Would like to live in 2 places after retirement...

[NotReady4Purple]

We had two homes pre-retirement due to a multi-year period when H had a job in Southern California. It made more sense to buy then then rent - so we did. It's a small house and we are able to handle it financially. We bought it before the recent explosion and subsequent collapse in local home values.

We have good neighbors (in both locations) so we do have folks who will let us know of any catastrophes. It's great to be able to not even need to pack when traveling.

[friar1610]

Very interesting thread. We have been retired in Vermont for 3 1/2 years. Although we're not there yet, we can see a time when a 1 - 3 month winter getaway might appeal to us. With real estate prices down, I've vaguely thought it might be a good time to buy a condo in a warm place, but reading the majority of the posts on this thread has reinforced my gut instinct that renting initially (and probably forever) would be the way to go for us.

For example, we NE types generally think of Florida or the Carolinas as "the" warm weather getaways and I'm sure we would like to try some of those places. But the Southwest also has appeal. Before buying in one place, we'd like to try a month in FL, maybe a month in the Carolinas and perhaps a multi-month drive across the country with a good stint in AZ or NM.

If we actually do that over the next 5 - 10 years, it may be time for a continuing care community anyway so buying a second home would be a moot point.

[rocketdog]

We kinda have two homes--a regular stick-built house in town (Portland), and we have a fifth wheel trailer parked on 120 acres of timberland located about 90 miles away, on the eastern side of the cascades where it is a lot sunnier. It has worked out well--we don't worry about it like we would a cabin, and yet it has all the comforts we need.
My aunt and uncle have a similar idea: they have a home in WA state, and then they drove a fifth wheel trailer down to CA or AZ for three months each year. Now they are too old to drive, they just store the trailer at the RV park, and it's ready for them when they need it each winter. I know RVs aren't for everyone--but they make cheap vacation homes, especially when you park them on land you own!

[Meadbh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotReady4Purple It's great to be able to not even need to pack when traveling.

Isn't that fun? Travel light: your jammies are at the other place!

[NotReady4Purple]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meadbh Isn't that fun? Travel light: your jammies are at the other place!

Yup - toothbrush too!

[brewer12345]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocketdog We kinda have two homes--a regular stick-built house in town (Portland), and we have a fifth wheel trailer parked on 120 acres of timberland located about 90 miles away, on the eastern side of the cascades where it is a lot sunnier. It has worked out well--we don't worry about it like we would a cabin, and yet it has all the comforts we need. My aunt and uncle have a similar idea: they have a home in WA state, and then they drove a fifth wheel trailer down to CA or AZ for three months each year. Now they are too old to drive, they just store the trailer at the RV park, and it's ready for them when they need it each winter. I know RVs aren't for everyone--but they make cheap vacation homes, especially when you park them on land you own!

Something I have always wondered: how do you get power, water, and sewer for the RV if it is parked on your land?

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 Something I have always wondered: how do you get power, water, and sewer for the RV if it is parked on your land?

My next door neighbor at my last house only had his RV and garage on 5 acres. He had an electric service, septic and well.

[Brat]

Ronstar describes a not uncommon arrangement in the PNW. Power is rarely an issue, sometimes a well is necessary, septic is almost always necessary. Check zoning.

We have a travel trailer as our get-away abode, built a canopy over the trailer so we didn't need to worry about leaks (often it is wise to check with an engineer to make sure you aren't building a land-sail. Only issue we had is when the power was out for a day during the last freeze and the water heater tank froze and split. When DH went to repair it he found that drain-downs were not functional.

Although we didn't buy one (we are cheap and didn't expect to use the trailer as long as we have), I think Arctic Fox is constructed to cope with the elements.

[rocketdog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 Something I have always wondered: how do you get power, water, and sewer for the RV if it is parked on your land?

We have a solar battery charger which supplies our limited electric needs, a year-round creek provides water, or we bring our own--we filter or boil the creek water (ever since we found the dead deer laying in the creek one spring), and we either bury or pack out the "sewage". How does one pack out sewage, you ask? We have a plastic tote that is designed specifically for moving RV sewage around.