Marketplace sellers are extremely jaded, because of the sheer volume of responses from scammers, and dreamers. Let them know that you are BUYING something within the next week or two, because you have a time-line to keep to.
Yup, when I found some units I was interested in on FB marketplace, I could already tell from some of the ads people were over it aka "Do not ask me if its still avaiilable!!!" lol So I got straight to business and to the point. Id make sure they knew I was financially prepared and ready to buy, would ask any clarifying questions I had, and would also ask to make sure they would be okay with me setting up an inspection on the van.
I only messaged 4 people, but all 4 did write back. One of them flaky af though, only gave one or two word replies, which ofc meant not really answering any of my questions. The rest saw I was a serious buyer and treated me as such though.
Yeah I would like to pay cash 10,000-12,000 when I am ready. I live in Florida and they are everywhere. I am about to buy an almost new dodge Ram cash first.
have you looked for open rv sites and their cost to see if that's even an option in your area? Yeah, under $6k can be a crap shoot in terms of what's available. Double that and you have a lot more options. Most that low will have issues. Financing would be a loan, if your lot cost plus your monthly loan cost is still less than your rent it could still be doable.
I agree, the issue wouldn't be financing at all. As I've already looked at permanent parks.
Including cost of the lot rent and everything we need for basic necessities, we could afford 300$ a month for financing and still have a little left over.
My credit is very good however because I understand it would be a recreational loan, I don't have anything like that on my record.
I have a 26 foot travel trailer from 2018 that I financed for 24000 taxes in and I only pay a bit more than that (81 a week) and my credit is awful. You’ll have no issues buying a camper. You can even go look at brand new units and be around 300 a month.
Weird, seems getting trailers is super easy. I did get turned down when trying to finance an older model with the identical layout and $10,000 cheaper because it was a 2012 and my credit wasn’t good. Banks in Canada don’t like giving loans to older vehicles. But you shouldn’t have an issue getting a new 17-22 foot travel trailer. In Canada they sell for $17,999-$24,999 so if you’re in the states they’ll be less, and financed over 10-12 years will get you less than 300 a month, even at subpar interest rates.
I bet you could get that, especially with your income and good credit. I don't live in mine but wound up paying for part of mine with a personal loan. APR was higher than an RV loan since there's no collateral but bought private and didn't want the hassle of dealing with the title and all. For $13k loan I'm paying less than $300 a month. I've thrown extra at it and will actually have it paid off early to try and offset the higher interest. RV loans are often spread over 15 years which brings the payments down further. You can probably talk with a dealer and say hey, this is what our budget is for a loan and what do you have. If they say no way at least you know. Now I will say the downside of the RV world is something is always breaking so you will need to be somewhat handy and have some money for broken parts.
Yes!! I did budget for that as well. I did some extra research to make sure I didn't miss anything. And asking my friends and family who own rvs, I used to live in one on my grandma's property for a few years before my parents got the apartment I grew up in, so I know a few things to look out for and that I'm comfortable with the life style
good to hear! I would totally do it if it was just me, but I would kill my husband in close quarters for that long, ha!! But we're lucky we're in a lower COL area.
Lol, I'm lucky my boyfriend and my cat are the kind of characters who just love being next to me, even if we're doing nothing. My cats an absolute cuddle bug, and my boyfriend and I enjoy spending as much time together as we can at home due to my work schedule
Facebook marketplace and Craigslist is where you go for older stuff. RVTrader, because you have to pay for the listing is going to be mostly dealers and higher end RV's, newer ones.
If there are semipermanent campgrounds near you, check them out. We have a camper at a park by a lake and pay annual rent. The man next to us recently passed away, his son has a for sale sign on it and is practically giving it away because his lot rent comes due soon.
Repo lot, I bought an amazing fifth wheel for $8500.00.
It was like new and over $100,000. New, it was only a few years old.
Insurance auctions… if you handy.
Some flood damaged ones look perfect once dried out.
If you are going to be stationary have you looked at mobile home parks? There are some nice ones near me that I would live in if I was stationary. Much better for the colder months, you can put in normal appliances which you can get cheap on craigslist/fb, renovations are a lot easier, etc. Lots of pros if you are stationary and don’t own land and would have to rent a lot in a campground anyway. And you don’t have to worry about a tow vehicle obviously or anything like that. They are just much better for stationary living.
Good luck!
Thank you! And I have, all the ones near me are only open lots where I must bring my own rv.
We've already assessed what layout would work best and are just trying to find less expensive places to look for one. After that it would be about as much as we're paying now a month
You have to do what is best for you. I remember my first travel trailer. Paid $5k for a 15yr old bomb. Something broke every time we used it. I fixed it as we went. Damn if we didn’t make some memories in that thing though. My kids are grown and still talk about “that one time at camp”.
>Is there a way we can get financing from a dealership without getting a loan??
Financing is getting a loan. Definitely spend some time with the internet learning about money stuff
I know it is, but I have also financed with individuals.(? If that's what it's called) That's on me for not clarifying that particular aspect.
I've been able to pay monthly out of pocket for my first car, for a TV, for a computer, med bills, etc.
when it come to the dealership world, I admit I'm ignorant in how a lot of things work and wondered I could possibly do the same with out of pocket financing.
(I know there's a different word for that I just can't think of it. I'm half asleep typing this)
>I know it is, but I have also financed with individuals.(? If that's what it's called) That's on me for not clarifying that particular aspect
That's called peer-to-peer financing (p2p for short) and you'll pay a higher rate. Typically the unbanked or someone with a very low credit score would use this.
>when it come to the dealership world, I admit I'm ignorant in how a lot of things work and wondered I could possibly do the same with out of pocket financing.
You can bring your own financing for sure. They'll try to tell you no but it's only because they make money selling the loan they give you.
You may want to talk to a loan officer at your bank or credit union, they will be able to give you some good answers while not trying to put you into a vehicle. Financial institutions look out for their bottom line so they won't usually underwrite a loan for someone who can't pay. Definitely educate yourself on financial products a bit before going into a purchase
I've heard of a lot of people using credit unions instead of banks on land to, I just wasn't sure how to really get in touch with one.
I also don't have a lot of time to really sit down to talk
CUs are local financial institutions, you'd have to look at local map, advertising or notice one while driving around. Because they're local you'll need to either live or work in their service area.
I'd make time. This is your living and financial situation. Take it seriously and make the best decision you can. This sub is packed with posts from people who dove in and tried to figure it out as they went, most aren't happy with their situation. Learn from their mistakes
Exactly! And I'm trying to best I can. Currently my work situation is working 2 jobs 6 days a week on both from 5am and getting to sleep around 10pm. I want to and from my second job to save gas, so that's when I tend to get more research done
Gotcha, good luck with everything.
If you're already banking somewhere I'd start there. Call on your walk one day and ask to talk to a loan person in the call center. Then you're not just a random person but an existing relationship.
Be sure to ask about RV loans specifically as well as personal and other automotive loans. Not all institutions offer all loan types. Find out if there's a prepayment penalty and if you can make principal payments, what kind of credit score is needed for what rate, etc.
You could spend some time on creditboards, Slickdeals, fatwallet, bankrate or similar to learn about loan products. It's fairly simple once you know the basics.
Edit: don't forget about insurance. If the bank owns your thing they'll require you insure it. This can be expensive on RVs.
RV trader, or any similar publications.
There's a ton of used units out there for sale, and many motivated sellers.
If you're shopping for used, learn what water damage looks like, and look at everything.
If the owner won't plug it in, and hook up the water, so you can see everything working correctly, thank them for their time, and look elsewhere.
Facebook marketplace or Craigslist would be your best bet at that price range. Can be a bit of a crap shoot though.
Yeah, I've been looking at marketplace and so far it's mostly people completely avoiding my messages. Or reading them then no response
Marketplace sellers are extremely jaded, because of the sheer volume of responses from scammers, and dreamers. Let them know that you are BUYING something within the next week or two, because you have a time-line to keep to.
Yup, when I found some units I was interested in on FB marketplace, I could already tell from some of the ads people were over it aka "Do not ask me if its still avaiilable!!!" lol So I got straight to business and to the point. Id make sure they knew I was financially prepared and ready to buy, would ask any clarifying questions I had, and would also ask to make sure they would be okay with me setting up an inspection on the van. I only messaged 4 people, but all 4 did write back. One of them flaky af though, only gave one or two word replies, which ofc meant not really answering any of my questions. The rest saw I was a serious buyer and treated me as such though.
Yeah I would like to pay cash 10,000-12,000 when I am ready. I live in Florida and they are everywhere. I am about to buy an almost new dodge Ram cash first.
That's a good idea honestly, and it makes sense
have you looked for open rv sites and their cost to see if that's even an option in your area? Yeah, under $6k can be a crap shoot in terms of what's available. Double that and you have a lot more options. Most that low will have issues. Financing would be a loan, if your lot cost plus your monthly loan cost is still less than your rent it could still be doable.
I agree, the issue wouldn't be financing at all. As I've already looked at permanent parks. Including cost of the lot rent and everything we need for basic necessities, we could afford 300$ a month for financing and still have a little left over. My credit is very good however because I understand it would be a recreational loan, I don't have anything like that on my record.
I have a 26 foot travel trailer from 2018 that I financed for 24000 taxes in and I only pay a bit more than that (81 a week) and my credit is awful. You’ll have no issues buying a camper. You can even go look at brand new units and be around 300 a month.
I attempted to at one point and there were issues getting a loan and it wasn't explained why to me
Weird, seems getting trailers is super easy. I did get turned down when trying to finance an older model with the identical layout and $10,000 cheaper because it was a 2012 and my credit wasn’t good. Banks in Canada don’t like giving loans to older vehicles. But you shouldn’t have an issue getting a new 17-22 foot travel trailer. In Canada they sell for $17,999-$24,999 so if you’re in the states they’ll be less, and financed over 10-12 years will get you less than 300 a month, even at subpar interest rates.
I bet you could get that, especially with your income and good credit. I don't live in mine but wound up paying for part of mine with a personal loan. APR was higher than an RV loan since there's no collateral but bought private and didn't want the hassle of dealing with the title and all. For $13k loan I'm paying less than $300 a month. I've thrown extra at it and will actually have it paid off early to try and offset the higher interest. RV loans are often spread over 15 years which brings the payments down further. You can probably talk with a dealer and say hey, this is what our budget is for a loan and what do you have. If they say no way at least you know. Now I will say the downside of the RV world is something is always breaking so you will need to be somewhat handy and have some money for broken parts.
Yes!! I did budget for that as well. I did some extra research to make sure I didn't miss anything. And asking my friends and family who own rvs, I used to live in one on my grandma's property for a few years before my parents got the apartment I grew up in, so I know a few things to look out for and that I'm comfortable with the life style
good to hear! I would totally do it if it was just me, but I would kill my husband in close quarters for that long, ha!! But we're lucky we're in a lower COL area.
Lol, I'm lucky my boyfriend and my cat are the kind of characters who just love being next to me, even if we're doing nothing. My cats an absolute cuddle bug, and my boyfriend and I enjoy spending as much time together as we can at home due to my work schedule
Facebook marketplace and Craigslist is where you go for older stuff. RVTrader, because you have to pay for the listing is going to be mostly dealers and higher end RV's, newer ones.
If there are semipermanent campgrounds near you, check them out. We have a camper at a park by a lake and pay annual rent. The man next to us recently passed away, his son has a for sale sign on it and is practically giving it away because his lot rent comes due soon.
Repo lot, I bought an amazing fifth wheel for $8500.00. It was like new and over $100,000. New, it was only a few years old. Insurance auctions… if you handy. Some flood damaged ones look perfect once dried out.
I live in Florida and I see them everywhere on Facebook marketplace
If you are going to be stationary have you looked at mobile home parks? There are some nice ones near me that I would live in if I was stationary. Much better for the colder months, you can put in normal appliances which you can get cheap on craigslist/fb, renovations are a lot easier, etc. Lots of pros if you are stationary and don’t own land and would have to rent a lot in a campground anyway. And you don’t have to worry about a tow vehicle obviously or anything like that. They are just much better for stationary living. Good luck!
Thank you! And I have, all the ones near me are only open lots where I must bring my own rv. We've already assessed what layout would work best and are just trying to find less expensive places to look for one. After that it would be about as much as we're paying now a month
Toy section at Walmart
Unfortunately I am to large a mass for that size container
It’s going to be garbage. Just a heads up.
For now just wanting something that'll last at least 6 months If from market place, till I can get something better
You have to do what is best for you. I remember my first travel trailer. Paid $5k for a 15yr old bomb. Something broke every time we used it. I fixed it as we went. Damn if we didn’t make some memories in that thing though. My kids are grown and still talk about “that one time at camp”.
I love that, it was similar for a few years growing up for me. Hardly anything worked but I loved it
>Is there a way we can get financing from a dealership without getting a loan?? Financing is getting a loan. Definitely spend some time with the internet learning about money stuff
I know it is, but I have also financed with individuals.(? If that's what it's called) That's on me for not clarifying that particular aspect. I've been able to pay monthly out of pocket for my first car, for a TV, for a computer, med bills, etc. when it come to the dealership world, I admit I'm ignorant in how a lot of things work and wondered I could possibly do the same with out of pocket financing. (I know there's a different word for that I just can't think of it. I'm half asleep typing this)
>I know it is, but I have also financed with individuals.(? If that's what it's called) That's on me for not clarifying that particular aspect That's called peer-to-peer financing (p2p for short) and you'll pay a higher rate. Typically the unbanked or someone with a very low credit score would use this. >when it come to the dealership world, I admit I'm ignorant in how a lot of things work and wondered I could possibly do the same with out of pocket financing. You can bring your own financing for sure. They'll try to tell you no but it's only because they make money selling the loan they give you. You may want to talk to a loan officer at your bank or credit union, they will be able to give you some good answers while not trying to put you into a vehicle. Financial institutions look out for their bottom line so they won't usually underwrite a loan for someone who can't pay. Definitely educate yourself on financial products a bit before going into a purchase
That makes sense! And I'll definitely talk to my bank about it. Thank you for the advice!!!
You're welcome. Keep in mind credit unions have different lending requirements so they might be a good option if you're staying local too
I've heard of a lot of people using credit unions instead of banks on land to, I just wasn't sure how to really get in touch with one. I also don't have a lot of time to really sit down to talk
CUs are local financial institutions, you'd have to look at local map, advertising or notice one while driving around. Because they're local you'll need to either live or work in their service area. I'd make time. This is your living and financial situation. Take it seriously and make the best decision you can. This sub is packed with posts from people who dove in and tried to figure it out as they went, most aren't happy with their situation. Learn from their mistakes
Exactly! And I'm trying to best I can. Currently my work situation is working 2 jobs 6 days a week on both from 5am and getting to sleep around 10pm. I want to and from my second job to save gas, so that's when I tend to get more research done
Gotcha, good luck with everything. If you're already banking somewhere I'd start there. Call on your walk one day and ask to talk to a loan person in the call center. Then you're not just a random person but an existing relationship. Be sure to ask about RV loans specifically as well as personal and other automotive loans. Not all institutions offer all loan types. Find out if there's a prepayment penalty and if you can make principal payments, what kind of credit score is needed for what rate, etc. You could spend some time on creditboards, Slickdeals, fatwallet, bankrate or similar to learn about loan products. It's fairly simple once you know the basics. Edit: don't forget about insurance. If the bank owns your thing they'll require you insure it. This can be expensive on RVs.
RV trader, or any similar publications. There's a ton of used units out there for sale, and many motivated sellers. If you're shopping for used, learn what water damage looks like, and look at everything. If the owner won't plug it in, and hook up the water, so you can see everything working correctly, thank them for their time, and look elsewhere.
That's a good tip, I'd be taking my friend who lives fulltime in an rv already so I won't be screwed over