I just sold my house and am looking to park my butt in an apartment for a couple years while I look for the right piece of land and build a house. In my area, the rental market is ridiculously tight. Yeah, I can find a dump or live in the "hood" or pay a price gouge rent, but finding a decent, clean and affordable place has been elusive.

Just thinking out of the box, what if I just bought a 5th wheel and found a park to rent a space in for 2-3 years? I have never lived in a trailer or a park or I have no clue how they work or whether this is a stupid idea. Anyone have experience with this?

The other thing I was thinking is that when I do find the right parcel, it's going to take some time to do the permitting and development so maybe I can just move the trailer to my own land while I do all that?

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Rob

Have friends who did it while doing disaster clean up and I suspect a lot of the oil field guys do it when that was booming.

Definitely can be done and I suspect a lot of it depends on your personality. Can you live with yourself in small quarters?

As to land etc - that's probably up to wherever you buy and the local rules.

I do have a plan that in 5 years, I'll own land up in musky country here in Wisco with the idea of fishing out of it via trailer like you speak.

To be comfortable for that period you'll need an RV hookup: AC power, water and sewer. Plus phone and internet.

Loads of experience here, not a 5th wheel, but C class RV's and now a 29' travel Trailer. I'm in one 8 months a year. Also 29' trailer for a year in Juneau.

Benefits are "usually" low cost of living, space rent, electricity, and propane. Small space so heat and light are reasonable. If you're living in it and something breaks, pain in the arse if you have to break down the set up and drive it into town/shop. And if you need parts, RV is just like Marine, it's gonna cost more.

BIG drawback, no space if you're like me. Counter space for cooking is limited, at least in the one's I've had. Limited storage space for hunting, shooting, camping, fishing gear.

If you get a new 5th wheel, they can be set up a lot nicer than. Neighbor lady just baought a really nice spendy one, sliders all over, electric fireplace, big screen, etc.

I'm getting ready for a road trip in a few minutes. PM me if you'd like more info. I'll get back on the computer later this weekend.

Geno

I lived 2 years without a phone. No land line, no cell.

Was glorious.

Some of those 5th wheels are very comfortable. I'd have absolutely no problem living in one for a period of time if I knew something better was coming down the line.

Wife and I did it for 3 years. It was not a problem at all, but we had a pretty nice trailer, and that was moving from a 4,000 sf home.
A lot of places really mark up your power. Check that, and we burned about 15 gal. of propane a week in the winter. If you are going to winter, make sure that they will do a tank drop. (at least 100 gal).

Lot of folks did around here after the big fire 3 years ago.

If you're like me, you could live in one 'till the end of time.

I've spent a little bit of time living on the road. The biggest obstacle is finding a place to shower. Heat and air conditioning can be whipped easy enough, but takin' a shower needs some planning.

You can park it at a truckstop for nothing or a little more, but most of 'em will hit ya 10 bucks for a shower.

I can hang my hat just about anywhere.

If you can, try to swing your dream property sooner.

Life is short.

I wish the right piece of land made itself available soon. The drawback to doing either the apartment or a trailer is dumping money into it while I wait for the right opportunity. I am probably leaning more towards a cheap apartment because I can just walk away from it when it's time. Just trying to think out of the box and figure out my options though.

Ive been doing it for 4 years now while working. Fixing to do for a couple more years close to the Pitsburgh, PA airport when that job starts. Usually it's just me and I love to read, so I get along OK, in my 5th wheel. Gets a little cramped when the wife stays a week or two with my two cocker spaniel puppy girls. On an RV, something is always broke, cause they weren't made to live in, but you will learn quickly and be able to fix most things yourself with a little help from the RV internet websites and a pocket full of money.

Be sure to get one built for the climate you will be living in. Holding tank heaters if needed, two air conditioners if it's warm. A park model is great if you don't plan to use it for camping, lot better built.

Wife and I lived in a 35 footer while our home was being remodeled. We both worked so were not in it all day. Her 4 cats shared the space with us. Tight but we managed. With pop outs it would be more comfortable no doubt. Remember all that stuff that eats space guns,ammo and hunting gear will be hard pressed to store if your sharing the space with another person. Good luck.

Dont forget storage bill for your stuff.

fair amount of people doing it, need slideouts for the extra space, our third one is the first with slideouts, I found them a real nice addition.
Go to rvnet or irv2 lots of feedback from the people doing it, a lot of full timers on the sites.

If you will be living in moderate temp's., then you can do pretty well with most any decent 5th. wheel. If extreme temp's. will be encountered( -20/-30 winter lows and/or summer highs 100+), then a higher end "TRUE" 4 season unit would make life much more pleasant. My wife and I spent two Wyo. winters and one summer(we saw the temp.'s I mentioned)in a true 4 season (although older) unit, while our home was being built. We stayed comfortable, never froze a water line. However did experience a little frost build-up at some of the slide gasket sealing areas, and frost in the bedroom closet wall(in front nose of unit). The closet issue was easily resolved - keep the door open!! Water line to unit was heat traced and insulated. For the second winter we sealed-off the open area beneath the camper, which seemed to help a little with propane consumption. This was only a 34 ft. rig, we and two lap dogs did OK. We didn't have washer/dryer, so the trips to town "sucked". The newer/larger units offer much more creature comforts than did our old 1990 Teton. We purchased our present Teton from some people who full-timed for 8 years. Washer/dryer, satellite tv, much improved windows, better slide-out sealing, larger refrigerator, most even have dish washers(a waste of cabinet space) ect. All of this makes living a lot more pleasant. Good Luck, many folks live in RV's Full Time for many years. But, I believe that they're kinda special people. We had all of our personal belongings in a storage unit only 15 miles away, which I presume will be your situation. Good Luck! memtb

I live in a 17 footer 6-8 months of the year when I'm working. that is too smal if I don't get home at least every other weekend. First thing I look for when moving to a new campground is a laundromat and grocery store. I don't watch tv so no problem with a dish. Some places I've been don't have cell phone service. Whatever Rv you get make sure it is adequate for the climate. storage can be a problem. Definitely get slide outs if your ling in on full time. I have kept my reloading equipment in the camper,the same gear I use when loading at the range which doe not take much room. Campground rent will vary depending on location, Here in the Dakotas usually 400-500 a month. It was a lot higher in the Bakken when things were booming. With the bust on now you might find some good prices on RV's.

Well, I just learned about a lot of problems I didn't know existed about living in them; but the first question that has always jumped to my mind when I've considered the possibility is... security when you're not there?

I guess, phrased better would be, what are the odds of having it broken into while you're gone for the day? Obviously it all depends on where you're parked, but I'm thinking with a growing heroin epidemic, I'd be a little concerned about leaving a couple firearms in there while I was gone working, sight seeing, shopping, etc.

We had a 35-footer with three slide-outs and lived in it comfortably for about 4 months while we were finishing up our house. No complaints. We had a couple of things that you may or may not have in a "park": a 500-gallon propane tank and a land line for phone and fax. With a cell phone and high-speed internet, you might not miss the latter, but it filling propane bottles in the winter gets to be a chore.

My wife and L have a 40' fifth wheel and love it,.....but think about something a little different. A Destination Trailer.

http://www.keystonerv.com/destination-trailers

A buddy has one on his hunting lease and it is nice. Full size kitchen, big bedroom, big living room.

I had a 40' 5th wheel that was set up like that.

If I have to stay in a trailer for many days at a time, claustrophobia sets in after a couple of days of bumping into the ceiling, bruising elbows in the shower, etc.

That trailer had one big bedroom, one big bathroom, washer/dryer, huge livingroom, and tall ceilings.

It's the only way to roll if you are in it for more than a weekend.

Check with local rv parks.
They usually charge by the size (length), and the power requirement.
Ask about long term rental.

Huh???? I'll be showering sometime this morning...what do I need to plan?

They rent those little cabins at campgrounds like KoA. If you're married, watch the look on her face when you show it to her. If you're not, strike up a conversation with your kinda gal and watch for any change in expression when she finds out you live at the KoA.

There are people who are alright with that sort of lifestyle. I'm just saying you'd need to be that sort of person for it to be bearable for more than maybe a month.

We "lived" in a 12 foot cabover pickup camper for 3 months while our house was being rebuilt after tornado damage, and survived quite nicely. Mainly just used it for sleeping, though.

Have a 28' travel trailer with one slide out on our woods property right now for weekending. If I were single, and had a well and septic system, I could live in it full time, I think. I do have a cabin with a little more floor space than the camper very close that serves as an office and "living room", plus has an extra "room" enclosing a hot tub.

We looked at a property last year that had a 35' fifth wheel camper on it. Really nice set up, on a thick slab with 2 septic tanks, and well. The camper had a washer/dryer and an electric fireplace in it - VERY nice and comfortable. The sellers "lived" in it 4 months of the year, and I could have done full time in that one. Of course, they also had a 1500 square foot metal building close by for storage.

Mike

I don't understand why you are considering just fifth wheel trailers. If you are not traveling in it a lot, a bumper pull travel trailer is a better deal.

Unlike buying a lot of things on the used market, a travel trailer's problems, if any, are readily apparent. Get plenty of slide-outs........ they change the game immensely.

Slide-outs are an unnecessary complication that you don't need and won't find on many older RV's.

If you buy a used RV just make sure that the previous owner wasn't a welder or pipeliner. Those guys are ape schitt crazy and there is notelling how they may have abused the RV or how the might have southern engineered it.

Horseschidt!! I have a 28' with no slides that I lived in part time for five years. Then I bought a 34' with one large slide to replace it at the fishing camp and I'm refurbishing the smaller one for traveling. If the 28' had a slideout it would have been a lot more comfortable for extended living.

Please explain the "complication" downside to having slideouts on a trailer.

Slideouts are great, especially if you are living in them. I have awnings over mine and they are diffently worth the additional cost, to help keep the hot sun off. One big problem with mine is when the weather gets cold. The floors in the slideouts really get cold. I have rugs that I cover sheets of insulation in the slides, but there have been a few times, I just couldn't get warm and had to close the slides. In my 5th wheel, you can acess the bed and bathroom with the slides closed.

If you find the right property, I'd say go for it. Put in a gravel pad to park the trailer on, heck a small privacy fence wouldn't be a bad idea. The caveats would be make sure the property is large enough so that you can get the trailer well out of the way of where the house will be as you need room for the excavator to work, material lay down and moving materials around the site. I'd say at least 50' away from the house. And hopefully the construction crew is decent and doesn't consider walking off with some of your stuff. We had a few things we'd stored in our yard when our house was being built that went missing.

The one thing that would give me pause is if the area is subject to cold winters. Trailers cost a fortune to heat as they are lightly insulated, and the pipes are subject to freezing. You could afro-engineer some additional insulation.

Not sure what your trailer parks are like, but there is no way I'd want the people inhabiting our parks as neighbors.

Such an angry and unhappy person!

Even a total newbie can easily see a slide-out's drawbacks.

My most recent experience with one was that the RV could not be moved due to the electric-powered slide-out being stuck "out".

[quote=palMy most recent experience with one was that the RV could not be moved due to the electric-powered slide-out being stuck "out". [/quote]

Most RVs have an emergency provision for that. On mine, you can use a cordless drill to run the slides in and out in the case of power failure. You could even do it with a rachet, but bent over in an odd position, I would go buy a drill and or generator first.

Because I don't know what I'm talking about and used the term 5th wheel as a general name for trailers/RVs etc.

LMAO! Refreshing.

Touche' Rob!!

Having had both, I much prefer the 5th wheel for just about every reason you can think of. But if you don't have a vehicle that can pull a 5th wheel, a bumper pull works too. The lower ceiling does get claustrophobic though.

If you had ever lived in one, you'd have known how to close it up. It may be a semi PITA, but generally only requires a 12 volt jumper to the electric motor (cheap Interior switches)...even replacing the motors ain't hard. I have two sliders on the motorhome and they are worth far more than any perceived inconvenience they may pose. Mine are well insulated and the seals are in good shape...it's as warm with them extended as it is with them closed. I'm quite content living in it. I pay no rent, no utilities in exchange for just living here and keeping an eye on the place when I'm here. My only two problems so far were the propane fridge which is good for camping & OK for extended living, but not nearly as nice as a 110v home unit...So I bought a 110 that would fit...instead of taking the propane unit out & fitting the 110 in, I moved the dining area around and put the new fridge (15 cu. ft.) up against the wall...next to the small chest freezer I bought. Propane unit is now used as an extra pantry unless the other fridge fails. My other problem/bitch was that the propane heater used copious amounts of propane...so I bought an old, small "parlor" type wood stove...one of the hardest things I've ever done was to cut the hole in the roof of a perfectly good motorhome....it turned out to be a godsend as far as comfort/cost goes...Last winter, my entire propane bill was under $20, my only bills now are internet/phone/satellite tv and runs about $200 a month. I could save more cash if I wanted to switch up my phone plan/internet and go with a "tethered" smartphone, but I'm happy with what I have, which is a Verizon "jetpack" mobile hotspot and their "home" cell phone system...I'm in the motorhome right now, but I could unplug everything in about two minutes, fit it into a laptop carry bag and have phone/internet service anywhere I chose to go.

Hello Allen

Why is giving up all of your pickup truck bed space a good thing? What are the advantages of a 5th wheel over a similarly sized bumper pull?

Having spent 1/2 my 72 years living on boats, and part of the rest in travel trailers, I have learned that a man doesn't need much to be content.

Most 5th wheel hitches pop right out when you are done pulling. Mine is a pain because I have a B&W Sliding hitch, that is wonderful for pulling, parking and maneuvering in tight spaces, but heavy to lift out. Fits right in my turn over ball hitch, so nothing in the bed when you get it out. If I need to take an ATV, I hook a small trailer behind the 5th wheel. My next 5th wheel, I'm thinking about getting a toy hauler. That way I will have extra beds and a nice spot for my reloading equipment and more room to haul my barbecue pit and ATV if I take it.

Really it's just a matter of how you are using it, and what your doing. The last job, I didn't move the trailer for two years. The job before that, I moved it once to get away from some drunk pipeliners.

Just to throw it out there...Have a friend who bought a piece of property but couldn't afford to build the house. He built an apartment over garage off to the side, lived there probably close to a decade before the house got put up. Now he uses it as a place to drink beer and watch football away from the kids.

My 2 cents:

RV's are built cheaply. Even the higher end ones. Full time occupancy means steady use and a higher failure rate of the comforts such as plumbing, lighting, refrigeration, HVAC and hot water. Add in the lack of space and depreciation and I'd be looking harder at rentals until that dream property is found, then, depending on whether codes permit it, find a decent used RV for the year (approximately) that the house construction takes.

This is coming from someone on their second RV since 2004.

I like that idea. If I had the land right now, I'd consider that. Or you could turn it into a rental property.

How the hell is a slideout a drawback?
They expand the space at no trouble.

I just visited some friends that are retired and they are living full time in a 5th wheel camper. They are traveling all over the country visiting friends. They love it. He even carries a fishing boat on top of his pickup truck. He does not have guns and does not hunt either but has a dog and loves to fish

I would like to pull one into a prairie dog town and just stay there forever.
whelennut

There's a builder nearby that has this floor plan. You'd have to plumb and do finishing work though. Could make a simple 750 sq ft studio.





http://www.realityhomesinc.com/floor-plans/plan-4-32-ft-x-24-ft-2-story-garage/

There you go.

Plumbing for that would be pretty simple. HVAC in your climate could be as simple as a ductless split AC/heat pump unit with, possibly, some electric baseboard as a backup for extra chilly nights.

pal, apparently you only have experience with low-end units! We had a 1990(which by my math makes it an older unit) with two slides,and "never" had an issue with the slide mechanisms.We did have some frosting issues at the gaskets at -20F and below.But, the newer high-end units have much improved sealing systems.To summarize,you get what you pay for! memtb

My wife would like it better than most hotels. I married well.

RougeHunter, If your not towing any/much the a tow-behind is OK.But, to get a good quality,4 season unit,it's more weight than many/most of use would want to tow. A 5th wheel puts the tongue weight directly over the drivers,making a much safer,easier tow. For equal living area, you can have an overall length (tow vehicle and camper) that is about 7 ft. shorter. Also, a 5th. wheel generally has "much" more storage space than a tow- behind. Those are but a few of the advantages! memtb

I converted my 40' 5th wheel to a gooseneck.

That way, all the trailers at the ranch and it were the same.

Some had used an adapter on my 5th wheel. It bent the pin plate on the pinbox just bad enough to make it hard to connect. I just got thru replacing it with a new MorRyde pinbox. Sure smoothed up the pulling. Another $700 spent on my mobile money pit.

Just a warning about converting to a gooseneck. Most manufacturers will void your warranty if you convert. A 5th wheel type system is a different design and "not" gusseted. When you put on the adapter you multiply the torque applied to the 5th wheel system. The additional leverage/torque will often bend/break the frame where the 5th wheel plate is tied into the system. Many people do it and get away with it, but I'm not going to risk it!! memtb

If you don't like your neighbors, latch onto RV and haul ass

Um - no.. For a lot of reasons..

BS. Yeah - because no one thought of 'em way back then.

It takes about 2 minutes to remove the hitch in my truck. No biggie.. Other advantages are better towing experience with a 5th wheel. A TT not set up properly and/or with the wrong truck can be really, really exciting in a strong wind.. No thankee.. Plus, one can pull a much heavier/larger 5er than a TT due to the hitch limitations of the truck.

If one is going to live in one full-time, many considerations must be taken into account. Such as: one person? Two? Family? Truck/trailer alone or is there a bike/ATV involved? That may necessitate a toy hauler..

These new trailers being designed/built now are light years ahead of what was available just 10 years ago. If one has the means, (and the size truck necessary for this) these 5th wheels are, IMHO, some of the best out there:

http://www.drvsuites.com/

They are designed as true full-time trailers and have features simply not found on others.. But bring yer wallet.

Oh yeah, these Deluxe Suites are very nice. I had hoped that with the bust in oil prices, l would be able to buy a used one from some dummy that had bought one thinking the oil boom would never end. But just about time some started coming on the market, my wife got ill and I had to quit my job to take care of her. So looks like I'm stuck with my old Keystone Montana for another couple of years.

But your right, they are pricey. Cost almost 5 times what I paid for my first house and 5 acres.

I just put my 40 footer in storage after living in it the last two years before I retired. It is a Toyhauler with everything minus a washer and dryer. Lived well. Propane and electricity were the big ones but other than that I insulated the open areas as best as I could and it worked out really well.

I could actually do it again with no problem. It wasn't a whole lot different that living in a small apartment. I like RV'ing but it is nice to have a space to stretch out as being cooped up for long periods of time would get to me.

We could live in ours if we had to.
Big slide with table, 4 chairs, and a couch that opens into a bed. The bed is an air bed.

TV retracts into the console, under it, is a 15k btu electric heater that looks like fireplace. The right slide out has 2 recliners that sore in there.
The stove and fridge slide out, as well as the bed in the nose.
It's big.
Picking it up off the lot.



It didn't post where it should.

That'll work well...

I could live in mine, but the wife would feel cramped.. That's the ONLY bad thing about a toy hauler - the garage takes up anywhere from 11-14' of length, depending on model etc.. Even though the garage area is usable as an entertainment site, with table and couch/bench and such, it's not actually part of the overall living area like a non-toy hauler..

Current trailer's this: 40' Raptor..





Next spring I'm hoping to stop at DRV and take a factory tour of the place and see some units. Full-timing is definitely something we may do at some point.

For several years I lived in a 1957 18' Airstream trailer. Many more in a 1967 24' Silver Streak trailer. A single guy doesn't need a giant rig with slide-outs. But I respect that some people want that for themselves.

That little Airstream got towed a bit, over the years, from Baja, Ca to Bella Coola, BC. And spent time at high elevations during winter months, running off propane. Never ever did I wish it to be bigger or heavier, or more complicated or leak-prone. It towed well behind a 1/2-ton PU. And was easy to find places to park overnight.

I realize the OP is looking more towards a temporary home than a travel trailer. But perhaps having one that does both well, without requiring a huge, diesel tow vehicle, might be a better choice.

But you can't haul much of anything in your pickup bed on the way to where you are going.When I'm going hunting or fishing, I like to take extra gear that I'll want to use.

Just because some people can't choose the proper pickup and hitch for a bumper pull is not the fault of the trailer.

I've had all three; fifth wheel, gooseneck, and bumper pull,,, matter of fact, my pickup still has the mounting holes for a fifth wheel.

It's a matter of preference, really.

Don't need to - it all goes either in the garage of the camper or the rather cavernous storage area under the nose. And that garage area is about 5X the size of any pickup bed. And, since it's a crew cab, I have even more storage there..
It's not just that. It's the 'sway factor' on a TT compared to the 5er.. And even the stoutest (for example, F-350) only has a capacity of 16K via a TT camper - while I can tow up to 26,500# via the 5th wheel..

True..

What the OP is considering is a 'full-time' living unit. If he's OK with a smaller interior and a lighter unit - then a TT can be just fine.. But if you look at various campgrounds around the US (and I've been to a bunch) you'll find most full-timers in Class-A units or 5th wheels..

Federal laws limit overall length to 65'.. A TT trailer might max out at about 36', if the tow vehicle is a full-sized PU - while a 5th wheel can be up to 44'+ which allows more living area.

But any trailer those sizes can be limiting when choosing a campground where water/elec/sewer hookups are concerned..

One has to look for campgrounds that are 'big-rig' friendly.

Some good info here re: OAL of camper and veh.:

http://www.goodsamcamping.com/plan/sizelimits.aspx

Something to consider for anybody pulling a camper..

Hunting Camp - Last Season memtb

Hunting Camp, several years ago. A four-season is real nice when it gets a little ugly out!! memtb

OutlawPatriot, Take a look at Escapees RV Forum, More info than you can imagine. No membership required to look at forum. They have a Full Times section which can give you more info than you probably want!! memtb

Excellent advice.. Kudos.

They are great at the deer lease

I just bought a 21' travel trailer to put on my mom's land for a while. Since I changed jobs, I've been living in an apartment. I'm still trying to figure out where I want to buy some land and I'm tired of this apartment. I'm single with no kids, so I don't need much space. It will mostly be a place to sleep and shower. I'll probably be doing most of the cooking on the grill. Then, after I figure out where I want to be, it will be used for what it is designed for. A camper trailer to spend a few days at the lake or beach.

My older brother, retired from the Navy, after 30+ years in the JAG. He and his wife sold their three story condo on the Potomac, and bought a Dodge Duelly diesel truck and a 36ft 5th wheel camper.
They spent 6 years living all over America before finally selling the camper and building a home in Las Vegas. They stored virtually everything they owned and lived out of a suitcase.
Personally, I thought they were nut. lol

Manufacturers seem to focus on "sleeps [the bigger the number, the better for sales]" and give up usable space to get some extra 'beds' in.

I made a 28' footer a LOT more comfortable for ME by:

Tearing out the Queen sized bed which was built in lengthwise and building in one twin bed crosswise. That gave me a lot more space in the bedroom.

I removed the sofa/bed in the living/dining area. I had to cut it apart since it wouldn't fit thru the narrow doorway.

I removed the booth seats and fold down table and eat off of a T V tray.

Since a recliner wouldn't fit thru the narrow doorway, I bought a "glider and ottoman" at Big Lots and assembled them inside.

I removed the propane furnace which was under the dining booth since I never lit it anyway. I use an electric heater when electricity. is available. Since the propane bottles are hidden under a removable fairing, and a PTA to change out, I rigged up a separate propane line for a Mr Buddy catalyctic heater and use a different propane bottle for it.

In short, just because it was built one way don't mean it has to stay that way.

Yeah. I'm leaving the queen size bed, but there's a fold down bunk above it that's coming out before I ever spend a night in it. I'll think of other changes after I pick it up. I went and bought it Tuesday. I told them I'll pick it up next week sometime. The dealer had a few cosmetic things to fix, and I told them to take their time. I also know that I'm buying a low end travel trailer and if it was more than just me, this probably wouldn't work. But I don't live where it gets too cold, and it's just going to be me staying in it.

They are easy to keep clean... just walk down and back.