Boom continues

**Steven@147** · 04-27-2021, 09:02 AM

The whole thing seems distasteful for those that have been RVing for a long time. People in general do not like change, want things to always stay the same. Well in most cases change is inevitable.
In south central Texas they were building new campgrounds faster than you could count, but for different reasons. Migrant workers in the building, power generation industries, especially wind farms and the like travel from work site to work site. In our last RV park 50% of the people there were working to build the new Tesla plant near Austin. Then to, housing rent is thru the roof and home sale prices are out of reach of a lot of people, even with the low interest rates. Living in an RV and campground is cheaper than a home especially if you see the kind of RVs some people are living in, new units but very basic cheaper RVs.

In other regions of the country its a lot different. Up in northern Indiana and surrounding states where our extended family live, very few if any new RV parks are being built and it seems like existing Gov parks like state county parks have not been updated in decades, funds being drained off for other purposes. To build a new park, there has to be an attraction to pull in RVers, like an amusement park ie Kings Island, gambling etc.
On the other hand farmers and ranchers are seeing the opportunity to generate money by offering some of their land to over night RVers, like joining Harvest Hosts. They don't have to put in a lot of infrastructure, just let RVers park on the pasture grass. Some have built a few basic sites in a corner of their pasture, if they don't sell out to developers.

Right now we are staying at a great RV park, Colorado Landing 125 sites in La Grange Tx. A great private RV park with lots of amenities, $425 / month plus metered electric. A lot of permanent retired people here plus middle age workers with park models, tiny homes mixed with RVs. Right now probably at 30% capacity. La Grange Tx doesn't have a lot going on around here but its relatively close to major cities.

There is just a lot of different things going on across the country. We find we have to spend more time planning our moves and where we go and at what time of the year way in advance. But full timing for us now, we wouldn't have it any other way!

**MooManChu** · 04-27-2021, 11:15 AM

We’ve become fans of Harvest Hosts however you can only stay one night.

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**dryfly** · 04-27-2021, 11:45 AM

I just got home from a 2 week stay in a couple of Texas State Parks. There was a disturbing issue that we noticed in a large, popular park near Houston. The day I arrived every site in the park was reserved for the entire week. However, on most every day 30% of the sites were vacant.

I spoke with the assistant superintendent and he said this was a trend. Folks reserving campsites and never showing. Due to the way the state parks handle reservations with payment being made up front, the campsites must be held for the entire reservation, occupied or not.

I feel this could easily be corrected or minimized, but it shows that camping ethics are changing. Going forward the new RV owners are going to find it very difficult to get accommodations.

**Fsalmy** · 04-27-2021, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by dryfly

I just got home from a 2 week stay in a couple of Texas State Parks. There was a disturbing issue that we noticed in a large, popular park near Houston. The day I arrived every site in the park was reserved for the entire week. However, on most every day 30% of the sites were vacant.

I spoke with the assistant superintendent and he said this was a trend. Folks reserving campsites and never showing. Due to the way the state parks handle reservations with payment being made up front, the campsites must be held for the entire reservation, occupied or not.

I feel this could easily be corrected or minimized, but it shows that camping ethics are changing. Going forward the new RV owners are going to find it very difficult to get accommodations.

We’ve heard this from private campgrounds, too. That is why many are requiring a non refundable deposit, and some are even requiring payment in full at the time the reservation is made. However, if you’re a no show, they will release your site and charge you the amount stated in their booking policy.

**Bamaman** · 04-27-2021, 12:49 PM

Baby boomers are looking for clean fun activities.

And so many are tired at sitting at home during the pandemic.

The boating business is the same way. And the auto business would be much greater if they had any cars to sell on dealer lots.

**FreddieMac** · 04-28-2021, 01:49 PM

I think in 3-4 years there are going to be a lot of 3-4 year old TT, Fivers and Motorhomes on the market that are going to be apprising below the way value of what people paid for them. The prices are so artificially inflated right now, that the MSRP has not changed much but the dealers are not knocking off that traditional 30%+ to sell the unit. For example, my Reflection was listed in the mid 50s and we payed in the mid 30s about a month after COVID started. Now that same unit is not being listed below the high 40s. Quality and features have not changed and the MSRP has not changed drastically. I think there is an increase coming this year because that is being driven by the materials shortage as the supply line was disrupted last year. That is an artificial inflation as well. There is a big RV bubble that is about to burst sometime next year.

**rootusrootus** · 04-29-2021, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by FreddieMac

I think in 3-4 years there are going to be a lot of 3-4 year old TT, Fivers and Motorhomes on the market that are going to be apprising below the way value of what people paid for them.

I agree, but I expect it to be sooner than that. I think that a year from now the market will have cratered and many people will be losing a serious amount of money on their lightly used RVs. We sold our last RV for practically what we paid for it 4 years earlier, but then we had to buy into this inflated market. Probably a wash in the long term; we just assume the value of our RV is zero when we drag it off the lot rather than worry much about what the future holds. We'll keep this one probably until 2027 or so, as long as it holds together (the build quality is pretty awful, however, so I'm not taking bets just yet...).

**PTParker** · 04-29-2021, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by goducks14

It's not just newbies wanting to camp thats the issue. We just got back from a 10 day trip in 3 states out west. We wanted to stay out longer but were finding it difficult to get decent spots. 2 RV parks we stayed in were full of full timers. And not full timers cause they like RV'ing but full timers cause it was cheaper than a house or renting. That and the fact that most of the CG's weren't open yet since it's early in the year, made it real tough to keep traveling.
Before Covid we would've never had this issue. IMO it's a combination of several factors thats contributing to all the over crowding.

https://www.rvtravel.com/campground-crowding997/

We have this problem! Our local camp ground could be the nicest campground in the state! It has a golf course, wave pool, water slides, lazy river, Olympic pool, ice skating rink, gym, ball parks, driving range, soccer fields, nice bike trails! But out of 217 sites, they only rent 52 now, the rest are people living in the campground! They turned it into a freaking trailer park!!!! All the out of area campers have stopped even trying to camp there! Just recently did they open up the 52 sites to rent, before it was full of people living there!

**Dakota** · 04-29-2021, 04:55 PM

My guess is they will continue to fill them with seasonal residents. Happened to several I’m my state. Each season there were fewer sites for weekenders.

**FreddieMac** · 04-30-2021, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by PTParker

We have this problem! Our local camp ground could be the nicest campground in the state! It has a golf course, wave pool, water slides, lazy river, Olympic pool, ice skating rink, gym, ball parks, driving range, soccer fields, nice bike trails! But out of 217 sites, they only rent 52 now, the rest are people living in the campground! They turned it into a freaking trailer park!!!! All the out of area campers have stopped even trying to camp there! Just recently did they open up the 52 sites to rent, before it was full of people living there!

I watched something last night that said the average RV park cost $20,000 per site to setup full hookups. Its crazy to think that parks are as full as they are right now, but I do not think it will last; at least I hope it will not last.