You know people live at the RV park when...

[m.hony]

1. There is a lawn mower at their site.
2. There is a deep freeze at their site.
3. There are canvas sheds erected at their site.
4. They have enough firewood for a Minnesota winter.
5. They have permanent wooden steps to their trailer.
6. They have residential patio furniture and fire pits.
7. There is so much stuff under the trailer that it would take a week to pack.
8. They have a semi permanent sewer hose support.
9. Their water line is insulated or protected from a seedeater.
10. The tire covers are on.

[SteveH]

It's the truth, but the fact of the matter is, living in an RV in an RV park is a whole lot better than some of the places I've seen people live, and in this country too.

I think they could make it look a little less "lived at", however.

[knunut]

And there is a Huge propane tank attached.

[mstephens]

Parks have different rules. I like the ones which keep a lid on how much stuff you can pile up at the trailer site. It's cool to live there, but it is less cool to have a mountain of junk on the site.

Living in an RV park can be pretty darn efficient for people with small income. I've seen nice parks for as little as $225/mo. How ya gonna beat that if you are on a small fixed income? I am very much a promoter of this to people with problems keeping up with an ever-rising cost of living. Of course the range of places is enormous. There are the old decrepit "trailer courts" and then there are nicer vacation-style places that are very pleasant.

Sorry for the ramble!

[Jim Clark]

On our trip last week we met 2 couples who were living in the park permanently. Couple 1 the husband was a retired Engineer and the wife was the Manager of an Allstate Insurance Disaster Team. The wife was rehabbing from a hip replacement. They flew in their grandchild to visit often.

Couple 2, husband was a retired UAW worker and wife had MS. He had rented out their home up north. Bob stated, had they stayed up north they would be stuck inside their home all winter with very little interaction with others. I met him on the fishing pier where he was catching bait fish as he was going fishing on a party boat in the morning. The park had all the necessary equipment to provide for his wife's mobility needs.

I did not see their rigs but they were all very happy and glad to live by the water and sand for such a reasonable cost.

In this case I can say you know people who are living at the RV park by the smiles on their faces.

[Lily&Me]

I think for some it is a choice, and they are happy about it, but for others it is a last-ditch, desperate act to avoid homelessness.


Maggie

[knunut]

I grew up in a single wide and have a picture of it in our house. It reminds me of those times. Its ironic that now in retirement i return to a trailer .(and its smaller)

[rogerdodger]

Originally Posted by m.hony

1. There is a lawn mower at their site.
2. There is a deep freeze at their site.
3. There are canvas sheds erected at their site.
4. They have enough firewood for a Minnesota winter.
5. They have permanent wooden steps to their trailer.
6. They have residential patio furniture and fire pits.
7. There is so much stuff under the trailer that it would take a week to pack.
8. They have a semi permanent sewer hose support.
9. Their water line is insulated or protected from a seedeater.
10. The tire covers are on.

Yes, my wife and I were traveling in northern California, came upon an RV park with most tenants had 8 out of 10 of the above. And not retirees, but some looked more like just released prisoners, or "gang" members. We did a u-turn and kept going. Kind of scary.
I do like the idea of retiree parks, lots of people on small incomes can live comfortably.

[ventport]

There is a Camaro up on blocks next to the trailer. There is indoor outdoor carpeting next to the trailer with grass growing through it.

[PhilipKS]

I resemble some of that! But at least I can change my address with a few hours of work. The Airstream is mine, and I've lived in smaller, much less pleasant spaces, so why not?

[mstephens]

"Small space" living is all the rage. They are building 290 sf apartments in San Francisco and renting them as fast as they can be built. The days of all new families wishing and hoping for a 3,000 sf house might be coming to a close.

With job security going the way of the buggy whip, people need to be light, mobile, ready to go. If I had extra dough to invest, I'd be thinking of making facilities for this kind of mobile crowd.

[Stefrobrts]

My husband and I lived in a single wide in a park shortly after college. Nicest neighbors we ever had! When we were in a bad car accident, somehow word got out and the next day our neighbors had dragged our garbage can out to the curb for us since it was garbage day. That really touched me. I loved living there, I'd take our puppy for a walk around the park, and it would take an hour or more because everyone called us up to sit on the porch for a bit so they could visit. I'd be happy to retire to a place like that again someday.

[mstephens]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

I'd be happy to retire to a place like that again someday.

We just did. Take possession this Thursday. We're camped out now a mile away waiting for escrow to close! Rented the stick house out.

[lightng]

After 10 months of being unemployed I was sooo glad I had held onto my AS. Other wise I would have been one of those homeless professionals they do interviews with on the Morning show. I stayed at a Fair grounds for a year and a half till I found a respectable park- no cars on blocks, no druggies, no kids running around without diapers on. It is a 55 and over park. I'm 50. I put my deceased Mother's name on the app. They where happy to help me out. Not any problems w riff raff. I'm paying 405 a month plus electric. South of Seattle. No amenities there, but it is quiet and safe. If you AZ folks need a place for the summer there are plenty of spaces left.
Woodside Manor, Bonney Lake, WA.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by m.hony

1. There is a lawn mower at their site.
2. There is a deep freeze at their site.
3. There are canvas sheds erected at their site.
4. They have enough firewood for a Minnesota winter.
5. They have permanent wooden steps to their trailer.
6. They have residential patio furniture and fire pits.
7. There is so much stuff under the trailer that it would take a week to pack.
8. They have a semi permanent sewer hose support.
9. Their water line is insulated or protected from a seedeater.
10. The tire covers are on.

Further evidences:
1. They have cars registered locally
2. They bought cars locally
3. They have very mature plants
4. They have chimineas/fire pits
5. They have gas grills
6. The trailer has tall grass under it
7. The trailer has bare dirt under it
8. The trailer ha a step ladder under it
9. It's a 5th wheel with a sedan in front
10. It's a 40' trailer with a hatchback
Yep. They live here. That trailer ain't moved in months/years.
I ain't knockin' it. Just making an observation. I would/will do the same thing. RV Park rent in DeSoto county- $475/month
Apartment rent in DeSoto county- $850/month
House note in DeSoto county- $1200/month
Hotel in DeSoto county- $3000/month
I can live in my Airstream someday when I am retired.

[m.hony]

And they have about 8 stabilizers...

[m.hony]

1. When their Harley is covered.
2. When their car is covered.
3. When their dogs know the way to the dog run.

[SteveH]

In the part of the world I live in, many people who have found work in the oil fields due to the boom created by the new fracking technologies, and the roaring subsidized wind energy industry, have actually become like migrant workers. So they live in their RV in a park.

There is so much of it, last year we lost two parks from our list that would accept rallys because they have so much business from the long term renters.

It's just a sign of the times down here.

[m.hony]

When the awning is staked to the ground.
When there is another refrigerator outside.
When they have semi-permanent picnic shelters or umbrellas.
When their dish antennas are semi-permanently mounted.
I will be that guy one day.

[m.hony]

They have someone come and power wash their trailer.
The have covers on their rear view mirrors and wiper blades.
The water supply line is insulated.