With retirement set for Dec. 31, Rick and Susan Turner gave themselves just three weeks to find the perfect spot for their winter getaway—a parking spot, that is.
In their massive 45-foot Class A motorcoach, the couple visited three RV resorts in Florida in hopes of buying a lot where they could escape the winter chill of Birmingham, Ala. With a budget of $200,000 to $250,000, the Turners sought much more than a standard concrete pad with hookups for electricity and water. They envisioned an RV lot with plenty of entertaining space with a tiki hut or casita, as well as resort amenities like a golf course, lake, swimming pool and spa.
“A lot of places are just trailer parks. We’re not looking to move into a trailer park,” says Mr. Turner, 67, a senior vice president at Greenbrier Rail Services, a company that makes freight railcars and equipment.
The Turners were among the couples profiled in a 2018 Mansion article about Class A motorhomes, which at 40- to 45-feet long are among the most lavish models on the market. After that article was published, the couple traded in their 45-foot 2016 Tiffin Zephyr model, purchased for $525,000, and bought a 2019 Tiffin Zephyr for just over $635,000.
They invited us to follow them on their odyssey to find an RV lot where they could enjoy both resort amenities and a friendly community of other RV owners. After visiting three motorcoach resorts in October and early November, they picked—and purchased—their favorite lot. Here’s a breakdown of their journey in chronological order.
First Stop
Motorcoach Resort St. Lucie West, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The Turners weren’t looking to buy on the eastern side of Florida. “The west side seems more friendly,” Mr. Turner says. But they visited the Port St. Lucie resort on the Atlantic coast because dear friends live nearby.
Many of the lots at the resort they visited were already sold, the Turners learned. But one was available that caught their eye: a corner lot with a view of the lake and fountain. The space measured about 4,000 square feet and was listed for $145,000—far below their budget. This lot lacked a tiki hut, a thatched-roof structure typically built with an outdoor kitchen and entertaining area. Constructing a 400-square-foot tiki hut would take time and money, but the Turners liked the idea that they could build exactly what they wanted.
A Lot of Costs for a Lot
A breakdown of estimated costs if the Turners purchased a select lot at each of the motorcoach resorts they visited. To offset some of the expenses, the Turners could put their lot in a rental pool when they’re not there, with the resort typically taking a 45% cut of the revenue.
The resort features live music on Friday nights during the busy season—which starts a little after Thanksgiving and runs through March. What impressed them most, however, was the friendly vibe among the RV owners. “We met four couples,” Ms. Turner says, “and we felt acceptance just sitting around at night and having a glass of wine.”
Second Stop
Golden Palms Luxury Motorcoach Resort, Fort Myers, Fla.
In southwest Florida, the Turners visited a motorcoach resort that is newer than the other places they looked at. As a result, there were ample lots available in the 54-acre community with a lake. Amenities include a clubhouse, saltwater pool, pickleball courts and fitness facility.
Unlike the Port St. Lucie resort, the Fort Myers resort allows owners to build an 840-square-foot, air-conditioned casita on their lots and accessorize them with summer kitchens, fire pits, lush landscaping and a pool or spa. The Turners toured one lot with a model casita that inspired plans for their own casita if they bought a lot there. The lot they liked was listed for $179,000, but it lacked a casita, which would cost $250,000 to build, they estimate. On the downside, the resort doesn’t have a lot of RV owners yet, and they missed the sense of community among other retirees. “If we were younger and had a plan to live there for 10 years, it would be great,” Mr. Turner says.
Third Stop
Naples Motorcoach Resort & Boat Club, Naples, Fla.
In his heart, Mr. Turner was leaning toward buying a lot in Naples. “Naples is one of my favorite cities in Florida,” he says. “It has great restaurants and a downtown—I like to shop with my wife.” It is also closer to the Florida Keys, where they like to visit.
The lots they were interested in were by far the most expensive of the three motorcoach resorts, Mr. Turner says. The one that caught their eye was No. 174, which overlooked the lake and fountain and was listed for $290,000. This resort allows lot owners to build 325-square-foot casitas, but the Turners later learned that No. 174 couldn’t have one because of a drainage easement that controls water-runoff within the resort.
As part of their search, the Turners were hoping to meet other RV owners at the Naples resort, but for whatever reason, it didn’t happen. “We met one couple that let us see their casita, but just for a few minutes,” Ms. Turner says.
The winner is…
After leaving the motorcoach resort in Naples, the Turners returned to Port St. Lucie and made an offer on the 4,000-square-foot lot listed for $145,000. After some negotiations, they purchased it for $137,500. They are now working with a designer on the custom tiki hut and a landscape architect on a lot design with pavers, walls and plantings. In all, they estimate this will cost $100,000.
The Turners’ list of pros and cons on each of their RV lot options.
Photo: Mary Beth Koeth for The Wall Street Journal
While they are excited about the future, the Turners know it will take some time to adjust to retirement and settle into their new “home” for the winter. “It is a new chapter of our lives,” Mr. Turner says. “It is a little challenging because we’re not used to this. But we both made the choice and are happy with it.”
Write to Beth DeCarbo at Beth [email protected]
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Appeared in the December 11, 2020, print edition as ‘The Hunt for The Perfect Parking Space.’
