The Montana wins as our choice!

[Wannabe Full-timer]

As many of you may have read (and as my signature explains), we are seriously considering selling our home and purchasing an RV to live in full-time locally. I am pleased to say that husband said last night that when we do this, it WILL be the Montana! We have looked at quite a few RVs and based our choice on the quality, price and weight.

Husband's biggest concern is the mid Michigan winter weather (but husband is an insulator so I think that would come in real handy!) and my main concern is being in such a small area during the winter months. I reminded husband of the camping trip we had a few years ago when we owned a pop-up - we were in northern Michigan in the freezing rain and had snow and we stayed very comfortable inside so I can only imagine how nice it would be in a Montana. We know the majority of you would never choose to live in a Montana in winter weather and quite frankly that is not our first choice either but going to warm weather is not an option for us. We need to live near my elderly father and our work. We are not even sure we will ever be able to become truly snowbirds (which is our dream) and feel this may be the next best thing to it for us. I want to live a little piece of our dream while I am still able to as we never know what tomorrow may bring.

We will need to sell our house at some point anyway as my Dad has so generously given us his home (and our plan was to buy an RV when we did that) and we will have that to live in eventually as we choose. Husband says he needs more time to think about selling our home and I understand that. (He can't believe all the things I put in a yard sale recently, so I know he knows I am serious ). We are taking all the great feedback we received here seriously; it has been so helpful. It is helping in our decision making and we want to thank you all for this. We are certainly open to feedback/suggestions.

[lightningjack11]

Congratulations on your choice. We hope you will stay with us over the years and would like to hear your adventures in your new Montana when you get it. Good luck.

[Wrenchtraveller]

I think if you skirted in your Montana and heated the area under the unit, you could live in your unit very comfortably. We spent a week in Edmonton Alberta early this spring and saw a lot of units skirted in and lived in all winter. I believe Michigan's climate is milder than Edmonton's.

As far as living in a Montana full time, here is food for thought. We spent 46 days in our 2955RL which is quite a bit smaller than a model like the 3400 and we never felt cramped once.

When we returned home to our 3000 Sq FT home it did not feel overly large the way it always felt when we returned home from trips in the smaller fifth wheel we used to own that had no slide outs.

I believe the slide outs and the tall ceiling in a Montana make it a very comfortable home and all you miss in stick house ownership is all those bills....... Taxes, Home Insurance which is going crazy and utility bills as well as all the maintenance.

[Wannabe Full-timer]

Thank you so much lightnjack. We definitely will be a part of this forum for a long time to come I hope.

Wrenchtraveler, I really appreciated the info you shared to about those living in RVs in Edmonton! We received a lot of great advice here on how to insulate and skirt, which we would certainly do. We are very partial to the 3295 so not quite as large as say a 3400 but that is the floorplan we both loved. You are so right about the stick built bills. That plays a role in my decision making. I want to get off of under some of that. They seem to just be getting ridiculous. I know owning an RV certainly is not cost-free by no means but I still think we would be much further ahead in the long run.

I forgot to mention that another important factor in our decision making was THIS forum! It gives us reassurance and peace of mind to know that if we run into any problems, have questions (which I am sure we will have plenty of), or be in a real emergent situation and need answers ASAP, this forum is here and is full of such wonderful and knowledgeable people that we would receive a response when needed. I think that says SO much about this group!!

[Mac]

Congratulations, that was a great choice, of course I don't think you can go wrong with any Monty!

mac

[Gpa_Dick]

Congratulations Wannabe....you will not be disappointed.....because it will be a Monty.

-Dick