I want to live in a caravan - am I mad?

Park Homes are ideal if you choose a fully residential one. Probably more expensive to buy?

oh I do wish I had had the courage to go for it some years back.. what stopped me? couldn`t take dogs and cats to many of them.. and as I live in Swindon, most parks seemed to be way outside in the country, not that that bothered me, love the country, but as dh and I got older, could we afford car? on a lowish,limited budget!
do let us know how you decide please

We lived in a static for three years, on our land while we were building our house. I can honestly say the winters were very very cold. The van had central heating and a gas fire which we needed on all night and cost the earth. But it was still the coldest I have ever been.

I've lived in one for ten years... and it's wonderful. (A mobile home, these days called Park Homes)
I was in the same situation, simply didn't have enough funds to buy bricks and mortar.
I've got all mod cons including gas central heating.
I can't recommend them highly enough. Just ensure that your site owner is reasonable. The law has changed so much in favour of us residents now that we are well protected. But look into it properly. Good luck.

My biggest worry would be mobility issues as I aged, would it be a problem to remove myself during the time the site is closed ?
Would you be able to walk to amenities if you were unable to drive ?

Yes annp1 had a good idea, try renting for a few months and see how you feel then.
Are you thinking of renting long term or buying your unit ? They are not cheap to buy and site fees for a good site are high. Look into it in the area you want to be but don't wear rose coloured glasses. There is something to be said for doing your own thing in later life but you need to keep tabs on your finances. Good luck.

Actually just had a look online and the price for winter insulated 2019 models looks good. I think you should visit showrooms. There's such a variety available.

Our caravan has double glazing, gas central heating and some insulation (better insulation available in newest ones but need to factor in the cost). Its still very cold autumn - spring. As you get older you feel the cold more.
Perhaps if you could rent one towards the end of the season.....

House boats are great Scentia but the biggest drawback is they can let in water from below as well as above!

Park homes and statics are very well insulated now. Several years ago my DS looked very seriously into buying one to put on a plot of land and I was really impressed by the layouts available. The problems of having a ‘van on a regular site seems to be the danger of new owners taking over site and upping the rents and parking.

I don’t know anything about caravans, or all the red tape involved in living in one, so I can’t really be any help

But it sounds wonderful, just go for it!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201906/medium-804627-tiny.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/201906/medium-106124-caravan.jpg

I spent a few years in a caravan (see picture) and loved every minute. There is something wonderfully cosy, as if it wraps itself around you and is happy to keep you safe.

Yorkshire is not known for its tropical climes but we were never too cold. The caravan was sited in a sheltered field on my in-law's farm.

I often thought I'd like to retire into a caravan, mainly because at heart I'm a minimalist and ex-interior design student (not decorator) who loves the idea of small-space living.

Nowadays people are going into tiny houses - but they are far more expensive than caravans and don't have the same ambience.

www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/clover-modern-tiny-living.html

Of course you are not mad! I want to live on a house boat! It sounds like a perfect retirement option to me.

Newer caravans have central heating and I have been told that they are better insulated now. I know someone who has just sold their flat in Brighton and moved to a new caravan on a site close to the beach in Wales as their retirement. One of the reasons was that there was a community of like minded people there. They plan to holiday overseas for the couple of weeks when the site closes and of course they have released money from the flat. The site fees are much, much lower than they are on the south coast.

Some modern caravans are much better insulated.
But you do need to think it through well.

I live in a village in north Wales with 5 caravan parks and of course they all look lovely in summer.... but winters can be wet and the confined space then is not something I’d look forward to although one person living there wouldn’t have that problem.

Site fees are around £3500-7000 and only ever go up whereas council tax is around £1450 for a 2 bed bungalow. Heating will be more because of lower insulation values and then you need to factor depreciation in to the caravan. Think on....

There's a static caravan/mobile home park quite near us and I have a friend who lives there. She loves it. You can't rent them though they have to be owner occupied.

Some friends have recently sold theirs with the site taking a percentage. They couldn’t face another winter. They also had to be out for six consecutive weeks each year to avoid council tax. This was a bit of a problem.
That said if it’s your dream just do it!

I won’t add a down side mrsnonsmoker it’s something I ve often thought I d love to do I think caravans are lovely and if I didn’t have my house I m in I would certainly consider it myself
MOnica I totally relate to what you say I can’t walk down the road past my mum and dads house although they ve been gone seven years but I can’t bear to see if it’s changed or to even think of anyone else’s in it

We love our holiday caravan. Only thing is its quite cold in Spring. We use an oil radiator in the bedroom at night. However we are in sunny Northern Ireland. You won't get so many cold days in Kent. Its so relaxing, little maintenance. Site fees are expensive but you pay rates for a house. I think as long as you allow for replacing it at some stage.... just in case. I love Kent. As long as you've thought it through if the idea excites you, hey! we only get one life- go for it.

There must be another gillybob on Gransnet at the minute ‘cos I’m a fully paid up miserable cow .

My in-laws had a static on a seaside site although they didn't live in it permanently and really enjoyed staying in it but lost a huge amount of money when they sold it so beware and research the costs well. I have a friend however who was widowed a few years ago and she moved into one surrounding lakes which is actually only a stones throw from her family - she loves it and just goes to stay with her daughter during the two months required closure.

Good luck.

Gillybob is always lovely and upbeat. Always posts fun stuff.
?
Well, apart from ‘that place’ which depresses her mightily!

Ps . Go for the caravan and be happy! Mrsnonsmoker.

Aw gillybob you are a tonic we're struggling at the moment and looking to downsize before we get any older. You give me hope!

I know how you feel Gillbob, wen my grandmother died, I didn't go down her road for over 30 years, it was too upsetting to go by her house and know she wasn't there.