This may sound like a silly question but to us it's a really big decision and lots of thoughts and planning needs to be done. My husband who's 60 has just had major cancer surgery & fingers crossed will be OK. I'm 62.
What it has done is make us realise life is too short and we need to enjoy what's left of it.
Andy works full time, I have a sewing hobby job that can be taken to the road but we also have a house on acres, two vintage caravans, 3 Kombis, boat, trailer and the new van we just bought. Hence we have limited money...ha ha
We are happy to sell the boat and one vintage van and maybe the other but would love to keep our Kombis as they are a big part of our life, I am a moderator on 'The Kombi Club of Australia' forum and we have made wonderful friends and attend/run several events. I realise as we get older they will need to go as well.
I'm afraid if we rent, we live at Nimbin NSW, the place will be trashed and the property not looked after. If we sell and don't buy something straight away with the price of real estate we will never be able to get back into the market. We would like a home base but haven't found anywhere we really like being spoilt living in this beautiful area. We are not Hippies and don't really fit the local lifestyle here so somewhere within 200klms from Coffs Harbour where the Grandkids live would be fab....any suggestions?
Hubby was told he would be dead by 55 (he was 50) due to a genetic heart condition. He had already survived cancer several years earlier. Our kids had all let home by then. We took 2 years, saved what we could, sold the majority of our stuff (we lived in a rental home), bought a bus, threw in a bed, sink & cupboards, and hit the road. That was 3 years ago, and we haven't looked back. Since we left Tassie, he has been diagnosed with emphysema, and physical damage to his heart.
We are fully aware that we will never again own a home, and are ok with that. If the doctors are wrong, so be it. But if they are right, we will have lived the dream, however briefly.
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The Mobile Madhouse: me (Rosie), him (Troy), a kelpie, a kelpie-dingo, a husky & a rainbow lorikeet.
Ruby, why not try a house sitter so you can have a trial run, we have had a few 6 -10 weeks escapes over last 3 years, we now know what needs looking after (livestock) and what survives OK without help. Sounds like you are considering moving as part of your plan, so perhaps you need to hard that thought and get that and the sale of the toys all sorted.... a 10 week trial run while you make the decision might just be the the ticket, but don't sit there waiting....
we were in a similar situation in 2011 and thought "it's now or never" - probably took a year to actually happen. Already had the car and van.
Bought a unit and put tenants in, initially managed by local real estate agent. As we had not lived in the unit we had no emotional attachment to it and even though it was in good condition we planned to paint, carpet and new kitchen when/if we eventually settled down. Sold our house, bought a 20' container to store what we wanted to keep and had a garage sale. Then we were off. We would need to work occasionally, to supplement savings as well as it is something we have enjoyed. Always in outback situations.
I said I'd give it a year and that turned into 5.
After 3 yrs we took over the management of our unit as the elderly tenants were fantastic.
Jobs have been easy to find when we needed too - mostly farm sitting which has included our meals. Last year Barry was able to get the Aged pension - yay - I still have a couple of yrs to go. We don't have lots of money but we are happy and 'cut the cloth accordingly'.
In late 2015 we took possession of our unit as I wanted somewhere the grandies (2+4)could visit, did the reno and were off again mid May for 6 mths. Home late Oct then off again this May.
Have had a great 6 yrs travelling and if we have to stop anytime soon we have made great memories and made some wonderful new friends. Maybe the day will come when it's time to stay home but we'll worry about that when it happens.
I thought down sizing and parting with some-things would be difficult but it has been easier than I thought. Have found I don't need to be surrounded by 'stuff' to be happy but guess that's because I am a 'glass half full' personality.
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Jenny and Barry
2009 Roma Elegance / 2013 Colorado. Permanent travellers 2011-2015 now just travel for 4-6 mths
Raise capital =Cash ( Sell off your asset kombis they are worth $$$ these days. When did you use the boat last time??? then get rid of it too.$$$) Lease your home ONLY ONLY.
Will bring in regular CASH while capital growth will CONTINUE till you can no longer manage it. Down the track You may need and get a carers pension. Enquire at centre link.
Can you / Do tow the van???? as you may need to down the road. Think with an open mind. What you haven't used in the past 12 months get rid of it, as you will find it much harder when you are older.
When you have used up your cash, down size to a 1200sm block and have cash back in your pocket.
If your on the road, then as far as anyone else needs to know. You are Grey Nomads like everyone else.
It does sound like you need to sell off some of the possessions.
It also sounds like renting out the house may not allow you peace of mind while you travel.
What about selling the current place and finding a place that would suit you in later years - smaller house, no significant grounds. Maybe in or near one of the smaller urban centres up that way. Such a property may be able to be rented to a less risky type of tenant while you travel.
I am not a believer in selling up and travelling without a home base or the resources to buy one in the future - and the way property is inflating, even putting sale proceeds aside would not mean you could afford to buy back in down the track.
We travelled full time for 3 years, but kept the house, with son living in it. Then, for the next 10 years, went away for 5-9 months each year, using house sitters. Then husband needed hip replacement which led to major blood clot problems and required over 6 months of hospitalizations and twice weekly specialist visits - the sort of specialist only found in main city areas. Then he needed a triple bypass. Then there were recurrent lung infection issues. Also several skin cancer surgeries and a shoulder reconstruction.
When we took early retirement to travel, initially, we were aged 56 and 52. And we were fit and healthy. Unfortunately, the sorts of health issues husband has had, mostly just relate to ageing - he is now 76. They would have been impossible for us to envisage when we first went on the road.
I am 71 and in the past few years have needed a shoulder reconstruction and ankle surgery - just the wear and tear of an active life.
We could not have managed all the health stuff of the past few years without a decent home base - and one within reasonable distance of a major city/transport to same. I would also not have liked to try to manage the budget, if we'd had to rent a place, at the levels that rents are now! So this is why I firmly believe in keeping a home base of some sort.
Apart from that, getting it all sorted and getting out there, as soon as you can, while you are still fit enough to enjoy to the max - is my other advice.
Everyone is different personally I wont be selling but ( it's complicated ) some do and find it invigorating to be free of those fixed costs n stuff , all I would advise is like others above try it for a bit before selling .
Doug mate all my fart's are new no old ones here lol
Woody
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When the power of Love becomes greater than the love of power the World will see peace ! 24ft Trailblazer 5th wheeler n 05 Patrol ute and Black Series Dominator camper trailer ( for the rough stuff)
The trouble with selling up everything and buying the dream rig is that you will more than likely live longer than the Dream Rig and the replacement will be impossible to finance, we sold the paddock in the bush and moved to a swamp near the coast and travel a few months at a time or as we please and if we get sick of travel or just sick we have somewhere to come back to as well as a shed to do maintenance on the rig.
If possible have a house sitter then go for a test run and see how long till the walls close in on you, take little steps till you know for sure which way to go, what seems a dream life to one can be bloody misery to others.
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Checking out the places I drove past a thousand times................
Thank you everyone for your diverse and honest answers.
I am thinking that the renting out the property option to 'suck and see' first is probably the best suggestion. We could store anything we want to keep in the garage, it's separate from the house and already houses the Bondwood van and the 3 Kombis and packed properly the rest of what we wanted to keep would fit. I know we have to sell off other toys. The Kombis are on Historic rego (the Bondwood soon to be) so very cheap to keep.....at this stage.
I worry about being able to afford to do it, we are not of retirement age and have toys but not a lot of liquid assets how do you manage?
What happens when you might have to stop travelling or go into a nursing home if you sell up everything and no longer own property to sell to finance this?
Oh I wish I had the courage you all have to simply 'go for it'.
At least we have some options to think about.........like buying that noisy generator and sub box, we already have the air con.
This may sound like a silly question but to us it's a really big decision and lots of thoughts and planning needs to be done. My husband who's 60 has just had major cancer surgery & fingers crossed will be OK. I'm 62.
What it has done is make us realise life is too short and we need to enjoy what's left of it.
Andy works full time, I have a sewing hobby job that can be taken to the road but we also have a house on acres, two vintage caravans, 3 Kombis, boat, trailer and the new van we just bought. Hence we have limited money...ha ha
We are happy to sell the boat and one vintage van and maybe the other but would love to keep our Kombis as they are a big part of our life, I am a moderator on 'The Kombi Club of Australia' forum and we have made wonderful friends and attend/run several events. I realise as we get older they will need to go as well.
I'm afraid if we rent, we live at Nimbin NSW, the place will be trashed and the property not looked after. If we sell and don't buy something straight away with the price of real estate we will never be able to get back into the market. We would like a home base but haven't found anywhere we really like being spoilt living in this beautiful area. We are not Hippies and don't really fit the local lifestyle here so somewhere within 200klms from Coffs Harbour where the Grandkids live would be fab....any suggestions?
How have you done it? Any advise?
Travel as much as you can, there a lot of good people (nomads) that will help you along the way. Have your house looked after by recommended house sitters so you have somewhere to come home to if needed. Think positive, learn from the past live for now don't worry about tomorrow. Hope you have good news relating to your husband and wishing you both well. Kind regards Max.
Renting out is really out an option in your case Ruby...
1/ You are on acres and tenants main priority is accomodation and a roof over their head in the majority of cases, result, neglected property with decreased value And plenty of maintenance.
2/ you are in a renowned hippy area (Nimbin) which tends to attract 'like people' and alternatively 'turns off' the ideal tenant that you would be looking for...potential disaster As acreage has some appealing uses in Nimbin!
Having been in the business of dealing with acreage property, believe me, I do have some idea and proof in what I am saying.
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Sunday 9th of July 2017 09:34:59 AM
Renting out is really out an option in your case Ruby...
1/ You are on acres and tenants main priority is accomodation and a roof over their head in the majority of cases, result, neglected property with decreased value And plenty of maintenance.
2/ you are in a renowned hippy area (Nimbin) which tends to attract 'like people' and alternatively 'turns off' the ideal tenant that you would be looking for...potential disaster As acreage has some appealing uses in Nimbin!
Having been in the business of dealing with acreage property, believe me, I do have some idea and proof in what I am saying.
-- Edited by Wizardofoz on Sunday 9th of July 2017 09:34:59 AM
This is exactly my husbands thoughts, there are lots of 'normal' people like us who are looking at this area for it's beauty and not it's drug culture. I have worked in the Real Estate and both businesses know what I am like and what we would expect from renters. We would have to be very lucky to get someone that would do all the yard/paddock work and know that would be run down. We do own an adjoining parcel of land in the same title, that we could exclude from the rental so we have somewhere to come back to for a while.
Selling is our best option, but we just can't agree on where to move to.
Things will become clearer once my husband is well enough to travel again. We got a 100% clearance result from his cancer removal on Thursday so things are starting to look up.
