Home prices have been skyrocketing across the country, causing some people to look for alternative living situations. Many are now deciding to ditch the traditional four walls for four wheels.
"I call this the pandemic boom for the RV industry," described Angel Valenzuela, Manager for Sky River RV.
RV sales have skyrocketed since the pandemic. Valenzuela says it's the highest they've ever been. The increase in sales is largely due to the pandemic, changing the way people work, live, and travel.
Total RV shipments for 2021 increased 39.5% since 2020 according to the RV Industry Association. Another factor is home prices, with many people unable or unwilling to pay the continuously rising home prices.
"A lot of people saying, 'I can buy an RV for 30, 40, 50, 60, thousand dollars, have two-three hundred dollar payments, and go on adventures,'" added Valenzuela.
That's exactly what Tracy Lukehart is doing. She did not completely get rid of her home that she rents but downsized and added an RV, which she looks at as an upgrade.
"Consequently, I'm only there three weeks out of the month and the other week I try to spend in my airstream," explained Lukehart.
Gaining a little financial freedom and just plain freedom to go where she pleases. Right now, she's parked in Avila Beach, where according to Hot Pads, which is a rental site, if you wanted to put down roots, it would cost you an average of $4,500 a month to rent a home.
At the Flying Flags Resort where she's currently staying, it's about $3,000 a month.
"Although our properties can be seen as pricey in the grand scheme of things, it's significantly lower," said Lathan Ford, Flying Flags General Manager.
Flying Flags is on the higher end for places to park your RV. Just 30 minutes north at Vine RV Resort in Paso Robles, that monthly cost comes down to about $1,300. There are many other resorts with different prices, scattered all over the state and the country.
