retiring in a park model: pros and cons???

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Serena

I find myself looking at park models and wondering if this would be a good choice for long-term retirement living (in a warm climate). Does anyone know of a forum for park models, or does anyone here have some experience with them: advantages, disadvantages as compared with a standard MH?

Many thanks.
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Harry
Posts: 1249
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:45 pm
Location: Citrus county Florida

Hi

If you are talking "park model" as in "small manufactured home" I see a lot of them down here. A lot of them are 400 square feet.

Too small for me though.

Harry
Aside from the roof leak, soft floors, rats, mice and bursted plumbing ........ how do you like it?
beegee

Hi Serena,

I lived in Dothan, AL, and thought retiring to the beach was a great idea for me. I looked very closely at one down on Panama City Beach, and I did a lot of research online.

I found the park models are lovely, small, cost considerably more to buy and then place in a park than a regular MH, and fare even worse during a hurricane, or even a severe thunderstorm.

I decided to leave the Gulf after Ivan got me-18 hours in a bathtub with a 11 year old Boxer, not knowing where my son and grandson were, and hearing several 'freight trains' at the same time made the choice a no-brainer.

It took another year, though before I could really leave; Katrina hit west of us on my birthday (29th August), and I was outta there on the fourth of October.

I put that lovely little expensive park model right out of my head when I saw the photos of PC Beach after Ivan, and Biloxi after Katrina.

Evacuating the area you choose should be your second consideration-Ivan and Katrina traffic was insane as far inland as Dothan, and several people died in traffic wreaks evac'ing all three of the big ones-Ivan, Katrina, and Rita. Roads out are few, people were in huge panic...

Plus, as I said above, I spent 18 hours in a Dothan bathtub because the sheriff said we wouldn't need to evacuate in our area, then we were hit with the East side of Ivan; it came up so fast that I did not have time to get out and to a Red Cross shelter or friend's-one minute it was just sprinkling, and we were all praying for the folks south, then WHAM, the tornado warnings started.

I finally yanked the batteries out of my weather radio because it kept going off and then stayed on as tornado after tornado was sighted close to my house and a new warning issued.

BTW, Harry, I was in Melbourne for Andrew, my brother still lives in West Palm. He refused to come north to Melbourne for Andrew, although he did bring his boat up :roll: And I've got to tell you, my cat loves your avatar, he sits on my lap and tries to catch the fly.
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Harry
Posts: 1249
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 7:45 pm
Location: Citrus county Florida

Yep

We looked at park models for a particular property we have. When the wife saw the prices she smacked me in the back of the head.

Hurricane Andrew changed our lives. Getting ready for the storm we rented several videos. The storm blew the store away....we still have the videos.

Harry
Aside from the roof leak, soft floors, rats, mice and bursted plumbing ........ how do you like it?
Serena

Thanks for the input so far. I don't think my MH would survive a move, so I'm thinking about what would be best to buy after this one. A smaller MH, a park model or ???

I have a 1968 Broadmore now. It's 12 x 64 including the tongue. It's a two-bedroom and one-bath. I like it a lot. It's just in need of a some serious work which is beyond me. I wanted something smaller than this, but this was the only one for sale when I wanted to move.

I'm in a MHP/RV park now and am wondering about where and how to live when I'm old (which is not too terribly far off). I just want warmer, less housework and maintenance, and of course, fewer expenses.
beegee

I'm getting there (ask my kids, they'll say I'm there), so I know what you mean :)

I'm single right now, have been for the last ten years, so that is a consideration for me, and why I chose this little place. I felt that since I'm only 51, I've got enough years left in me to get this place up to speed so that in ten or so years when I want to slow down a bit, I'll be able to.

With a recession looming, or maybe already here, an older MH fixer-upper is the best financial value for me. I do want to move it to my own land if the park owner decides to sell; I'm in negotiations with him for the lot because it's on the corner in front, and could be cut away from the rest of the park. So far he is leaning toward it, I hope he hurries up before land prices go up again!

My place is about 20' smaller than yours, and I took out the smaller bedroom wall between the kitchen so that I could have a laundry area. Once the little things are done it will be snug, and warm, and I hope I can afford the services of guys like Mark, Robert, and JD, but if not, barring something huge, I should be able to handle based on the smallness of the trailer.

For example, I Kool Sealed my roof this spring by leaning a good ladder against one side, slopping the sealer onto the roof with the help of a neighbour, and then working it across-without going on the roof at all. Of course I cleaned first, but because it was so small, I still didn't have to get on the roof. Hopefully, I can do that a couple mor times, and then put a good metal re-roof or a nice roof-over that will out live me 8)

I'm sort of talking about remarrying with an old friend, so things might change for me, but I'm not believing anything 'till it's done and delivered, so getting my little place fixed up now is important. If I do remarry, I know he'll want to move to a bigger place, but as I said, I'll believe it when it happens. 'Till then, I need to make plans and get moving on them.

Good luck, hope this helped.
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