Choosing A Home

In 2018, we made the decision to live in an RV full time. The next step was deciding what kind of home we would be buying; and make no mistake, the RV is your home. The decision needed to be every bit as careful as buying sticks and bricks.

We had many things to consider. Lyndsay's experience helped a lot. She'd tried to live in something while building it and it was a disaster. There were bare minimums we needed no matter what; changes could be made while living in it, but it had to be livable. As we were low income, up front and long term costs were major factors. We had to take Aurora into account, unlike most of the full timers that we've viewed online. And it wasn't like we could go ask friends for advice. The biggest benefit of buying sticks and bricks is that there are tons of other people that do it and advice is plentiful. No amount of research and watching videos made by the glitz and glam folks can fully prepare you for such a decision.



The other problem is that we're in Canada. Most of the full time RVers that you see online are American. When we went to the RV show in Winnipeg, there were five dealers all selling nearly identical models. There were no Airstreams to choose from, and they are extremely well built; Lyndsay has been in one. We simply have a much smaller selection available here than in America, which made everything that much more difficult.

Regardless, a decision needed to be made.

First, we agreed to buy used. New would be too expensive, even with a longer loan. There was no way we would ever qualify and the payments would be too high even if we did. We had the credit and income to get some fairly significant loans, but not that much.

Second, we wanted two bedrooms. There's nothing wrong with having a fold-away bed and sleeping in the living room. But on the other hand, having your child get out of bed and walk in on you while you and your spouse are having sex... We needed space for ourselves and our kid needed her own space where she could play away from us and store her toys. An intermediary living room and two bedrooms was considered a necessity so that we had time to cover ourselves if Aurora gets out of bed. Not the only reason, but definitely a significant one (and yes, during our time in the RV, this exact scenario has occurred - more than once). Also, as my wife has pointed out, it would help give Aurora a sense of normalcy. (And I quote: "It's not just about sex, you perv!")

Third, it had to be the right size. Too big and we would have trouble finding places to park. Too small and there was no way to have two bedrooms. This drastically reduced the number of options available.

Fourth, it had to be fully functional. Working heating, stove, fridge, freezer, electrical, shower. Alterations could be made as needed, but it was to be our home and it needed to function as a home.

Taking everything into account (especially having our own bedroom - bow chica wow wow), we looked at the three RV options: motor home, fifth wheel, travel trailer.

Motorhome

Pros: Well built and good for long term living. No need for a towing vehicle, so you can have a small car to get around when parked. Usually come with generators and inverters already installed, making it much easier to be off grid. Lots of storage. Easy to park out somewhere for a couple of days for free before moving on. Decent insulation.

Cons: Expensive up front. Expensive to repair. If it breaks down, parts are often hard to come by and your house is now in someone's shop - you have nowhere to live (this is a much bigger problem when you have (a) kid(s)). Getting one with two bedrooms is difficult as such models are uncommon, very large, parking them is more expensive and many places can't accommodate if the vehicle is too big.

Fifth Wheel

Pros: Well built and good for long term living. Easier to come across two-bedroom models. Solid foundations when parked. Easier to drive with than a motorhome or travel trailer. Decent storage. Generally better insulation.

Cons: Heavy, meaning you need a large towing vehicle that uses a lot of fuel even when not towing. Larger towing vehicles are more expensive up front and long term. No parking somewhere for free for a few days and then moving on. Many two bedroom fifth wheels are over 40 feet long, and we wanted no more than 34 feet.

Travel Trailer

Pros: Much cheaper for the size you can get. Two bedroom models existed in just the right size range. Could be pulled with a mid-sized truck that's relatively efficient when not towing. Parts are cheap compared to the other two options.

Cons: Not nearly as well built and not designed for long term living. Not nearly as much storage.  Modification required on most models for off grid living. Less insulation. As with the fifth wheel, can't be parked for free for a few days before moving on.

We went over these pros and cons for a very long time. Months. We went back and forth many times, looked at several sales lots and went to the RV show. In the end, the problems of size and number of bedrooms ended up being our primary considerations.

We picked the travel trailer.

And what can I say about it since then?

Tune in next Thursday for more "should I have done this!?"