Buying our first static caravan

Buying our first static caravan

Author
Discussion

Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
R8Steve said:
Mainly, yes, unless they sell up and you get new ones of course.

Unless you move house every couple of weeks i'd imagine it's nothing you're not already used to.

If you strategically pick your plot as we did it reduces this issue, we don't really have any immediate neighbours as we are on a corner loch front end plot and the neighbour behind is a massive petrolhead so no issues there.

I can imagine there may be some not quite as lucky, i would imagine some are not so lucky site dependant.

I went to look at a boat at another site elsewhere and it was horrendous, too many people, jet skis and quads flying about the shoreline, kids on pitbikes, dogs roaming wild and the drunken parents all shouting at each other, etc, etc...this was at 3pm so i dread to think what it would be like at night! An Audi Q7 rolling into the car park with the reg no spelling out 'villain' kind of finished off the scene nicely hehe

Made me very grateful for where we are.
It sounds like Tattershall Lakes, used to be a lovely place but now resembles what you described.

LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
I'll bet those views were lovelier before they shoved caravans there. Just saying...

Fermit and Sexy Sarah

12,787 posts

99 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
OP, if you're looking at statics in the Anglesea area I'd urge you to look at/consider this site - https://www.aberdunant.com/ not far away near Porthmadog

Around 3 years ago we were considering a static in the area, and for us they were head and shoulders above anywhere else we looked. It had an extremely private feel, very therapeutic, and what stood out is that every plot different, with a feel of it being your setting. The van we were close to buying would have been sited on a plot over looking no one else, with a fenced garden to the side and front, with a stream at the bottom of a drop to the front. A blissful place IMO.

R8Steve

4,150 posts

174 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
I'll bet those views were lovelier before they shoved caravans there. Just saying...
You could probably say the same about where your house is built. Just saying...


gazza5

815 posts

104 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
Family have looked at getting one for years - but tbh it really depends on location more than anything else.

There are some nice places where you can get them as shown on this thread, but its the same as holidays, we all like different things, I'm happy sitting on my arse next to the pool all day, others enjoy exploring and think city breaks are relaxing, others think disneyworld is a relaxing break!

We have done caravaning, its great with young kids etc, but if I said to a 11 year old we are going to the carvan again this weekend I can see them saying its boring etc.

Now this fully depends where the caravan / static home is. But me personally I like to go to different places, and couldn't go to the same place every weekend / bank holiday / school holiday.

We do probably spend around £4 - £5k on holidays a year, due to the joy of going in school holidays, and this is not a show off line, off to center parcs in belgium next week (cost £600 including some activities), went to Turkey at may half term a bit last minute as had to wait for my youngest new passport, so got a bit shafted on that holiday at £3.2k, but I would personally ratehr do that with my money than tie up cash - even if its through the limited company.

I must admit I am not sure how its done (I'm a accoutnant myself) - and no clients of mine have ever bought a caravan through there company, would rather take the income, pay tax on it, and do what I want with it. You can't put your holidays through a limited company so no idea how you could put a caravan through.

Ziplobb

1,350 posts

283 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
I know of a good few people who have done this here on the Isle of Wight. All of them have come to regret it. The caravans are overpriced the pitch rent/site fees are eye watering in some cases. I know of one that pays over £400 per month - thats £5k a year on fees alone - that buys a couple of decent weeks away (or more) in a beautiful holiday cottage in some beautiful parts of this country and its likely you wont have to endure some of the 'folk' that get about static vans sites in the summer.

Put it another way - if you put £30/£40 k into a motorhome its still depreciating but you can take it anywhere yo want more or less to suit you an the £300 site fee per month goes a long way to running it.

gazza5

815 posts

104 months

theguvernor15

943 posts

102 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
The MIL was going to buy a static at a site.
By the time she'd factored in all the costs involved, as well as on-going maintenance & the incredibly restrictive contract that the sites were producing, she decided against it & bought a camper-van instead.
One of the clauses was that she wasn't allowed to rent it out, which was one of the main factors in her not buying one.

Our next door neighbours have one & they go down too it every weekend & love it, however he has said he'd never get his money back on it & they bought it as going abroad isn't their kind of thing.


LuS1fer

41,086 posts

244 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
R8Steve said:
You could probably say the same about where your house is built. Just saying...
You probably couldn't and there is a difference twixt primary housing and a luxury frippery.

R8Steve

4,150 posts

174 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
R8Steve said:
You could probably say the same about where your house is built. Just saying...
You probably couldn't and there is a difference twixt primary housing and a luxury frippery.
Probably not, both are ridiculous statements.

anonymous-user

53 months

Tuesday 20th August 2019
quotequote all
We have a holiday house at a lake, and the lake is privately owned by a non-profit limited co. There are fees to pay to the ltd co, and the lake and surroundings are managed.

It’s 30mins from our place just outside Vienna and we are there basically every weekend in summer and normally also do a whole week. We are here at the moment. It’s paradise and if you forget something you can just go home and get it.

We don’t tend to go on holiday in the summer as we are on holiday seemingly all the time. We go away in autumn to somewhere sunny, and winter to ski.

Not sure I would bother with a caravan in the UK for the fees some people are mentioning on here. The weather is not nice enough. We don’t go to the lake house when the weather is bad as it’s pointless.


Poppiecock

943 posts

57 months

Friday 23rd August 2019
quotequote all
The campsite we are at in the campervan for a couple of nights has a static park attached.

One thing I noticed is that it’s almost compulsory to have a crappy personal plate on an ex fleet Mercedes. Or on a crew cab wife beater pickup.


Zoon

6,654 posts

120 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
quotequote all
Just to update the thread, a family friend purchased a "lodge" in spring last year for £140k.
Site fees are £4k per year.
They have now realised what a bad "investment" it was and want out, currently on the market for £95k with no interest at all presently.

I suspect it was a novelty purchase and they are having a serious case of buyers remorse.

NDA

21,490 posts

224 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
quotequote all
R8Steve said:
NDA said:
I assume you get stuck with the same neighbours year in, year out?

Not for me, but interested in the thread.
Mainly, yes, unless they sell up and you get new ones of course.

Unless you move house every couple of weeks i'd imagine it's nothing you're not already used to.
I don't have neighbours - but even if I did, I feel sure that a caravan is a little less sound proofed than a house. My point was that you could get terribly unlucky with neighbours on a campsite - and then be stuck with them.

R8Steve

4,150 posts

174 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
quotequote all
NDA said:
R8Steve said:
NDA said:
I assume you get stuck with the same neighbours year in, year out?

Not for me, but interested in the thread.
Mainly, yes, unless they sell up and you get new ones of course.

Unless you move house every couple of weeks i'd imagine it's nothing you're not already used to.
I don't have neighbours - but even if I did, I feel sure that a caravan is a little less sound proofed than a house. My point was that you could get terribly unlucky with neighbours on a campsite - and then be stuck with them.
You could, but any decent park will have strict rules on anti social behavior so it shouldn't really be an issue.

It certainly pays to do your research, most parks you can walk into so a walk round one Saturday night in the summer should give you a good idea what to expect.

Castrol for a knave

4,640 posts

90 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
quotequote all
R8Steve said:
Zoon said:
Out of interest Steve where is yours located, it actually looks very nice.
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond. wink

No council entertainment and chav parties up here, just beautiful views regardless of weather, peace and quiet but plenty activities for my son. I can get here after work in 40 minutes/60 minutes from the house, have a boat moored about 50 yards from the front decking, have great helpful neighbours and there's never been a bit of bother or hassle. Unless you include the midges!
If it the site I think it is, the owner has a passion for belted Galloways....

OP - choose your site wisely. Treaddur is as good one - Darwin are a fund and in it for long income, so will not be selling out soon. To them, their business model is a 20 year hold.

The Warrens - most expensive there sold for about £500k, but it was a bit of a horse deal. It's an outlier park though - seems to draw in a lot of Scouse and Manc money, plus a few footballers.

I suppose it is what you want out of it. A weekend bolt hole to be used every other week, then why not. Part of the attraction is that it is low maintenance, a safe environment for kids and often, a similar cottage in that locale is much more expensive.

As someone said upthread, people will pay £120k for a 911 and see 50% lost in 5 years, likewise a boat.

That said, there are some sites which feel like you are descending the various levels of Dante's Inferno, left past the Jolly Sailor Fun Pub and the sodomites...

Most of the decent sites will use the BH&HPA model licence/ contract - ask to see a copy before you commit, and also check if there is a maximum age of van, what the underletting restrictions are (most will not let you let it - this is good, keeps out the ferals in West Brom tops) and also what the terms are if you wish to sell it as they will often want a commission.

R8Steve

4,150 posts

174 months

Thursday 16th January 2020
quotequote all
Castrol for a knave said:
If it the site I think it is, the owner has a passion for belted Galloways....
Other side of the water from that one. wink

RickySaunders

1 posts

26 months

Thursday 6th January 2022
quotequote all
DANTR said:
Hi DS,

I do this for a living, as in buying and selling of static caravans.

If you need any advice or information that’s unbiased don’t hesitate to private message me

Thanks

Dan
Hello Dan

I wanted to buy a static through my limited company any advise and getting business loan


DSLiverpool

Original Poster:

14,672 posts

201 months

Thursday 6th January 2022
quotequote all
We’re looking again once priced drop, I sold the LTD company we were going to use and the new one isn’t capable of buying one yet.
Looking at cardigan Bay Area.

TriumphStag3.0V8

3,794 posts

80 months

Thursday 6th January 2022
quotequote all
I guess it depends on what use you would get out of it. If it is in a location you have connections to (but don't live near) and will get lots of use from it, then it could make a lot of sense.

If you want something as an investment, it doesn't make much sense at those price points, whether you are paying for it directly or via a Ltd. Renting it out requires someone to manage it for you (generally the park owners who see this as another nice little earner @ 30% commission) and you have all the bills to pay (heating, hot water etc) as well as cleaning fees. So your £800/week suddenly drops to nearer £400 from this you cover the cost of the van plus wear and tear and replacing/repairing any damages. Then at the end of 10(?) years (some sites say 5!!) you have an asset that you have to pay to dispose of!

If you just want to holiday there a couple of times a year, then using Airbnb's or hotels has to be a better bet - none of the hassle and the £40K mentioned, plus £x grand per year buys a lot of Airbnb time!

Each to their own I guess.