Tips on Buying a Preowned Static Caravan
If you really love the idea of owning your very own holiday home, in the form of a static caravan, but feel that buying a brand new model is out of your price range, then one option is to look into buying a pre-owned model direct from a private owner, if you look carefully you can get a real bargain! But before you jump straight in, there are numerous questions that you need to ask, this may seen an obvious statement, but it is easy to get carried away, especially if you are a first time buyer.
If the caravan you are looking to buy is situated on a holiday park, most parks charge a commission of around 15% ( but of course this can vary depending on the individual park), you will need to check with the private owner whether this commission is included in the sale price.
You should also check the yearly cost of running the holiday home (known as site fees), i.
e.
ground rent, rates and insurance, sublet fee (if you plan on subletting), gas, electric and any other costs.
It is also a good idea to find out how the site fees have changed over the last few years, of course this can't be used as a sure indication of how they will change in the future, but it may give you some idea, so it's worth asking.
Also check how long the caravan is allowed to remain on site from new and if you plan on subletting check how many years sublet are remaining, if the previous owners also sublet, then it is definitely worth asking how much they make per season, and exactly the method of subletting allowed, meaning are you allowed to sublet privately or are you required to do so through the park.
Another thing to check is the number of people allowed to stay in the caravan at any one time, as this can sometimes differ, for example some parks allow a maximum of 6 people when subletting, but 8 if being used by family members.
Also if there are facilities on your chosen park, you need to check whether or not your ground rent covers you for unlimited access to these facilities.
The plot, a very important factor, if you have found your ideal caravan and it is situated on the ideal plot, whilst there is a very good change the caravan will be allowed to remain on it's current plot, never take this for granted, always check this with the park, before going any further.
Contents, if the caravan is listed for sale including contents, don't just assume that everything you see is going to be included, it may well be, or it may mean some of the contents, but if this is an important factor for you, then don't be afraid to ask.
Finally, if you are plan on staying in your new caravan on a longer term basis, you will need to find out how many weeks of the year you are allowed to do so, as this can vary from park to park.
Conclusion, buying your own holiday home can be a great investment and can give you many happy holidays, just make sure you get as much information as you can upfront.
If the caravan you are looking to buy is situated on a holiday park, most parks charge a commission of around 15% ( but of course this can vary depending on the individual park), you will need to check with the private owner whether this commission is included in the sale price.
You should also check the yearly cost of running the holiday home (known as site fees), i.
e.
ground rent, rates and insurance, sublet fee (if you plan on subletting), gas, electric and any other costs.
It is also a good idea to find out how the site fees have changed over the last few years, of course this can't be used as a sure indication of how they will change in the future, but it may give you some idea, so it's worth asking.
Also check how long the caravan is allowed to remain on site from new and if you plan on subletting check how many years sublet are remaining, if the previous owners also sublet, then it is definitely worth asking how much they make per season, and exactly the method of subletting allowed, meaning are you allowed to sublet privately or are you required to do so through the park.
Another thing to check is the number of people allowed to stay in the caravan at any one time, as this can sometimes differ, for example some parks allow a maximum of 6 people when subletting, but 8 if being used by family members.
Also if there are facilities on your chosen park, you need to check whether or not your ground rent covers you for unlimited access to these facilities.
The plot, a very important factor, if you have found your ideal caravan and it is situated on the ideal plot, whilst there is a very good change the caravan will be allowed to remain on it's current plot, never take this for granted, always check this with the park, before going any further.
Contents, if the caravan is listed for sale including contents, don't just assume that everything you see is going to be included, it may well be, or it may mean some of the contents, but if this is an important factor for you, then don't be afraid to ask.
Finally, if you are plan on staying in your new caravan on a longer term basis, you will need to find out how many weeks of the year you are allowed to do so, as this can vary from park to park.
Conclusion, buying your own holiday home can be a great investment and can give you many happy holidays, just make sure you get as much information as you can upfront.