RV home base

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
We are 3/4 timers. We go back to our home base once a year to maintain our property, work on our rig and see friends and family. My husband wants to stop traveling because he says it is too hard to winterize and wrap our home up every season. I say we should just go full-time and we wouldn't have to do any of it.

I know people have bigger problems than we do, but it is getting harder to own a home and still travel as we age. Any comments?
--Skipping Town in Tumwater

Dear Skipping:
The first response that comes to mind is compromising. Go home each year, but don't move into the house. Live in your RV in the driveway. Better yet, rent the house with the understanding that  you can come home for a few months a year and use the utilities. This would work out best if you had a good sized lot with some privacy for you and your tenants.

Another suggestion would be to streamline your place to make firing it up and shutting it down easier. Perhaps a few plumbing changes to make winterizing simple.
You might want to consider downsizing to a more convenient property that would still allow you to do the things you enjoy, yet eliminate much of the work like landscaping, painting, cleaning and repair.

We have a simple place to return to each year which allows us to do precautionary maintenance on our rig, enjoy the solitude of our property, invite friends to visit with their RV, and enjoy the area for a couple months.

We live in our motorhome and use the house for guests. Being a landlord does not appeal to us, but it could be a great way to earn extra income and keep the property occupied for those who would not mind dealing with renting.

All the things your husband seems to be tiring of, can get old after awhile. You both have to sit down and decide what your next move will be. Hopefully you can come up with a solution that makes you both happy and healthy.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink

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