EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE PURCHASING A CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIP

A) STATE, COUNTY AND FEDERAL PARKS

The basic problems inherent to this alternative are many. State, County and Federal Parks rely on the support of tax dollars. In today's tax conscience society parks are not receiving the dollars in tax allocation for government recreation areas. Further, many of the popular campgrounds require advanced reservations and in many parts of the country must be made as much as one year in advance. Another big problem is that there is no control over who can visit a government campground. What this basically means is that anyone who can come up with $20 could very well have the campsite next to yours. As an example: Some peoples idea of going camping is to bring a keg of beer, pull out the speakers from their van and play loud rock and roll music until all hours of the night. The crime rate in many government parks can often read like a small city's police blotter. Rapes, assaults, robberies, thefts are increasingly on the rise in many government campgrounds where massive budget cuts have eliminated necessary park rangers and security personnel. There have been many articles describing the perils and dangers in many of our government campgrounds. Several years ago Time magazine featured these problems in their periodical. Their findings discussed first hand accounts from park rangers who encountered such incidents such as cult type gatherings, paramilitary maneuvers, vandalism and the discovering of booby traps to protect marijuana fields located on government land. Not to speak of the ever increasing cost for just one night on the average nationally $20.00. Many of us remember when you could enjoy most parks for $4-6 per night by just driving up and feeling safe during your visit. I suppose the same people can remember when Motel 6 cost $6 per night.

B) PUBLIC CAMPGROUNDS

Public campgrounds share many of the same problems associated with the government campgrounds including advanced reservations, the lack of control over the clientele, crime, and expensive nightly costs to name just a few. One of the biggest problems is there is no consistency from one campground to the other. For example, if you have ever visited more than one KOA campground, one of the largest campground chains, you can probably attest to the inconsistency at each campground. Maybe the first one you visited was the most beautiful camp you could have ever hoped for while the next one has an owner that has interest in one thing; how much money he can collect while putting the least amount back into the campground. You end up in a campground that has graffiti written all over the walls in the comfort station as you stand in water waiting to use the one stall that is in order. Or for some odd reason the refuse in the garbage receptacles haven't seemed to have been emptied in an extended period of time as you stand there and wonder what to do with yours. As in government parks, the money you spend in overnight fees add up and goes out in the form of rent vs. owning something.

C) PURCHASING A CAMPSITE OR RECREATIONAL LOT

The biggest drawback in buying a campsite or recreational lot is the expense. Next is that there is not the variety of more than one place to travel to. After all, they put wheels on recreational vehicles for a reason. Although the concept of a campsite or recreational lot provides ownership and in many cases proves to be a good financial investment, two major factors must be considered. First, in our area the average cost to purchase a campsite or recreational lot will average $5000.00. This is generally just the beginning. After you purchase a lot usually you have to develop it. By that I mean that you have to bring power to the property, put in a sewer system and put in a well for water. The average expense to bring power to the property with a power pole and meter will average $500.00. The septic system will cost approximately $1500.00. And for a cased well, plan to spend about $2000.00. Here we have an additional $4000.00 in extra expenses above and beyond the original price of the lot. Now you have $9000.00 invested in your lot. You may think it is over but really it is just the beginning because you have now become a property owner. This gives you the privilege of paying ongoing taxes, utilities, maintenance, insurance and in most cases association fees or dues and from time to time assessments. In considering a recreational lot expect to spend on average $200.00 each year on taxes, $100.00 or so on utilities, maintenance can vary but let's say it's $50.00 and your insurance should be around $75.00, while your association fees or dues run around $100.00. Here all told we have an additional $525.00 that you pay whether you use your lot or not. In addition you could end up in the unfortunate situation that you did in the government parks, in that, you still have no control over who your neighbor is going to be. As an example, lets say you fix your lot up real nice, nicely trimmed and mowed but your neighbor lets his grass grow up, or parks an old bus on the property or maybe builds some kind of weird looking structure on the property. Surveys have found that a majority of families who purchase a recreational lot eventually get tired of going to the same place all the time. After all, why did you buy a RV?... to travel and enjoy the variety of different locations and settings.