I just got the renewal on my house insurance, and its gone up 25%, to about $1200 a year.I also pay $2700 a year in rates! So muchfor living on a tropical island. Its a real good reason to be on the road. Free camps are looking better all the time. Oh , for the simpler, cheaper life...........Bill
-- Edited by bill12 on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 01:01:34 PM
There will be a point in your life when travelling will be physically to hard ,by then real estate may be out reach for most. You will something a bit better than your caravan
-- Edited by Smouch on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 03:31:46 PM
So those Rates and Insurance items are $3,900. Add maintenance costs (including gardens etc), electricity, gas, water usage costs etc for the house. Assuming home ownership and no mortgage to pay on top of that.
In contrast, lets say you had to live in a CP RV site eventually or temporarily for around $200 a week, approx. $10,200 p/a. Assume that this CP covers power,gas water etc. (And no gardens or house cleaning etc).
Maintenance of your vehicle and possibly RV would be about the same whether in a house or CP so we'll leave them out of the equasion.
Use of free camps is good for as long as you can or in between CP's when needed which will be less cost, also you can follow the sun and good weather in general.
Getting back into house ownership may or may not be an option due to increasing prices over time, as would rentals also. An option if you have reached that stage when you give up life on the road is aged care homes etc if you can no longer live independently.
Not suggesting one over the other, but have I missed something and what are others view?
PS: I am no expert with maths so feel free to correct my post if you wish, or bring up other points I may have missed.
-- Edited by Vic41 on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 04:58:07 PM
When we're ready to shoot through we're going to sell the house and buy something rentable and stick tenants in it for several years.
Last time I did the sums on this it worked out better than leaving cash in the bank by a fair margin. And because it won't be our pride and joy
we won't care about it while we're away.
The more we look into it the less we want a house at all.
After 30yrs in the Nations Capital and 22yrs in our last house we have sold up, stored the furniture and are out on the road "permanently". We have been out and about for the past 4/5 months, however we have ONLY spent less than 3 weeks in our van. We are professional house sitters and have spent 2 months in Mildura, 5weeks in Adelaide and currently at Penong on our way to Perth to do a 5 week sit in the Perth Hills.
I pinch myself at times to see if it is really true????
We have just done the Eyre Peninsular and will spend 10 days crossing the Nullarbor. Tomorrow we are at Fowlers Bay where there are 20 plus Southern Wright Wales with calves.
It is 4.45pm at Penong and the little CP is filling up quite quickly.
As to bricks and mortar, we will buy again some time in the future but have no regrets and no worries.
We have our future house funds out in a private finance (vendor finance) and receive a fair monthly income as opposed to Term Deposits.
We have spoken to 3 separate couples today in conversations re traveling this great country. Highly unlikely to do the same living in a house in some suburban back yard.
I've just sold the house and put some loved furniture and favourite stuff in storage $150 per month. Money in the bank can't buy rental as on part pension. I'm finally off in my van...Toyota slwb with bed fridge cupboards etc. Will eventually buy in Wollongong Surf Leisure Centre. So I can also lie in bed and listen to the waves. Or maybe I'll just keep driving on.
Bill, do what I do mate, dig a hole and get in it council and insurance people do not know you are there if you only come out at night.
Or you do not have to leave the Mag isl just sell the house and go live on the nudist beach just down the road, you may even meet up with Dougwe and the twins
I have 3 rentals and insurance is under $500 each.. $1200 or there abouts council rates..
What greases me is the landlord tax!!
For Christ sake !! I'm trying to invest enough to pay for my retirement .. The GREEDY state gov tax's you even more !!
Have to remember (at least in cities) the capital gains ..
Still work, can,t get the pension, but do turn 60 in November, so might get some discounts.Phoned bank for another quote on insurance, and it was $3600! I like my house and my shed(every man needs one), but the road calls at times.Roll on old age.I think I will grow old DISCRACEFULLY, like Dougwe and Wombat. Bill
There will be a point in your life when travelling will be physically to hard ,by then real estate may be out reach for most. You will something a bit better than your caravan
-- Edited by Smouch on Wednesday 20th of August 2014 03:31:46 PM
same thinking here smouch
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we dont have the best of everything we make the best of everything we have
Still work, can,t get the pension, but do turn 60 in November, so might get some discounts.Phoned bank for another quote on insurance, and it was $3600! I like my house and my shed(every man needs one), but the road calls at times.Roll on old age.I think I will grow old DISCRACEFULLY, like Dougwe and Wombat. Bill
I live alone, I actively try to turn off all power points when not in use and my quarterly bill is still around $250.00. This winter has been very cold, I'm dreading my next account.
Rates, approx. $1200.00.
I'm not materialistic, and every time an appliance or computer broke down, Insurance refused the claim, so I dropped contents and only have house.
They tried to "punish" me for not having a dual contents/house, and attempted to double the cost of my property ins.
I rang other companies for a discount, I believe they initially give you a "sweet heart" deal, then up their prices year after year. Can;t win.
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Anyway the wind blows......doesn't really matter to me!!
Its getting bad when your insurance cost more than the rates on your house. I have to have insurance as we have cyclones here , every year,but the house is built to cyclone standards. Perhaps the Govt shoulds try to subsidise insurance for pensioners. Some of the quotes I got were ridiculous.I would betthepollies houses are insured at a lower rate.I will just have to workmore , and travel less, I suppose.Pretty sad state of affairs, really. Bill
Absolutely Smouch, that's a good reason to keep your house. I wouldn't sell mine to hit the open road, I enjoy the luxury of having it to return to when I want.....Kisha
