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I have a lot of respect for people who live unconventionally.
The housing/mortgage situation in this country is beyond absurd. It really shouldn't take up that much of our time and resources just for a place to sleep.
Families have gotten smaller, houses are much bigger, with more luxuries and more stuff, requiring more time at work, and less time to enjoy all that excess.
In a supposedly free country, it really shouldn't be all that scandalous to live in a van or whatever.
Marketing has shoved it down people's throats that you need to strive for 3000+ square foot houses regardless of family size, then subsequently stuff it with a bunch of crap. Then when you travel, you're "supposed to" spend $100-200+ per night to stay at overpriced hotels. As a result, people frown upon minimal living, although that trend has been reversing (slowly) in recent years. The growth of van/RV life, tiny houses, micro-apartments, etc. is bucking the "big house" trend a little.
More on the thread topic, I can see van life as a very tempting alternative to RVs. Easier to drive and park, better fuel economy, and potentially cheaper start-up costs.
Marketing has shoved it down people's throats that you need to strive for 3000+ square foot houses regardless of family size, then subsequently stuff it with a bunch of crap. Then when you travel, you're "supposed to" spend $100-200+ per night to stay at overpriced hotels. As a result, people frown upon minimal living, although that trend has been reversing (slowly) in recent years. The growth of van/RV life, tiny houses, micro-apartments, etc. is bucking the "big house" trend a little.
More on the thread topic, I can see van life as a very tempting alternative to RVs. Easier to drive and park, better fuel economy, and potentially cheaper start-up costs.
Van life is an alternative but I would think very short term dwelling. I would get tired of moving around all the time and space limitations. Also having no shower would get old quick.
Marketing has shoved it down people's throats that you need to strive for 3000+ square foot houses regardless of family size, then subsequently stuff it with a bunch of crap. Then when you travel, you're "supposed to" spend $100-200+ per night to stay at overpriced hotels. As a result, people frown upon minimal living, although that trend has been reversing (slowly) in recent years. The growth of van/RV life, tiny houses, micro-apartments, etc. is bucking the "big house" trend a little.
More on the thread topic, I can see van life as a very tempting alternative to RVs. Easier to drive and park, better fuel economy, and potentially cheaper start-up costs.
Living in a van is utterly ridiculous IMHO. However my dream would be to replace my Honda Civic with a Toyota 4Runner. So I could put a futon mattress in the back, and sleep in it when I go camping or for overnight trips. Not having to spend that $100 - $200 for a hotel would be a bargain, even with the increased gas usage. Especially when you can get a $12 shower at a travel center, and you don't have to worry about bed bugs when you sleep in your vehicle.
What I really don't understand is the extremes of people today. It's seems everybody either wants to live in a cramped little tiny house, or they want to live in a giant ugly McMansion. It's like there is no middle ground. What happened to the people who just want to live in a nice moderate size one or two bedroom house with a nice yard and a white picket fence? It's like that is not even a consideration these days.
I can see van life as a very tempting alternative to RVs.
Easier to drive and park, better fuel economy, and potentially cheaper start-up costs.
Put up a welcoming sign outside YOUR home.
Run a power cord or two and a garden hose down to the curb for them.
I'm sure they'll appreciate your viewpoint and share it with all the others
Living in a van is utterly ridiculous IMHO. However my dream would be to replace my Honda Civic with a Toyota 4Runner. So I could put a futon mattress in the back, and sleep in it when I go camping or for overnight trips. Not having to spend that $100 - $200 for a hotel would be a bargain, even with the increased gas usage. Especially when you can get a $12 shower at a travel center, and you don't have to worry about bed bugs when you sleep in your vehicle.
What I really don't understand is the extremes of people today. It's seems everybody either wants to live in a cramped little tiny house, or they want to live in a giant ugly McMansion. It's like there is no middle ground. What happened to the people who just want to live in a nice moderate size one or two bedroom house with a nice yard and a white picket fence? It's like that is not even a consideration these days.
Living in a van is utterly ridiculous IMHO. However my dream would be to replace my Honda Civic with a Toyota 4Runner. So I could put a futon mattress in the back, and sleep in it when I go camping or for overnight trips. Not having to spend that $100 - $200 for a hotel would be a bargain, even with the increased gas usage. Especially when you can get a $12 shower at a travel center, and you don't have to worry about bed bugs when you sleep in your vehicle.
What I really don't understand is the extremes of people today. It's seems everybody either wants to live in a cramped little tiny house, or they want to live in a giant ugly McMansion. It's like there is no middle ground. What happened to the people who just want to live in a nice moderate size one or two bedroom house with a nice yard and a white picket fence? It's like that is not even a consideration these days.
No one builds those anymore. And many - most? - of the older ones are too close in to the city centers to be moderately priced.
Folks who once bought those now buy condos instead.
No one builds those anymore. And many - most? - of the older ones are too close in to the city centers to be moderately priced.
Folks who once bought those now buy condos instead.
They don't build them, because nobody wants them. And I don't think the existing ones are only close to city centers. Many of them are in small towns. Of course the problem there, is there might not necessarily be jobs near by. Even the ones close to city centers are not necessarily overpriced. Detroit and Cleveland are filled with thousands of abandoned pre-1950 houses that nobody wants, at any price.
Another source is abandoned military housing. There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned military houses in this country that can be bought for as little as $10,000 or $15,000. Some of them get bought, the vast majority do not. They are just not what people are looking for. People will spend $15,000 to buy and convert a van, so they can squat in it at Slab City, but they won't pay $15,000 for a real house on a nearby abandoned military base. People nowadays are into extremes. They either want a tiny house or they want a McMansion.
They don't build them, because nobody wants them. And I don't think the existing ones are only close to city centers. Many of them are in small towns. Of course the problem there, is there might not necessarily be jobs near by. Even the ones close to city centers are not necessarily overpriced. Detroit and Cleveland are filled with thousands of abandoned pre-1950 houses that nobody wants, at any price.
Another source is abandoned military housing. There are hundreds of thousands of abandoned military houses in this country that can be bought for as little as $10,000 or $15,000. Some of them get bought, the vast majority do not. They are just not what people are looking for. People will spend $15,000 to buy and convert a van, so they can squat in it at Slab City, but they won't pay $15,000 for a real house on a nearby abandoned military base. People nowadays are into extremes. They either want a tiny house or they want a McMansion.
That's not necessarily true. 1-2 bedroom, 900 sq ft old houses in Seattle, for instance, sell for a good 300,000. And more, depending on their neighborhood. They are wanted, even houses with very serious defects in this price range don't stay on the market long. But you can't find a similar new house in Seattle for a similar price.
A developer who manages to find developable land in Seattle can't build a modestly-priced stand-alone house with a yard. It won't pencil out. The people in Seattle who need cheap houses are not going to be able to commute 200 miles or more to their $15,000 old houses.
Now you can find such houses in, say, Detroit. Would you actually want to live there? Believe me, I've thought seriously about it. And the answer is no, I don't wanna live there. Can't stand the weather. Anyplace in the US that I'd want to live apparently is also desirable to many other people.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Our upsized van camper has a full sized shower, fits in a STD parking spot and gets 18 -20 mpg. I add 'motor-aid' hw heaters / outdoor showers to my 52mpg station wagons.
When I travel, (for last 28 yrs) guest home lodging costs <$25/ night worldwide. (I have spent 300 days away in a yr, only 8 airport Hotels that yr, but a few months in vans in NZ and Australia.
I build 900-1500sf zero net energy homes and have no trouble selling them. I prefer a shop with apartment and rv hookups on a view acreage. I keep a few of these at favorite destinations. I rent out the main house and I stay for free. Deductable travel between homes.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 03-16-2019 at 11:02 PM..
Put up a welcoming sign outside YOUR home.
Run a power cord or two and a garden hose down to the curb for them.
I'm sure they'll appreciate your viewpoint and share it with all the others
What on earth are you talking about?? That I support van life means I support mooching off of others' resources? I never said that, but good leap of logic there.
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