Creative buying, an RV for a house?

**cheezehed** · 09-09-2008, 07:24 PM

Hi all I'm new to the board, here's a situation I'll try to make brief. My husband and I are retired on a fixed income, and have been travelling and living in our RV for the past 1 1/2 year. We would like to buy a house, but have to sell our RV first. Due to higher gas prices RVs aren't a hot commodity right now.

We would be willing to consider all locations in the US. We've sent out a handful of emails to realtors suggesting a trade type situation but have not had one email in return.

Is this worth pursuing at all? Are there sellers who would consider a trade like this? Should I keep sending emails? The RV's average retail value is 105K. There is a mortgage on it, therefore we cant do 2 mortgages.

Thanks a bunch for any suggestions

Penny

**Nat_Ferguson** · 09-10-2008, 04:02 PM

I suppose that if the homes/Realtors that you were approaching were selling for near the price of your RV you might have a chance. A few things to keep in mind though:
1) Agent's can't represent you with the sale of your RV as it is considered personal property.
2) Agent's work for commission only. Since the sale if your RV doesn't pay a commission, it will likely be viewed as a chore when they could represent another home buyer in this same situation and earn 2 commissions.

Perhaps you should get counsel from your CPA as to what tax deductions you can capture from either selling your RV at a loss, or continuing to write of the "mortgage interest" on it. One last idea, consider renting it (the RV) out through a owner/renter site and using the positive rental income to help with a nice home rental?

Best of luck!

**cheezehed** · 09-10-2008, 05:58 PM

Thanks so much for the replies! Nat I didn't even think about the possible advantages of selling at a loss, I will look into that.

I don't think that renting the RV is an option that will work, it's kind of a high end motorhome and because of it's length and weight ... in some states you actually need a commercial drivers license to drive it lol.

I am currently working on a small ad for craigslist hoping to find some interest. I previously had some craigslist ads to sell the RV, but only got an offer to trade for a 60 ft. houseboat in Arkansas. As far as the area, we're open to just about anything...would prefer to stay in the middle US but nothing is out of the question.

One last question, is finding a buyer's broker in this situation feasible? I guess I could just call one...trying to take advantage of your knowledge here before I start knocking on doors

Thanks again! Pen

**SMP** · 09-16-2008, 05:42 PM

you might have answered your own question when you said RV's aren't much in demand with gas prices being so high.

But, that's not a reason to simply give up. Keep trying and good luck.