Originally Posted by
LanghamP
This is an idea I've been kicking around for some years now, and finally finances and job might make it doable, but there seems to be just a pile of problems with owning a home with wheels on it.
Places to park a large motor-home can range in price from $0 to $100 per night in the USA. I would begin by looking into this very carefully. It likely will be your largest expense. Fuel is the next issue. 5 mpg? Even 10 mpg? And like any home you own, things will wear out and break costing you even more money and/or time. There are two ways to look at this financially:
1. How bad do I want to travel and live "on the road"? If it's your life's dream then the cost/savings is irrelevant, assuming you can afford to do it at all.
2. Do I want to OWN EVERY PROBLEM? My wife and I own a small house. That thing has STOLEN so much of my life it's ridiculous. I was much happier renting an efficiency apartment. Everything was included in my rent except utilities. Broken appliances, air conditioners, water leaks, electrical issues, paint, carpet, landscaping, and i even had access to a swimming pool that I never used. ALL COVERED! If I woke up to a dead refrigerator I would just call the management and like magic a new one would be there when I got home from work. Storm prep, not my problem. Storm damage, not my problem. Insurance, not my problem.
"A man builds a fine house and now he has a master and a task for life. He must watch it, show it, and keep it in repair the rest of his days." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
^^Same goes for owning cars and motor homes and houses. So if you LOVE the idea of gypsy living, DO IT. If you LOVE the idea of being a home "owner" (the house actually owns you), then DO IT! If you are doing it to "save" money I would not recommend it. You had better LOVE it, or you will hate it.
My two cents. Results may vary.