Full timing not in camp???

[CPV]

New to the forum, and new to Airstreaming in general, and not an Airstream owner. I've adopted a somewhat minimalist lifestyle and live in a 672 square foot home, that is half empty. I'm thinking about living in an Airstream, not right now but in a few years. But I have no interest in living in a campsite. Is it possible to buy an acre, where zoning permits it, towing the Airstream on the land, and making a go of it? Is this crazy, impossible, common, etc?

[overlander63]

Welcome to the forums. Several people have used their Airstream to live in on their own property. This is not limited to Airstreams, either. I delivered an SOB to a customer to the top of a mountain, on several hundred acres. He is renting out the grazing rights to help pay his mortgage. Eventually, he will build a house in that location.

[richinny]

something to consider is heating if you want to do this up north. you'll need a source for electric power, water and a sewer. you can drive to fill the lp tanks or hook up to a house sized tank.

there are several threads about this. you can start with this list:
winter living - Google Search

[wahoonc]

I saw pictures somewhere, where someone built an insulated barn, parked the Airstream inside and was living in it. They had one side of the barn set up as a living room, and could use it in all but the coldest weather.

Yes you can live in an Airstream without living in a campground.

Aaron

[dwightdi]

We had a local member that had his Airstream permanently installed in a heated loft building in downtown Chicago. We have another, who has it in a barn and runs the farm properties from it on the weekends and runs his law business from his Chicago house during the week.

The one big negative about Airstreams is the poor insulation when you try to live in them up north during the winter. They are very air tight and condensation from your breath and cooking build up very quickly. The best thing you can do with an Airstream to make it livable in the winter is to hook it to a tow vehicle and tow it 1,500 miles due south. If you are at lower altitudes and south of Arkansas you will have not problems, other than finding an electrical and water supply. Usually you will have to buy more than 5 acres and conform to zoning codes, to live on your own property in your Airstream.

[StreamlineAK]

We rent land outside of city limits in a no- hoa subdivision. If you are looking into buying land, I would make sure there isn't in covenants that could cramp your style.

Not crazy, in fact, personally, it is incredibly smart.

[dkottum]

Airstreams are three season trailers, unless you head south in winter. You would be more successful building a tiny cabin than fitting an Airstream for winter.

But you may be able to live somewhere else in the winter months, returning to your Airstream in spring.

doug k

[Wazbro]

Something else that some people have started to do is convert a shipping container into a house.

[RoadHungry]

Originally Posted by dwightdi

We had a local member that had his Airstream permanently installed in a heated loft building in downtown Chicago. We have another, who has it in a barn and runs the farm properties from it on the weekends and runs his law business from his Chicago house during the week.

The one big negative about Airstreams is the poor insulation when you try to live in them up north during the winter. They are very air tight and condensation from your breath and cooking build up very quickly. The best thing you can do with an Airstream to make it livable in the winter is to hook it to a tow vehicle and tow it 1,500 miles due south. If you are at lower altitudes and south of Arkansas you will have not problems, other than finding an electrical and water supply. Usually you will have to buy more than 5 acres and conform to zoning codes, to live on your own property in your Airstream.

I would live to see pics of the Chicago project. That sound awesome