Do you have money in your bank account and wondering what to choose between an RV and a house?
Read this article first then make a smart choice according to your need.
Should i buy an rv instead of a house?
You should buy an RV instead of a house if you just want to get lost outdoors and reconnect with nature while not missing the basic comfort of your home and office.
But buying a house should be your main priority if investing the money for the profit at the end is all you want.
Thinking in terms of price and comfort – a very comfortable and luxurious high-end Class A RV or Motorhome can cost you just under $200,000. On the other hand, a typical U.S. home price average is $287,148 in May 2021.
RV should be means to a minimal lifestyle and not a competitor of a house in any way.
BY – Outdoorfavor.com
However, I would not recommend buying a 30 feet long RV because such vehicles are not much mobile and need a lot of maintenance which does not support the overall traveling in the large picture.
Like with RVs of Class A or Class C are not allowed to even get parked in the public streets overnight in most US states and not at any cost in residential zones. Read our article on parking an RV on residential streets and property for more info.
In size, I would say a class B motorhome/ RV which is around 20 feet long is the best option for people wanting to replace their home with a moving one.
Buying a mobile RV is the best option to get the feel of the home without missing the chance of using an RV to an extent where it is a machine and not a burden to travel comfortably with speed and less maintenance.
Is an RV a bad investment? (ROI of RV)
Yes, an RV is a bad investment thus never buy an RV if making the profit at the end is your priority.
If you don’t have millions of dollars, then invest in buying a house because a house never depreciates rather the price of property increases with time according to the location and construction quality of a house.
If you’re asking about buying an RV instead of a house just because you want to know whether you can generate some profit with an RV. The short answer is no you can’t because RVs depreciate over time.
To give you an idea, the price of RV will start to reduce once you drive it off from the lot, which means if your RV is 5 years old then you’re going to lost somewhere from 36 to 38 percent and in 10 years the RV will sell in half of its price (you’ll be lucky if you even got half).
Are old RVs worth buying?
Old RVs can either be a worth buying option or a mess depending on the interior, exterior, and mechanical condition.
It’s an advice that if you want to buy an old RV then don’t buy a 10-20-year-old RV because RVs deteriorate over time that’s why sometimes a $300,000 RV can be bought for $30-40,000 which might feel like a worth buying deal but believe me the headaches a very old RV can give are big enough then the price you pay.
An old RV that is not older than 5-6 years can be rewarded as worth buying if some other conditions are met.
Buying a second-hand RV can no doubt save you a lot of money if it is chosen well or can demand you up to a few hundred dollars often for repairing, preparing, and replacing the things that make an RV ‘The RV’.
An older RV is going to cost more to maintain than a newer RV.
This money can add up to thousands or more dollars over time which might be the number you’re trying to save by purchasing an old RV.
That’s why before buying an old/ second-hand RV make sure it is properly operable, giving a fair amount of mileage, Check the interior exterior, water tanks, pipes, wires, and tanks thoroughly because sometimes the owner can try to hide the defects to get the profit from RV.
Sadly, wiring is the one problem that can’t be seen during the immediate inspection and there are even more problems which will cost you money and time both.
That’s why don’t hurry but inspect the RV with patience and don’t go sad if it is not worth buying and continue your search.
Maybe you find a gem!
If you find that the RV you’re looking at some defects that the owner has not told then either you can skip it or ask them to reduce the price so that you can fix it with your money.
Some expenses of an old RV depend upon the personal choice because you might not like colors, curtains, floor design, kitchen ply design, etc and you want to change it according to your flavor will gradually add up the price.
Lastly, it’s worth waiting for some more time to save a few more thousand dollars to buy a new RV rather than wasting money on some crap.
What is the average lifespan of House and RV?
This is the main buying factor that you should consider and in this case, a House always wins an RV because the typical RV’s lifespan is around 20 years, on the other hand, a typical US wood house can last between 100-150 years.
So, if you’re planning of giving your RV to your Children as a memorial then it is the worst mistake you can do because as you know RV deteriorates as they age so after 20 years when you give your RV to your children, you’re simply giving them trash.
But, a house can give shelter to more than one generation without losing its structure if maintained properly.
Is rv living cheaper than owning a house?
If we took an overall average then living full time in an RV cost the same as around expenses of owning a house.
On the saving side, you’ll not have to pay the electricity bill when you have solar panels, no need to pay taxes which saves me $100 or so a month, no need to pay for utilities when you get to the RV site which saves another $180 or so, the maintenance fee is low so you save some more there.
You can further save few more hundred dollars since you no longer need to buy unimportant stuff, with no food wastage, no need to travel in planes, to stay in hotels, and dining.
On the expense side, you need to pay for gasoline according to your usage, storage units in different states to help interstates traveling, and mail forwarding.
Why buy a tiny house instead of an rv?
You may like to buy a tiny house instead of an RV because tiny houses are better insulated than an RV and can accommodate the weather you live in.
If you’re still reading this article then consider your choices again because a tiny house is simply a mini house on wheels and can be a choice for you if you don’t dream to travel like hell and can live in a place for 3-6 months (Sorry, but I am not that kind, I love to travel like hell).
The reason why you can’t move the tiny hose so often is that you need a smooth ride to move it from one place to another and also need to consider wear and tear and high winds during transportation.
However, a tiny house is not the best for you if you hate less living space, less storage space, and handling zoning laws and they usually last between 7-10 years depending upon the material and build.
Can you finance an rv like a house?
Yes, you can finance an RV like a house. Some banks that finance RVs are LightStream, Navy Federal Credit Union, USAA, and the U.S. Bank.
Depending on lenders, you can even finance your RV for 20 years but if you can manage to pay the loan in short terms items you’ll pay less interest over the period of the loan.
However, before you choose a lender to finance your RV it is best to compare several lenders for their interest rates, terms, and policies.
And, to reduce the price of RV which obviously reduces the loan, negotiate like a pro with RV dealers like you negotiate when buying a car or a house.
Don’t feel embarrassed asking the price you want.
Refrences
Michael is heavily inclined towards traveling to natural places and documenting cultures/people from different parts of the world. He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. He will share his passion for outdoor life and brands or products we use outside our homes. He has good research skills, and that’s why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. He also has the vision to travel the whole world and share it with all readers of Outdoor Favor.
