So…where do you park all those things?
New home builders have come up with at least four solutions for new home buyers who want to keep their RV close to home:
1. RV Parking Lot
Our Florida market expert Lesley Deutch noted that GL Homes incorporated an on-site RV and boat parking area in their active adult masterplan Valencia Lakes in Tampa, FL. Marisa Lufkin, Project Manager at Valencia Lakes, notes that the RV parking area was a big selling point for the community when they first opened, and that all the spaces were reserved within their first year of home sales. They now have a waiting list. The spaces lease for $65 per month (paid up front for a full year), about double the price of a space in a traditional RV parking facility. Although the RV parking area at Valencia is roughly 1.3 acres in size and has about 50 spaces, other communities with RV parking lots are as small as 0.5 to 0.6 acres with 25 to 30 spaces. Many people also use the spaces for boat storage (estimated at 10% to 25% of spaces).
2. RV Garage Attached to the Home
Las Vegas market expert Ken Perlman noticed that Lennar was having success offering homes that include an RV garage at their Encore Collection project in Heritage, an active-adult community in the Cadence masterplan in Henderson, NV. According to Brian Bell, the on-site sales agent at Encore, they offer one plan with an RV garage, and it’s their most popular plan. Despite about a $25,000 premium, around 20% of the homes they’ve sold so far are the RV garage plan. The garage is 22’2” x 42’8”, which is large enough for most (but not all) RVs, and includes a 50-amp outlet (which can also be used to charge electric vehicles). Homeowners can clean out tanks through a sewage connection outside the back door of the garage. Lot sizes are about 6,000 square feet.
3. Entire Community with RV Garages
Arizona RV Homes is developing Valley View at Sunrise Hills, a new home community in Ft. Mojave, AZ where every house includes an RV garage. The standard RV garage is 22’ x 52’ (1,144 square feet); however, Arizona RV Homes company owner Ron Bernstein notes that they can modify the garages and that he has built some as deep as 70’ and 80’. Lot sizes are a minimum of 9,500 square feet and include not only the enclosed RV garage, but an additional outside pad with full hook ups that is large enough to accommodate a second RV. Some buyers have added additional one- or two-car garages in the backyard. One floor plan offered is a one-bedroom, one-bath house with just 766 square feet—in this case your garage is bigger than your house! Many buyers at Valley View upgrade the garage and include air conditioning. One buyer added a loft with an elevator in the garage. Homes range from about $175,000 to $350,000.
4. RV Port-Homes
Reunion Pointe by Bella Terra located east of Mobile, Alabama offers RV “port-homes.” These are homes with a covered outdoor area at the side of the home large enough to accommodate an RV, but open to the air. According to the builder, 74% of their buyers prefer a two-bedroom home. The target market is baby boomers, including full-time residents and second-home owners. The builder offers a three night “stay and play” special at a sister community to introduce prospects to the community lifestyle.
Honorable Mention: Side Yard RV Space—the Old Standby
Many new home builders plot homes with a side yard space wide enough to accommodate an RV on a lot (typically at least 15’). In many cases, it’s as simple as just making sure the side yard space is wide enough and that the driveway configuration is such that an RV can be pulled into the side yard. Make sure that the space is wide enough for slide-outs. New home projects advertising “room for RV parking” can stand out from the competition.
With more and more Americans owning RVs, builders have the opportunity to design homes and communities to accommodate RVs and set themselves apart from the competition. Our team of market experts can help you assess whether RV parking is an amenity to include in your next new home community.
1Includes travel trailers, fifth-wheel trailers, truck campers, folding camper trailers, and motor homes.
