I'm away....

[santaman2000]

Again, you are inserting your concept of a dream retirement option for wealthy individuals on a huge continent into a discussion of young local families struggling to find either work or affordable housing or both on a small, wet and crowded island. Your dream "lifestyle" bears no relation whatsoever to the reality of people here struggling on low pay or benefits to find a home, schooling and family life in the area where they were brought up , who are forced into living in 30 year old one room tin boxes on a family member's drive or a local field where last night it was -3 and snowed. That is what is meant by living in a caravan, not touring around balmy National Parks and eating in restaurants from the safety of a £200000 Winnebago RV.

I did state it was retirement dream. Not one for working age people. Regarding a "$200,000 Winnebago" well, I hope to get better than a "Winnebago" for that price. But in any case, as I said, the price of the RV/Motorhome would replace the price of an actual mortgage which is generally quite higher than $200,000 nationally (cheaper here locally) And part of the concept is that it allows me to have a kitchen and not have to "eat in restaurants."

Working age people here tend to live in mobile homes (trailer homes) anywhere from 65' to 75' long and 14' wide to 28' wide (for a double wide) Also set up somewhere on the family farm just as you describe there. My Mom and I lived in such a trailer (a 3 bedroom singlewide) for a year and a half when I was a teenager in school; all on the salary of an RN plus the Social Security widow's supplement she drew while I was in school (hardly wealthy)

My daughter and her husband are currently living in a small 2 bedroom trailer (about 45' x 14' 1970s era) that they are buying (along with the acre of land it sits on) all on his salary from as a sheetmetal worker at the local aviation modification plant supplemented by her working two jobs to raise their two sons (again, hardly wealthy, around $30,000 to $35,000 annually for all their income combined)

As for working age people, I suspect that they move away from the villages they were raised in is caused by the search for employment; much the same as here.

 

[mrcharly]

Slight thread diversion; Santaman, what proportion of 'normal' (not wealthy or inherited land/house) locals live in trailerhomes in the USA? I seem to recall you are in Florida, which sounds like it would be hot in summer in a trailer. When I visited the USA I went up to Virginia in winter and saw huge trailer parks. They looked like they'd be awfully cold in that weather.

 

[mousey]

I'm an incomer to a small fishing village in the north east Scotland. The first [even smaller] village I live in had more incomers than locals and the incomers were more cliquey and difficult to infiltrate than any other folks - not a problem for me as I have always kept myself to me.

I overheard someone ask how long it took to become 'accepted' and the answer was by the 3rd generation....

I personally haven't come across any bigotry or at least not that I've taken that way, the worst that's ever happened to me was at a hospital when I took my 2nd son to casualty they insisted to filling his nationality as English when he had been born in Elgin. That and the local fish shop having two different prices - local price and everyone else...

It does seem to be a slower pace of life - the shops still shut relatively early and most aren't open on a Sunday. You can say "hello" and "morning" to people in the street without them thinking your a nutter whose going to beat them up.

Basically as long are your nice to people they are generally nice back - Like with everything I tend not to take what people too seriously - if they want to be mean they can be it, doesn't bother me.


Good Luck with the house hunting hope you find what your after.

 

[santaman2000]

Slight thread diversion; Santaman, what proportion of 'normal' (not wealthy or inherited land/house) locals live in trailerhomes in the USA? I seem to recall you are in Florida, which sounds like it would be hot in summer in a trailer. When I visited the USA I went up to Virginia in winter and saw huge trailer parks. They looked like they'd be awfully cold in that weather.

I wish I could give you an accurate figure but I really don't know the percentage. Sorry. I can say that it's fairly high though. Lets put it this way, not only have I lived in one, almost everyone I know has lived in one at some time in their life. (I am discussing actual trailer homes here, not campers/RVs/motorhomes) Virginia isn't alone in having huge trailer parks. In fact here in Florida there are quite a few specialty trailer parks (retirees only) although they're mostly a bit further south around Gainsville or further.

When I first got to Florida I was still active duty and the Air Force actually maintained a trailer park on base in addition to the regular military family housing. That's a bit unusual although there are always scads of private ones near every base.

Actually most of the more modern ones (built since about the mid 1980s) are as well insulated as modern houses. The air conditioners attached to a trailer are the same ones used to cool a traditional framed house (usually about a 1 to 2 ton unit)

 

[Toddy]

There's an enormous difference between your American 'double-wide' things and the static caravans here though.
The home grown ones here are the width of a lorry, and if they're 30' long they're doing well.

Cramped, damp, cold and inconvenient.

I know of some people who have literally rebuilt their's from the inside out. Lined them with wood, double glazed the windows, fitted log burners, etc., and while it's a great improvement, it's still small and they have problems with damp.

Very different climate.

M

 

[santaman2000]

There's an enormous difference between your American 'double-wide' things and the static caravans here though.
The home grown ones here are the width of a lorry, and if they're 30' long they're doing well.

Cramped, damp, cold and inconvenient.....

Agreed, but we're also mixing uses here in this discussion. The one I dream of retiring in would be a camping type more the size of your larger caravans. Just better built. I suspect they'll never be as popular there for a number of reasons: Not the least of which is the builders won't market bigger or better built ones unless there's a demand and the demand won't materialize unless the builders offer them (self perpetuating)


And not all of the permanent ones are double wide (comparatively few TBH) Size and floor plans vary, but here's a typical one

The one my daughter and her family live in is a bit smaller.

 

[santaman2000]

....I know of some people who have literally rebuilt their's from the inside out. Lined them with wood, double glazed the windows, fitted log burners, etc., and while it's a great improvement, it's still small and they have problems with damp.

Very different climate.

M

Actually your climate is vary similar to the Pacific Northwest and less damp than most of the US Southeast. Also you don't get hurricanes and comparatively few tornados (trailer homes seem to be magnets for these)

 

[Toddy]

We get persistant overclouded damp, even in Summer. It's milder than other locations because of the effects of the Gulf Stream, but that just means that we don't get dry cold as they do on the continent. We just get cold and wet.
There's a reason that Brits evolve to be fair skinned and that most of us (brunettes too) have red in our hair. Low light levels mean we need to make the most we can of the VitaminD.

Your trailer homes are more like the pre-fabs that were built here just after the last war to provide quick homes for families in bombed out areas.

In general caravans here, are just that, and really only meant for holiday homes for short term use. Most caravan parks do not have permanent residents and most close from October until Easter.

M

 

[Tengu]

Those sound like mansions compared to the one Im in...(and paying highly for)

We really need to sort out our housing problems in this country; Theres so many derelict properties. (Particularly in Scotland though Ive seen a few down here...nice houses, the sort that would make a good project too.)

If we had regulations to ensure that properties were kept up and occupied for at least a few months of the year, then their value would increase and everyone would benefit.

My Uncle lives on an urban estate; not a fancy one, but not rough either. Theres a wood at the back, and stream at the front, and an allotment and park each end. The inhabitants consist of foxes, elderly, jays and families. (I imagine a lot of you would not mind a house like that.)
Next door is empty long term (few years now) and next door the other side seem to be permenently in their holiday caravan...

 

[santaman2000]

We get persistant overclouded damp, even in Summer. It's milder than other locations because of the effects of the Gulf Stream, but that just means that we don't get dry cold as they do on the continent. We just get cold and wet......

Yep. Just like I said, very much like the Pacific Northwest (except they don't have the Gulfstream) and much dryer than the Gulf South.

 

[santaman2000]

.....Your trailer homes are more like the pre-fabs that were built here just after the last war to provide quick homes for families in bombed out areas......

Yeah, except they're better built now-a-days. They're built to the same standards as traditional permanent housing now (as I stated earlier; since about the mid 1980s) The big difference being they're not sat on a concrete slab as a traditional modern house is.

 

[santaman2000]

......In general caravans here, are just that, and really only meant for holiday homes for short term use. Most caravan parks do not have permanent residents and most close from October until Easter.

Yes, but that's more because of cultural differences than technical ones. If you had the market to support better built ones, they'd be offered. You (as a society) don't like them so they won't ever be popular. To be honest, very few people here would actually choose to live in a trailer home (the permanent ones) Not because of the quality, but because there is still something of a stigma attached to it. The RV/Motorhome types are quite a different story however. They're generally not designed for long gterm habitation (although there are a few that are designed so specifically for the retiree market) but there is no stigma at all attached to them.

Those sound like mansions compared to the one Im in...(and paying highly for).......

I understand Tengu. As Mary points out, yours isn't really designed and built for long term habitation or using in the off season.

 

[mrcharly]

Roads are a problem here, too.

'mobile homes' (australian name for them) are popular in rural areas and in the beachside small communities where they can be put on stilts on the sand dunes. They can make pretty nice houses, tbh, especially as it is usually possible to link several together.
In the australian climate they suffer from not having an airspace in the roof and get very hot. I never understand why people don't build a secondary shading roof, tbh.

 

[Tengu]

We certainly have good ones, for sites for retirees.

Some cost more than a house would.

 

[vizsla]

Great news dougster, I'm sure you'll do fine mate the simple fact is if your a nice down to earth chap people will like you and you will fit it as I'm sure your aware

 

[santaman2000]

Roads are a problem here, too.

'mobile homes' (australian name for them) are popular in rural areas and in the beachside small communities where they can be put on stilts on the sand dunes. They can make pretty nice houses, tbh, especially as it is usually possible to link several together.
In the australian climate they suffer from not having an airspace in the roof and get very hot. I never understand why people don't build a secondary shading roof, tbh.

You're quite right about using a secondary roof, it makes a world of difference. It's fairly common here in the South if the mobile home (our proper name for them also) is on land where you have permission to build one. They're rather like parking the trailer under a carport. In fact my daughter's is set up that way.

I hadn't thought of the roads. I suppose they could be difficult, but I ve seen trailers here set up on property only accessible bey narrow dirt roads.

 

[santaman2000]

We certainly have good ones, for sites for retirees.

Some cost more than a house would.

I vaguely remember a mobile home park when I was over there.

 

[Dougster]

Great news dougster, I'm sure you'll do fine mate the simple fact is if your a nice down to earth chap people will like you and you will fit it as I'm sure your aware

Thanks mate, I won't be in a caravan, mobile home or trailer for sure.

 

[santaman2000]

A proper double wide:

Something quite a bit smaller

And something quite a bit older



Larger single wide interior

 

[vizsla]

Thanks mate, I won't be in a caravan, mobile home or trailer for sure.

Very envious mate, sure the kids and dogs will love it. from the age of ten when I use to go to the highlands I always said I'd move up there myself , I can remember seeing jimmie savil sporting his kilt walking through town with his band,