RV Park for Full Timers

[Jim]

I'm thinking about building an RV Park strictly for full timers. At first glance, I think I would want a minimum of a 6-months lease for each site. Sites would be similar to what we currently have at Deer Springs RV Park. Each site with full hookups, deck/gazebo. Some with refrigerators/ice makers/etc. All back in sites that accommodate any length RV. Lots of room between sites. Internet, water, sewer included. Guest pays their own electricity.

Is there a demand for this? And if so, what is the expected monthly rate?

TIA

Jim

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Of course there is demand!

Rent depends on location.
Location should be close enough to possible work, that commuters can travel to work.
Month to month with discount for lump upfront payment of rent. This could be 6mo or 12mo discounts.
Personally all tenants would be month to month for a trial period, to weed out undesirables.
My preference for long term would only have gazebo, and storage shed, Maybe in an integral unit.

In some counties I az a common area (park), is required. This can offer BBQ facilities and benches.

I know if you go there it will be a desired addition to the community!!!

 

[Jim]

Of course there is demand!

Rent depends on location.
Location should be close enough to possible work, that commuters can travel to work.
Month to month with discount for lump upfront payment of rent. This could be 6mo or 12mo discounts.
Personally all tenants would be month to month for a trial period, to weed out undesirables.
My preference for long term would only have gazebo, and storage shed, Maybe in an integral unit.

In some counties I az a common area (park), is required. This can offer BBQ facilities and benches.

I know if you go there it will be a desired addition to the community!!!

Storage shed is normal?

 

[John&Andrea]

I believe there is a demand, sounds like a good idea.

 

[J&JD]

@Jim ,
Obviously you have spent a great deal of time speaking with full timers visiting your facility which, I’m assuming, is why you posed the question.
The few full timers that I have spoken to all seem to be the nomadic type that move quite often and not necessarily just for the seasons. Are there really that many full timers that like to spend 6 months in a spot other than snow birders?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Obviously you have spent a great deal of time speaking with full timers visiting your facility which, I’m assuming, is why you posed the question.
The few full timers that I have spoken to all seem to be the nomadic type that move quite often and not necessarily just for the seasons. Are there really that many full timers that like to spend 6 months in a spot other than snow birders?

The appeal of the RV lifestyle is the ability to move on!

That said. Many of those that shed the roots to be rolling stones, at one time or another want to drop the proverbial anchor. This may vary in time, but, it happens to most.
What is clear is that those that are not looking for the exit, still want the ability to leave an undesirable environment.
As an example, I would never consider a lease, you never know what will move in next door. Although I might be tempted to pay months in advance. In the depths of my soul, I would be reminded of bad actors that destroyed my joy while being trapped due to ownership, or lease, into that bad situation.

I imagine Jim would target a different group than what I am a part!! If he didn't, financially it would likely not serve him well, so his survey should exclude my kind( honestly I mean that). I am going to live forever, so I am not going to consider nessisity.

 

[Joe Hogan]

My $0.02, There maybe some tax implications with extended stay in NC.
Jim do you currently pay Occupancy Tax. If not, would long term folks require that?
Also, for extended stay out of state vehicles , NC has been attempting to charging out of state RVs Personal Property Tax. Typically these Tax folks, based on my experience as a Tax Accountant early in my career, can be very aggressive. Don't think that has changed much, as a landlord here in FL the Sales Tax group is very aggressive.

https://www.ncrla.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/NC-Occupancy-Tax-Profile.-July-2018.-Version-5.0-Final.pdf

Types of Property to be Taxed | NCDOR

The three main elements of the property tax system in North Carolina are real property, personal property, and motor vehicles. Real property consists of land

www.ncdor.gov

Personal Property

Individual personal property includes boats, boat motors, jet skis, mobile homes, aircraft, and vehicles with permanent multi-year tags issued by the NCDMV.

www.brunswickcountync.gov

 

[LMHS]

I have been in my current park since 2019. The previous park was 2010-2015 and then 2016-2019 when we got booted because my 1986 bus conversion suddenly became "too old" and they implemented 6 pages of rules, one of which was a 10yr rule (it was an excuse as some of us were booted and others were not. I was complaining about the breakers plus I had recently quit my job cleaning the bathrooms. But they did keep the registered sex offender).

We tend to live in parks. I have also lived in a mobile home park. In the current park (NM), I pay $350 (up from $300) plus my electric is metered (0.11/KWH). We are not on a lease. We are monthlies. We are not subject to the room taxes because we are MONTHLY. This allows the park management/owners to kick anyone out without a big fuss (usually). This park is drug-free. And people have been kicked out because they were doing/selling drugs. It also allows us to leave any time without having to worry about "breaking a lease". This is still part of the Permian Basin and there are a lot of transient workers in the oil fields. There is a big demand. The rental houses/apartments here are either dumps with leaking roofs (why fix the roof when it mostly doesn't rain), over priced or both.

I consider my bus (and the truck camper) to be a rolling apartment/hotel room. I am not your typical "RVer". Of the 23 occupied sites, I think there are 2 "retiree" sites in our current little park. The other 21 sites are working jobs.

Franklin is a tourist destination and I imagine a lot of your current customers are tourists. Most long term parks have the "locals" in it. Since the tourists in Macon County really don't like the locals, you may want to separate the two.

Also, as a general rule, the "overnighters" loathe the "permanents". Especially if the "permanents" hold down jobs.

Don't forget to check with the County. They may decide that you would be a mobile home park. You need to make sure of the differences.

 

[NWIP]

Demand will be based on location, but yes there is a demand. I think interest would come from 2 types of of full timers, both not wanting to fight the weather (snow and cold).
Type 1: those that want very economical cost 4-6 months
Type 2: those that consider location/amenities a priority but cost is also considered

We FT for 3 years not wanting to sit for too long but did try to follow warmer climates. We researched cost of ownership in many location for educational purposes only. We ended up purchasing RV lot based on location, weather and cost in that order.

I know people including family that lease, most are 12 month terms with rates varying $600-1200 monthly. Higher the monthly rate the less travel seems to take place.

 

[Jim]

@Jim ,
Obviously you have spent a great deal of time speaking with full timers visiting your facility which, I’m assuming, is why you posed the question.
The few full timers that I have spoken to all seem to be the nomadic type that move quite often and not necessarily just for the seasons. Are there really that many full timers that like to spend 6 months in a spot other than snow birders?

LOL, no, not really. We get very few full timers that I know of. But lately I've been getting a rash of calls from people who are asking what our monthly rate is, and how long they would be allowed to stay. Several of them expressed interest in 6 months and longer.

So on a whim, I asked Trish what she thought. The glare was terrible. I had no idea my lovely wife was capable of such a menacing look. But as the day went on, she calmed down. With any luck, I will have some wine in her shortly. I'm just looking for ideas so that when she mentions the idea this evening, I will have my ducks lined up.