SELL YOUR HOUSE AND CAMP PERMANENTLY

SELL YOUR HOUSE AND CAMP PERMANENTLY?

But is it a good thing to sell your house to camp permanently? Camping long-term is not a decision you should take without careful consideration.

There is a steady increase in people who consider selling or renting out their houses and camping permanently.

There are two groups of people who camp permanently:

• People who have no choice.
• People who have a choice and who do permanent camping voluntarily.

Due to the political changes in South Africa, many people lost their jobs and the Covid pandemic created many victims of businesses closing down. Some of those people had to resort to permanent camping as a last resort.

Then there are people who weren’t victims of forces outside their control and who are lucky to be in a position to voluntarily camp long term. It is this group that must decide whether to sell or rent their properties in order to become all-season campers.

_{An advantage of all-season camping is that you often find yourself alone in a camp.
Img: Strandfontein – Andre Nel}

In the Facebook camping groups, the question of permanent camping comes up time and again because the nature of Facebook is that today’s question is gone tomorrow, buried in an avalanche of other questions and algorithm-generated feeds.

It is logical that long-term camping will repeatedly be discussed as long as there are people who, for the first time, start thinking about all-season camping.

Should I start long-term camping?

Whether you should take on long-term camping is based on your insight into the demands and rewards of all-season camping.

These days, it may also depend on whether you have a choice.

Most campers who consider long-term camping, do their planning based on what they think will happen or how they experienced previous camps. Just to get confirmation that they are doing the right thing or haven’t forgotten something, they then ask for advice on social media.

The first thing you must realise when planning all-season camping is that most plans based on your expectations of the future will play out differently from what you expect.

The reason is that future expectations are based on recent experiences, not on the knowledge of what the future will bring.

What is the reason you want to camp long-term?

If you lost your home and income and are forced to camp permanently, you probably will be a permanent camper.

Permanent campers fall outside the strict definition of long-term or all-season campers, and their problems and solutions will be different from other campers.

People who camp permanently because of financial reasons do not need advice, they rather need solutions. That is a question for another article, but their aim will be to live and travel as affordably as possible.

All-season campers who will camp long-term because they want to enjoy their retirement as long as they are able will probably be on the road most of the time. These long-term campers will quite possibly stay at one campground for a month or three and then move on to another camp.

Their purpose will probably be to experience as much as possible.

Long-term campers who are on pension (early or planned) but who still need or want to work, will probably stay at different campgrounds for different lengths of time, depending on what their work demands.

Their purpose will be the same as other long-term campers with the addition of the need for facilities that enable them to work, such as Internet access.

If you consider long-term camping it all depends on why you want to, or need to, camp.

If you camp long-term, what will change?

It is a question only you can answer, but there are some things that are obvious, and that you should consider.

All-season campers:

• May or may not have a house to return to.
• Whether you keep your house or get rid of it, you will need a place to return to should the need arise. Where does one partner stay if the other partner is in a hospital in the city? Where will you live if your health deteriorates to such an extent that you are unable to camp?
• May or may not have an income or investments to live from. If your income is adequate the only possible challenge may be to manage your money in a way that it lasts long enough, but in general there is no problem. If your income is inadequate, you will need to find sources of income.

We should give more attention to what opportunities technology provides for many to earn an income while on the road. Not everyone is able to keep a blog and make enough money from it. But we know something or we can learn new skills or gain new knowledge that could help in maximizing our income or investment returns.

The question you should ask is what skills you have that may be of such value that people will pay for that. A good starting point is to evaluate what goes on in places where you camp and what needs there are that you are skilled enough to fill.

What will be different when we camp?

• You will be living in a temporary structure that is more exposed to nature than a brick house. How will you compensate for the difference?
• Your first concern is reliable shelter so it is necessary to make sure you have the best equipment that can withstand nature’s attacks. Simple things like tent pegs can make the difference between a night’s sound sleep and chase after your tent in a storm.
• You will be more exposed to campers around you, so you may want to learn to fight without screaming! You may be more aware of conversations around you.
• You will have no pink stuff on the ceiling. The sun will try to fry you if you allow it, so you’ll need to have the silver stuff for defence against the sun.
• Will you do your own washing on your campsite or use the washing machines where available?
• Will you do the dishes in your tent or at the campsite facilities?
• You will not have the same stove as in your house, what will you use? Electricity, gas or wood fire? Maybe a convection oven? You may opt for an air fryer or portable oven and a food processor. Both can perform a variety of tasks and prepare a range of dishes.

• Will you take a TV with you?
• Your vacuum cleaner will stay at home. What will you need to keep your caravan and tent clean and neat?
• Will you have enough space for your clothes? It is the nature of camping that you will live more informal, so re-evaluate your wardrobe. You could use easy wash-and-dry sports clothing which you buy from sports shops.
• You need to stay in touch with family and friends. What technology will you need to do that?
• You will use the camp washing facilities. Will you need anything, in particular, to cater for your needs? Some campers take their own bath mats for hygienic reasons.
• You will need different furniture. Buy good quality chairs and tables that are light and easily transportable.
• Will you practice a hobby while camping? Plan properly how you will store your hobby tools. It can become frustrating if everything does not have its safe place.
• If you are health aware, will you need a water filtering system?

Decisions to be made when you plan on camping long-term

The first and probably the most important decision you will have to make is what to do with your house.

There are two strong views on the matter:

• Sell and invest the money while using the interest to camp.
• Let the house and use the rent to camp.

Sell your house

The most prevalent argument against selling that I came across is that you have to have a place to return to if the camping does not work out or you fall ill. If you want to provide for such an event, don’t sell or buy a smaller house that you can return to.

Let (rent out) your house

The main argument against letting your home is that tenants damage your house and cost you money. I have doubts about whether that is always a valid argument and whether most tenants damage properties. If you rent your house as your own agent without a rental agent, it could well happen.

A reputable rental agent has such a rigorous qualification process for prospective tenants that it is hard to see how one can suffer damages not covered by the deposit.

Many agents do not manage rented houses with furniture. The potential for repercussions and the amount of work required to take down all info and take photos of all the furniture is not worth it. The agent should be meticulous in preparing your house for occupation by the tenants. Agents I talked to make notes of everything (and I mean everything) including whether the curtain rails have plastic caps on the ends. If a cap is missing when the contract ends, they deduct it from the deposit and refund you or have it repaired.

Pros of renting your house when camping permanently

• Renting lets you keep your home.
• You can finance your camping or part of it with the rent. I once met two friends who rent out two houses each and live and camp from that money.
• You can always return to your house if you need to.

Cons of renting your house when camping permanently

• You are still burdened with the upkeep of the property.
• You may find it difficult to get tenants.

Pros of selling your house and camping permanently

• Less homeowner stress.
• You don’t have a house that keeps you anchored and it may give you a feeling of freedom.
• No bond payments or rates and taxes.
• You have a good cash amount available.

Cons of selling your house and camping permanently

• You won’t have a house to return to if you need to return or take a break from camping.
• You will need special arrangements to have an address that you can prove when needed.

Rent or Rent Out is US English. Let or Let Out is British English. Use what you are comfortable with.

When deciding on whether you should start all-season camping, there is a range of decisions you must make.

• Why do you want to, or have to, camp permanently?
• How will your prepare for long-term camping? Rent or sell and go camping permanently?
• What will you sell and what will you keep?
• How will you look after your assets that are left behind?
• What will you take with you on your permanent camping lifestyle?
• Where will you go?
• How will you camp? Will you settle in a camp or move from camp to camp?
• When will you start long-term camping and when will you return home?
• If I sold my house or received a lump sum of money, must I pay off my debts or invest the money? Generally, it is a good idea to settle debts before you retire as your retirement income is fixed and you don’t want to be using it to pay off debt. But again, it depends on your circumstances.

The reality of living on the road

The difference between owning a caravan and owning a house may not be as financially attractive as some people would want to believe.

You have your expenses with a house. Rates, Taxes, Water and electricity, maintenance and insurance. But eventually, it appreciates in value.

What advantages does a caravan have? No rates, no taxes, no water and electricity (although you pay for it in your camping fee). You still have maintenance to the caravan and accessories and, eventually, it does not appreciate in value.

If you sell a caravan after 10 years at 50% more than the purchase price, you do not make a 50% profit. At 5% compounded inflation over 10 years, you may have a nice lump sum when you sell your caravan, but the question is what you can do with that amount. That is what inflation does.

Value appreciation follows much the same path as property. It depends on where the demand lies when you sell. When interest rates increase, property prices stagnate and it may not be a seller’s market. When fuel prices increase, the saleability of your caravan may be dictated by its size and weight. In good times, spacious caravans sell well. In bad times, small caravans may sell better.

Then add to it that you also have a towing vehicle that needs services, license renewals and insurance and by its nature, loses value over time. When you live in a house, you should pay less to maintain the vehicle than if you travel continuously. You may even be able to sell it for the same price or more than you paid for it, but you will be able to buy much less with the money.

Keep in mind that car maintenance becomes more as the vehicle gets older.

What else must you consider before selling your house and camping permanently?

• Cars, caravans and campers require continual maintenance and upkeep.
• Repairs can be very expensive.
• Living space is limited.
• Travelling is expensive.
• There are fees for monthly vehicle payments, licenses, insurance, camping and utilities.
• Safety is important so you can’t camp anywhere just because it is cheaper.
• You may travel more to follow the seasons because you must live in a warmer climate to be comfortable.
• Age and health may make camping impossible while you could still live in a house.
• You can adapt a house to fit your situation such as wheelchair ramps and wider doors, which you can’t do with a caravan.
• If you keep your house it will appreciate in value which gives you increased value to borrow against in case of emergencies.

If you stay in your house

If you stay in your house you have many advantages but you are burdened with:

• Labour-intensive upkeep.
• Concerns over the rising cost of living and whether you will be able to afford it.
• The risk of losing your house if you can’t afford it.

Many people sell their homes and become all-season campers with the view that they will just buy a house again, should the camping lifestyle not work out.

That may work out if you are financially well-off, but if you must sell your caravan to buy a house, you will find yourself in a tight spot, especially if your age makes it difficult to get a loan for the years you need to pay off the loan.

You are the only person who can decide whether long-term camping is right for you. Think it over, talk to people, ask questions, be brutally honest with yourself, and then make the decision you know you can live with.

One thing you should avoid at all costs is to make a decision on what worked for other people or based solely on what other people tell you.

Always keep in mind that people give advice based on their experience and that people who are enthusiastic with their advice on social media, often speak without having experienced it themselves.

Two control measures you could use when asking for advice from people is to ascertain how long they have been doing it and whether they present their own experience or just try to convince you what will work for you.

Any person who has been doing something for less than two years is still in the honeymoon phase. They can relate their own experience, but they need more knowledge to be able to form an idea of what could work for them. Be selective in your evaluation of their advice. (Although it is possible to be a doctor for 10 years but to be a bad doctor with 10 years of experience)

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Any camper who tells you long-term camping will be the right thing for you actually talk about what is right for them. If they tell you what their experience is and what worked for them without trying to influence you, their advice becomes valuable.

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Final thoughts

Whatever your question is about long-term camping, there is no one answer for all. Whether all-season camping is for you depends on your circumstances, and whether long-term camping is cheaper than living in your house depends on your individual circumstances.

You need to evaluate as objectively as possible what you leave behind, what you hope to gain and what you will in fact gain. I would not suggest that you take on long-term camping if you are not a seasoned camper. Camping permanently because it looks like fun is the worst motivation for leaving your home, town and friends behind. But if you insist, start with this list of what to pack.

Remember to inform your insurance company if you rent your house out. You may also keep garden services going so your garden won’t be neglected. If you do not have prepaid electricity it may be advisable to arrange for proof of payment of electricity use and other municipal charges to be emailed to your agent, or even better, let the agent pay it every month. You don’t want to end up with an unmanageable municipal account.

Try to think through the whole process step by step and formulate what you will do and can do should a specific problem arises. Leave nothing to “I think it will be so and so”. Make sure and get professional advice. Remember that the neighbours and family and well-meaning Facebookers mostly make bad legal and property advisers.

In the end, whether full-time camping works for you will depend much on what your decision-making was based on. If your planning was based on facts and figures only unforeseeable events can ruin your planning. If you planned based on what you thought or hoped would happen you may regret your decision.

Change what you can change, accept what you can’t change, plan wisely, choose responsibly and may you enjoy your all-season camping experience for as long as you wish.

Read:

We wrote an update blog post complementing this article after we had camped for more than a year. You can read it here.