We need an Exit Plan. Someday it will be time to hang up the keys and either have a stick built house again, or park the RV and stay. Many of you who are reading this are thinking WOW, I haven’t even started and you want me to think about stopping. No way! Yes, way!! Planning ahead is very important. Nothing you decide today is written in stone, but you should have an idea of what you will do. These plans will change and evolve. It’s up to you, but it is something to think about.
Where will you hang up the keys? Will it be close to the kids, or maybe there’s a mountain lake or a seaside resort that you really like. You may not have found it yet, but as you travel, keep your eyes open to any possibility. Maybe there’s a city you have fallen in love with or an RV park where great friends have been made and you want to spend time with them.
Things to consider in an exit plan are weather, medical facilities, proximity to a city, and of course, is there a WalMart or commissary close by. Is there a church you like? How much will it cost to stay in this area? If it is an RV Park, are you a co-owner or will the rent or fees be going up every year? Does the park have a reserve fund for major repairs, or will there be an assessment fee? Who actually runs the park, a manager or a board of directors? What are the rules? Can you build a casita, and how big? Can water and sewer be added to the shed? How about when you decide to sell, will you get your investment back or does that really matter to you?
A lot of snowbirds just love the winter time to be with friends and play cards, golf, play dominos, practice line dancing and they eventually buy a park model trailer and stay the whole year.
Maybe a stick built house is what you will want. Where will you settle? Will you buy one and rent it out or live in it part time. Maybe you can afford to have several. What will you do if one of you becomes seriously ill or passes away? I believe in the Boy Scout motto “be prepared”. If you have an exit plan, then at the time of the emergency you will know what to do because you have already made decisions. The decision doesn’t have to be made today, but it will need to be made at some point in time.