Recreational Vehicles

You love to travel with your family, the kids live "out west", you hate hotels, you are a rock star or trying to emulate one...any of these reasons might be steering you to purchase a recreational vehicle, or "RV". But for whatever the reason, it is important to do your research before you buying an RV. In fact, it is like buying a home and can be as costly. Some Class A and some bus conversions can pass $1,000,000. Even though you may not reach to these heights, there are costly mistakes to be avoided as you begin to scope out the RV market.

Should we go the RV route?

Here are some considerations you may want think about before you are too far down the RV road. Do you

• like to drive,
  
• want to travel and
  
• have an open schedule?

With an RV, you can come and go whenever you want, never messing with hotel mattresses or constantly eating out. Your home travels with you, and your own soft bed is waiting for you at the end of a sightseeing day.

There are three main categories of RVers:

Weekenders or vacationers spend two or three weeks a couple of times a year in their RV when they go on vacation. The best options are travel trailers coupled with an SUV or van, or even a van conversion or small motorhome (under 25 feet). You can get the options of home, albeit in a much smaller package and can park in national and state parks that bar entry to the larger RVs and trailers.

Part-timers live in their RVs for an extended time, vacationing or visiting, but also have a home to return to when the traveling is done.

Full-timers have given up that bit of real estate to spend all their time on four (or five) wheels, the bulk of whom are over fifty and retired.

It might be a natural progression from a minimal commitment to a part or full time RV experience. Wherever you fall in this continuum, your next step is to decide if you want to rent or buy an RV.