We never put the house on the market. When our neighbors heard we were planning to sell, they made an offer. It sure made this transition relatively easy. No realtors, no showings, and we were able to rent back until we were ready to leave.
Our decision to do this started over a year ago when we purchased the Solera. The idea of camping in comfort, we hoped, would motivate us to travel to more remote places of the Pacific Northwest and the country.
What we didn't realize is that it would give us a new perspective on our house which, for one, was not "RV" friendly. Parking on the street was not ideal nor level; we were not able to drive it up to the back of the house due to a steep incline in the alley, and, we had to find winter storage. With the alley access denied, we would prepare for a trip by loading the Subaru with our gear and then drive to RV on the street and load the RV from the car. This would also be done in reverse when we returned.
The house was also becoming more than we really wanted to maintain. Though we had great luck with renters, it would only be a matter of time before more upgrades and or repairs would be needed. So, when the property values rebounded, it made sense to us to sell.
Since we had the motor home, we took advantage of this opportunity to travel without having to maintain a home base. This makes it totally affordable. Also, as we travel, we can keep our options open as to where our next residence is to be.
Letting go of our stuff was difficult at first. But I have to say as each layer was peeled away, it got easier and easier. Ultimately, it was quite freeing. As we drove away with a way too full RV, we realized that we will have to pare down even more. Many more adjustments were to follow.
