RV/Mobile Park in East Side/South King Counties (Seattle: RV parks, apartment)

[Melissa82]

My husband and I are looking in to purchasing an RV instead of renting a house/apartment but we are not sure where we can live in it in the area of Eastside Seattle or South King County. I have a service dog and an indoor only cat. Any suggestions for places we can look in to? Thanks! Our budget is $450 max a month.

[Hemlock140]

There are a few close in but figure more like $700+ monthly for RVs. Trailer parks, on the other hand, cost less but usually do not allow RVs, only mobile homes, and are becoming rare and more expensive on the eastside. Due to the price of land, it has become more cost effective to build houses or condos on the properties. Those left are south, like Puyallup, Kent or Auburn. Most do not advertise prices, you have to contact them for rates on vacant spaces.

[cocaseco]

Yep, Hemlock is right about prices. I'm currently living in one while i finish my relocation. It works good, but not as cheap as you might think.

[mkarch]

There's a rather large one in the industrial part of Ballard. Rates are very low...

[grammyR]

There are a bunch of mobile homes available right now in the Renton Highlands area off 4th Street both 55 plus and all a couple of all age communities. You can buy a oretty nice one for under $25,000 not sure about renting though.

[Melissa82]

Thanks. We are this_close to buying a 5th wheel. Does the same go in terms of looking for a location to hook up? $700 a month seems a but unreal.

[cocaseco]

Originally Posted by Melissa82

Thanks. We are this_close to buying a 5th wheel. Does the same go in terms of looking for a location to hook up? $700 a month seems a but unreal.

Are you asking if there is any difference between a fifth wheel and RV in terms of hook ups and price? No, they are all the same.

And remember, that won't include electricity. You will be metered for actual use.

[Ira500]

This place is right on the lake.
Bryn Mawr Beach RV Park in Seattle WA

[poopskooper]

I'm an RVer also so I used to keep somewhat abreast of the availability and prices not only in the Seattle area but many locations I stay frequently. I now have property that I stay when in western WA but to confirm those monthly rents, I'll give you some examples from a few of the prominent parks on the eastside. There may be a few in south King County where you'll be able to get close to the $450/month rate but, yes, the "nicer" eastside parks will be around that $700/month figure. Keep in mind that RV parks in general are rather scarce in the Seattle area and sometimes are difficult to book spaces especially in the summer. Many mobile home parks will not take RVs and vise versa. Mobile homes or manufactured homes will have their axles and wheels removed and therefore are considered more permanent than RVs which will keep their axles and wheels in place.

Also remember that the "lower priced" RV parks and mobile home parks are sometimes not nice places to live. The lower priced ones cater to those who can't afford to live anywhere else and usually have lots jammed close together, people living in old and ugly trailers, and park itself is generally not well kept. There is also more crime, more domestic disputes, drugs, etc. When on the road, I purposely avoid staying at the lower priced parks because from experience, they're not places "normal" folks want to stay not to mention living in a long period of time.

To me, it's not pleasant in just about any RV park when they are at their capacity as you will sometimes feel very smothered. Remember, they want to squeeze as many spaces into their property as possible so some have very narrow sites and your neighbors in back and to the sides are very close, so close that sometimes you can hear normal conversations inside the next RV because of the close proximity and the poorly insulated walls most RV will have.

These three are the nicer RV parks on the eastside but are usually in high demand and difficult to book:

Issaquah Village RV Park ($625-850) =click for rates

Blue Sky RV Park -just east of Issaquah near Preston (starting at $650) =click for rates

Nor'West in North Bend ($525-575 but I believe their rates have risen recently) =click ...this is a nice park for the price if you can get in

There is an RV park in Eastgate, obviously very convenient, but it is booked heavily and is essentially a sloped asphalt parking lot with spaces extremely close together. =click for Google satellite image. Probably not somewhere that you'd want to live for any length of time but for a few days, it's okay. Trailers Inn RV park =click I've heard they will give a discount for monthly rates but will still be in the $700+ range (from what I hear).

I haven't kept up with what's available in the south end of the county for quite a few years now but one I did hear of that somebody mentioned to me is Willow Vista in Kent. They claim their monthly rates start at $445 =click for rates, so you may want to investigate further into that park. Again, it is a park where you feel squeezed in and I'm not sure if I'd want to "live" in someplace like that or not. =click for Google satellite view

You may be able to find a combination mobile home and RV park which will accommodate you in King County. I know several in Thurston County ...let me know if you need the names of those parks.

Although I've been a full-time RVer, my living constituted moving around and not staying at any one park for any length of time. I'm not sure if I'd want to live in a 5th-wheel trailer permanently in one spot for a long period of time. I think there are better alternatives.

[poopskooper]

Originally Posted by Ira500

This place is right on the lake.
Bryn Mawr Beach RV Park in Seattle WA

Never head of that one. I'll have to take a closer look. Great find!