On 11/27/2018 at 6:38 AM, Randyretired said:

Finding a travel trailer that is sufficiently insulated to comfortably stand the cold will be a challenge.  A decent mobile home will be less expensive to heat a likely more comfortable.  There are more choices for better insulated 5th wheels but none that I know of have the insulation of a home or mobile home.  The furnaces in RV's are not very good and terribly inefficient.   Many use electric heaters but these are not cheap to run and the lack of insulation makes it worse.  Drafts in RV's are common and moisture buildup is usually troublesome.  Often times due to problems during cold weather an apartment or rental doesn't cost anymore than a RV and is significantly more comfortable. 

Yes, I was worried about that too. Some of the more solid 5th wheels cost about the same as a downpayment on a condo and the winters up in Washington are far harsher than they are down here where I am currently at in Florida. I got most of my RV idealism from the people I know here - my husband's family all live in RV parks or have their RVs hooked up on acreages. The laws are much more geared towards long term camping here and the weather is more favorable (well, hurricanes aside). 
This was the RV I was considering buying. 
https://cheyennecampingcenter.com/rvs/view/2019-coachmen-catalina-313dbds-bunkhouse-travel-trailer
I saw it for 26K on Ebay, but it is currently the latest model, so I was hoping it (or something similar) would be available shortly before I graduate in a cheaper, used state.
Do you think this RV would weather Washington in the winter or am I crazy? haha. This RV would have to enable me to live cheaply and somewhat comfortably.
Apartment rents are horrendous - the average rent for a one bedroom in Seattle is somewhere close to 2000 dollars. A quick check on apartments.com confirms this - apartments under 1000 a month are very scarce. Utilities are usually nothing to sneeze at either.  With costs like that, I would never save enough for anything - every month, I'd be throwing what should be my mortgage payment away into the pockets of someone else.

I would have to investigate further, but the mobile home rentals I've seen are similar to what NDBirdman quoted below for the RV campsite, roughly 600 a month. I know there are disadvantages to living in a mobile park too (if Florida mobile home parks are any indication of what to expect in Washington), but ultimately, if I want to get ahead and free myself of rent dependency and have any chance at owning property in this economy AND want to be near my parents, I guess I have to be prepared to deal with some hardship. ?

  On 11/27/2018 at 7:02 AM, 2gypsies said:

I think this is the best option for you since you're not going to be traveling in the RV and because you're not going to buy a truck to pull it.  Best of luck to you!

 

Yes, I am starting to agree, even though my heart still wants an RV. Ideally I would have loved to keep the RV and buy a truck, but from the looks of it, developing land is unrealistic. And there is very little chance I will have enough money during the foreseeable future to buy something as large as a house to park it next to. I still haven't quite abandoned the idea of living in an RV park and selling the RV once I save enough for a condo, or storing it in Florida with relatives.

  On 11/27/2018 at 7:36 AM, NDBirdman said:

I was there a couple days ago talking to them about a site.  They are friendly, very nice place.  The good, IF you can get in for a seasonal, $600/mo plus elec.  Cheap for in city compared to stick n brick/apt rental costs.  BUT, if your RV is older than 10 yrs old, they really don't want you there.  They say you are welcome, and they will let you stay at the nightly rate of $50, so $1,500 month... monthly/seasonal price, not a chance in hell.  Even told them my camper has always been covered, it looks nicer than a lot of new ones but was told not a chance.  If you want to go there for longer than a few days, get a newer RV.  We are going to buy a new one this winter so we can visit with our kids more than a couple days.

 

That sounds like the ideal place for me, actually. 600 a month? Wow. That is very cheap for in city. I would make sure to get a newer model RV - my big concern now is whether the cheaper travel trailer types I have been looking at would be able to weather the Washington climate in winter. I am okay with being a bit damp and chilly, but I don't fancy freezing under 10 layers of wool blankets either or running up an electric bill of 1000 dollars. 
I posted a link to the RV I was looking at above - since you have experience in RVing during winter at that very campsite, perhaps you know if this travel trailer will stand the test. What kind of problems do you mostly encounter when you stay at this place with your RV? 

Thank you everyone for your continued input!

 If your land is not zoned for recreational vehicle living, then you would be living in your camper there illegally. You have to follow the zoning laws of the town your land is located in, and unfortunately, around Seattle you would be hard pressed to find one.  We are in the area, but out in the country and a man was just evicted from HIS land and told he couldn't live there in his RV.  Read the zoning laws very carefully

  On 11/27/2018 at 9:05 AM, Roy&Lynne said:

 If your land is not zoned for recreational vehicle living, then you would be living in your camper there illegally. You have to follow the zoning laws of the town your land is located in, and unfortunately, around Seattle you would be hard pressed to find one.  We are in the area, but out in the country and a man was just evicted from HIS land and told he couldn't live there in his RV.  Read the zoning laws very carefully

 

Thanks for the warning - this is something I have heard before and it worried me. The idea of developing my own land is really starting to fade as a potential plan. It just doesn't seem very feasible for someone with no money, just starting out. That might have been how people did it back in earlier times, but these days it just seems like a bad idea unless you have enough money to trouble shoot anything (and perhaps know the people making the zoning laws lol).

The travel trailer you mentioned is probably one of the better insulated units available but RV insulation doesn't begin to measure up to home insulation.  Saving money is something that I understand and the draw to RV's is a thought that comes to some.  My Grandson is in the military and we had a like conversation.  He is stationed in California where the weather is warmer so the cold was not as big of a problem as the heat.  However both are a problem for RV's.  These units aren't built for it.  While staying in a RV for a short vacation a little cold or heat is easily tolerated but it can get pretty old  and expensive after awhile in cold or very hot climates.  The insulation in a RV doesn't compare to a house.  Many RV's have wall insulation of R1 to R8 whereas a house or most mobile homes built today are R19 or more.  The roof and floor numbers are similarly less in a RV.   Double pane windows and 87% or more efficient furnaces are pretty standard in a home but not RV's.  The furnace in most RV's are not very good and are maybe 50% efficient.   Condensation on single pane windows and walls is also a problem.

We stayed in our RV's while building 2 homes on acreage and we are considering doing it again.  Many areas have very strict rules regarding this.  The last home we built a few years ago would only allow it for 6 months.  We were far enough out on 35 acres we kinda just did it for the 2 years it took us to build it.  We were not challenged but in a more populated area I doubt it would have worked.  In the county we live in now they will not even issue a permit to plug in a RV and staying in an RV even up in the mountains of Colorado in this county is limited to 2 weeks.  I don't  like it and we have cheated some but if caught we have options.  There are some counties here in Colorado that allow it but not many and the closer to a big city one gets the less likely it is allowed.

One issue in an RV in WA in winter is moisture control.  You start to get condensation everywhere.  It is less of an issue in a Park Model, and almost no issue in a Mobile or Modular home.  The site CityData has weather stats for any place you would consider, as well as a lot of other data.  

The solution to condensation is double pane windows and ventilation.  That makes the heating bill a bit higher.  Also, depreciation on an RV follows a path that looks a lot like a rock dropped off a bridge.  

Good luck in your research.

Wait, you have a husband?   Would he also be moving?  What is his field.  You need to slow down and get that degree and then see where  the jobs are.   

  On 11/27/2018 at 10:00 AM, Randyretired said:

The travel trailer you mentioned is probably one of the better insulated units available but RV insulation doesn't begin to measure up to home insulation.  Saving money is something that I understand and the draw to RV's is a thought that comes to some.  My Grandson is in the military and we had a like conversation.  He is stationed in California where the weather is warmer so the cold was not as big of a problem as the heat.  However both are a problem for RV's.  These units aren't built for it.  While staying in a RV for a short vacation a little cold or heat is easily tolerated but it can get pretty old  and expensive after awhile in cold or very hot climates.  The insulation in a RV doesn't compare to a house.  Many RV's have wall insulation of R1 to R8 whereas a house or most mobile homes built today are R19 or more.  The roof and floor numbers are similarly less in a RV.   Double pane windows and 87% or more efficient furnaces are pretty standard in a home but not RV's.  The furnace in most RV's are not very good and are maybe 50% efficient.   Condensation on single pane windows and walls is also a problem.

We stayed in our RV's while building 2 homes on acreage and we are considering doing it again.  Many areas have very strict rules regarding this.  The last home we built a few years ago would only allow it for 6 months.  We were far enough out on 35 acres we kinda just did it for the 2 years it took us to build it.  We were not challenged but in a more populated area I doubt it would have worked.  In the county we live in now they will not even issue a permit to plug in a RV and staying in an RV even up in the mountains of Colorado in this county is limited to 2 weeks.  I don't  like it and we have cheated some but if caught we have options.  There are some counties here in Colorado that allow it but not many and the closer to a big city one gets the less likely it is allowed.

 

Yes, I think that for someone who is planning to work in the cities, the land option is less attractive. If I were retired and/or had other options, it would be a different story, but in my case, I have to have a home within a reasonable commute distance to make it work.
The complications you are outlining serve as further nails into the land development idea.
I have discussed it with my husband and he reluctantly agreed that the arguments do not support the plan.
Thank you for the honest advice.

  On 11/27/2018 at 10:30 AM, Tee Jay said:

One issue in an RV in WA in winter is moisture control.  You start to get condensation everywhere.  It is less of an issue in a Park Model, and almost no issue in a Mobile or Modular home.  The site CityData has weather stats for any place you would consider, as well as a lot of other data.  

The solution to condensation is double pane windows and ventilation.  That makes the heating bill a bit higher.  Also, depreciation on an RV follows a path that looks a lot like a rock dropped off a bridge.  

Good luck in your research.

 

Thanks for the luck! I will need it, it seems. 
This moisture problem sounds nasty. I am used to the weather up north - but from a house perspective, so I can only imagine what that must feel like in an RV with all this icy cold condensation dripping from the windows.
I am beginning to get a picture of what harsh reality awaits me.
The more stories I hear, the less appealing it sounds and the more I am inclined to search for mobile home parks with rentals.

  On 11/27/2018 at 11:16 AM, Barbaraok said:

Wait, you have a husband?   Would he also be moving?  What is his field.  You need to slow down and get that degree and then see where  the jobs are.   

 

My husband is going to go to school for welding, but he doesn't have a trade or field yet. He has been working mostly maintenance jobs. He will be moving with me and will try to find work out west. His family is still young and sprightly, so he is willing to leave them so I can spend some time with mine. We both dreamt up the RV idea based on the experiences his family has had in Florida. They have lived both year round in RV parks as work campers and on an acreage, so we assumed this would be possible everywhere.
Apparently we were quite wrong.
Since I already know where I want to move, I figure it can't hurt to plan ahead. Those of my colleagues that are just planning to go where academia takes them don't bother with plans until 6 months before they graduate, but they are also content to accept temporary post-doc positions and move into costly rental units for the years they intend to stay. Most of them aren't buying property or acquiring long term assets until they get tenure and can finally settle down. 
Due to my lack of flexibility, my options are more limited, so I have to arm myself with concrete ideas. If I just wait until I graduate and don't at least research possible arrangements, I am terrified that I will end up in expensive lodging, stuck in some lease that prevents me from building my own future. I have had this experience in the past with some of my more last minute decisions and I am determined not to make the same mistake again. What I need to do is research the biotech companies in Washington and scope out the opportunities, including what kind of RV parks or mobile home parks are located in the vicinity.
The advice I have been receiving here has been very sobering. I am starting to reconsider the RV idea and scrap it in favor of a mobile home rental.
 

Sorry to point out the problems but better to hear about them now.  In a few years the plans that you have may be easier to do and I think there are some positive things about your plans.  Our building on acreage has been positive not only financially but a great place to live.  Our next adventure if we continue on is a home in the mountains on 140 acres adjoining public land.  We already own it.  One problem we have is we know how much is involved and we are not sure our energy at this age will meet the effort required.  It would be a great place for us but...

Edited November 27, 2018 by Randyretired

Honestly, in ya'lls current situation, have you thought about staying in the less expensive parts of town and bus it?  How far is say, Kent from where you need to be?  Or one of those areas?  45 to 60 minutes on a bus adds lots of time to your day, but in the end, saves you more than you could imagine from traffic alone.  Have you drove around in the area you want to be in, work in, etc?  My son-in-law, who is from there, now refuses to drive where he works (downtown Seattle) or the roads getting there.  He goes to the bus station and commutes every-day.  Every time I have driven there, which was a week ago, my country boy arse came out pale, hard time breathing and blood pressure through the roof!  When my daughter moved there many moons ago, she soon ditched her car and learned the bus schedules.  She lived away from Seattle and learned to depend on buses.  Say's they are life savers.

I'm not going to re-read all the posts, but I must ask.  Have you ever visited Seattle?  Do you have a very high tolerance for crazy people, lots of homeless beggars?  We have walked downtown Seattle and have had to step around people sitting on the sidewalks shooting up drugs.  Downtown by the bay is gorgeous, some very nice areas but the problem is the ppl in charge think the homeless have more rights than the residents, you will be tripping all over them in an otherwise gorgeous area.  Don't get me wrong, you can go to areas where you don't see much of that, you just have to know the areas to visit, which ones to not.  And not alone IMHO as a woman.  Edmonds is a very nice area, we always stay in a Best Western there and walk everywhere, we love it.  It might be an area to check.  Don't know what cost is there but close enough to the city I bet not cheap.  And there is a train that goes to downtown Seattle as well as a bus station.  And a couple other small towns north of there along the train track.  There are some options but again, if you have not been there, maybe check it out before committing yourself.  Not trying to scare you from going there, by all means do.  Just be well prepared.  My daughter wasn't, it was not a good time in our life.  But, she is still there, happily married and we just got back from seeing our first newborn grand-child.  We will be going back and spending a lot of time there but we have our eyes *wide open* when it comes to there. 

Good luck.

  On 11/27/2018 at 11:58 AM, Natalia said:

The advice I have been receiving here has been very sobering. I am starting to reconsider the RV idea and scrap it in favor of a mobile home rental.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with checking out any possible living situation, I really think that the RV probably isn't the best choice. When you buy an RV you will always lose money when you sell it and often it is a big loss. I would expect that to run at least 10% per year of ownership. An RV that we bought new for about $80k was sold after 14 years (12 as our only home) and we felt good to finally get $10k for it. I would hate to see you put most of your savings into an RV that you might later regret purchasing. If you find some rental first, you can hold on to the saved money and still be able to get the RV later if you find it might work but the rental living would at least give you some time in that area to be sure before you spend your hard earned money.