Thinking Out Loud

Although it can be dangerous to think out loud:) blogging helps me clarify my thoughts before making important decisions and staying three days this week at the Pueblo El Mirage RV and Golf Resort in Phoenix has helped me to think more about the features (including advantages and disadvantages) of winter resorts. The following thoughts are based on my very limited experience to date so they may evolve:)

Seasonal vs. Permanent
First, there is the distinction between permanent and seasonal residents; I fall into the seasonal (i.e., winter) category; can't imagine spending the summer in Phoenix! My winter stay in Tucson begins tomorrow (November 1st) with an initial reservation of 3 months; however, I'm thinking of extending through March and possibly April. Seems people start arriving at these warm winter resorts in November but the population continues to grow (and the rates continue to rise) in December and January. Overall, 5-6 months in a warm climate seems like a good way to spend the winter; whether AZ or another state is best, is to be decided.

Home vs. RV
The two primary housing options are staying in a home or an RV. For the RVing crowd, most seem to have the  large (40-42') Motorhome; however, large 5th wheels with slide outs are not uncommon. There is actually a 26' minimum trailer size for this and other winter resorts; I got a waiver for my "little" 25 Airstream:) The large size makes sense when one thinks about living 6 months in your RV, especially since most house couples (singles like me are rare).

The home option consists of either renting or buying. To me, advantages of a home over an RV include larger size, storage shed option, more energy efficient, and covered parking for vehicle(s) (carport or garage). Also, although some of the large luxury RVs have washers and dryers, full size appliances are only available in homes. It will be interesting to learn whether I can live in a 25'  Airstream for 5-6 winter months in one location without going stir crazy:) I'm at 7 consecutive months now and have no complaints but I've been moving around a lot; staying in one location throughout the winter may alter my thinking:)

Rent vs. Buy
Rents vary widely depending on the size, location, age, and model of the home; I've got a 3 month deal at $1000 but one can spend twice that amount per month to rent a home. Purchase price also varies but I discovered today at Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort that new houses are about $75/SF for manufactured homes in the 1000-1500 SF range. I discovered this week that the purchase of a home at these resorts is for the home only - not the land; the land (i.e., lot) is leased for around $500 or more per month - kinda like HOA dues. The lease payment might include landscaping and other HOA-type activities but does not include utilities.

One option I've been thinking about is to buy or rent several (at least two) small homes; a winter residence in the south and a northern residence for summer. Some full-time RVers do this but I think they typically have larger RVs. Some drive their motorhome (or tow their trailer) between the north and south as the seasons change; others keep an RV or home in both locations and fly or drive between residences. Not sure which suits me best but plan to think about it over the winter.

One complicating factor in all this discussion is house-sitting or care-taking opportunities. While I want to remain flexible to take advantage of such opportunities, getting the best sites at these resorts requires long lead times for reservations; it is common for people to reserve their space a year in advance!

Community
One advantage of staying in one location for several months or a season is the opportunity to make friends and to feel part of a community; hard to do when one moves every couple of days or week like I've been doing:)

Fitness
One of the most important lessons I've learned from my journey is how important a stable location and routine are to keeping fit. Moving every couple of days or week presents a real challenge to staying fit; the move day is typically spent unhooking, sitting behind the wheel for hours, and hooking up with no chance to exercise. Also, it takes at least a day or two to find out where to run, hike, swim, or workout so staying less than 1 week in a location is a big negative to staying fit. Although the Voyager resort in Tucson has a fitness room and pool, the former is very small so I've been thinking about joining a health club in town; additional expense but worth it.