Buying an RV and hitting the road

Ever dreamed of leasing or buying an RV, selling all your worldly possessions, and hitting the road to find adventure out on the open road? Blowing in whatever direction the wind takes you? Seeing the world?In some form or another, I’ll bet a thought similar to this one has crossed your mind. And, just as likely, you probably quashed it five seconds later, when the weight of the “real world” can crashing down on you: all those bills, all those responsibilities. How could you possibly escape them?

How indeed?

First, you’d need money to live on, and nothing can change that. That means either saving some money and going on a temporary sabbatical, or it means retirement. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that you can live on very little money, taking your home with you like a turtle and going traveling.

“But what about my house? My car? My stuff?”

I understand entirely why you’re reluctant to sell your home in this buyer’s real estate market. So, don’t sell it. Sign a lease agreement on it, either with someone you know and trust, or by screening rental applicants to verify their credit, employment, income, rental history, and so on. Depending on the rental market in your area, you may even make a few hundred extra dollars each month on cash flow, which will pay for your gas on the road!

Your car and your stuff are even easier: sell everything that you can bear to part with, and store the rest either in your basement or sign a lease agreement on a storage unit. You’d be amazed how much junk you’ve acquired over the decades, and selling or giving it away will be an enormous weight off your shoulders.

By now you’re probably thinking about RVs, and where you’ll pick one up. Fortunately, there are plenty of options, besides buying one brand new and at top dollar. You can sign a temporary lease agreement on one, if you don’t want to keep it indefinitely. You can buy one second hand, either from a dealer (if a warranty is important to you), or directly from someone else who’s just gotten home from doing the same thing. Check your local Craigslist ads, check newspaper classifieds, check other online vehicle websites, and you’ll start seeing just how affordable they can be second hand. And, remember to negotiate the sellers downward!

“What about my mail?”

There are many, many mail forwarding companies out there, most of which are very affordable ($100-$300/year). You can go through the US Postal Service, although for more flexibility you can lease a private mailbox and have them forward to you wherever you go. In some cases, you can even make the mail box your primary residence address.

What are you waiting for? Still trying to come up with excuses? Your friends will still be there when you get home from your Great Adventure, and your home will still be standing, your lease agreement with your tenants will expire, and you can step right back into your old life, if you choose. Go ski and hike the beautiful Rocky Mountains, go fishing in the Everglades, go take pictures of the Organ Mountains in Las Cruces, go surf the sunny beaches of San Diego, and do something to make all of your friends jealous!

About the Author

Brian is a landlord who travels the country with his girlfriend, and contributes articles to several online resources to help people make money through real estate investing, including EZ Landlord Forms, who provides state-specific lease agreement forms.