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I am new to this particular forum and wanted to ask you veterans of rv and camping something ... since you are the experts here, and I am not as of
YET !
I have been approached by the owner of a business that sells park model rv's to market and sell a new line for him. I really LOVE the idea of these park models, the LOOK to me, is outstanding, for a product like this.
HOWEVER .....
I don't know enough about the market imho. I can tell you this, if it were me who was at an rv site (obviously the same one for the whole season or longer) this is what I would prefer to live in, now that's just me.
Please tell me YOUR thoughts ......
good ??? bad ???? why ????? love em ??? hate em ??? why?
Of course this question is for those that don't hitch up and travel the road of course - this is mainly directed to those who would consider staying in a community for the season or in warmer weather year round.
This is the general idea - can be log or shingled etc, can have porches, or lofts, they can be custom ...
I wouldn't be interested at this time because we want to follow the seasons when we "retire" soon, but I've met a few full-timers who have mentioned getting one. I never grilled them on why, so how about you tell me. What's their advantage over a large 5th wheel? What's the advantage over a mobile home? Are they built to RV codes or to mobile home codes? Do they have plumbing, toilets, water heaters and kitchen appliances like a stixNbrix, mobile home or RV?
I wandered through several different ones, in different parks, last October in northern Arizona while looking at potential full-time retirement towns. I wanted to like them, because of the price. I really wanted to like them.
I came to the decision that they were just too small for me. Bad use of space in most of them. Nine out of ten had a built in stereo hogging a cupboard. Not enough storage - high ceilings to make them look larger, but unused empty spaces with no cupboards in the kitchen area.
The ones that had screened Arizona rooms were marginally better - because it basically doubled the footprint of the home.
I talked to people who lived in them as a weekender and they liked them. The one lady I talked to who lived in hers full-time had added on 2 Arizona rooms plus a carport so it was 3 times the size of the original home
I am new to this particular forum and wanted to ask you veterans of rv and camping something ... since you are the experts here, and I am not as of
YET !
I have been approached by the owner of a business that sells park model rv's to market and sell a new line for him. I really LOVE the idea of these park models, the LOOK to me, is outstanding, for a product like this.
HOWEVER .....
I don't know enough about the market imho. I can tell you this, if it were me who was at an rv site (obviously the same one for the whole season or longer) this is what I would prefer to live in, now that's just me.
Please tell me YOUR thoughts ......
good ??? bad ???? why ????? love em ??? hate em ??? why?
Of course this question is for those that don't hitch up and travel the road of course - this is mainly directed to those who would consider staying in a community for the season or in warmer weather year round.
This is the general idea - can be log or shingled etc, can have porches, or lofts, they can be custom ...
I could definitely see them as a second home if I wanted to go back and forth to the same place. It could be very practical to save the time and cost of hauling an rv trailer if you stay in one place - winter in the same general area or summer in the same general area. It would be easy enough to jump in a car to get there and have the second home waiting for you.
I wouldn't be interested at this time because we want to follow the seasons when we "retire" soon, but I've met a few full-timers who have mentioned getting one. I never grilled them on why, so how about you tell me. What's their advantage over a large 5th wheel? What's the advantage over a mobile home? Are they built to RV codes or to mobile home codes? Do they have plumbing, toilets, water heaters and kitchen appliances like a stixNbrix, mobile home or RV?
Im still learning but from what i understand the advantage is the look period. they are built as far as i understand to rv codes, and yes they have flush plumbing, kitchen appliances but i dont know about the water heaters - but I will find out about it for you!!!!! You can also add a loft, which isnt counted in the 400 sq footage for rv resort parks, imho its the look that matters most to people ... BUT i could be wrong
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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They have both advantages and disadvantages over an RV. (full sized appliances / plumbing fixtures, rather than $$$ RV custom, AND likely more suited for living permanently outdoors... RV's are not happy in my 120" (250 days) rain / yr climate. BUT... you just don't 'hitch-and-go' with a Park Model (PM))
I feel PM's are terribly expensive for the product. I would look at other 'modular' options. (I might look to have some structural foam ones built). You can often get 'new' un-delivered double wide modulars from factories for under $50k (Someone else has paid the 'down', and walked away from the deal). You can buy very nice double wides in existing parks quite cheap. (< $30k).
More discussion of the idea of having them (PM / or RV's) as a (Fly / Drive) second home would be appreciated. I am looking at buying some campgrounds near CHEAP airports in decent destinations with anticipation folks might want to (Fly / drive). As long as the place cash flows enough to give me a spot for free, I would be happy. I will leave one of my 50 MPG VW's at each site for 'local' travel.
The short answer to the marketing scheme is that these park models are actually small mobile homes being marketed to a group of people for whom living in a mobile home park would not be appealing. Change the name and image to suit the demographic and, presto, you open up a new market.
A middle class retiree who wouldn't dream of becoming trailer trash in a mobile home park is fine with the concept of calling a 12-foot wide trailer home in an RV park.
It's a fairly recent phenomena in the "RV" market.
You say you've been approached by a business owner to sell these units, but I'm not clear if it's at the factory to dealer level or at the end consumer level.
Extended season or full season RV parks don't make their money off the lot rentals -- the money is in the sale of the units themselves. Margins on a park model are quite nice and when the add-ons of a deck, Florida room, or landscaping package are thrown in, there's a good chunk of change involved. That's why you'll find that many RV parks which cater to park models also sell units. Many of those same parks (for obvious reasons) will not allow an outside unit to be brought onto their premises.
From a selling stand-point, I suspect it's a lot easier to move units if you're working with a park that has sites available rather than working on a dealer lot with no firm end assurance of an end destination.
Not sure what the situation is in various states, but, here in Ontario, municipal governments have just recently realized that park model RV parks don't fit the conventional RV park model -- that, in fact, they are thinly disguised mobile home parks.
These same municipal governments are now claiming the units qualify as houses rather than as vehicles because they require an oversize permit in order to move on the public highway. As houses, the units are now being assessed for property taxes and park owners are being required to pull building permits to install the units, decks, Florida rooms, etc.
A Northlander park model dealer and park owner I was talking to last week mentioned the permits alone are adding up to $2000 to the purchase price of a unit.
One of the great appeals to RV park living was its relatively inexpensive nature. With increased government scrutiny and fees, this appeal is going to diminish and sales will likely suffer as a result.
The short answer to the marketing scheme is that these park models are actually small mobile homes being marketed to a group of people for whom living in a mobile home park would not be appealing. Change the name and image to suit the demographic and, presto, you open up a new market.
A middle class retiree who wouldn't dream of becoming trailer trash in a mobile home park is fine with the concept of calling a 12-foot wide trailer home in an RV park.
It's a fairly recent phenomena in the "RV" market.
You say you've been approached by a business owner to sell these units, but I'm not clear if it's at the factory to dealer level or at the end consumer level.
Extended season or full season RV parks don't make their money off the lot rentals -- the money is in the sale of the units themselves. Margins on a park model are quite nice and when the add-ons of a deck, Florida room, or landscaping package are thrown in, there's a good chunk of change involved. That's why you'll find that many RV parks which cater to park models also sell units. Many of those same parks (for obvious reasons) will not allow an outside unit to be brought onto their premises.
From a selling stand-point, I suspect it's a lot easier to move units if you're working with a park that has sites available rather than working on a dealer lot with no firm end assurance of an end destination.
Not sure what the situation is in various states, but, here in Ontario, municipal governments have just recently realized that park model RV parks don't fit the conventional RV park model -- that, in fact, they are thinly disguised mobile home parks.
These same municipal governments are now claiming the units qualify as houses rather than as vehicles because they require an oversize permit in order to move on the public highway. As houses, the units are now being assessed for property taxes and park owners are being required to pull building permits to install the units, decks, Florida rooms, etc.
A Northlander park model dealer and park owner I was talking to last week mentioned the permits alone are adding up to $2000 to the purchase price of a unit.
One of the great appeals to RV park living was its relatively inexpensive nature. With increased government scrutiny and fees, this appeal is going to diminish and sales will likely suffer as a result.
interesting concept - but from what i know of nys at least, you cant pay property taxes on land you dont own .... only rent
interesting concept - but from what i know of nys at least, you cant pay property taxes on land you dont own .... only rent
The same concept exists in Ontario, but the park models themselves are still being designated as taxable structures rather than vehicles with the bill being assessed against the land owner. That cost is then passed on to the park model owner.
The same concept exists in Ontario, but the park models themselves are still being designated as taxable structures rather than vehicles with the bill being assessed against the land owner. That cost is then passed on to the park model owner.
all our models meet hud standards of no larger than 400 sq ft and no larger than 40ft - so in this case i dont think it would apply
NOW maybe in regard to modular homes? which is something totally different ...... you cant be taxed on a property where you don't own the land ... from what i understand
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the LOOK to me, is outstanding, for a product like this.
