Living in an RV in my own yard?

October 4, 2018 8:05 PM

My wife and I own a 2 family home in sunny Medford, MA. We live in one apartment and rent out the other. We are looking for ways to save money, so we were thinking of buying an RV, parking it in our yard and living in that whole we rent out the apartment. Are we mad?

So, practical issues aside (we can wire in power, water, etc) what are the issues we should be considering? The local council doesn't seem to have anything that would seem to preclude it, as long as it is not a permanent structure, and it doesn't create any safety issues. Am I worrying about the wrong things?

posted by anonymous to Home & Garden (24 answers total)

This sounds pretty smart to me. Why not? It could even be fun. I think some people do this with small houses. Something to look into as well.
posted by xammerboy at 8:27 PM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]

RVs are miserable to live in in the winter and depreciate like crazy. If you don’t buy a nice one, they aren’t really meant to be lived in long term and will rapidly start falling apart around you. Also mold is going to be something you will be constantly battling in the cold grey rainy times (as far as a I can tell from visiting, this is spring, fall, and a good chunk of winter).
posted by rockindata at 8:30 PM on October 4, 2018 [20 favorites]

The feasibility of this may depend in part on your neighbours -- are they the types to find this a nuisance, to freak out about property values, and/or to call the cops?

Neighbour-rage aside, I worry that you're probably going to be pretty cold, and efforts you make to rig up supplemental heating might lead to fire hazards.

Your prospective tenant(s) may also be put off by this proximity, or worry that you'll get cold and evict them and move back in. I'd worry about that, myself.
posted by halation at 8:33 PM on October 4, 2018 [24 favorites]

My small city doesn't allow RV living within city limits. Of course, I did it for a few years but nobody complained so the City never found me. One issue is that most RVs are not insulated well so your heating bill will be high, unless you go to the expense of buying a 4-season rig. You'll probably only have one-ply windows so you'll need to seal them up for the winter with plastic. Also, your roof vents will need to be sealed. And, depending on usage, you'll need to move the RV to go to a dump and flush of your black water tank. Two other options: (1) have a clean-out attached to your sewer line above ground (do not leave your valve open all the time as solids will not flow out and the tank will fill up; open the valve when it's time to flush it out; or (2) find a local service that will come and do a dump/flush for you. There's lots of info online about RV living. It can be done (I've done it) but it's not exactly fun. Good luck.
posted by MovableBookLady at 8:38 PM on October 4, 2018 [6 favorites]

Could you live in the RV in warm weather, and AirBnB your home instead of finding long-term tenants? You can choose to only free up your AirBnB calendar a couple weeks (or even days) in advance, and that way you can quickly pivot and move back inside if RV living isn't working out.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 9:55 PM on October 4, 2018 [17 favorites]

Your RV will be encased in snow and ice- with 4 foot snow drifts and a wall of snow on either side of any path you dig out. This ice and snow will last much longer into the spring then you would like. This I think would be a big detractor for me.
posted by Toddles at 10:47 PM on October 4, 2018 [6 favorites]

Also, where will you go during the next hurricane?
posted by Toddles at 10:48 PM on October 4, 2018 [1 favorite]

It's sort of a bad idea for a lot of reasons. While there may not be a specific bylaw outlawing this, living in an RV is not technically legal (I think you know that), and the city could shut you down, which means you'll have to kick out your tenants.

Unless you parked in the yard where nobody could see, your neighbors may not appreciate this.

Also, consider mail delivery. You can't just create a new address, and your tenants won't want to share a mailbox with you (also, that IS technically illegal). How will you wire in power, water, etc. without tapping into your home and passing that cost along to your tenants?

Lastly, the prices of reasonably comfy RVs are INSANE, like at least $60,000. So you're making an investment that will depreciate quickly.
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 3:00 AM on October 5, 2018 [4 favorites]

Medford, MA is only sunny and pleasant for a month out of the year, tops. As a fellow masshole, think about living in an RV through winter 2015 with our constant snow and ice storms or any humid and terrible summer. Think about mud season and slush season. It’s not like overwintering in Florida in an RV.
posted by lydhre at 3:34 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would be amazed if this were not in violation of a number of city codes. Most likely problem: sanitation codes. If you're having the RV's waste tank pumped out, you're essentially operating a cesspool. If you hook it up to the city sewer, you will certainly need a permit, and the application for that permit will alert the city code enforcement department of your plan. They won't like it. Ditto for hooking up to the water supply. If you're thinking of just running a hose from an outdoor faucet, that sucker will freeze solid for weeks at a time.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:52 AM on October 5, 2018 [3 favorites]

I had young adult family members try a flavor of this housing arrangement to save money while assigned to an army post. Winter had them staying with friends long-term, and the effort was later abandoned as Saving Too Much Money. It was a quality of life issue. Air BnB might be a better option, but seriously, if you can rent the second apartment AND that doesn’t mess with owner-occupied financing, why not go for investing in another property? Or wait until you can?
posted by childofTethys at 4:11 AM on October 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

We are looking for ways to save money, so we were thinking of buying...

Any time saving money involves buying something as major as an RV (even a used one) you need to do a very serious dive into the math. (Aside from the practical issues raised already.)
posted by The Deej at 4:12 AM on October 5, 2018 [14 favorites]

I have lived In an RV in the summer, ie not camping, it was our transitional house. It sucked then, I wouldn't do it by choice or around anything like winter or windy weather for all the reasons above.
posted by aetg at 4:27 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

As someone who’s previously looked at apartments to rent in Medford and thereabouts, I would find “landlord living in an RV in the back yard” to be a total dealbreaker. In addition to general weirded-outness, I’d worry that you’d eventually find RV living too unpleasant and evict us. Not everyone will feel the same and if you live in a high-demand neighborhood you’ll find plenty of people who don’t mind, but I would definitely expect this to drive off at least some potential renters.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:34 AM on October 5, 2018 [20 favorites]

Yeah, I'm with Metroid Baby on this one: it's one thing to live in a duplex with your landlord, but having them parked out in the yard would be a little weird to me as a renter. Although, I think it'd be different if you were intending to live the RV lifestyle? I don't think I'd mind a landlord that lived in an RV in the yard just during the three months of summer, but then traveled around the country the rest of the time. That seems practical in a way that permanently parking a house bus in the backyard does not.

I like the AirBnB idea, but maybe in reverse—if you stayed in your apartment, but rented your RV (or even better, like a tiny house or something totally #InstagramWorthy) out on AirBnB, that might get you some extra income from curious visitors.
posted by helloimjennsco at 6:10 AM on October 5, 2018 [4 favorites]

Hi Neighbor!

I live in sunny Medford MA. I have no experience with RV's. I did have a co-worker who tried to live out of one in Boston during the winter, it was a very stressful experience. They often had to worry about their sewage tank and water tank freezing and cracking pipes and fittings during the cold.

Our city has, in most areas, very small lot sizes so my guess is your RV would be as close to neighbors as to your house. If my neighbor had a live-in RV abutting my property I would be concerned about noise, hazard from electric heaters/waste storage/propane tanks, etc. that would be greater than a permanent structure. There are building codes, inspections, and setback requirements for a reason.

I think that you would have to add hookups for water, sewer, electric to your house. That would be an added expense, and might run afoul of building codes. Who pays for the added electric/water bills? Will you need to setup added separate meters, or pay all utilities for the property and have all utilities included in rent?

Seconding the concern of tenants renting with owner in RV on property. I'd assume that if anything with the RV went wrong, my apartment would be taken over by the owner ASAP so they could have shelter, warm shower, etc.

Homeowner's insurance rates are different for owner-occupied structures and tenant-only structures. You will want to consider that change, as well as cost for insuring the RV.

As an alternative - could you live out of the RV and travel the sunnier parts of the country?

Also - house prices in Medford have gone up a crazy amount in the last few years. Your house might have more value than you think. Selling it or splitting it into condos and selling one or both might be worth investigating with a realtor. You could end up with a pile of cash that lets you move to a cheaper location. I know a couple of ethical real estate agents in the neighborhood if you want recommendations.
posted by sol at 6:18 AM on October 5, 2018 [4 favorites]

How many other people do you see doing this in Medford?

If the answer is "A lot", then seek their counsel.

If the answer is "None", then there is a very good chance that you personally will cause the local council to take action to preclude it.
posted by Etrigan at 6:46 AM on October 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

It's usually illegal to live in an RV but may not be well enforced. They have a big markup and don't hold value, and used RVs are available, but be wary. Slideouts break, and all big RVs have them. They don't have insulation, don't have efficient heat, and are not well built, so you could spend an absurd mount on heat and still be miserable.

If you are at all handy, you could build a tiny house on a trailer frame. Make it efficient and insulated, good windows, and it will have value. Keep it as light as possible in case you ever do tow it. RV in the yard feels sketchy, tiny house feels kind of cool. Water and sewer are still a big issue, but composting toilets have come a long way.

Or, get a roommate. Interview really well and check references if you do.
posted by theora55 at 6:53 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

um I have one designed for cold weather I will sell you! its only like 1800 miles away.

They do make travel trailers for living in super cold weather but you would definitely want to be hooked up to sewage because it would be nearly impossible for you to empty either the grey water or black water tanks as much as you need to, given the amount of snow you might get. That right there might be an issue with your city.

When you say RV do you mean like a motor home or travel trailer? Insurance on a class a or b RV is probably going to be atleast like another car, not to mention the initial cost. If you mean travel trailer, how are you going to move it around if you need to?

My husband lived in the one we have when he worked out of town. 35ft 2 bedroom travel trailer, so not a 300K Rv or a fancy gooseneck with 5 pull outs, but good sized with a full kitchen and could sleep 6 in a pinch. One thing that's a problem is storage. It isn't like moving into a tiny house designed for day to day living. It is designed for short term living so he added shelving to accommodate that. YOu would be looking at your renters using your furniture, storing it or getting completely rid of it. Also, he also ended up customizing it by taking out the dining table so he could have a recliner because the furniture in there is just not that comfortable for just hanging around. More like living in hotel room than a small apartment.

It is all doable if you are motivated but I am not sure in the long run it is going to save you much. It isn't like a house where you get your money back out of it once you want to sell it.
posted by domino at 6:56 AM on October 5, 2018 [2 favorites]

Have you lived in an RV or spent significant time in one before? I own a pretty big one (33 feet with a slide) and it still feels pretty cramped with two people in it. The bedroom is just barely larger than the bed. The kitchen is miniature - there's barely any counter. The fridge is small. The sink is small (washing large pans is messy). The stove is small - many pots won't fit in it and the oven is pretty close to useless.

They can be death traps - if a fire breaks out at night, you're probably dead. Egress is poor and you've got a giant tank of propane a few feet from you at any point.

As has been mentioned, they're typically poorly insulated. Most are designed not to be used in the winter - many have the assumption that you'll fill the pipes with antifreeze to keep them from bursting.

There's groups of people that enjoy living in them year round but it's not for most people. Compared to a permanent but small house, they may a lot of sacrifices and assumptions to be moveable that are far from ideal for semi-permanent living.

And it's probably not legal to live in one long term in your yard, you're just not looking the right place. If your neighbors have a view of this, they will almost certainly start complaining to the authorities.
posted by Candleman at 7:38 AM on October 5, 2018

So. I have lived in two different RV's full time since 2015. It's fantastic. Our RV is well insulated, well built, was cost effective (given the size - 42 feet 5th wheel with 4 slide-outs) and my wife and I really enjoy living in it. There are a wide variety of layouts and you can pretty much find something that works for you. It is cheaper for us to rent a space at a nice RV park (fenced lots, full time security, not even close to the traditional 'trailer park'), plus pay for the payment on the RV PLUS the payment on one of our cars than it would be to rent a house. Also, we don't need to buy any furniture or the usual crap you gain with a house. It's fantastic.

Of course, it is not for everyone. Yes, kitchens are small, storage is reduced, it will *never* feel like a 'normal' house because there are some adjustments you need to make but to me they are a tiny issue. You need to have a different mindset because if you are looking to live like you are in a house, but just in an RV you will be frustrated.

HOWEVER. Consider that we are completely sold on this lifestyle, and we are planning on doing this full time for the very long term. But would I do it in MA? HELL NO GOOD GOD ARE YOU INSANE. It would be MISERABLE. Our RV is perfectly comfortable (hooked up to a 50Amp supply) in 100 degree summer temps (2 air con units) and in 30 degree winter temps, maybe even down to 25F for smaller periods (we have a full artic package trailer). But we live in California. We have no snow, we barely even have freezing night temps. It would be significantly worse if it were colder for longer periods.

The idea is fine (assuming you could have a sewer connection, water and 50 amp power) and were comfortable with and understood what it means to live in such a space. The location makes it a daft idea, to me.
posted by Brockles at 7:57 AM on October 5, 2018 [8 favorites]

I've spent a few weeks during an East Coast winter living in a van in someone's yard. It's not pleasant. I sleep like a baby covered with a bajillion quilts, but everything else is substandard. It'd be better with a concrete pad and a roof, or just with no snow and no mud. If you keep very busy with activities during the winter, it'd be better (less time in the RV)

There are plenty of people happy to share tips for doing this (like here) but I'd recommend you do the spreadsheet with income vs. cost of RV + depreciation + maintenance + what your time is worth setting this up + a little more. Unless you're committed to multiple years doing this, it might be a money sink.

Of course, if you don't need jobs and stuff, just drive your RV to Florida and manage your properties remotely. You might decide to do this on a whim one dark cold winter morning...
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:51 AM on October 5, 2018

I’ve lived in an RV for the past 7 years and cannot imagine living in a house again, I love it that much. And even I wouldn’t do it in Mass. There is a definite learning curve to it, and that’s not something I’d take up in that weather. If your property is zoned for it, a small attached or unattached dwelling might be an option. Also, maybe just having a roommate as well.
posted by MountainDaisy at 9:09 AM on October 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

I have friends who do something similar - they own a house and rent out all the bedrooms. They sleep in an RV parked in the yard - but like the other roommates, they have full use of the house's kitchen, bathroom, and living room. They're in Southern California though, so cold weather isn't ever an issue.
posted by insectosaurus at 11:38 AM on October 5, 2018