Just as fashion trends ebb and flow, so does the real estate market. Where once young professionals flocked to the suburbs and dreamed of owning their own home, nowadays it seems younger generations are searching for a much more flexible living situation. Today #Vanlife is a very popular lifestyle and extremely lucrative market space that revolves around RV or camper living. However, this “roots-free” lifestyle isn’t a new phenomenon, as RVs were extremely popular in the sos and 60s. With the steady rise in property values and thus increase in rent, millennia ls are finding alternative ways to keep their living expenses low without sacrificing comfort. Along with a lower monthly expense, RV living offers premier locations, independence, and mobility. Full-time RVing just might be the future of housing for the up-and-coming generations.
Perceptions of RV living are slowly beginning to change; but… there’s a definitive stigma that’s associated with it. For some, the idea of living in an RV is the same as living in a mobile home park but worse – some people even associate RVs with being “lower class”. However, in most cases, this is the furthest from the truth.
Today, the typical RV owner is nearly 50 years old, married, and owns a home separate from their RV. In fact, most people that invest in an RV crave mobility, love to travel, and have the flexibility in their schedule to do so. According to Dr. Richard Curtin, “the expected growth in RV ownership will be accompanied by a change within the RV industry toward more varied features suitable for more diverse uses, toward more age-friendly features, toward more upscale destination campgrounds, and toward more energy-efficient units.”
RV parks aren’t what they used to be, they are growing with the times and nowadays they are more luxurious than ever, with many offering private showers, laundry facilities, pools, clubhouses, pickleball courts, and more.
From my own experience…
Not only do the statistics speak for themselves but I have personally experienced the RV “roots free” lifestyle. I lived in my retro camper, nicknamed “The Dorm Room”, all throughout my undergraduate program, and even some of my graduate schooling. My camper gave me independence to live on my own with the absence of roommates and sky-high rent payments. It wasn’t glamourous by any means, but I had the necessities: a queen size bed, full bathroom with a shower, kitchen, complete with microwave, stove, oven, full fridge, and even Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth stereo system!
I had to be conscious of the clothes I brought with me, and the food items I purchased due to limited space, but for $500 a month for rent (which included electricity, water, and Wi-Fi), it was well worth it! Not to mention, when I had to relocate post-graduation for work, my trusted camper was there to help me stay on my feet.
If you don’t mind the tight space and minimalistic lifestyle, what you’ll find is something truly magical. The RV community is a group of kindhearted, hard-working, honest people that will welcome you with open arms. rve spent a fair share of nights around the park’s public firepits, laughing, eating, drinking, and conversing with some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. The economic benefits of RVing are a given, but the friendships and experiences are something you’ll just have to see for yourself!