Over wintering in Texas or Ariz

A couple friends and I drove down to Wellton (I think) to a tractor show last winter.  NO AC stuff but a fairly good swap area and several interesting gas and hot air engines.

Armand;  mesa was too expensive, for us.  I got spoiled out to wellton az.   no big city traffic.  farming 1/2mile away.   every service known to man in yuma, about 14miles to the edge of town.   algodones mx is 40miles away.    kids live in tempe and chandler so we scoped out the local parks pretty hard.   not ready to buy yet but with rent at $750-800 i may never buy!   park rent if i would buy is $1850 a yr, including heated pool.  Coachstop RV park, wellton az   

Tom, I just seen your post!!   We snowbirded from Cedar Rapids for six years.  Then bought our home in 2009 so this is our primary residence now.   RV parks run about $700 a month with all amenities.   Google Mesa Regal RV Park, or Valley de Oro.  We stayed in Mesa Regal.  Valley de Oro is also owned by the same company and very nice.  Mesa Regal had 2600 spaces to give you an idea of size.   If you come down be sure an stop in for a visit.   Armand

Watched the video for the one for sale at $4999 on YouTube last night. Doubt it will last long before being sold. But did anyone notice how close the neighbors trailers are? Talk about reaching out to touch someone. A friend that moved to Phoenix when he retired several years ago said that near him the lot spaces rent for $500 per month for those park model size trailers like was in the video. Personally I believe I'd rather have my own mobile unit to be able to move to another location if and when I desired.

Edited by Roger (NE) - 23 Dec 2018 at 3:27pm

Lots of folks feel that way and the good old powers that be can make it a pain in the tuckus to do it for a lot of us. There's a permanent address issue (lots of states do not except mail box or a service place as permanent address) for license's ect. Medical insurance coverage ect. Lots of thing to consider, and I wouldn't call you old fashioned but maybe just

Come to think of it, I have been spending my winters in Texas since moving here in 68 from South Holland Illinois. The coldest it got here 1 time was officially 11.  If we get real lucky it may snow here in NE TX once in a blue moon

lots of places for sale at that price.   The yearly lot rent is what you need to check.  The one we stayed at last year, the guy wanted $9000.    One down the street from it sold for $5500 while we were there.

When in Texas during the winter they refer to as winter texans if you don’t live in Texas the rest of the year

Research is always good!   But feet on the ground teaches lessons faster!   just pencil in a couple mistakes that will cost u some cash!    I put $500 in that fund when we left; i think we only burned thru about $350.   but it is a vacation!

The Hill Country is a small part of Texas, but it is stunning. Tons of celebrities have ranches out there. Property values are astronomical. I wouldn't say the weather is that remarkable in the winter time. You're still going to get plenty of cold and rain and all the plants look dead. But the winter season is probably much shorter than where you're coming from. Plants will be growing again by February. 

Edited by Layne - 20 Dec 2018 at 1:26pm

forgot to add about algodones mexico being like 12mi outside of yuma.  park is the US on indian reservation parking lot for $6.   they say 400 dentists and 40 drugstores plus 100's of other services.  The wife and i both got new dentures for $500 for each pair.  good teeth.   got drugs for way less then the US.  1000"s of tourists are there daily.  must have a passport to re enter the US.

We went to arizona last winter for the first time.   we knew nothing about where to stay or what to do.   Before we get started; beware that febuary is the busiest month.   step kids are in southern phoenix area but they knew nothing about snowbirding.   phoenix area RV parks are high priced for my budget.    I had met a guy who told me to try wellton az.  20miles east of yuma on interstate 8.   I luckily found a park model (400+ square foot furnished trailer house, usually 1 bedroom) in an RV park of craigslist.   turned out to be across the street from the guy who told me about wellton.   price was very fair.  found out later to just stop at RV parks and find out if anything is for rent.    ours was $900 a month for everything except internet.  i could proly get it for $750-800 now that i'm antiquated around.    small farming community with great grocery store and 10+places to eat including a 'jack in the box'.   medical center there and Yuma is 20miles down the road with 5 walmarts and every service known to man.   RV parks have ton's of things to do and a heated swimming pool.

go to rvnetwork.com.  Lots of folks there, tons of info.  Lots of full times but lots of snowbirds/part timers like myself.

We have a lot in a resident owned park in Zephyrhills, Florida. We spend the winter in a class C motor home.