Top 5 Reasons to Choose a Park Model Home for Retirement Living
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With retirement nearing, how do you dream of filling your days? Maybe you’re looking forward to chatting with friends over coffee without worrying about wasting time. Perhaps you plan to play golf, coach, teach, grow exotic plants, go hiking more, sit on a beach, play with your grandchildren, float in the pool, or volunteer at a nonprofit.
Have you stopped to consider how your housing situation may help or hinder your goals?
It’s essential, when retiring, to choose a housing situation that fits your lifestyle. Maybe that means staying in the big house you’ve always lived in, or maybe that means downsizing to something more manageable that can be moved to a more comfortable climate.
Whether you want to permanently move to a retirement community or spend winters in Florida or Arizona, a park model home might be just what you’re looking for.
At Lancaster Log Cabins, we make high-quality park model homes from real wood. We believe that park model homes are an ideal solution for retirement living, and today, we’re going to tell you all the reasons why!
Of course, nothing is perfect, and we’ll also go over the downsides to park model living so you can make an informed decision about your retirement living plan.
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What Is a Park Model Home?
Park model homes are small cabins designed to be a cross between a traditional small house and an RV.
These cabins technically qualify as RVs because they are smaller than 400 square feet and designed to be easily moveable. Because of this RV designation, you can set them up semi-permanently in campgrounds and RV parks.
However, park models are built to be larger and more durable than traditional RVs with spacious kitchens and bathrooms.
Many retirement living communities have spaces for park model homes. Some retirees choose to live in their park models year-round, while others live in it seasonally, escaping south during harsh winters.
Top 5 Benefits of Park Model Homes for Retirees
Now that we understand what a park model home is, let’s look at the top five reasons many retirees love living in park model homes!
Reason #1: Affordability
Simply put, park model homes are a very affordable living option. They are much cheaper than traditional homes simply because they’re compact, and since they technically qualify as RVs, you have multiple financing options, including RV loans.
But the affordability of park model living goes far beyond the cost of the park model itself. The savings associated with living on such a small scale include:
- Decreased maintenance costs
- Decreased heating and cooling bills
- Depending on where you park it, you can expect the park to take care of landscaping costs, so you won’t have to pay landscaping expenses
- Lower insurance costs
Besides the initial cost of the park model home, the primary expense of owning one is the cost of buying or renting land to park it on.
If you buy land to park your park model on, you can save money by purchasing a smaller plot since park models have such a small footprint. However, most people who live in a park model home after they retire choose to park their home in a retirement community. The monthly rent will be the main expense you have to think about. But even that will be cheaper than a home mortgage in many areas, and it comes with many amenities.
Even if you’re only living in your park model seasonally, they provide an affordable way to have a second home.
Reason #2: Low Maintenance and Simplified Living
The truth is, now that your children are grown and gone and you’re no longer tied down to your job, the last thing you want is to spend all your time fussing around with household tasks like cleaning, organizing, and mowing the lawn.
Park model homes allow you to live life on a simplified scale. Everything is pared down to the things you truly need, and you won’t have to worry about all the extra stuff.
If you want to move permanently into your park model, going through all the stuff you’ve accumulated in your home throughout life may feel overwhelming. However, your children will appreciate you going through your possessions now, so they won’t have to take on the task after you’re gone!
For more information about downsizing and simplified living, read our blog post on Downsizing Tips for a Simplified Life.
Reason #3: Community Living and Access to Amenities
When you’re retired and your life is no longer dictated by a strict work schedule, your priorities change.
In the past, you valued privacy and seclusion because you needed that retreat after a long day at work, but now, the seclusion just feels lonely.
Park model homes allow you to live in a retirement community with amenities at your fingertips.
You can go to events and game nights or access the pool or fitness center without ever having to drive at night or brave traffic.
Reason #4: Mobility and Flexibility
If you’re a retiree who wants to relocate, it can be difficult to commit. Should you move to a warmer climate, or focus on being near family? What if you move to a new place and don’t like it? Is it worth it to go to all the bother of moving and relocating if you might have to do it again in ten years or so?
Park models are popular because of their flexibility. Although they’re harder to move than a camper or motorhome, they still offer a certain amount of flexibility, allowing you to easily relocate to a different retirement community after a few years if you find something you like better or need a change of scenery.
And if you want to move closer to family or a place where it’s easier to receive specialized care, a park model allows you to move your whole house and keep that familiarity.
Reason #5: The Best of Both Worlds
Maybe you’ve considered living in an RV because of the affordability and flexibility but felt discouraged by the idea of using such a tiny bathroom.
But when you think of a traditional house, with its delightfully full-sized kitchen and bathroom, you may feel overwhelmed by all the maintenance and upkeep and long for something smaller.
Park model homes offer the best of both worlds.
Compared to a typical RV, you’ll find them delightfully spacious, with a decently sized bedroom, large bathroom, and full-sized kitchen. Some even come with a loft for extra space. They also retain their value better than traditional RVs.
At the same time, they offer many of the benefits of RVs, including affordability and the ability to park in a retirement RV park.
Downsides of Park Model Cabins
While a park model home is a wonderful option for many retirees, it might not be suitable for you. Here are a few downsides of living in a park model home that you may want to consider.
Space Constraints
While park models are more spacious than typical RVs, 400 square feet is a limited amount of space. If you wish to host guests or have a lot of things to store, it might not be for you.
Loft Access Issues
One way to add more usable space to a park model is to have a loft, but the downside is that lofts may become harder to access as you age and your children discourage you from climbing up and down ladders.
However, you can still use your loft as a private bedroom space for visiting children and grandchildren.
Regulations and Limitations
Some places have regulations prohibiting living in RVs and park models, although sometimes there are exceptions for seniors. Make sure you’re up-to-date on the local regulations of the place you wish to live before purchasing a park model!
How Lancaster Log Cabins Can Help
If you’re considering the joys of retiring to a park model home, allow us to help!
At Lancaster Log Cabins, our cabins are the perfect choice for retirees, especially if you love the look of real-wood log cabins. Our spacious park models are made with high-quality materials to help them keep their value over time.
Want to know more? We’ve written a blog post answering your frequently asked questions about our park model homes!
In addition to our various styles of real-wood park models, we also offer:
Don’t hesitate to contact us today to learn more! We look forward to working with you to find the best cabin for your retirement needs.