Showing posts with label Our First Month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Our First Month. Show all posts
Friday, May 30, 2008
Where Are we Now?
There's a link to the right titled "Where Are We Now." If you want to know where we are, just click on the link!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Made it to Charleston!
HEEEEYYYYY - we finally got out of Jacksonville :)
We're spending the night at a KOA campground in Charleston to visit my daughter for the evening and then off to TN for a week. My daughter, Nicole :)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Back in Jacksonville...
Our maiden voyage is behind us and we are sitting in the camping area at Rivers RV for another 5 days or so through Memorial weekend. We took my mother-in-law, Pat, on our trip and had a great time except for one little thing :) When we stopped at the grocery store after 100 miles THIS is what my rock guard looked like.
Nope. Couldn't do that. Hmmm. "OK, then I'll be camping FREE right over there in your area until my rock guard comes in!" That was OK with them, and we get another week of free camping! Wheeeeeee.
Since we're not on any schedule it really doesn't
matter when we get there now does it? I have a new "signature" for us - it's "Never in a hurry."
Hopefully, we'll leave for Charleston Wed. or Thursday :)
Cheers!
Ameriplan
Nope. Couldn't do that. Hmmm. "OK, then I'll be camping FREE right over there in your area until my rock guard comes in!" That was OK with them, and we get another week of free camping! Wheeeeeee.
Since we're not on any schedule it really doesn't
matter when we get there now does it? I have a new "signature" for us - it's "Never in a hurry."
Hopefully, we'll leave for Charleston Wed. or Thursday :)
Cheers!
Ameriplan
UPDATE ON MUDGUARD: On sat. morning, a tech from the dealer knocked on my door and asked me if I would like for him to take a NEW guard off a RV on the lot and replace my damaged rock guard. Hmmmm... yesterday they told me they couldn't do that, and today it "no problem." makes me wonder if they want to get rid of us! HA! Of course I said yes!
BUT... we had already cancelled our reservations in Charleston for Sat., and because it is memorial weekend, all the campgrounds are full. So we'll stay here until Tuesday morning and begin our slow trip North then. Looks like we're finally getting ready to actually LEAVE Jacksonville! YEAH! And now, I'm off to my in-laws to grill some burgers & dogs.
Happy Memorial Day!
Steve & Kathy
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
1st Road trip
Well, here we sit at Crystal River RV Resort - our 1st road trip!
Only one thing went wrong... I turned into a Publix parking lot and the driveway must have been a little too steep or something because when I looked at the rear of the MH, the rubber rock guard was melted and half way torn off. Another "ah crap!" moment. I was able to mend the thing back together and maybe the dealer will get me a new one when we take it back for them to finish running the TV coax cable to the bedroom.
Kathy & I are finding that we stay MUCH more active living in this thing compared to living in our old home. We walk the dog, walk to take the trash out, are up and down the entry steps several million times a day AND we even have to walk to the pool & hot tub!
We also eat healthier. Grilled chicken, grilled steak ( well for ME anyway), grilled hamburgers, etc. No fried foods. LOT's of lean meaty sandwiches for lunch.
So far we're having a blast. We went shopping yesterday and Kathy has dropped one size in her slacks... and I hope to follow suit soon:)) At the end of the day everyone is plain exhausted so we all sleep well too.
Today we're off to Homosassa Springs Wildife Park to look at some Manatee's. Only one like it the world.
Only one thing went wrong... I turned into a Publix parking lot and the driveway must have been a little too steep or something because when I looked at the rear of the MH, the rubber rock guard was melted and half way torn off. Another "ah crap!" moment. I was able to mend the thing back together and maybe the dealer will get me a new one when we take it back for them to finish running the TV coax cable to the bedroom.
Kathy & I are finding that we stay MUCH more active living in this thing compared to living in our old home. We walk the dog, walk to take the trash out, are up and down the entry steps several million times a day AND we even have to walk to the pool & hot tub!
We also eat healthier. Grilled chicken, grilled steak ( well for ME anyway), grilled hamburgers, etc. No fried foods. LOT's of lean meaty sandwiches for lunch.
So far we're having a blast. We went shopping yesterday and Kathy has dropped one size in her slacks... and I hope to follow suit soon:)) At the end of the day everyone is plain exhausted so we all sleep well too.
Today we're off to Homosassa Springs Wildife Park to look at some Manatee's. Only one like it the world.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Day 7
We have been living on our RV for 7 days now :) Yesterday we finally got the Dish TV satellite system installed, but the coax cable that ran from the front TV to the bedroom TV had a short in it (the tech thinks that someone put screw through the cable that caused it to short out - somewhere) so we will have to come back to the dealer next week after our trip to Crystal Springs, FL to get a new cable run. THAT's not going to be an easy job!
The leak in the ceiling has been fixed. before the year is out, we'll make a trip to Tiffin RV plant at Red Bay, AL to have them tear out the panel, remove the gas stove and replace it with cabinets (the DW and I both think that storage is more important that an oven). Besides - we have a convection microwave that we can bake in.
Today we will hook up our toad for the 1st time and tow it to CR-210 in ST. Augustine where we will boondock for two days. We will be meeting some of our friends there so they can see our new home.
Our dog, Elvis, has adapted well to his new home I think. When I ask if he wants to "go outside" he runs to the door, and if we're outside and I ask him if he wants to "go inside" he runs to the door to get in! Cool.
Lessons learned in our first week:
The leak in the ceiling has been fixed. before the year is out, we'll make a trip to Tiffin RV plant at Red Bay, AL to have them tear out the panel, remove the gas stove and replace it with cabinets (the DW and I both think that storage is more important that an oven). Besides - we have a convection microwave that we can bake in.
Today we will hook up our toad for the 1st time and tow it to CR-210 in ST. Augustine where we will boondock for two days. We will be meeting some of our friends there so they can see our new home.
Our dog, Elvis, has adapted well to his new home I think. When I ask if he wants to "go outside" he runs to the door, and if we're outside and I ask him if he wants to "go inside" he runs to the door to get in! Cool.
Lessons learned in our first week:
- We need to get North in some cooler temperatures! If it's 90F outside, the RV has a hard time keeping us cool in the main living area. Now I know why RV'ers "chase 70."
- If one buys a new RV, there's going to be some initial problems. Since we were totally stupid about RV's, we didn't know what to look for and that's why we have been here for a week. Besides the leak and shorted TV cable, we found a crushed heater vent ( similar to an exhaust vent in a dryer) in the basement and that was fixed.
- Before you sign a contract to BUY a RV, go through the thing top to bottom to be sure everything works and is in place as it should be! If we get another one, I'll know a little more about these things, so it should be easier to find problems.
My Ameriplan business is still working! I've had about 6 people sign up while we have been parked, so that's another $36 a month! HA!
Well... wish us luck. We are about to pull out for the 2nd time and actually GO somewhere AND we are about to tow our "toad" for the first time. Glad it's Saturday - less traffic!
Cheers!
Steve & Kathy & Elvis.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
We did it!
HOLY COW!
We did it :) We closed on our home today and will buy and move into our new RV tomorrow. One chapter closes and another begins....
Cheers!
Steve & Kathy Burnett
Ameriplan
We did it :) We closed on our home today and will buy and move into our new RV tomorrow. One chapter closes and another begins....
Cheers!
Steve & Kathy Burnett
Ameriplan
Monday, May 5, 2008
4 More days...
STILL waiting to hear if my home appraised for the purchase price. The waiting is driving us crazy because the buyer could walk away form the deal and there would be nothing we could do. I don't think that will happen, but as a REALTOR, I've seen some strange things happen AT the closing table. If anything is going to happen, it it should happen by close of business today. Pins & needles, pins & needles.
In the meantime, our plans have changed again :) We WERE going to spend a week here in Jax waiting to get our toad ready for towing, but since that's taken care of, we decided to cancel sitting at Flamingo Lake RV Park for a week over Memorial Weekend and hit the road instead.
After all - the purpose of having a RV is to GO right? We will take advantage of the free camping offered by our dealer, Rivers RV, but after a week, we're heading north towards Johnson City, TN. That's where Kathy's son lives, and it'll give us some driving/towing/camping experience without being too far away from anything and without driving over any serious mountain passes with steep grades.
I was sitting at the table last night trying to "plan" our travels ( I have NO idea were to start!) and the DW said, "You're making plans too far ahead of time. Why don't you just relax and let's take this one day at a time?"
Crapola... she's right! We have no schedule. We have no place we HAVE to be. Gotta get used to that idea!
ameriplan
In the meantime, our plans have changed again :) We WERE going to spend a week here in Jax waiting to get our toad ready for towing, but since that's taken care of, we decided to cancel sitting at Flamingo Lake RV Park for a week over Memorial Weekend and hit the road instead.
After all - the purpose of having a RV is to GO right? We will take advantage of the free camping offered by our dealer, Rivers RV, but after a week, we're heading north towards Johnson City, TN. That's where Kathy's son lives, and it'll give us some driving/towing/camping experience without being too far away from anything and without driving over any serious mountain passes with steep grades.
I was sitting at the table last night trying to "plan" our travels ( I have NO idea were to start!) and the DW said, "You're making plans too far ahead of time. Why don't you just relax and let's take this one day at a time?"
Crapola... she's right! We have no schedule. We have no place we HAVE to be. Gotta get used to that idea!
ameriplan
Friday, May 2, 2008
7 More Days...
Things are moving right along now. Just about everything we could pack & carry ourselves is in the storage shed. The movers are coming next Thursday to move the furniture that my wife and I can't (or don't want to) carry.
I sold my 2006 Honda Ridgeline truck to CarMax 2 days ago, so we're down to one car now. If you ever need to sell a car quickly, just take it to a CarMax! I was trying to sell my truck myself for $16,500. On a whim, I stopped by a local CarMax and they offered me $19,000 for my truck. Boy, was I surprised! Can you say, "SOLD!"
The dealer at Rivers RV has been absolutely great in helping me get a tow bar on my motor home... even though I haven't signed any papers yet. We took out our 2006 Hyundai Sonata to a mechanic to get a Remco transmission lube oil pump installed, a Roadmaster Tow Bar and an Even Brake set up. The dealer drove my soon-to-be motor home over to the mechanic's shop so he could wire the car to the coach. What great service! I've been VERY happy with Rivers RV here in Jacksonville so far :)
We're now set up and ready for towing. And it only cost $3,800.51. HA!
We have one final hurdle and that's the appraisal on my home. I called the apppraisor yesterday and while he couldn't tell me exactly what my home appraised for in our declining market, I figured out the we were $5,000 below where we needed to be so it looks like I'll have to lower my selling price about $5,000. Just waiting to hear from the buyers lender.
My wife & I are (were) both real estate agents and this "declining" market caught US with our pants down too. We paid $354K for our home in May 2006. We "invested" $88,000 worth of improvements in the home since we moved in: a $43K patio, granite tops in the kitchen , high dollar wood flooring, master bath remodel, etc. In a normal market, figure a 5% appreciation per year on a home, so we should have seen a worth of about $390K PLUS about 40% return on our "improvements." So add $35K + $390K and it would have been worth around $425K in the least under normal conditions.
But noooooo - it appraised at $360K. We have a contract for $365K and now we will just lower the selling price to $360K. Whatever. It's only freaking money. So the deal is NOT done yet - we still have to face the buyers and they COULD walk from this deal because my home didn't appraise for $365K. Crap.
We should know for sure by 6 May. We're in this too deep to back out, so we will have to do whatever the buyer wants us to do to get our home sold. We'd be totally up the creek without a paddle if the buyer backs out now! Sigh.
Ameriplan
I sold my 2006 Honda Ridgeline truck to CarMax 2 days ago, so we're down to one car now. If you ever need to sell a car quickly, just take it to a CarMax! I was trying to sell my truck myself for $16,500. On a whim, I stopped by a local CarMax and they offered me $19,000 for my truck. Boy, was I surprised! Can you say, "SOLD!"
The dealer at Rivers RV has been absolutely great in helping me get a tow bar on my motor home... even though I haven't signed any papers yet. We took out our 2006 Hyundai Sonata to a mechanic to get a Remco transmission lube oil pump installed, a Roadmaster Tow Bar and an Even Brake set up. The dealer drove my soon-to-be motor home over to the mechanic's shop so he could wire the car to the coach. What great service! I've been VERY happy with Rivers RV here in Jacksonville so far :)
We're now set up and ready for towing. And it only cost $3,800.51. HA!
We have one final hurdle and that's the appraisal on my home. I called the apppraisor yesterday and while he couldn't tell me exactly what my home appraised for in our declining market, I figured out the we were $5,000 below where we needed to be so it looks like I'll have to lower my selling price about $5,000. Just waiting to hear from the buyers lender.
My wife & I are (were) both real estate agents and this "declining" market caught US with our pants down too. We paid $354K for our home in May 2006. We "invested" $88,000 worth of improvements in the home since we moved in: a $43K patio, granite tops in the kitchen , high dollar wood flooring, master bath remodel, etc. In a normal market, figure a 5% appreciation per year on a home, so we should have seen a worth of about $390K PLUS about 40% return on our "improvements." So add $35K + $390K and it would have been worth around $425K in the least under normal conditions.
But noooooo - it appraised at $360K. We have a contract for $365K and now we will just lower the selling price to $360K. Whatever. It's only freaking money. So the deal is NOT done yet - we still have to face the buyers and they COULD walk from this deal because my home didn't appraise for $365K. Crap.
We should know for sure by 6 May. We're in this too deep to back out, so we will have to do whatever the buyer wants us to do to get our home sold. We'd be totally up the creek without a paddle if the buyer backs out now! Sigh.
Ameriplan
Friday, April 25, 2008
17 More days...
Kathy is in TN helping her son, Justin, move into a place in Johnson City, TN. He's finishing up his college schooling there and wants to be a teacher when he gets done. You can do it Justin!
I've about got the house all packed up except for the heavy furniture that the movers are going to put in our storage unit. The home appraisor is coming this morning, and if my home appraises for what our contract is for, then we have no worries and we'll be in our RV on 9 May, 2008. One last hurdle!
The price of diesel continues to climb. We're really going to have to watch how far we drive I guess. we'll probably stay at different parks a month at a time since the cost is much less for a 30 day stay compared to a one week or a one day stay. We're paying $250 for 7 days at Flamingo park and we could stay there for 30 days for $600!
I just want my home to appraise now....
I've about got the house all packed up except for the heavy furniture that the movers are going to put in our storage unit. The home appraisor is coming this morning, and if my home appraises for what our contract is for, then we have no worries and we'll be in our RV on 9 May, 2008. One last hurdle!
The price of diesel continues to climb. We're really going to have to watch how far we drive I guess. we'll probably stay at different parks a month at a time since the cost is much less for a 30 day stay compared to a one week or a one day stay. We're paying $250 for 7 days at Flamingo park and we could stay there for 30 days for $600!
I just want my home to appraise now....
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Looking for a Place To Live...
Well, our home inspection went off without a hitch yesterday. We have met the buyers and they are a great couple! She's pregnant and her due date is May 13th. Our original closing date was scheduled for 16 May, but now they want to move the date UP to May 9th!
Oh yeah, we're cool with that! We can close on May 9th!
Then all of a sudden, it hits me - we won't have a place to live after May 9th! Well, we'll have a RV, but where will I park the thing? Oh crap.
So we drag out the calendar and start trying to figure out what to do and WHERE to do whatever it is that we're going to do. (did that make sense?)
Ok, the dealer said we could park our RV in THEIR lot for a week or two if we needed to. And we do! We need to get our "toad" ready to tow which entails adding a transmission iol pump, and a tow bar assembly to the Sonata. the shop that does that is just about 1/2 miles away, so we will stay at Rivers RV for about 10 days until we get the tow car done, and then... and then... and then...????????
OH! How about staying at the Flamingo RV Park in Jacksonville for a week while I learn to DRIVE this monster thing and we try and figure out how to stock it with what we need?
So, we make reservations at http://flamingolake.com/ from 5-22 through 5-29-08. Cost - $250.00. $250???? For one week? THAT wasn't in our budget! Uh oh.
Come to find out that since it's Memorial weekend, there's no discounts for a week stay. We were told earlier that a 30 day stay was $600 which isn't bad for a park of this type, but I wasn't exception $250 for 7 days!
Lesson #1 - You don't get discounts during "holiday" weekends or "special events."
But wait - there's more! We pick and move into the RV on May 9th. we can stay in the dealers RV "park" for about a week. That takes us to May 16th. What are we going to do between May 16th and May 22nd until we get to Flamingo Lake? Crap. We need another place to go!
I joined www.passportamerica.com & www.campclubusa.com which are "discount" membership RV camping clubs that offer members 1/2 price off regular rates at certain RV Parks. Time to see if we can find a cheap place to stay!
Hmmmm - there's nothing IN Jacksonville that offers any discounts. ( I still wonder why that is.)
There IS a park in Saint George, GA which is fairly close - oops! That park is a "clothing optional resort!" HA! Do NOT want to go there!
There's a RV park in Cedar Ridge, GA that has 50 amp service ( There are 30 amp parks, but I need 50 apm hookups so I can run everything on my RV) that's only 50 miles from jacksonville and it only costs $10 a night (plus tax). Sweet! We'll stay there for a few days in between Rivers RV and Flamingo Lake. This give us some time to do some driving practice and practice setting up camp without being too far away.
It's settled then. We have places to stay the first 3 weeks.
Now all we have to do is figure out where to stay after that! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Oh yeah, we're cool with that! We can close on May 9th!
Then all of a sudden, it hits me - we won't have a place to live after May 9th! Well, we'll have a RV, but where will I park the thing? Oh crap.
So we drag out the calendar and start trying to figure out what to do and WHERE to do whatever it is that we're going to do. (did that make sense?)
Ok, the dealer said we could park our RV in THEIR lot for a week or two if we needed to. And we do! We need to get our "toad" ready to tow which entails adding a transmission iol pump, and a tow bar assembly to the Sonata. the shop that does that is just about 1/2 miles away, so we will stay at Rivers RV for about 10 days until we get the tow car done, and then... and then... and then...????????
OH! How about staying at the Flamingo RV Park in Jacksonville for a week while I learn to DRIVE this monster thing and we try and figure out how to stock it with what we need?
So, we make reservations at http://flamingolake.com/ from 5-22 through 5-29-08. Cost - $250.00. $250???? For one week? THAT wasn't in our budget! Uh oh.
Come to find out that since it's Memorial weekend, there's no discounts for a week stay. We were told earlier that a 30 day stay was $600 which isn't bad for a park of this type, but I wasn't exception $250 for 7 days!
Lesson #1 - You don't get discounts during "holiday" weekends or "special events."
But wait - there's more! We pick and move into the RV on May 9th. we can stay in the dealers RV "park" for about a week. That takes us to May 16th. What are we going to do between May 16th and May 22nd until we get to Flamingo Lake? Crap. We need another place to go!
I joined www.passportamerica.com & www.campclubusa.com which are "discount" membership RV camping clubs that offer members 1/2 price off regular rates at certain RV Parks. Time to see if we can find a cheap place to stay!
Hmmmm - there's nothing IN Jacksonville that offers any discounts. ( I still wonder why that is.)
There IS a park in Saint George, GA which is fairly close - oops! That park is a "clothing optional resort!" HA! Do NOT want to go there!
There's a RV park in Cedar Ridge, GA that has 50 amp service ( There are 30 amp parks, but I need 50 apm hookups so I can run everything on my RV) that's only 50 miles from jacksonville and it only costs $10 a night (plus tax). Sweet! We'll stay there for a few days in between Rivers RV and Flamingo Lake. This give us some time to do some driving practice and practice setting up camp without being too far away.
It's settled then. We have places to stay the first 3 weeks.
Now all we have to do is figure out where to stay after that! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.