[Hope_Fox]

Hi!

I have a few questions about what model might be sensible (and tips on airstreams for sale) for my particular situation, and would greatly appreciate some advice!

My husband and I are building a new house and would ideally like to fix up an Airstream to live in for 1-2 years while we build, and to keep for traveling in after. We have two active boys, age 3 and 7, that we homeschool, so I am in the home with them most of the day.

I have been looking into 31 and 34 foot models as something that we could actually, theoretically live in year-round and travel in for a prolonged period without going crazy. Are they that much more expensive to tow (gas milage)? Any other cons that I should think about regarding going bigger?

Here's the catch: I have serious chemical sensitivities and would need to totally strip the interior and rebuild out of special materials. Luckilly we have a good budget for this, and if the day comes when we don't need it, there is a great resale market out there for people in this situation who are desperate for safe housing. Most airstreams that I see for sale are in moderate condition, and it would be a shame to pay more for something that we are just going to rip the interior out of. Could elements of the interior be resold to recoup costs? My guess is that we will be mostly replacing cooling/heating, water storage, appliances, etc anyway, since we may try to go 'off the grid' and will be looking for high efficiency. Any tips for particular Airstreams that are for sale now that would be suitable would be greatly appreciated. We live in Upstate NY and I am aware of how expensive it can be to get these puppies shipped.... my husband could probably do pick-up from ~400 miles away if the price is right.

We have a Honda Element and I have pretty much given up hope that it can tow anything of a size decent enough for our family to live in - is this a correct assumption? Could it tow a 19 - 21 foot airstream? Is there any way that a family of 4 could survive for a short time (up to a month of traveling) in an airstream of this size? There is one for sale cheap near us, it is tempting! We thought about fixing up a smaller trailer just so that I could sleep in it and spend some of my day in a healthier environment, it actually can make a big difference. We'd prefer, however, to be able to sell our current house outright, and live all together in the trailer and have it for traveling too....it's a question of finding the right one ASAP.

Thanks so much for your help!