stk&brk for 9 years. Sold the home in 2019, Purchased a motorhome, traveled a few thousand miles and have now settled in an Escapees Park in Nevada. By mid February we will be have our own lot in a win-win-situation as lease owners. Other then purchasing a small travel trailer in the near future, we no longer have an interest in full time living on the road. 

Edited February 1, 2021 by tworootless

[Twotoes]

I’ve been full time now for 7 years and have just begun to investigate buying or leasing a lot for my winter stays. You picked one of the more expensive places to buy. HOA of $475 a month is very high. There are many other places you can look at that are just as nice. Take a look at Desert Shadows in Cathedral City on Ramon Dr. Or look outside of CA. I’m looking at Lake Havasu RV Resort. Deeded Lots are around $125,000. Not sure of the HOA, I believe it’s about $150 a month. Also look at the Escapees Co-Ops.  Most are about $25,000 to purchase a life time lease and maintenance fees of about $100 a month. There is one near Palm Springs, Johoba, close to Temecula. I’m lookin at Saguaro in Benson AZ. Wachula FL is a nice Co-Op too. 

[Randyretired]

We don't spend a much time in RV parks so we purchased a little over an acre and set it up for our RV.  We use it in the winter and we have a shed with a washer and dryer.  It is large enough we have friends stay now and again.  It was inexpensive so we don't feel the need to stay there all winter.  Taxes and $15 water bill are the only ongoing expenses.  For a fee of $35 they activate the electricity and then when we leave it is disconnected.  We purchased it in 1999 and it has gone up considerably in value. We like having our own space whenever we want and we can wash the RV or work on it as needed.  With covid this year we chose to stay home this winter but hope to be there next year. 

[JRP]

Its a personal decision, based on your priorities, preferences and budget. A $475 monthly HOA fee seems excessive to me, but if their amenities are worth that much to you, it may be a good fit. Also, if you've never dealt with an HOA  bureaucracy, be sure to understand how they can and do sometimes dictate every little detail of your life on their property.  Read the complete HOA rules ahead of time, talk to current owners about how cooperative or dictatorial the HOA board is. Sometimes those boards are full of folks whose only enjoyment in life is making your life miserable. When I decided to switch to summer & winter RV homebases after 5 yrs of fulltiming, I chose to buy remote land and install my own utilities and improvements. After years of alternating between boondocking and RV parks, I realized I prefer having my neighbors a 1/4 mile way, and I prefer space to fire off my AR15 in the back yard, rather than a pool or golf course. 

[hdrider]

For US I look at it this way. Been fulltime on the road 8 years and have been in a good routine winter wise the last 5 so I will just use those last 5 years campground fees which add up and then average out to $10,049 per year  (which in my mind is already to dang much but we do stay in the nicest in the areas we visit it seems so it is what it is).  

 It so happens that we stay at a winter spot for 5 months which is what you say you would probably stay and so would we most likely. So, if we used the $475 per month you mentioned x 12 months = $5700 then add the $837 per month on average for the remaining 7 months of travel and that = $11,557. 

 So if I were to look at that scenario  I would see the positive of having a lot I knew we could stay on whenever we wanted and one we could fix up the way we want. BUT I would also see the up front out of pocket for the lot and no yearly savings on our normal campground costs PLUS we would loose the flexibility to move around if we wanted.

 Even if we could put it in a rental pool I doubt that scenario would tempt us personally BUT that does not make it not right for you. Just my 2 cents.       

[sandsys]

2 hours ago, JRP said:

if you've never dealt with an HOA  bureaucracy, be sure to understand how they can and do sometimes dictate every little detail of your life on their property.  Read the complete HOA rules ahead of time, talk to current owners about how cooperative or dictatorial the HOA board is. Sometimes those boards are full of folks whose only enjoyment in life is making your life miserable.

And the make up of the board changes from year to year so when to good people leave what will happen then? We once had a board president who thought she had a license to do whatever she chose to do. For instance, she invited her favorite politician to come speak at a board meeting. We had to threaten to fire her to get her to shape up.

Linda

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

And the make up of the board changes from year to year so when to good people leave what will happen then?

Sounds to me like you need to get involved and run for office yourself! That is how election systems work. 

[sandsys]

56 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Sounds to me like you need to get involved and run for office yourself! That is how election systems work. 

Been there; done that; burned out. I was actually the person who wrote the letter to the president who was misbehaving since I was the secretary that year having already been president until my term ended. She lobbied for the position for years until she wore us down. Mistake! But, once she got that letter, she improved enormously so me being active worked in her case. Still there is such a thing as term limits so I couldn't run again if even I hadn't burned out. And that's what happens in some places--you get good people until they aren't allowed to run again then you get whoever takes over. We are fortunate here in that we still have good people serving. And a much larger pool of people from which to draw so I have hopes for our future here.

Linda

[whj469]

I own two RV lots in Cedarville RV Park in the UP of MI. We have deeds to our lots and it is run by a board of directors. One vote per lot with 55 lots and board officers are elected by the board members. We spend five months there per year, May thru September. It is only opened those five months and is closed the rest of the year. Yearly POA dues are $650 per lot. We paid $13,000 for the first lot and $5,000 for the second lot. They are next to each other and we love it there and are very happy with the purchase. 

I would be concerned with a $450 per month POA dues. But maybe it includes things that we don't have? Like a swimming pool? Good Luck

[Tim and Peggy]

Good morning and thanks. I have family in Houghton. Hope you are somewhere warm this winter. 

The URL for this resort is www.oriindio.com. There are four swimming pools, a major clubhouse, a golf course and other amenities that (in part) explain the HOA. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[whj469]

Then you must know swimming pools, unless heated, are not an option in the UP and people don't really swim in Lake Superior or Lake Huron, at least in the UP.

[Tim and Peggy]

On 2/3/2021 at 6:17 AM, Tim and Peggy said:

Good morning and thanks. I have family in Houghton. Hope you are somewhere warm this winter. 

The URL for this resort is www.oriindio.com. There are four swimming pools, a major clubhouse, a golf course and other amenities that (in part) explain the HOA. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

we pulled the trigger and bought a lot here in Indio, CA where it was 81 today. The resort has an 18-hole golf course, 4 swimming pools, pickleball, etc. which helps explains (justify) the HOA. We are staying outside the resort at the moment currently paying $2,100/month...so the $5,700 annual HOA gets gobbled up if we simply rent monthly at a typical resort here in the desert. We plan to use it 5 months out of the year.

Thanks.

 

[travelinbob]

Too rich for my blood. 

 

[whj469]

It is my understanding that is an upscale RV park?

[Velos]

We have friends in Indio and visited often. They have since left California as many have so it may be a good time to buy. Have not been in that specific park but the reviews are pretty good rated 4.6 out of 5  https://tinyurl.com/1q1jl6cs
and 8.3 out of 10 https://tinyurl.com/4ng3xd7w   It looks really nice when we have driven by.  The location has easy access to 111 and 10.

With the onset of the pandemic it is really nice to have a sure thing in the winter. Also with the pandemic MANY people have discovered RVing great for RV sales but somewhat reducing the availability of RV sites for a while.   The Medical care in the area is top notch according to our friends. The music concerts ie Cochella and Stagecoach and sporting events at The Tennis Center have huge winter events bringing in LOTS of people, traffic etc.  The golfing is great as is the shopping.  There is lots to do in the area during the winter.  Summer is HOT.

We were full time for 12 years, then bought a sticks and bricks for winter due to health issues and traveled part time int he summer for 5 years, then bought an RV lot for summers which we really enjoyed; HOA and all but will be selling it this summer as health issues are further limiting our travels so we will be downsizing.

I don't think you would have a hard time selling your Palms Springs area RV lot if you decided it wasn't for you after you tried it. Nothing ventured nothing gained..."In the end, regrets rarely come from things done but from things not even tried".

Safe Travels and Good luck whichever you decide.


 

[Bill&Anneli]

congrats on your purchase!

We considered buying an RV lot, and rented one of the premium lots at the outdoor resort in indio for a month last year and agree, its gorgeous. The area has so much to offer, and the weather is nice. Ofcourse not for everyone and not for someone on a tight budget.

We also rented for a month at Havasu RV resort in AZ-  very nice resort too. Not as much to do in Lake Havasu for us as in Palm Springs/Indio. 

In general we found that we really like to stay at "owner" resorts. While a bit more spendy, the amenities are typically a lot nicer. And we seem to meet more people with common interests to ours. 

In the end we decided to purchase a home instead of a lot. Reason being we felt that if we were to stay put for 5-6 months at a time we would rather store the RV indoors and live in a sticks&bricks house with plumbing that is not as high maintenance as the RV. Some of the RV resorts we stayed at had casitas with full plumbing. We still felt we'd rather store our RV indoors when not actively traveling.

It's a personal choice. One thing to add, the activities and communities and friends in these RV resorts are a big plus to owning a lot at a park that suits you.

Of all the places we have stayed, the Motorcoach Resort in Indio was by far the nicest. Also the most expensive, its a 5 star resort, not a campground.  We decided to splurge for a month and liked it. We don't have the budget to stay there all year though.

Hope to be back at the outdoor resort in indio in the fall again- we love the resort and area and were really tempted to buy. 

[kb0zke]

"...people don't really swim in Lake Superior or Lake Huron, at least in the UP." Well, I swam in Lake Superior when I was a kid. We had relatives in Bessemer, MI back then, so a trip there was our annual vacation.

Back to the original question, we visited two of the Escapees Co-op parks as well as Livingston when we were talking about having a home base. We put down the $500 deposit and got on the waiting list at Hondo, TX. We were perhaps a year away from getting a lot there when one opened up at The Ranch (near Carlsbad, NM). It was pretty much what we wanted so we took it and got our $500 back from Lone Star.

The beauty of the Escapees co-ops is that you can turn your lot back in and get back what you "paid" for it plus whatever you spend on approved improvements. All it really costs you is the annual maintenance fee, electricity when you are there, and maybe taxes. Taxes depend on how the State sets things up. Lone Star, for example, has each lot owner pay property tax, while The Ranch pays the property tax out of the maintenance fee.

We were certainly very happy to have had our lot a year ago. We were planning our summer travels when COVID arrived. Since we "owned" our lot we could have stayed there permanently if we needed to. As it is, all we have to do is give the office a notice 7-14 days before we return to the park and our lot is ours.

[sandsys]

18 minutes ago, kb0zke said:

"...people don't really swim in Lake Superior or Lake Huron, at least in the UP." Well, I swam in Lake Superior when I was a kid. We had relatives in Bessemer, MI back then, so a trip there was our annual vacation.

I swam in Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park north of Chicago and in Lake Superior at Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota. Well I went in the water a bit. I didn't really swim since I never learned how to do that.

Linda

[packnrat]

i would say at those hoa charges, why not just lease a condo. then at least your lawn/front garden is maintained.

but then for me i would just buy a couple acres out away from everything. no hoa to deal with.

concrete pad, couple 40 ft containers, with joining roof/walls  and protected from the weather. but then i do not swim, or play golf. and no busy body telling me what to do. (as you can tell i am not a fan of hoa's).

[DavidCD]

On 2/1/2021 at 12:44 PM, Randyretired said:

We don't spend a much time in RV parks so we purchased a little over an acre and set it up for our RV.  We use it in the winter and we have a shed with a washer and dryer.  It is large enough we have friends stay now and again.  It was inexpensive so we don't feel the need to stay there all winter.  Taxes and $15 water bill are the only ongoing expenses.  For a fee of $35 they activate the electricity and then when we leave it is disconnected.  We purchased it in 1999 and it has gone up considerably in value. We like having our own space whenever we want and we can wash the RV or work on it as needed.  With covid this year we chose to stay home this winter but hope to be there next year. 

Your 1 acre set up is pretty much what we were going to try to do but the coronavirus thing started up and, for a time it appeared that lot sales stopped.   Then, there began a land rush where people from out of state (we're in Texas) were buying up (and pricing up) everything available - some of the purchases were done, sight unseen.   Now, there are very few lots available in the county - and almost none with any utilities nearby.   You certainly bought at the right time.

[Rkuchler]

We own an RV lot in an RV park in Florida and also own land in Arizona that we developed for our RV.  The park is nice because the HOA fees cover several common amenities and maintenance so there is less to worry about when we’re not there.  The park structure also makes it easier to rent the lot out to others when we’re not there.  There is of course the politics of an HOA to deal with but all in all it’s been a positive.  We also developed raw land with hookups in Arizona and love the freedom that provides us.  We get to enjoy more land without all of the rules of an HOA but obviously have more maintenance to take on ourselves.  Both have been great experiences for different reasons.  For those still looking for similar options checkout  Landdocker.  They list RV property for sale and RV lots for rent across the county. 

[AlieRix11]

Are u thinking about renting lots? We live in AZ and are in serious trouble with finding a spot to rent! 

[Twotoes]

Where in AZ? Have you tried any of the 4 Escapees camp grounds? Congress, Casa Grande, Benson or Yuma.