Did you ever play house as a kid? I did. And while once in a while my play house would contain a family with kids, most of the time my play revolved around adventure and the experience of living somewhere new. Then like most of us, I assumed I gave up playing house when I became a teenager. But this last week I realized that in many ways I still play house on a regular basis. In fact, every time Thom and I rent a vacation rental we are “playing house” in a similar way. Taking that a step further, this last week Thom and I bought a Park Model in Tucson and it hit me—this is just another way to play house! What about you? Did you play it as a kid? And are you playing a variation even today?
First, in case you don’t know, I should define Park Models. In many ways they mimic a tiny
home, or should I say a tiny mobile home. But they are actually an RV (recreational vehicle.). Because they are considered a movable home (like a motorhome or trailer) and because they are less than 400 square feet, they can occupy RV Parks. A mobile or manufactured home can’t do that because they are bigger than an allowable RV and they also are often permanently attached to land. While some Park Model communities allow you to own the land, in the vast majority you rent the lot (or space) just like with an RV.
The kitchen dining of our rented Park Model.
So why not just go the RV route? Many many years ago Thom and I discovered that we were not RV people. We borrowed Thom’s parent’s motorhome for a two-week vacation and at the end we decided that even though there were some benefits, there were too many negatives for us. And now with the availability of vacation rentals everywhere in the world, when we travel we prefer to stay in a home or apartment (rather than a hotel) and get a feel for the location. We often rent a place for a full month (or even two) and that really helps us to settle in, “play house,” and imagine life in a different location.
The Living Room of our rented Park Model.
Meanwhile, throughout much of our lives Park Models have existed as a possibility. In fact, back in the early 90’s we almost bought into a business that manufactured Park Models up in Phoenix. While we appreciated their value and opportunity even then, after working there for two months we discovered we were not cut out for a corporate nine-to-five type occupation. Fast forward 30+ years and we were reintroduced to Park Models and the types of communities they offer its residents. So rather than drive your RV from place to place, you buy a Park Model in a place you want to be and just visit there. After several trips to Tucson over the course of a year, we decided that a good way to try on the lifestyle was to rent one for a month and play house.
We had barely been here a week and we found a Park Model for sale at an unbelievably low price. Of course, it was 30+ years old and needed a lot of cosmetic work done, but many important upgrades had been made (like a new roof, new A/C, double pane windows, new flooring) so we made an offer. A few days later we were handed the keys. Remember, a Park Model is considered an RV so it’s more like buying a used car than a house. In fact, you go to the DMV and get it licensed and that’s pretty much it.
Now that we own it, we have begun going through cupboards and drawers and getting rid of dated and unwanted items. Although previously owned by a woman from Alaska, it had been rented out as a vacation rental for many years and was filled with lots of stuff. During the summer we will have a contractor come in and take the popcorn off the ceiling, take out several unnecessary cabinets, and paint the entire interior. Remember this is in Tucson and it is hot during the summer so we don’t want to be here anyway. Then in the fall we will return and start enjoying our new “play house” in an on-and-off way whenever we want to visit Tucson. If not, we can always rent it out ourselves (especially now and then to offset the dues.)
So again—why? Since we have been here for a bit over two weeks now, we have met dozens
of incredibly friendly people. And this is during the off season when only a fraction of the activities offered by the park are still happening. Only people who are 55 or older can live here and there is something about being in a retirement community (this is our first) along with the RV lifestyle that seems to bring together people who want to be social and very active. Because Thom is more introverted than I am, he was initially hesitant. But even he is appreciating the fact that if we want to chat and do things with others—they are all around us. If not, we can stay at home and stay to ourselves. It’s nice to have a choice.
Of course, a big draw for such a property are the numerous amenities offered. Not only is there a very large pool (for lap swimming and aerobics classes) and two hot tubs–there are numerous sitting areas so you can visit with others. This park has exercise rooms and a gym, an amazing (in Thom’s words) woodworking shop, a huge library with free books for the taking, a sewing room (which I doubt I will see much off) several classrooms for things like Spanish classes, a room with several pool tables, a card room, a dance studio and an art 
studio with its own kiln. There are also tennis courts, pickleball courts, bocce ball courts, shuffle board courts, horse shoe pits and three dog parks. There is a large auditorium and a smaller one for parties and events. They also offer dozens of clubs for every sort of interest. And one big reason we picked this RV park is that you can access the Tucson Loop (130 miles of car free bike trails) through a gate on our property. We are also about 15 minutes from downtown Tucson and close enough to the freeway for easy access to just about anywhere in city. Plus, the parks and nature opportunities surrounding Tucson are just minutes away.
So yeah, there are a lot of reasons why we took the plunge to see how we like playing house here in Tucson. At the price we paid we can either stay or go with only a minimal investment. We can also rent it if we aren’t going to use it much which we’ll find out as time goes by. And although most people who own Park Model’s here are snowbirds who travel south for the winter, some people live here year round. At this price point, living in a Park Model is actually a very economical way to live as a person ages. 
Sure, they are small, but with an approved “Arizona Room” you can add on an addition 400 feet, giving a person up to 800 square feet if wanted. If a person is “Rightsized” and doesn’t need a large or luxurious place to live but wants to stay social and connected, it is a great alternative. Ours is approximately 650 square feet.
Thom and I tend to be pretty thrifty and have never seen a reason to buy a second home, so this is an experiment for us. Without a doubt we would not have considered it if the price hadn’t been so low. (What’s low? Less than $30,000) We also like Tucson a lot and have considered living here permanently. (Just not at this time!) Additionally, in the past we have toyed with the idea of buying into a co-housing community. Not only does this share many of the same qualities, the price is much more affordable than every co-housing community ($350,000 to $800,000) we’ve ever heard of or seen. So throw in the fact that buying here is a bit like “playing house,” we can afford to see if we fit are a fit for the Park Model lifestyle.
The news is full of stories about how a huge number of seniors become cutoff and isolated from each other as they grow older. From what we’ve experienced so far, it would be almost impossible to be lonely here. Plus, the affordability for many on a fixed income is a huge bonus. I have no idea if the idea of playing house in a Park Model (or tiny home for that matter) appeals to others, but I think it is always SMART for people to be aware of their options. And from what we’ve seen so far—playing house in one can be incredibly fun!
Congratulations! We RV’d for years and thought seriously about getting a Park Model. We love the lifestyle in such communities. In the end, we bought a house in Sun City because both of our children live in Phoenix. Tucson is a great city and I know you love your winters there.
Hi Ingrid. Oh, so are you in Sun City Phoenix or Tucson? I know a lot of people face that decision and I’m guessing that one might grow tired of living in such a tiny space. But right now we are just enjoying the camaraderie of being in an RV park that even Sun City likely can’t match. But then again, maybe that will get tiring after a while. The benefit of park models (IMHO) is you don’t have to invest that much money to see if you like it. Whereas all regular homes come with a higher price that requires a bigger commitment. I hope your choice turned out to be exactly what you wanted! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thanks for sharing this! I had no idea about “park models” – totally new concept for me. It sounds so great from the way you describe it. All the amenities, classes, people to meet and do things with, etc. My uncle and cousin each have a small trailer in Texas where they winter each year. They absolutely love it and look forward to going every year.
This sounds like the perfect, low cost way to get a lifestyle you would like as you get older. And, definitely, don’t need anything large. I stayed with a friend on Vancouver Island (Chemainus) and they lived in an RV in some sort of park. I just didn’t know they had a specific name for it. 🙂 It was fun and we never felt crowded.
Enjoy “playing house” in your new home. And have fun redecorating. That’s part of the adventure!!
Hi Debbie! Sorry you got caught in my spam again. I do check it now and then so your comment wasn’t lost. And I’m glad to share the news about Park Models. Like I said to others, most of the people who are familiar with them are former RVers. Even though Thom and I aren’t that, we have tossed the idea around for years. The time just seemed right so we took the plunge. Ideally we’d like to find one that is located in a place that is cool and comfortable in the summer and we could go back and forth. If you hear of any let us know…and if you find yourself in Tucson I’d love to show you around! ~Kathy
Not sure that I’d ever played House until the last few years when I’ve become very conscious of staying in places that I immediately imagine remodelling for our long-term habitation whilst testing all the local amenities. I’ve an inkling that it’s associated with a subconscious move towards downsizing but for the moment we are not taking any active steps towards implementation and our second home remains a small sailing boat in Scotland where there’s not even space to pass each other below deck! You are right though, we don’t actually need all the square footage our home gives.
Hi Caree! Based upon my “loose” definition you can play house in a treehouse, a tent or yes, even a boat. I think it’s the mindset of “making it up” and just playing with the idea without too much attachment. It sounds to me that your willingness to think about what you like and what you would change in any particular location is a “playful” way to imagine downsizing. And chances are that once any of us got used to having smaller spaces we would be happy with them. That doesn’t mean you don’t know and then think of wanting more space for something particular (like having a party or special event) but how often do we have those special events? Far better to just get what we actually use on a day-to-day basis and rent something extra if or when it is needed. Good luck on your adventure! `Kathy
What a delightful analogy of travel as “playing house.” You were smart (of course) to test the waters in Tucson before committing to buy. We have seriously discussed escaping the cold winters to be snowbirds in Arizona. I had not considered a park model, but you create a pretty convincing argument for it. I am anxious to follow along as you “play house” there and see what you think.
Hi Marian! Thanks. I would recommend you at least check it out if you are considering a snow bird move in the wintertime. From our way of thinking, renting is often the first step but even if you do buy, chances are good you can change your mind a year or two later without risking much. Of course we bought a older used one that requires some updating, but we have met others who are buying one for about $90,000 that are brand new and very nice–they even include a basic furniture package so you can move right in. We’ve got an odd collection at this point and will probably spend a while figuring out what we like and need and going from there. Meanwhile, there are all the activities to pick and choose from so there is no chance of getting board. Let us know if you do decide to come close by! ~Kathy
You have highlighted one of the motivators for us to plan on moving to a retirement comunity in three years or so: the all-inclusive living. Making friends, using all the exercise facilities, making use of the art, woodworking, and ceramics rooms, the library, and having several places to choose for meals each day have us actively downsizing, planning, choosing colors and new furniture already!
I have been to your resort in Tucson and found it very enticing. Betty and I lived in Tucson for 3 years in the early 80s and made full use of all the attactions of the city and nearby nature. It is the most liberal city in Arizona and has a special flavor completely missing from Phoenix.
You will love the Old Pueblo, and it is 10-15 degrees cooler than Phoenix. Plus you will be only a two hour drive south of us!
Hi Bob! Exactly. We had originally thought that a house or even co-housing here in Tucson would be a good choice for us to “experiment” being in Tucson. But now that we’ve been here it is hard to imagine being in a “traditional” neighborhood and being so disconnected from others (not to mention away from all the amenities!). We talked to one woman who said she first rented an apartment in northern Tucson when she arrived. It was absolutely beautiful and had quite a few amenities she thought were important. But there is something about a park model community that offers immediate friends and activities so she is so glad she moved.
And yes, Tucson is the only city where we would consider staying in and we also appreciate that at 2,500 feet it is a bit cooler than back home (in California) even though it is the desert. My only advice to you and Betty is “Don’t wait!” Do it as soon as you can because I’m guessing you will love it! ~Kathy
As you know, Kathy, we’ve lived in our Tucson park model for nine winters now. It’s a great way to get away from the dark and rainy Pacific Northwest. We have more friends in Tucson than we do in our little Seattle suburb, where we’ve lived for 30 years. As many people do, we rented a unit for two months one year, three months the next, and then bought it. We are kind of living the dream.
Hi Linda! Yes you are a perfect model of how to make a park model work so well for you. You have a lovely cool place to go in the summer and then a warm, sunny (and active!) place to in the winter. I think many people like you just rent to start with (or bring their RV a time or two) and before they know it, they’ve decided that is is so easy (and fun!) just to have a permanent place to stay. Your RV park is just down the road from ours and we look forward to getting together again with you next fall. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy,
What is the lot rent like for a Park Model?
Great blog – I just discovered you!
Hi Sarah. Welcome to SMART Living! The lot rent for a park model is exactly the same as lot rent for any RV. You do get a discount if you pay annually so that helps. At the present time the lot rent here is just under $600 a month–that includes gated security, water, sewer and trash. Of course if you live in a condo and or a mobile home park or any type development you also have dues. But because they are relatively inexpensive and you have to pay cash for them, the cost over all is likely cheaper than just about anywhere else (if you can afford that initial buy-in of course). ~Kathy
I was in Tucson once, maybe in 2012. Really liked it. Your solution sounds ideal … so good luck with the new adventure!
Hi Tom! Thanks. Yes of all the cities/towns in AZ we like Tucson best. The natural desert is beautiful and it has a large college with lots going on. Not ready for a permanent move but lots to appreciate here. ~Kathy
Kathy, this makes perfect sense to me. We’re building a tiny home in a community in North Carolina for many of the reasons you bought your park model (simple living, great community, lots of amenities, peace of mind when we leave for traveling).
Our home will only be 500 square feet, with a screened porch and deck. We figure our many years of RV travels prepared us for living comfortably in a small space. 🙂 Tucson is a wonderful city…we’ve always enjoyed our visits there. Congratulations on your new life adventure and have fun making your new tiny home your own!
Hi Laurel! I think lots of people who enjoy the RV lifestyle realize you really don’t need that much square footage to live a fulfilling and happy life. I asked a woman I walked with this morning what she thought the percentage of former RV owners were that now own a park model instead. She said the vast majority of them. I’m also guessing that unless people know someone who tells them about park models, or they are RVers themselves and have seen them in the parks don’t even know they are an option. I also think that “tiny homes” have gotten a lot of press coverage so many people are more familiar with them than a park model. That’s a shame because in many cases park models are far less expensive than a majority of tiny homes. I’m hoping this post helps share the idea because to me it does as you say, “make perfect sense” for people who want to move to a new location but don’t need or want the expense of a huge place. Oh, and making new friends is easy and fun! ~Kathy
I live on Vancouver Island, which has an incredibly mild climate all year round, so I’m happy being here summer and winter. The Park Model does sound very appealing for people who prefer to travel somewhere warm in the winter. You and Thom appear to have found the perfect balance. Congratulations!
Hi Diane. Thanks! Although a most of the snowbirds have left for the summer, from what we hear a large portion of them are from all over Canada. It will be fun to meet up with and get to more of you all next season. ~Kathy
Cathy, at that price, you had to go for it. Will this replace your home in the mountains or will you keep that as well? I obviously like ‘playing house’, as that is what we have been doing for the past two years. The only difference is that we didn’t purchase any of our residences, and are just renting until we figure things out. It sounds like a great location with lots of amenities. Congratulations!
Hi Suzanne! The price does make taking a chance that we’ll like it that much easier huh? But no, we won’t replace our house in California (at least not yet). And we don’t own the place we stay at for a month in the mountains every summer so that will continue (we actually head up there the end of this month.). We just rent there ourselves. At the price we got it for we are thinking we will spend several months here but then can also rent it out for a couple of months and basically cover our annual dues/lot rent. That way it shouldn’t cost us much to own it at all. We’ve actually met a number of people here who own two of them. They live in one and use they other as a vacation rental because like I said to Nancy, the first three months of the year are VERY popular and in demand. So we’ll see. Still exploring options. ~Kathy
Hi, Kathy and Thom – Congratulations! This looks like a wonderful opportunity. For many years, my parents had a similar looking Park Model (at least similiar looking from the outside) in Yuma, Arizona. They absolutely loved it. And when it came time to sell it, it sold easily for the price that they wanted. Win-win all around!
Enjoy your new home. I look forward to seeing more photos and hearing more details about it.
Hi Donna! I didn’t know your folks had a park model at one time. We do have them in the Coachella Valley but they tend to be much more affordable here in Arizona and are in all the cities (well, just about anywhere there is an RV park and they are everywhere!). We’ve really grown to appreciate Tucson so that’s where we landed. And as you say, it seems like a win-win for us now so chances are you will be seeing and hearing more about it as time goes by. ~Kathy
Sounds like a good, low-cost way to test out having a low-maintenance second home in a nice spot! I would worry about it being noisy, with so many people close by, but I guess you don’t find it so? If you decide to rent it for a month at some point, message me. My husband and I are looking for a place to spend four to six weeks in the wintertime.
Hi Nancy! We haven’t really noticed any noise problem. I suppose there might be some neighbors that could be a problem but so far so good. (Of course this is the off season so I guess we will find out.). There is a separate area for pets and ours is in the non-pet area. I’ve heard from some pet owners that you can hear dog barking when you walk by in the pet sections so I suppose that could be a problem if pets are left unattended. I would say you run the same risk (or worse) in many apartments or condo where the walls attach.
The high season here in Tucson is January through March. And it is VERY popular. In fact available rentals for next season are already gone. We have talked about maybe renting it for Jan-Feb and then coming ourselves in March but if we do we would prefer to rent it for both months, not have someone for just part them. But with that said, there will probably be some that would work. The Association offers brand new ones for rent and they might do the four to six weeks period. Just contact Rincon West RV Resort (they have a website) and you can get more info. Let me know if you do and if we’re here at the same time we could meet up! ~Kathy
Glad you can have fun, play and then leave if you want.
Thanks Gary! One of these days you and Robert will have to come to Tucson and we can show you around! ~Kathy
I imagine you will find the activities interesting. I live about 10 min drive from a gigantic seniors Center with a similar range of activities. Lots of nice people too. It’s funny how we wait u t’il we are retired to build such communities but better later than ever. I understand there are a lot of Canadians in Tuscan in the winter. Good investment!
Well, this all makes perfect sense to me (now)! 🙂 So many advantages and I think, in general, as we age, it’s cool to be in a community where you can socialize as well as be on your own.
And that is very cheap for a Park Model. You really don’t have anything to lose. The location sounds awesome, especially next to the bike path. We like the Tucson area a lot as well.
Questions: How much is the monthly rent for the space? Could you move the Park Model of you wanted to? And is there real popcorn on the ceiling or is that a term for something else?
Hi Liesbet! After your big trip to South America in your camper I wouldn’t be surprised if you were ready to settle down a bit–especially in 10 or 20 years! :-). And yes, the price really is affordable. After all, where can you buy a place for less then $30,000 these days?
Of course there is park fees and this year they are being raised to nearly $600 a month if paid annually. (It’s more if you stay in an RV for only for a week or month or two.) That isn’t necessarily cheap but it does include water, sewer and trash as well as the use of all the facilities AND lots of free classes and activities. Our park model is all electric and we haven’t seen that bill yet but we are guessing it is more in the summer than the winter depending on use. As far as moving it out I suppose we could. But it is over 30 years old now and having it disconnected and hauled could make that impractical. Far better to just buy one in a park where you want to be.
As for popcorn…it was a popular way to texture the ceiling in homes that supposedly made them acoustically superior. (looks like a bunch of white pimples!) Unfortunately a lot of it was created using asbestos so when that was banned most people had it torn out or avoided. It is usually not a problem if left undisturbed (and needs to be carefully removed) but it is definitely old fashioned and nearly always removed if possible.
Maybe in the future if you travel through the area you and Mark could come by and check it out. We’d love to show you around. Meanwhile enjoy your amazing adventure! ~Kathy
Thank for the detailed info, Kathy. I appreciate it. And thanks for the invitation as well. I don’t see us return to the US any time soon, though. We still have an entire globe (or most of it anyway) to explore! 🙂
This is so interesting. Honestly, I had never heard of a Park Model, so thanks for explaining about it. Sounds like you are going to have so much fun with it!!
Hi Ann! I’m glad I was able to introduce you to something that is very popular especially in areas that appeal to snow birds. I actually did a search and there don’t seem to be many available in areas that don’t have a long season where travelers come and “stay” for a number of months. And we’ve heard over and over from other residents a large number of the homes are purchased by people who first arrived and stayed in an RV. They liked it so much they decided to forget driving back and forth and just come for the duration. As you say, we are looking forward to exploring the fun they offer. Thanks for the comment. ~Kathy