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Question Sold the House, Buying a 5th Wheel!

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LaineyBug_AZ

RVF Regular
Joined
Feb 14, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Chandler, AZ
RV Year
2021
RV Make
Vanleigh
RV Model
Beacon
RV Length
41
Fulltimer
Yes
Hubby & I have sold our home here in Phoenix and since prices are stupid high (great on the seller side, crappy on the buyer side!), we opted to wait out the craziness and just buy a 5th wheel until we find the land to build on. I'm a little anxious about downsizing from our very spacious 4,200 sf down to barely 500 sf! Most of the contents of our home as well as our pontoon boat are a few miles away in storage facility. We could rent a house but why throw $3K+/mo away to a landlord when we can keep most of it and own the 5th wheel we've always wanted anyway. Right? This should be fun! LOLOL

We are headed out to the LaMesa RV Show at the Cardinals Stadium today. We know we want absolutely want a Front living Room model. So far, I'm loving the Grand Design Solitude 380FL and the Heartland Bighorn. Are there any others I should look at for year-round living? Considering that we will eventually have our kids and grandkids for trips, we love the split floorplan-type of idea of the Solitude with the master suite to the rear with its own bathroom, kitchen in the middle w/ the powder room bathroom (for the kids and company), and the living room at the front where the kids will sleep on the pullout beds. What other 5th wheels out there have similar setup with two bathrooms? I am not interested in a toy hauler because they do not feel like "home", however, hubby likes the idea of the rear patio and I can use the back to store stuff and it can also be my office. But I'm all about having something that feels spacious and feels like a house.. if that's even possible! We're a GC and I work at home all day bidding jobs and stuff so I'll be in it quite a lot.

Buying from a dealer vs private party. Thoughts? Pros and cons? Cash or finance? I heard cash was king in getting a better deal. I also heard best place to finance was OneAZ Credit Union here in AZ. Anyone use them? We can pay cash, however, would prefer to finance since I'd rather keep the green in the bank. Can pay cash and then refinance too.

Anyone here in the Phoenix area? Are there any long-term RV resort-type places near Scottsdale? We work mostly in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley and it would be ideal to be closer to there than say down here in Gilbert.

Very anxious to start this new journey so all we'll do today is look at several models, take notes, and check in to see what kind of recommendations you throw our way! We close on the sale of our house on Feb 25th so hoping to find the ONE within a week's time.

Thank you all for any help you can provide!!
 
Welcome to RVF, @LaineyBug_AZ, glad to have you join us here. Sounds like you are ready for a new adventure.

You don’t mention whether you will also be purchasing a tow vehicle, but that is probably one of the most important considerations. And, don’t listen to what the trailer salesperson says you can tow your purchase with. He/she is in the business of selling trailers, not providing towing guidance. ?

The Grand Design line gets great reviews and seems to be in the topof-the-line category. Now, with a 5th wheel that size, you really need a substantial tow vehicle, not just one that the numbers (or sales person) says “will work.” You need a tow vehicle that is capable of towing far more than what the numbers say in order to be safe. We towed a large 5th wheel for many years before moving to a motorhome and used a Ford F-350. Personally, I would never go with less than a one-ton chassis as a tow vehicle for a larger 5th wheel.

Good luck.

TJ
 
Welcome to RVF, @LaineyBug_AZ, glad to have you join us here. Sounds like you are ready for a new adventure.

You don’t mention whether you will also be purchasing a tow vehicle, but that is probably one of the most important considerations. And, don’t listen to what the trailer salesperson says you can tow your purchase with. He/she is in the business of selling trailers, not providing towing guidance. ?

The Grand Design line gets great reviews and seems to be in the topof-the-line category. Now, with a 5th wheel that size, you really need a substantial tow vehicle, not just one that the numbers (or sales person) says “will work.” You need a tow vehicle that is capable of towing far more than what the numbers say in order to be safe. We towed a large 5th wheel for many years before moving to a motorhome and used a Ford F-350. Personally, I would never go with less than a one-ton chassis as a tow vehicle for a larger 5th wheel.

Good luck.

TJ
Hi TJ, we have the tow vehicle, a GMC Sierra 2500HD which will be upgraded to a Dodge Ram 3500 because for the size of what we want to tow, that Sierra isn't going to really cut it. PLUS, the GMC has the WORST turning radius which is the 1st reason we'd get rid of it. For the time being, the RV will be stationary so not concerned with towing it any time soon. My biggest concern is space, quality, and affordability. The downsizing is going to kick my butt! However, I just have to remember it's only temporary. But temporary might feel like forever! We did opt for the Vanleigh Beacon 41FLB and signed all of the papers today. We can cancel any time. Hubby is having 2nd thoughts about the $130K price tag but I do see that these units hold their value pretty well. Even a used one is pricey.


Welcome to RVF, @LaineyBug_AZ, glad to have you join us here. Sounds like you are ready for a new adventure.

You don’t mention whether you will also be purchasing a tow vehicle, but that is probably one of the most important considerations. And, don’t listen to what the trailer salesperson says you can tow your purchase with. He/she is in the business of selling trailers, not providing towing guidance. ?

The Grand Design line gets great reviews and seems to be in the topof-the-line category. Now, with a 5th wheel that size, you really need a substantial tow vehicle, not just one that the numbers (or sales person) says “will work.” You need a tow vehicle that is capable of towing far more than what the numbers say in order to be safe. We towed a large 5th wheel for many years before moving to a motorhome and used a Ford F-350. Personally, I would never go with less than a one-ton chassis as a tow vehicle for a larger 5th wheel.

Good luck.

TJ
 
Last edited:
Welcome from Georgia!
 
Congratulations on taking that big step! My husband and I are both retired and he wants to sell our house and live in an RV and travel for a year before purchasing another home. We are not new to RVing, but we are looking to buy a new to us RV. I am holding back, I can't imagine not having a home base to return to. He is soon to be 69 and I am 65. I feel we are getting too old to do something that drastic! My kids are even saying go for it, I just can't !
 

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