Advice on RV/ Resort Membership?

[go4carl]

I'm looking at buying a site @ a RV resort. The reason for a resort is being driven by the family, The wife likes the idea of having other people to socialize with while I fish. Inaddition the pool/ playgrounds will be good entertainment for the kids. I have never owned a RV does any one have advice on what to look for, what to avoid in a RV? From the layouts I have seen I like the models with the Quad bunks in back, In addition if someone has comments on owning a lot in resort (good or bad experiances) please share.

Thanks for your thoughts everyone...

[tomevee]

you will want a camper that has at least one slide out on it.all though it does'nt look like it may add much room the difference is hugh.

have had no problems at our place

[Ufatz]

Carl, go real slow here.

There is a lot to know about RV's-owning and operating them and a lot more to learn about long term lot rentals. Do a LOT of research abour TYPE of RV and then BRAND of RV. Check out insurance costs and ALL the accessories you will want/need. Before you buy a trailer, for example, will your present truck SAFELY pull it? Or, if a camper, will your present truck SAFELY carry it? Do you understand how any of the RV systems water, sewer, electric etc. work? Learn first.

You can just jump in if you want and learn the hard way.

At least I can say I tried.

[go4carl]

thanks for the advice. any good advice on where to go for research? I'm not sure where to begin, what acessories should i look for. there will be four of us. two kids under 3....

[Harp]

We bought a camping trailer in the resort [we pay a yearly lease for lot and boat slip fee] all setup with deck etc. where we marina our boat it is great cheap cabin summer and ice fishing retreat 25 minutes from home. I sold my other camper in a heart beat and never looked back at trailering packing up and teardown camp the price of gas trailering long rides with kids X3 much more relaxing leave the food in the refrig/ freezer and clothes etc. everything is set to go. As far as the system stuff water plumbing I was surprised at the number of people that don't do a thing they pay the resort to put boat or pontoons out and in and to winterize the marine stuff and complete trailers I am the exception really that does it myself and brings my boat home for winter and fixes my own repairs and maintains my own stuff. Many people buy them on the lot as a turn key walk in as I did some are fully or partically furnished.

Look for a nice park, quiet, clean and up to date good people and in my case anyway a great lake, fish cleaning house, store, playground lakeside for year-round fun.

I am not into pools or floorplans you will really spend 95% of the time outside fishing, swimming, a little campfire, T-ball etc..... Throw the kids into the racks at night with a little TV they sleep like rocks and head back to the deck or fire with Mama at night it doesn't get much better. But everyone wants different things? My 2 cents for ya look at a park you want to go into at something setup if you don't know RV's have someone check it out for ya the working systems are small to look over.

Good Luck,

HARP

[Coach1310]

If it were me and I were in your shoes....

1. Research the heck out of the resort/campgrounds and find one that fits your wants/needs. i.e. if you will spend lots of time fishing...a good lake is a must...with your kids...activities/facilities for them is a must

2. I would wait until like June and spend a weekend taking a look at places while they are being used...look at distances between sites..some are 5 feet other places are 50 feet...get a feel for the people there...ask them how they like it...the owners...rules...stuff like that

3. If you find a place you like...don't just trust the brochure...ask the owners specific questions...like when it can be used Memorial-Labor day, more??, less? What my yearly fee covers...boat slip, lawn care, garbage, septic, electricity etc. Depending on if you buy or rent... as to what policies are for switching lots if a nice one comes available etc....restrictions on decks, storage sheds, etc.

4. Ask about restrictions on size of camper etc.

5. Lastly, shop around for a camper....if you plan on using the camper for years to come...remember the kids will grow and the family might in numbers as well... slide outs are great... you wouldn't believe the space they add...if you just want to enjoy it...don't get hung up on having a truck that pulls it or all that goes into winterizing etc. Don't get a new truck just to pull your camper twice a year if you don't leave it there(you may want to ask that too...if you are allowed to leave it on site all winter). There are plenty of people who will take care of the all the maintenance needs, I am sure someone at the campground/resort you choose will point you towards their guy/company etc.

My biggest piece of advice would be to spend as much time as possible finding the right resort/resort community for you....sure, you could spend months and months looking at this camper or that one, but the differences are really minor compared to the differences of resorts and resort communities... find one with families like yours...you will have kids for your kids to play with and you will also have moms and dads to fish with, sit around the fire with etc.

Best of luck!!

[Ufatz]

Oh! I guess I'm on the wrong page here. I thought we were talking about RV,ing etc. and rollin' down the road and traveling etc. Thats why my first reply. Now I see what the discussion is really about. Sorry.

And old RV'n dude with a 30' Airstream 'n truck n' all that stuff.

Back to channel 16 and standing by.

[go4carl]

THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE THOUGHTS..

[federline]

Ufatz, I was thinking that way, too, we're a motorhome family of 4+dog, and our trips are usually 3000 miles round trip and 3 weeks long. We'd go nuts going to the same place every weekend.

Anyways, here's some thoughts:

The "RV" - are we talking "travel trailer" and not "motorhome"? I would presume so, since it will be on a leased lot, and it is rare to see bunks in "motorhomes", or "5th wheel trailers". Or are we talking "Park Model"?

In any case, I'll assume travel trailer, they are popular ways to establish a home away from home on a leased lot.

If you don't want to learn everything about how to winterize and maintain RV systems like water, sewer, AC and DC electrical, heating, and air conditioning - make sure you campground/resort will do this stuff for you. That said, you will still need to understand the basics to be sure things are being done - winterizing, summerizing, regular maintenance. Beyond that - pick the features you want and can afford!

On campground/resort, I would stay there as a short-term renter (one month) at first until you figure out the "culture" of the place. This is what will make or break your happiness, it won't matter how nice your rig is if you can't stand the people or the resort owner. Talk to all the people who also lease there that you can while there.

Also, find out what the tenant turnover has been in the past two years, and how long the current owner has been running the place. It takes about 2 years for things to settle back down after an ownership change, and the stories you get from tenants during these times are sometimes not indicative of the actual future.

Also, decide if you want a "Mayberry" like resort where nothing ever changes, all sites are private, and there are not transient sites for daily rental - or if you would like your friends with campers to come and visit you with their own rigs. A lot of places are eliminating all their daily rental sites since they can sell them or lease them (like you are considering) for much more revenue and better tax advantages. (This personally gets my goat, because we like to go somewhere new half-the-time, and there are entire locales that have recently lost hundreds of daily RV spots.)

And, don't rule out 1-3 year old campers already on a site, sometimes you can find a distressed seller and you can get a good deal, take over a lease for cheap, and decide after a year whether or not to stay or move to another resort.

Finally - involve your whole family in choosing the camper and the resort! If everyone likes it, no matter what it is or where it is, you will have a great time!

[markzeke]

I will be coming up on my 4th season as a "resort renter" and I too knew nothing about campers when I started out. My two cents are as follows:

1. pick a lake that has a great swimming area and beach.

2. get a camper with at least 1 slide out.

3. build a deck under the awning to block the sun and rain.

4. I built a small storage shed on my lot because the kids will end up having tons of toys and outdoor games.

5. pick a smaller size resort, if possible. Some of the larger resorts I've been to are designed for the snowbirds coming back in the summer. (I am on my 2nd resort, lesson learned)

6. If you fish a lot, trailering your boat to the camper will give you the opportunity to fish lakes by your camper and your own area. Another reason is I've got a lot of money tied up in electronics, poles, lures, etc. that I feel the cost of the extra gas to trailer the boat is worth the peace of mind.

7. make sure to get 50 amp service. ask the resort owner how the electricity is wired, too. Our 1st resort was a real electrical nightmare. When we turned on our microwave the lights would dim, etc.

8. don't worry too much about the sewer. leave it plugged until it's over half full and when you pull the plug lever it will all drain. some people leave the plug lever open all the time and they have draining problems.

9. when I leave the camper after a weekend, I turn off the hot water heater and the outside water feed. that's about it for the water.

10. make sure to have the inside set up, tv, games, etc. because there will be weekends when it rains. I'm lucky enough to be close to alex so we can go to the movies, etc.

11. once you pick the right spot, just enjoy the heck out of it, my neighbors are great and the kids love the beach, etc.

feel free to email me if you have any questions. I remember being the new guy with a million questions (I still have a bunch).

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