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Today, a Florida family shares how they made RV living work—until they landed a private mortgage and the home of their dreams.
The basics
Age: 39
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Owner of a cleaning company
What was your home experience growing up?
My parents always owned their home. My husband had the same experience. For both of us, the home was always more than a house; it was a gathering place where you made memories.
How did you end up living in an RV?
We first lived in an RV back in Oklahoma in 2018 after we put our house on the market. Our house sold in two days to a cash buyer. Since we hadn’t even started looking for a new home and we owned an RV, we lived in the RV to save money for the next down payment. Our kids were still in school, so we chose a nearby campground. It wasn’t ideal, but it allowed us to save $10,000 in a few months to buy a home we liked.
How did you end up living in an RV a second time?
When COVID hit, my husband was laid off from his corporate job. I owned a cleaning company in Oklahoma and decided to start operating in Florida too. The RV made sense again because we didn’t know where our client base would be or even if this business would work. We also had three dogs and knew it would be next to impossible to find a rental that would take us all.
How did you decide where to park it?
We started at an RV resort in Navarre, Florida, but when snowbird season hit, the place was booked out and we had to relocate. Since our clients were mostly in Destin, we found a year-round rental spot there, with on-site washers and dryers, all right on the beach.
Why did you start thinking about buying a home?
After living in Destin for a year, we saw the toll that RV living was taking on our teenage boys. They needed more privacy.
Did you have any non-negotiables?
So many Florida homes lack garages, and we needed one to house our workout equipment, paddleboards, and my husband’s carpentry tools. We also didn’t want a major fixer-upper but were OK with some work.
How many houses did you look at?
We walked through four and made one other offer. We lost because we couldn’t give them the terms they wanted.
How did you know this was the one?
I happened to see this home the moment it came online on Realtor.com®. We knew it was the dream house. It had more than enough space, and we could see ourselves living and entertaining there.
How did you win the house?
We were the first to see it, and we mad