My own private campsites!

[Artemus Gordon]

About a year ago I had an idea about developing lots to park our Montana. I am in the home stretch of completing my first lot. I will provide photos soon. I bought a very reasonable 1/2 acre site, near our home in Redding. My goal was to creat a perfect campsite with water and power. It would be used to store and use the Montana when we don't feel like traveling. Not altogether cheap but $300.00 plus park space, makes it more financially attractive. Each location is designed to be sold down the road as fully "developed building site". Most areas are still reducing fees and being more reasonable about development. We are installing a 300 sq ft stamped concrete patios with fire pits and cooking area. Shaded sitting areas under big tree is a must have at each location. Small gazebo and a "buddy site" with 50 amp power and water, for our friends who come through to visit. My second site is in Saratoga NY and I start on it in 2015. We are looking in Tenn for a third location. Anybody else consider doing something similar.

[davidaf]

We had a similar idea. We bought a 1/4 acre lot in San Felipe Mexico in a development where one can build either a stick house or pad for an RV. The RV pad and build out were completed several years ago. We'll probably build a stick home there someday as a winter retirement home (being forty something means I have a bit of time left before retirement). When we went full-time we bought our second lot in a planned RV community in Southern CA so we could have a home base near the kids and work. It has full resort amenities so I wouldn't call it a raw development as yours is. All we had to do was drive up and back in. We'll be doing a build out within the next few months for some outside entertaining area. As we wander around the west we are looking for a third piece of property that will be developed for the RV at first with the potential for a stick home should we decide to go that route. The ideal property will be in the mountains for fishing and such during the summer since San Felipe gets a tad warm.

So, why buy and develop? For me it was simple, I want to spend a considerable amount of time in each location when I punch the clock for the last time and I want to be able to use it now. Building or buying a house would be extremely costly for the amount of time I can spend in one location at present plus I want to be able to travel freely without worrying about maintaining a proper house.

[Bigboomer]

Mr. Artemus,

Do you have any intentions to rent these sites out? One way to offset costs? Maybe to only MOCer's?

[JandC]

That is an interesting idea. Can't wait to see the pics. Michael, what did you mean when you said: QUOTE: Not altogether cheap but $300.00 plus park space, makes it more financially attractive. Each location is designed to be sold down the road as fully "developed building site". Does that mean it is costing you $300.00 to develop the site, or is that a typo and you spent $300,000 to buy the land?

[DQDick]

We did that at a small town in Kansas. 3 corner lots $1,400, install water sewer and electric $3,000, add two large sheds and plumb one $10,000 and add a storm shelter $4,500. One of our better investments.

[Artemus Gordon]

Answer couple questions. First I have considered renting or just offering the sites to friends and MOC. Actually renting the sites is somewhat necessary for tax purposes, however that creates issues with zoning. Perhaps donation to some "personal foundation"! Lol

The $300,00 is about normal rate for renting a monthly RV Park spot. That's a number I use to "offset total cost of each project". If I am able to develop each site, along with land acquisition costs,( assuming reasonable long term repayment amortization of 20 years) and assume a reasonable ROI, then I move forward. Not an exact science since real gains are in the future value and capital gain potential at resale.

[DQDick]

We give the space away, but accept the occasional free meal out when offered. Our problem with charging is the legal liability we'd acquire by running an unregistered business and not having a corporate structure and separate liability insurance to protect us. Too many hungry lawyers are graduated every year from Kansas law schools.

[ckwizard]

I see that often here in rural Texas, 1-acre lot with a pole barn and covered rv pad.
We have considered this as well.

[Tom S.]

Dick hit the nail on the head! Once you accept any kind of payment, you open yourself to liability issues. Best to let folks stay there and if they want to later repay your generosity with some kind of gift, so be it!