Life Changes & Transition - The Big Announcement

Well, it is time for us to officially announce changes in our lives that a few people knew were coming and many have suspected.

Linda & I will be discontinuing our full-time RV lifestyle very soon. We'll continue to be RVers, we'll still speak at RV shows, and we'll still do our educational rallies if there is enough demand, but it has come time for a new chapter in our lives after almost 15 years on the road living in an RV.

The Decision

This decision has come about a bit quicker than either of us suspected. In 2017 when we purchased a patio villa home in The Villages (located in Central Florida), ....

 

 

we knew that the house would be a different "exit plan" than we had envisioned up to that point. Until then, we figured we would park our fifth wheel in an RV community somewhere when we were ready to cut back on traveling or unable to travel.

Most of you know the story about that purchase. All along, we thought we would be selling the home of my elderly parents in Louisville, Kentucky to pay for their long-term care at end of life. However, my mother passed away rather suddenly in 2014, and we were able to tap into a relatively unknown veterans benefit to keep my father in the house until he passed away at the age of 94 in late 2016. In the end, we owned a house in Louisville that we didn't want, and rather than investing the proceeds of the sale in the financial markets, we decided to use those proceeds to purchase a house in The Villages.

 

 

That decision was based on the instability of financial markets, the opportunity to produce some rental income for as long as we continued to travel, and as a new, more solid exit plan in case something happened to either of us or we felt it was time to get off the road.

The Villages is a 55+ community and is a big playground with so many sports options for me and so many artistic and social options for Linda, plus her mother lives in The Villages and her sister isn't far away.

At the time of the house purchase in the summer of 2017, I was hoping for five more years of full-timing while Linda was ready to settle down anytime. In fact, she decorated the home as if we were moving in, although the plan all along was to rent it.

 

 

 

 

The purchase of that villa led to selling our beloved fifth wheel and downsizing to our current Class C motorhome, since we then knew that we would not ultimately be living out our later years stationary in an RV.

Again, I was hoping to RV another five years. However, during the holidays at the end of 2018, I announced that I too was ready to become a "Villager". Linda was shocked that I was the one that decided we would be moving into a house sooner rather than later.

While visiting The Villages, I loved getting up early in the morning, hopping on a golf cart and going out to play pickleball, basketball, ping pong, or golf. Sometimes I would play three sports in the same day, and I met the nicest people.

My love for nature and travel is only matched by my love for athletics and competition. Apparently, for me, the endorphins released by experiencing natural beauty on a hike are also released at favorable levels by competitive sports and the related exercise. It's one of the very few things I've missed during our travels.

The Villages is billed as "Florida's Friendliest Hometown", and while there are news reports and incidents that may suggest otherwise, the more time we've spent here, the more we have enjoyed being here. It was already starting to feel like home and, even though the side-by-side houses and closeness of neighbors isn't what we envisioned as a place to settle, the other aspects of living in this very active community are quite appealing.

For those that may be interested in learning more, here is a 33-minute "lifestyle" video. It was made four years ago, so some things have changed, but it's a really good overview.

 

 

All I can say is 1) we'll be happy to answer any questions anyone has about the community, and 2) don't believe everything you read online about The Villages posted by people that don't live here. There are, for some reason, a lot of people that really hate The Villages, but the residents feel like it's paradise. There are at least three other RV-Dreams family couples that have settled here that we know of. And we'll be happy to be ambassadors for any others that may be contemplating this community as an option.

So, the decision was actually made at the end of 2018, and our 2019 Alaska trip was sort of the big finish of our full-timing adventures. Alaska was where it all started with our visit back in 2004 which ultimately led us into RV living, and it would be our final major RV trip 15 years later.

 

The Move-In Plan

We had a tenant in our villa whose lease was up November 1, 2019, and that was our projected move-in date. However, he skipped out on the lease, and rather than have the house vacant and not producing income for several months (and rather than suing him), we acquired another tenant for a year and the new lease extended the date to July 1, 2020.

That threw a bit of a wrench into our plans, but being RVers for this long, we have come to expect such changes and we rolled with it. We decided we would just hang out at Recreation Plantation, an RV park just outside The Villages, for the winter. With guest passes from Linda's Mom, we could still "play" in The Villages and get to know more of the people and activities that we wanted to be involved with.

We could also get set up with new doctors, dentists, and various other service providers.

In addition, Linda had an idea for a business as a Personal Home Project Assistant helping "Villagers" with projects that they can't physically do by themselves anymore or for which they would just like an assistant. So, we thought we'd get her business up and running in November/December as one of her specialties will be holiday decorating and take-down.

In the Spring, the plan was to head north, hold our 2020 Spring Educational Rally in Tennessee, and travel for a couple more months until we returned in the summer to move in.

 

Linda's New Business

Well, since we arrived at Recreation Plantation on November 1, things have changed again. 

Before I get to that, we worked quickly on getting Linda's business set up. It's called "Your 2nd Pair of Hands" and offers:

• Home Organizing
• Decluttering
• Holiday Decorating & Take-down
• Packing & Unpacking
• Party Planning & Assistance
• Yard Sale/Garage Sale Assistance
• Minor Home Modifications
• And Much More

We got a logo, .....

 

and we're working on a website. We did what we needed to do to have the business officially recognized, and we bought her a van - a 1999 Nissan Quest in great shape. She designed some car magnets for the van, and we got her a business cell phone with a local area code.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the van turned out to have a couple of issues, but after a few days in the shop and a little more cash investment than we'd hoped, it's now running great. 

Linda's first project was creating space in her Mom's laundry room. She re-organized and painted, and she even knocked out some drywall and installed recessed shelves. Now she has some "before and after" photos to add to her website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All was going according to the plan we laid out above, but that didn't last long.

 

The New Move-In Plan

Our tenant is a wonderful widower that is so nice, prompt with payment, and he loves the house. We've visited him a few times and he has kept the house immaculate. His intent is to never own property again, and it was going to be tough to have to make him leave so we could move in next summer. If allowed, he would likely stay as long as his health holds up.

So that got us thinking again. We had sort of discussed buying another house, but I was resistant because I hate debt and being without debt for the last 15 years has been awesome. 

However, on Friday, November 15, we seriously re-visited buying that second house. We went to the mortgage company to see what we could qualify for, and we got a commitment letter. I had somewhat reluctantly bought into this second house idea.

As long as we could buy another house where the rental income from our first patio villa would cover the mortgage and most of the costs of the second property, I was onboard. Oh, and we wanted a "turnkey" property that was furnished and had everything we would need to move in. 

That same night, I found a furnished patio villa in our price range that was just put on the market a few hours earlier.

 

 

It looked like a great deal with a large screened patio (aka "birdcage") that is a rarity in these smaller homes, .....

 

 

and a golf cart was included.

 

 

A hot tub in the "birdcage" is also included, although we would need to have it inspected to make sure it's operating properly.

The interior looked move-in ready.

 

 

 

I called the realtor, and Linda arranged to see the house as soon as possible the next morning while I was participating in my first pickleball tournament.

Linda loved the house, and I loved the price and value. She made an offer requesting the house be "turnkey" rather than just "furnished", and I signed the contract electronically. The seller is motivated, and she accepted our offer. So, one day after deciding to "look" for a second house, we bought one. We're scheduled to close December 9 and we get possession on that day. We'll move in on December 10, Linda's birthday.

It's not in the central part of The Villages we would have preferred, but it's a nice house and priced right in the older, more mature section which is actually one of the prettier areas of the community. And since we'll be able to keep our rental property and the rent will cover the mortgage on the new house, we're no worse off from a cash flow standpoint with the bonus of now having two houses that will be appreciating in value over the years.

We've been working with our financial advisers, and we're in pretty good shape. But we don't want to draw out as much as we could while we're still healthy enough to generate some income. We're keeping our RV and we'll keep RV-Dreams alive, although it will be different. We're still figuring out how that might look going forward, and we will be asking you to help us with that down the road.

Linda's going to work her business while we're in The Villages, but she is determined to work only the projects she wants and the hours she is willing to work. 

I'll be working on changes to RV-Dreams, and I'll get back to our NatureTravelers.com website which I've neglected. The ironic thing regarding the websites is that I'll now have more time to spend on them since we'll be traveling less. Well, in theory anyway. With all my potential sports endeavors, I probably won't have as much time as I think.

All in all, it looks like our new life in The Villages is going to cost us just about the same as our life on the road. So, we'll once again work on covering those expenses while still trying to keep the balance of work and play that we've strived to maintain the last fifteen years.

Of course, we have further ideas to supplement our income.

First, our intent is to rent out our new house for at least January through March each year, and we'll just travel in the RV or otherwise. The peak season brings in ridiculous rent and there is more demand than there is supply. Renting the house January through March would nearly cover all expenses of owning the house such as property taxes, homeowner's insurance, the monthly amenity fee, and all utilities for the year.

Second, we'll likely make the house available for short-term daily or weekly rentals during the rest of the year. It'll be great for friends and family that come to visit folks in The Villages or for those that are possibly considering the community for their retirement. We'll just move into the RV for those short periods.

Third, the plan is to use the peer-to-peer RV rental sites to rent out our RV during the times we aren't using it. If we can rent it enough to pay for RV insurance and our storage costs, that would be great. Of course, anyone renting our Class C motorhome will get wonderful training.

 

In Conclusion

So, there it is. We've been contemplating this announcement and when to make it for several months. It is our intent to still be a part of the RV world, but we're still unsure what that's going to look like going forward.

As I say at the end of every Rally, choking back tears, because of our life as full-time RVers, the places we've been, the people we've met, and the experiences we've had over the last fifteen years, I could be hit by a bus tomorrow and have absolutely no regrets. We did it our way, but with the love and support of so many people, and for that we'll be forever thankful and grateful.

With that said, our decision to stop RVing full-time has been easier because of all of our adventures. We certainly haven't seen it all, but we've experienced so much, that we're becoming harder and harder to impress. Places and sights that would have awed us in our first few years on the road no longer carry the same impact. When the excitement starts wearing off, the planning seems more burdensome, and, for us, it's time for a new chapter.

The good news is we're still relatively young, so if we tire of living in The Villages, we can go be full-time RVers again .... or we could start a whole different chapter. In the meantime, if we can still assist and inspire those seeking their RV-Dreams, we hope to in some way continue what has become a labor of love for us.

With all our hearts, thank you for your support and kindness and for being a part of these last fifteen amazing years. And if you are traveling through central Florida, please stop and see us.

Safe travels and continue to follow your dreams whatever they may be.

With love,

Howard & Linda

 

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P.S. We will still be posting here periodically for the foreseeable future to update you on RV-Dreams and RV-related happenings. For example, there is a planned picnic for RV-Dreamers in the central Florida area scheduled for December 8, so we'll be posting a few details on that very soon.

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Comments

[Dianne Conn]

The setting of your new home is fantastic! Congrats with your new endeavors and life changes. I love that you started your RV Journey on your birthday and ended Phase 1 on Linda’s. Enjoy!!!

[Ellen Bendana]

Sounds like a fantastic balance and strategy as your needs change...looking forward to catching up in April! The community of Dreamers that you have created is a lifelong legacy that we are all proud to be a part of.

[Mike]

Howard and Linda:

CONGRATULATIONS on your “retirement”. You both deserve it!!

Thank you for everything that you have done for the RV community!!! I would never have make the decision to fulltime without your input at your Tennessee training!! My life has changed forever because of the both of you!!

Have a great time!! Happy Holidays!!

Mike

[Bob Zagami]

What a ride you two have had, and what a pleasure it has been to know you, meet you, and follow along on this journey. We have all learned from your adventures and reporting on information and resources we would never have found on our own. Best wishes for continued enjoyment and success as your turn the page and open a new chapter of your lives. I'm sure success, adventure, enjoyment and friendships will follow right along. Have fun at The Villages, and when you are on the road for special trips.

Bob Zagami, Executive Director
New England RV Dealers Association

[Kristi Murdock]

Serendipity at work, for sure! What a lovely update. Congratulations!

[Dan and Gail Brogdon]

CONGRATULATIONS on your no home. We have also settled in Florida in Broadmoor development in Kissimmee. It more in the country with a cattle ranch behind us. So we see cattle and horses every day. Lots of birds, including a large flock of wild turkeys. Our house was also fully furnished.
We also really enjoyed our time on the road and all the memories. But we love this house and our neighbors.
Our motorhome sold in less than a month throygh Camping World's consignment program. I have to say, I really enjoy my large kitchen. 😀 Hope to meet up with you sometime.

[Laurie Owen]

Oh how we know the excitement of a new adventure and chapter of our lives. It's a bittersweet time for both of us. Congratulations on the house and Linda's business!

[Jan]

I’ve followed your blog for years. I’ve met you twice at RV shows. I’ve enjoyed your travels. Thanks for sharing! I wish you success and happiness in your next chapter of life!

[Arlene Sullivan]

I don’t know why as I read this I have tears streaming down my face. I am so happy for you both. You have given so much to so many folks. Because of you, I spent the happiest 5 years with Kevin before losing him. The RV Dreams family is one of a kind and means the world to me. So many fun times and all the support I was given. I will never forget you..

I sure hope our lives will cross paths again. Enjoy your time at the Villages. We actually got the video and considered it before RVing took over.

Love you both!
Arlene

[Janna]

Well, I guess I can say I saw this coming but I can also honestly say I'm shocked! Congratulations to the both of you and I wish you all the best as this new adventure begins.

[Sandra]

Lots of luck Howard and Linda. The Villages are indeed a lovely place to be.

[Bill and Linda]

“We did it our way, . . .” as did Linda and I. How one does "it" - "depends."

Good for you both and we trust you enjoy your new home and life as much as we enjoy ours. We are considering a Park Model in the NC Mountains.

Always, "Safe Travels" with "Fair skies and following seas."

B & L

[Richard Rousseau]

You are both definitely deserving of this change. Even though you call it an "End Game" it really isn't because you've opened up the fact that you can still travel.
We are both proud to have met you and attended your training seminars which allowed us to become Fulltimers for a short while. Our only regret was not having done it sooner.
Congratulations as you start the next chapter in your life.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
Rick and Kathy Rousseau
It's about time.

[Colibabas]

Congratulations on this next stage in your lives! We can’t thank you enough for all that you both have done for the RVing community. We’ve enjoyed the rallies and have made so many lifelong RVing friends because of the family you’ve created throughout North America. Thank you and enjoy!

[Cori]

Congrats and good for you!! Excited for your next chapter and without a doubt, seems like you have a great plan! And I'm sure you know the impact that you've had on so many people, so thanks for all of your contributions you have made!

[Janice Evans]

WOW. ..what a change indeed.

We've been following your blog since your Niagara Falls Trip. We made most of the decisions while in the Niagara Falls area based on things you guys did and experienced. The package plan from the VC was one of the best deals available. Thanks for recommending that.

We left the road, and sold the coach, also after 15 years of RV life.

Loved every minute of the lifestyle. Now loving our new, to us, home and golf course community on Lake Livingston in East Texas.

Wishing you all the best going forward, and look forward to future updates.

[Debbie Goode]

Congratulations. You probably already saw this, but we just bought a house as well. It is so exciting....yet...I will miss the road. We are going to sell our fifth wheel, it's just too big to keep at this point. We too want to still do a bit of traveling, but at this point we are thinking 'plane' rather than another rv. Good luck with all your new adventures! Oh! We are in Apollo Beach so maybe we could get together for lunch some day in the future. Love you guys...ENJOY!

[Cherie Ve Ard]

Congratulations on following your hearts to find your happiness. That's the most important thing - whether wheels, roots or water beneath you.

[Rosemarie Fais]

Dear Linda and Howard,
I just finished reading the post detailing your decision to stop full time RVing and the events leading up to buying your new home.
I want to thank you for all the advice and valuable information regarding full time RVing that we have learned from your blog.
Our original decision to full time was largely due to following your post years ago and was reinforced after attending our first RV Dreams rally in Oregon in 2012.
We are in our eight year full timing and are still thoroughly enjoying the lifestyle.
Monte and I wish you good luck in all your new endeavors.

[Jim Beletti]

Congrats on your new plan - Howard and Linda. I've followed you from the start and have enjoyed seeing you around the country from time to time. Enjoy Florida!

[Randy and Pam]

Congratulations Howard and Linda! Thanks for all you do and have done for us. We ‘only’ did it for 10 years and we have you guys to thank for getting us started in the right direction. We are very happy for you and it seems like you have made the perfect choice for you.
Thank you thank you thank you and God Bless you in the years to come!

[Phyllis East]

Not at all a surprise. I had the impression when you two visited us here in north Alabama some time ago that settling down would be coming sooner rather than later.

We all know when the time is right. Ours after only 7 years.... but then again, we are somewhat older.

A lovely plan. Enjoy!

[Jeff Deb]

Hi from the West coast.

So thankful for your transparency and information shared over the years. It has been so helpful in our launch over 6 years ago. We wish you well as you transition to “part timers”.

Cheers, Jeff and Deb

[Mrs Thompson]

Wow, good for you guys!! If I could be so bold as to put in my two cents worth: please consider continuing to post your blog daily/weekly. It may seem like only mundane topics to you, but you're such a good writer that even a local weather report would prove interesting to your audience☺️

[Pam Wright]

Congratulations! It is interesting how ending fulltime just literally hits you overnight especially when you find that place to settle. This move sounds perfect for you both. You can now both enjoy doing what you love with other people. Linda's new business is so right for her. She will be so successful with her personality and talent. Your new home is beautiful. Love the "birdcage" with all the Florida bugs. Moving in to a "Turnkey" property sure makes life easy. Your story sounds like ours...finding that perfect fully furnished place only hours after being listed. Enjoy getting use to your new life. As you stated (and we both agree), we can always go back on the road if we want or move if change our minds.

[Linda]

Congratulations Howard and Linda! Your new home looks beautiful. My husband and I would never have been able to make the transition to full-time rving without all of the information you provided on your website. Although we only got to do it for 6 short months, I treasure those memories. Thank you for all you have done for the full-time rving community. I wish you many happy years in your new home in The Villages.

[Susan Alton]

It sounds like you are doing exactly what you want to do when you want to do it, with the experience of plans made in jello.

[Jon]

From newbies to gurus, we’ve followed your adventures and evolvement since 2006, just two of your many thousands of “lurkers” who learned from and enjoyed your posts without commenting. The RVing community is in your debt. Thanks, and best wishes. — Jon & Loni

[Barb and Frank]

After attending two RV Dreams rallies in Tennessee (2016 & 2017), we made the transition to full-time RVers a little over two years ago. We couldn’t have done it without the knowledge you and Linda shared during those fun-filled rallies. You have made a significant impact on our lives - in the best possible way.

May you find joy and happiness in the next chapter of your lives.

Congratulations and best wishes to you both.

[Lanny]

Howard and Linda,

I have never posted but have followed your travel stories for many years. Thank you for sharing your wonderful experiences and amazing adventures. I have learned so much and look forward to one day hitting the road to experience some of what you have accomplished. Congratulation on your new Endeavors! Thanks again for sharing your wonderful journey.

[Bill and Nancy]

Well Guys...we are sitting here reading this and SMILING:o)) So happy for the two of you. You have given so much to all the RV-Dreams Family.

We'll be interested in the RV-Dreams picnic in Dec!!!

Thanks for all you do for all of us!!!!!

[John Winston]

What a great story ....I have read from your first days on the road, to attending one of your rally’s in Elkhart.
I remember calling you the” rock stars of RV information”....
I am pretty sure you will continue to connect and touch more people lives...
I have read every blog, and now maybe I’ll see you on the pickleball courts.!
Enjoy!! And thanks for all your beautiful stories!!
Amazing!!

[Patricia]

Wow! Love the way you put a plan into action. Just amazing. 15 years, the time has passed so fast looking back to the beginning. Maybe your next blog should be about making a plan come to life and how to let go and just live in the moment. Best of luck.

[JC Webber III]

H&L,
Can’t say I’m surprised. We have not gotten off the road yet, but we have purchased a home. We bought a 2500 sqft, 3 bdrm, 3.5 bath, 2 story townhouse in............San Miguel de Allende, México! We hope you can come down for a visit some time. Free room and board. All you have to do is get there. 8^)

Love you guys and wish you the best in your new digs!
— JC & Bev

[Pat]

Where do you find ambitious, adventurous spouses! We have a Class A, and would love to sell everything and go full time RV’ing! Just wondering. Love your site and your plan! Best wishes for a long & prosperous blessed life.

[Cinn]

Congratulations!!! I'm so happy to have made it to two of your rallies and gained lifelong friendships, and partied with you at the campfire. Howard, you should hire yourself out as a financial adviser: how to make everything pay for itself. :) Enjoy this next chapter of your lives, you deserve it!

[Cindy T]

Congrats on your new home! Mike & I were recently in Florida, looking around the Tampa area. We don't want to live in Tampa, so we looked from Dunedin to Sarasota. We like the beaches & the ease of heading north or south with plenty to explore.
So we might eventually be your Florida "neighbors"!