THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE HAS APPEARED IN THE RECORD ON April 9, 2003

Still interested in Florida
RV/trailer park resort?

Believe me, there are more ways to enjoy Florida's winters than just buying an elegant condo or renting a luxurious hotel suite. Instead of a beach resort with deluxe accommodations, how about a park trailer model in a community/RV resort? Better still, how about a resort for the 55-and-over and that offers a whole array of social and sporting activities.

Forget about the typical trailer-trash jokes or the rusted- out, ramshackle homes. Much has changed since the days when they were occupied by drug dealers and prostitutes. Where we stayed for a week in Palmetto, the occupants were almost all snowbirds from Ontario, Michigan and New York. Depending on your tastes and depth of your pockets, you have the choice between a used or new, park model trailer, or a 'Single-Wide' or a 'Double-Wide' mobile home. Keep in mind that while a park trailer is smaller than a mobile home, neither one is permanently affixed to a foundation.

So what were the exciting activities in our park? Put simply, most of the residents didn't miss the white sandy beaches and panoramic sunsets. Their busy days involved bingo, billiards, potluck suppers, shuffleboard, craft meetings, wood carving, line dancing, bible studies, choir, nearby golf and pancake breakfasts. As for the park amenities, they included a rarely used lighted paved tennis court, a popular heated swimming pool and a dozen or so shuffleboard courts. Not far from the main entrance was as a large community center equipped with library, kitchen, modem connections, meeting hall and giant TV.

As for their daily outings, the possibilities were endless as most of the tourist's attractions were all within a 20-minute drive. I'd be lying if I said our immediate surroundings included blue aqua surf, sailboat masts and lush waterfront parks. The truth is that our RV park was sandwiched between busy U.S Highway 41 and an active railroad track, some 17 miles south- east of St.Petersburg. Then again, the 440 or so residents weren't overly concerned. For one, their park fees were considerably less than what they would have paid in RV parks and retirement communities located directly alongside Florida's beautiful Gulf shores.

Of the 280 sites located on paved streets with streetlights, almost half of them were occupied by trailer park models built during the 1980s and '90s with living space varying between 800 and 1,000 square feet. The vast majority had a garage, a Florida room, a steeped roof and a small garden and shed.

For the privilege of living in their RV "resort," the park trailer owners paid a monthly rent averaging $235 US. As they don't own the land underneath their homes, annual increases are simply a fact of life. Except for the electrical bill, which averages $50/month, insurance premiums in the range of $300 and a Florida license fee of $35, their monthly rent includes water, garbage removal, septic services and maintenance of all common amenities. Phone and cable connections are also extras. When sublet during the winter, some of the park models generate revenues of up to $700/month, which is still a good deal for the visiting snowbird. After all, not having to pull a trailer all the way to Florida and back at eight miles per gallon can save a few hundred dollars, just in fuel.

While a new park model trailer including furnishings can cost upwards of $20,0000 US some of the used ones were going for as low as $4,500. While the depreciation of both new and used park trailers is steep, the odd rock bottom price usually reflects the owner's desire to unload his home rather than being stuck with paying rent. Age, sickness and skyrocketing health insurance premium are the most common reasons. The other 113 sites were reserved for visiting RVers at a daily fee of $19.50 US or $500 US a month. The fee included all of the standard connections. We were assigned to the "overflow" section located directly under immense oak trees and alongside a meandering stream for which we paid $16/day. Despite being close to the highway and hearing the occasional rumbling of speeding Harleys and police sirens we genuinely enjoyed our stay thanks largely to the many hospitable and friendly RVers. We never did see the much-talked-about alligator that shared the nearby pond with herons, egrets and yellow-throated warblers.

For those of you who would be interested in living in a trailer park model in an average Florida rental community/ RV resort, be prepared to pay around $3,000 US/year, just to rent a site. If only four months in Florida per year would suit your tastes, by the time you factor in all of the expenses you will end up paying close to $1,000 Cdn. per month. As for subletting your park trailer during the remaining months, remember, except for the winter, the market is flat. Not owning your lot has at least one advantage - you won't have to pay municipal real estate taxes. While your winter hideaway will have wheels hidden behind a skirt, don't count on storing it while you are back home to cut down on the costs. These units, together with their extensions, are costly and difficult to move. Finally, as in any home community, you can always upgrade your living quarters by buying a larger or newer unit, a few lots further down the street. If that doesn't solve your problem you can always move to an up-scaled mobile home park community, such as the type I referred to in last week's column.