Fueled by a desire for exploration after pandemic-related confinement and the newfound flexibility of remote work, many people realized they no longer needed to stay in one place to make a living. Rather than pay an expensive mortgage each month, a growing number of people decided to trade their monthly bills for a nomadic lifestyle in an RV.
An RV – defined here as a motor home, trailer, van or fifth wheel – offers changing scenery and lower home costs while still having all the creature comforts of home with you. RV sales soared in 2020 and hit record levels in 2021. New RVs were hard to find and used models were commanding high prices.
In 2023, RV sales were down about 16% year over year, according to Statistical Surveys Inc., the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based subsidiary of Trader Interactive that compiles retail sales and consumer demographic data. But, the RV Industry Association projects a significant upturn in RV wholesale shipments for 2024.
As someone who has lived and traveled full time in an RV since 2017, I can vouch that the lifestyle can be dreamy. However, there are drawbacks, including financial consequences that should be considered. If you're on the fence about living and traveling in an RV, here are some things to think about before hitting the road, and why after six years of living in an RV, I am transitioning back into traditional home living.
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There are many appealing aspects of living in an RV full time. I have an ever-changing backyard. I lost count of the number of times my husband and I woke up to million-dollar views of mountains, beaches, prairies, forests and other magnificent scenery. Many of these camping sites come at little to no cost, with settings thatare only accessible by vehicle. Former full-time RVers Gabe and Rocio Rivero from the Instagram account, Our Mixed Journey, who now own a home in Tennessee, second that. "We love the spontaneity of the lifestyle and the ability to wake up to a new gorgeous place or so easily go on a new adventure with our pets in tow," said Rocio Rivero. Now, the couple travels on longer trips part time and enjoys having a home to return to in between.
LIZ BRUMER-SMITH
My husband and I decided to go on the road in 2017 after growing our real estate investing business remotely. We were renting before the RV, so we sold nearly all of our belongings, keeping a few boxes in a family member's closet, and headed out with our two cats.
It's a crazy feeling to sell most of your things, but there's a lot to like about living more minimally. In our first year on the road, I noticed we had a lot more time. Our spare time was spent less on doing mundane tasks a home often requires, like yard work and cleaning, and more time hiking or relaxing outdoors. Visiting some of our country's most incredible landscapes, like national parks, meant we were more physically active and felt more grounded because we spent a lot more time in nature than we did in Orlando, the city we called home before RVing.RV life can also be a way to save money. In our case, the cost of living in an RV and traveling full time was about the same as it was when we rented our home, and roughly the same cost to maintain as the Florida home we recently purchased. However, if you live in an expensive housing market, living in an RV can lead to notable monthly savings compared with a mortgage, property taxes and insurance. Plus, you get to visit new places consistently.
