Wifey was reading a book and found an interesting fact. Good ole .mil will pay to ship a mobile home if it is your primary residence. We looked up the regs and all that jazz. We are thinking the way to go for the foreseeable future (after a possible tour in Germany) would be to get an mobile. We could just move it from place to place as we move. It would get us out of the rent trap quicker then saving up for a house. Also whats the point of spending a bunch of cash on a place you don't love or a place you do love that you're going to sell in a year or two. Once we paid that sucker off we would just put cash away towards eventually purchasing the ideal place once done moving around.
I have lived in them before so I know the drawbacks of the whole thing in general. My concern is more about coming up with reasonable plans for economically finding a place to park that sucker. For the first while being in a mobile home park would be ok but long term I would want to have my own lot (or a few acres). My concern is in that area. Finding an empty acre or lot is easy enough but what about septic? Getting an acre is cheap enough but putting a septic in knowing we are leaving in a couple/ few years would really affect the economics of that. If I bought an acre or whatever and sold it with a septic would I get (at least most of) what that cost out of it?
I've just been kicking this around in my head for a few weeks now. You folks have an amazing collective amount of knowledge and the ability to fix or point out gaping holes in plans so I am wondering what you think. Did I completely miss anything? Good idea? Bad idea?
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13 comments:
Make sure and check the county ordinances about the size parcel needed for a septic system. Its usually a 3 acre minimum. As far as getting your money bck when you sell it, usually you will see a profit after developing land, providing you bought the piece at a fair price. Dont forget about a well too.
Bernda, Great point. A bigger lot in or near town might be the way to go for the first time or two.
The only problem you might have is the more you move the mobile home it will start to have problems. They are only made to move 2 or 3 times at the most before you start having structural issues. If you set it up on a piece of property and not move it may last 30 plus year. You keep moving it around and you will be lucky if it last 10 or 15 years.
3rdman, I didn't fully consider that. Thanks.
PanelConcepts.com has very affordable panelized cabin homes that seem like an excellent value. I toured the manufacturing facility in 2007 and was comfortable with the quality of the product.
Aloha Steve
My concern besides moving it many times would be the land.
Even the rural spots around here when sold will most likely have an addendum added to say "No Mobile Homes." You are a good 45 minutes from the city before this isnt the case.
Improved property - well/septic/elec. will have increased in value and should be reflected in the sale price. Whether you get your entire investment returned is one for the markets you are visiting. Around here - the cost for putting such items in would go between $10,000 and $12,000 and thats not counting the land.
Good job thinking outside the box.
1:49, I will check that out.
Pearls, Good point. I will be living near some sort of an Army installation so those are usually kinda far out. Might help with the zoning thing.
Not a bad idea, if like was said you don't move it too much... You'd have to keep it quite a while to make the depreciation worth while, or better yet, buy used... Or why not go back to an RV and rathole bundles of cash? Lots of military bases have RV parks, no? I know the Naval Air Station here has one.... Like Dave Ramsey says, "Live like no one today so you can live like no one tomorrow".... I know you "been there, done that", but with the mobile lifestyle you're living, don't ya think it makes sense?
And keep in mind that traditional home ownership is WAY overrated..... I wish I never bought a house.....
Ok - now that you mention bases - the one in our vacinity is "out there" so land wouldnt be a problem.
However - I change my stance to vote with Mayberry. Buying land, improving it to be liveable and then having to sell when you are someplace else would be a PAIN. I say get yourself a nice old (read EMP proof :) ) diesel pickup truck and buy a 2 year old HUGE 5th-wheel. Those things are nice if you go 35' to 40' - plenty of room for you and the wife.
Also, if by chance another little TOR shows up, they have those with slide out double rooms on the back with another 1/2 bath back there....you would basically have your own 3 bedroom trailer that was built to be hauled around. Not to mention you can visit the family, move, travel, do what you like.
Also, if you have to leave it for a while - park it at your folks, winterize it (easy) and let her sit. She will be just fine and since its an old truck, it could sit too or you could just sell and probably recoup what you bought it for.
Mayberry and Pearls, That is a great point. The more I think of all of the details of this plan the more I see the juice might not be worth the squeeze.
As for the 5th Wheel/ RV thing. There are RV parks on most bases that I know of. I am potentially willing to re visit the 5th Wheel thing. Not so sure how easy of a sell that would be though.
I've got to think about that for awhile.
I understand the "sell"....take her to an RV show - they have them year round - those babies are pimped out to the hilt - washer/dryer, flat screens, dishwasher - you name it....show her a new one and then start shopping for one a couple years old - the expensive ones are usually held by retirees and kept PRISTINE!
I have faith in your power of persuasion ;)
You already have some experience in RV living so when you look this time you will have a much better idea of what to look for (sound proofing). Before the RV arrangement was temporary so you didn't put forth your best effort to solve the problem/s so while the solutions got the job done it wasn't satisfactory & made the situation something to look forward to leaving. kwim?
I'd suggest getting a good storage shed - a wooden one perhaps. With some good organization the lack of storage space wouldn't be as much of a problem. If they aren't portable, well for a thousand it is still cheaper than a rental unit. A good sized one will give you room for your own *retreat* during spousal shtf times. ;)
Your blog was one of my recommended reading suggestions on my Google reader, so here I am!
If local laws will allow it, I would recommend separating your gray water (sinks, showers, tubs) from the black. (toilets)
Some folks water their gardens with the gray water, but....it'll do just fine for flowers or grass, I've read.
I grew up out in the country with a septic system and my pop always had problems with it until he plumbed the gray water away from the septic tank.
Great blog, great replies. Look fwd. to reading more and perhaps even participating.
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