The Effect of High-Priced Real-Estate on RV'g

[Fly at Night]

This is not directly related to Airstream, but is a general observation on sky-rocketing real-estate prices and the RV weekend getaway alternative.

Principal residences/vacation homes here are very expensive. At one time, the average family could afford to purchase a holiday cabin that was a comfortable driving distance or a 45 min. ferry-ride from Vancouver. That is no longer the case.

So, the RV has now become the "weekend cabin." Families are parlaying their home equity into a RV. The RV park developers have responded and they can't build parks within a two-hour drive from Vancouver fast enough. The provincial campgrounds also fill up quickly when the weather is nice. Good luck getting into one w/o a reservation! The other day I passed a theme-park that was once known as "The Flintstones' Bedrock City." It is now being developed into a strata RV park: $30,000 for the RV and $100,000 for the lot = $130,000; considerably cheaper than the 1M cabin at Whistler or the Gulf Islands. An alternative that still builds a wealth of memories for families and their kids; swimming, weenie roasts etc.

Good news for the RV dealers here. I suspect it will become a trend in other cities with rising real-estate costs.

[masseyfarm]

I am not sure your theory holds true for some of the US areas where the housing price may have not bottomed out yet?
You should buy land there now.
U.S. housing crisis: Neighbours organize

And if you are not old enough to remember the big jump in interest rates in the late 70's and early 80's and what it did to the RV and boat market, and the housing market, you should read up on it.


Pay CASH and enjoy life.

Dave

[purman]

Yeah, I remember taking 101 up to Earls Cove and Egmont in the late 80's and early 90's. All those nice cabins on the cost, bet they go for a fortune now.

[cameront120]

If you're willing to drive more than a couple of hours, or take more than one ferry ride, and can live with not being right on the water, there are plenty of options that would compete with that crowded, $130,000 RV park or $1,000,000 Whistler cabin. Neither of which are appealing options to my way of thinking.

[dkottum]

Here in Minnesota there is more water-shore than any other state, formerly with a bounty of low cost cabins to buy, and little rv resorts to visit. Not anymore, cabins are being replaced by terribly inappropriate mini-mansions and the little rv resorts sold for various development. The state park trend is to move campsites away from the water.

Sad to see, we got in early with a cabin (which is beginning to feel like our Airstream in an rv park filling with big motorhomes), but have lost our favorite sites in the northeast over the years. Still much good primitive tent camping out there. Not as easy for me as it used to be, but I would surely encourage young families to do it.

doug k