They all think I'm CrAzY

[Smily]

Hello all,

I Need your experienced Help. I live smack Dab in the middle of silicon Valley. I currently own a 1400 ft² mobile home lol big RV no wheels. California was fun 25 years ago but now it's wall-to-wall people very expensive I'm truly tired of most all of my income going to put a roof over my head I currently have a son in 6 grade and I'm trying to move out of California but it's very difficult because you can't time when you sell your house. So I'm thinking that I could get a class C and be able to wait out school time in the RV and not have to worry about where to live and then end of school drive off for a great cross country adventure. Then look for a new place to live. I have ideas I like Vermont, it's one place I lived. Enjoyed New England area for a few years. I don't plan on living in an RV forever, but I guess maybe the fever could take hold and things could change. I plan on keeping a few things, and would like to buy a property again. I just don't wanna be stuck in California with no family or resources and one hiccup and you're on the street. I have read the other posts about rent one to see if you like it, but I really feel I have no choice. I feel that it's the only way that I can get out of California. I won't have to worry about hotels, cooking food, finding apartment to see if I like where we end up. It seems to take the pressure off me I feel good about this idea, but other people think I'm nuts. Just looking for input good or bad and I just have a few questions right now Like what do you do for your firearms what he is do about medical insurance. I'm 50 worked as a mechanic, am cabinet maker, carpenter, work in property management facilities and maintenance. So I'm not helpless just trapped.

Thx if ya got this far

[jjrbus]

20 plus years ago I got the opportunity to get out of NY state. I sold the house and ran like the devil was after me. Not run actually drove in a class A with a toad.

Full timed for 10 years and then decided to buy a house in FL. It was during the bubble and all I could afford was a dump in a crappy neighborhood. So decided to spend the rest of my life in the RV. Lesson learned!

Then the bubble burst and I bought a house in FL. Sorry I did! All the people with their weird ideas and political leanings which screwed up what they want to escape are moving to FL in droves. Everything is booming, traffic is horrible, everything is crowded. Prices are increasing in leaps and bounds and will not be long before tax's will have to increase to pay for this madness. Most of quaint old FL is gone. I know several people that have abandoned FL and moved elsewhere. I am too old to move or I would.

Choose carefully, everything changes and not always for the better!

[Grit_dog]

Ksg5000 makes a great point about price point RVs. IMO, there's zero need to buy new or nearly new and spend a great deal of your money. Whichever route you go on RV type, you can find one in great asthetic and mechanical condition for only a small % the cost of new. Plus you're a plumber. Bout the only real things to go wrong with a RV besides the fridge is plumbing/hvac related.

Your interest in TTs should be run to ground. IMO, plumber = need a truck or Van. Not necessarily if you're working for someone, but side jobs = CASH! Hard to haul sticks of pipe in a Prius!
If you think you'll be more transient, then a Moho might be a better choice, but if you're making the RV home base in the same location/area for a while, you get more bang for your buck out of a TT and again, IMO, a tradesman needs a truck.

Again, good luck!

[Smily]

@lawrosa **** now yer makin me think. That tow behind is a monster. My thought was against towing but now seeing wat is being pulled and the rigs doing it kinda reinvents this all in my mind. The prices for these new as all get out is cheap. And if I would arrive at a property to buy it would act as a single wide home. Are the tires cheaper? Selling my truck for a bigger motor then changing the gearing is really appealing.

@ksg5000 no not bandito neighbor hood stuff just wouldn't look the the Madden bus rollin into town

[lawrosa]

OP like you I did the same. Got out of NJ. Taxes and liberals.. not for me. Plumber by trade . I still have to work so I sold everything and moved.

I moved to myrtle beach area. they are building like mad here.

I sold it all loaded the truck and RV and put the family with the father in law for almost a year while I lived and worked out of my RV while I found a good spot to build a home.

Place I stayed was on a lake and 450 a month.

Taxes cheap here as I pay 700 a year for the house now.

I have a young one that came with me, he is 12 now. I moved on the outskirts of myrtle because the land is cheap and the school system in aynor sc is small town feel. only 600 people live there and high school only has about 700 students.

Im actually in galivants ferry..

unlike florida where is hot all the time SC gets some cold. Its 37f right now. Summers run in the 90's and the humidity can get up there.

beach is free and its a 25 min drive from me.

air quality always runs under 30

example here is 1 acre for 15k.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/Sandy-Ridge-Rd-LOT-10-Galivants-Ferry-SC-29544/2081607327_zpid/

#2

I wanted to move here on this street as no HOA. But wife talked me into a different place down the road.


https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1282-Pinetucky-Dr-LOT-15-Aynor-SC-29544/2089511923_zpid/?

And example of homes already built in that school district.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/201-Blue-Jacket-Dr-Galivants-Ferry-SC-29544/108743022_zpid/

Home is where you make it and this is just examples of what I did.

I meet so many coming from CA. More and more are coming here...

Good luck. Anyquestions just ask.

Oh here is where I stayed

http://www.williamsonrvparks.com/

[Grit_dog]

Smiley, I applaud and support your vision.
And what Matt collie said, don't trade one high prices rat race for another.
Although idk anything about the NE US specifically, if it's calling and you'll be comfortable there then go for it.
But if you're not totally connected to it, there's 100 different areas west of the Mississippi that are great and decent cost of living.
Getting a C seems like a good idea, but it will be difficult to not have a daily driver vehicle. Consider that.
Good luck! With your skills it'll be a successful venture.

[ksg5000]

Smily wrote:
I gotta get home to answer y'all one by one. But the "C" I only guess will be more access, a big "A" again my guess has more restrictions on access due to size. To me the C seems like u can move about unnoticed.

If by "unnoticed" you think your going to be full timing by parking on the streets of a city - think again. Most cities have regulations that prohibit that and these days many homeless are using RV's and the cities have hotlines to report problem RV's. I doubt my 28 ft Class C would be any less noticeable than someones 36 ft Class A.

[Smily]

To above I'm running from California they priced and taxed, bonded, referendum'd me out lol I give up nothing is worth this. With out Happiness wats the point.

[Smily]

To above much respect. If the lot rent would not be continuously rising I would live here FOREVER AND DIE HERE lolol. Maybe I'll up pics lol I could see the mountains from the diablo range to the observatory on mount Hamilton now I stare at the big arse GLOWING RED TARGET SIGN on there building. The now micron server farm towers block my used to shed copious lemons all year but now the morning sun is blocked by towers, the mountains are gone I used to chase ears to just under yer breast ear height jack rabbits with my beagle brace. Hide n seek for hours one could track one could BACKTRACK blahaha endless oh disclaimer no rabbits hurt dogs are to slow to get em that's where u come in with the perfered method of take down. We jus played hide n seek

[pnichols]

To the OP: I'm not sure from your post if you want to run from something ... or to something.

You live in the worst place in CA to be at this point in your life. CA is NOT ONLY - Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, and Sacramento. For instance, my brother recently located a fantastic small town in CA for he and his wife, and his adult kids now live there also. They can walk to town if they want and have a large enough lot for his trailer and pickup - plus a small home in their generous backyard that he rents out for extra income. He does not have his own small business and does not work in high tech, and neither do other members of his family. The weather where this small town is located is classic CA weather - lots of sun with no snow or ice, low humidity in the summers, and (I think where he is) no mosquitoes. So there ARE places in CA that you don't have to escape from - you just have to do some research to find them.

However ... wanting to live for awhile, or long term, in an RV is a whole different thing from living in a stick house ... regardless of where that stick house might be located. Try the RV full time life if you wish, but for those who are used to and maybe enjoy living in a stick house, living instead in an RV would not be a direct substitute. Note especially that if one has any health or medical issues - I would not want to have to deal with them when living only in an RV with no "roots" for good reliable medical help.

[Smily]

I gotta get home to answer y'all one by one. But the "C" I only guess will be more access, a big "A" again my guess has more restrictions on access due to size. To me the C seems like u can move about unnoticed.

Love guns have my share why Vermont is my first choice.

At least the east doesn't have FIRE SEASON, my 5 mile commute that takes half hour to get there in the morning then 45mins to return home lolol 5 effing miles. Beyond had my fill of 4 bux a gallon or more.

And if I get to where I think I want to go and it sux lol turn the key and drop the pedal NEXT !!

THANKS FOR THE HELP I FEEL MUCH BETTER ABOUT THIS

all caps cause why not I'm happy

And Happy Valentine's Day all

[bobndot]

I spend a great deal of time in the northeast. Vermont and NH are not busy like CT, Mass., NJ & NY plus taxes and real estate are lower but salaries reflect that. NH is nice because there is no state sales tax and they do not tax your pensions but property taxes and auto registrations tend to be on the high side, they have to get their money from somewhere.
As for guns, if you do not have a gun when you enter Vt. they will assign you one, very relaxed gun laws. It appears that many open carry in NH. I see it in many restaurants when I'm eating there. I would hate to be a waiter and screw up an order.
Both NH and VT are a little shy regarding work but good honest dependent labor people are hard to find and people will hire you if you can repair things. If you can get a CDL license, there are bus driving and logging jobs.
In both those states you will need to research the specific schools in particular towns for substance abuse. Do your homework regarding that.

[Matt_Colie]

Smily,

I kind of hate to tell you this, but the east coast megopolis (the city the stretches from about Portland ME to Raleigh NC) goes more or less 100 miles inland and it is now all a crazy as California. I spent most of my younger life there and now feel like a refugee. Some years back, my father offered me his company and a house to move back to NJ. Then he pushed the point and had a heart attack to I had to run things while he recovered. Glad I did. I will never go back there or CT (My other home state) for longer than a tank of propane will last. It is insane back there. Taxes are all about the same as California, and the vehicle and gun laws will make you nuts. (If you are lucky that is - otherwise, you go to jail.) The whole country is loosing it. Everybody wants free stuff that we pay for and nobody accepts responsibility for what they caused. I am now in Michigan and it is getting bad here too. I am too old and shot-up to manage a long move.

Now, by way of a suggestion, you might target the central states like Indiana, Missouri and Arkansas. Illinois has Chicago..... Where politicians get one term in office and the next in prison.

You can work the local papers on the web and apply for jobs on line. Your opening statement to any prospective employer should be that you want out of La-La Land. Many will understand.

Your boy is at a bad age to move, but he will recover. He can even keep up with current friends with Facebook and Skype.

You and yours are in for an adventure. Make your choices and hang on tight. That is what I did years ago and how I ended up in Michigan.

Best of luck my friend.

Matt

[Smily]

My idea was to dump the truck wen it's time to roll away. Dont wanna tow it, I don't know but my guess is the gas mileage will be horrible. I own my place and can turn it for 175 to 225k so I will have funds. Then if I don't get full on into the RV life I would like to buy land and sell the RV. Then start from there. I dont wanna sound like a big *****, but I do have faith in my skills and have got jobs just from looking at my portfolio. And the ultimate fall back is property maintenance I've run 4 properties with 275 family's so there is always free or discount on site housing if everything goes bust. But that is absolutely last option lol I'd almost rather live in a tent then onsite.

[ksg5000]

Why focus on Class C? If I were contemplating buying a rig that I had too live Full time in I would be considering buying a lightly used Class A that was around 10 years old. RV's rapidly depreciate and price decline tends to slow down once they get to be around 10 years old. There are a boatload of RVers that don't put much miles on there rig so there s/b plenty of rigs to view. Just my 02.