Buying sight unseen

[bikerchic777]

I don't care for dealers, either! I'm putting this in God's hands! I need to trust that it will be what I'm hoping. I had my salesman add some things to my purchase agreement and then I added something and had him sign it. They are ensuring that all the mechanical things are in working order (and I had him list them) and I wrote in that they will ensure that there are no leaks. That is my biggest worry...leaks! At least there are no slides, so that eliminates some possible problems. I only made a deposit and will pay the rest after I inspect it and accept it. They have full hookups and encouraged me to stay there in it and make sure everything is working before I leave. I plan on doing just that! I can get my deposit back if it's not what the salesman portrayed it to be. I think it sounds safer, in this case, than buying private unseen. After seeing what I've seen when looking at used private owner mh's here, I didn't feel comfortable with that route. I would definitely have had a mechanic go represent me and inspect it first. I still may have a mechanic check this one out. I have sure found out that anything can look great in pictures!

[BarbaraRose]

Laura, thanks for thinking of me! Actually, my former SO was going to buy me an RV and now that we've split up, that isn't going to happen. Now I need to get my debts paid off first before I can even think of buying an RV. I have been thinking about selling my car and getting a used truck so I can get a small trailer to pull instead. I am thinking about moving to CA after summer, and if I do, I would probably wait until I got out there before getting anything, anyways.

[bikerchic777]

Wow, Barbie! Sounds like my life, better known as "As the Stomach Turns". At least I don't have bills to pay off, but I am using some of my investment money (what little is left after the fallout) to buy my mh. At least my house will be paid for and I've never been able to say that before! I will have to work to pay the normal bills and expenses. I try not to use credit cards, except enough to keep them active, then pay at the end of the month. I neglected to use the one I've had the longest and they said they were going to start charging me an annual fee of $60. I told them to close my account...I'm not paying no stinking fee!!! Anyway...life is too short to not be able to say I got to do this. Where do you plan to move to in CA? I thought about a tt, but I want to be able to turn the key and drive away if I have to. Plus, I'm used to driving and parking a mh.

[BarbaraRose]

I would like to be in the Coachella Valley but it depends on where I can get a job (if I can transfer to a Great Clips out there), anywhere in southern CA would be fine with me (except LA).

I have a lot of ducks to get in a row before I can start planning that tho. May end up having to stay here another year

[bikerchic777]

You work at Great Clips? I love them!!! That is where I get my hair cut when I am near one. Do you have friends or family out in the Coachella Valley?

[BarbaraRose]

I used to work for Great Clips for 6 years until I quit in October due to issues I had with the new owner and manager (they were very unethical, unprofessional and unfair with us and the clients). I am trying to get into another GC's so that I can transfer to one in CA when I decide to go.
I have a nephew in Hollywood (in the movie biz) and a friend just east of San Diego. I used to live in Santa Barbara. I have been to Palm Springs with my dad and just fell in love with the area and decided I wanted to live there someday (that was what I said the first time I visited Santa Barbara and Denver and I've since lived in both places!). It is a very layed back, small town feel and yet has pretty much everything available. Also great location for day and weekend trips (ie; SD, LA, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Big Bear, Lake Havasu, and a quick 15 minute ride up the tram if I need a "snow" fix! ). I just can't take the winters here anymore! My paternal grandfather lived in LA (chauffeur for a movie producer) and always said that you only need to live half as long in CA because you can live twice as much! He loved it out there and ironically, he died in his 50's. My idea of the perfect winter day is laying by the pool and looking up at the snow capped mountains off in the distance!

[bikerchic777]

Barbie...What is keeping you from looking for a job at GC's out in CA and just going? If you get a job at another one in MN, that would mean another lousy winter in the midwest! You're not going to believe this, but I lived for years out in 29 Palms...in the high desert, above Palm Springs. My daughter was born out there. I am seriously thinking of looking for a workamping job in the Palm Springs area for next winter, so I can spend time with my great friends. I have also lived in Vista, near San Diego. We wintered in El Centro 2 winters ago. I used to go with a friend up to Big Bear on the 4 wheel drive road from up above Yucca Valley...boy was that ever fun and scenic! I have been on the tram, but not the new one. I lived in 29 Palms 3 different times Some people like to live in Yucca and commute to work down in PS. Not a bad drive. My girlfriend, Lori, did that for awhile from Joshua Tree. She said I could park in her yard if I want to go out there. She'll do anything to get me back out there...we call each other "Sis". Another girlfriend, who was just here to visit me, offered also. So...it's an option, but I would rather workamp. I think you could make it work if you really want to go. I heard someone say the other day that the only thing keeping us from our dreams is ourselves. It really hit me HOW TRUE

[BarbaraRose]

It would be easier to transfer from one GC's to another than to try to get into one from the "outside". (Besides, I can't use my last owner/manager as a reference for another GC job for obvious reasons. The manager of the one I am trying to get into already knows about the problems with the place I left). If I can get into one here soon, I would still consider going out there at the end of this summer. Still have the debt issue to resolve .

Sounds like you have a lot of friends out there who want you to go back there! I wish I knew someone out there I could stay with until I got settled. I figured once I got a job lined up, I would look for a room to rent in someone's house for awhile since that would be a cheaper way to go to begin with. That is what I did when I moved out to SB. Unfortunately, the woman who owned the house was a drunken party animal and had parties 5 nights a week! It was awful!!

I have to get this figured out by June 1st since that is when I need to give my 60 day notice for my apartment.

[bikerchic777]

I could probably hook you up with a room if it weren't for Zoey, Moxy, and Buster A dog would probably work out, but I know my friends and cats and ferrets would be a problem. I know how that is with the reference thing. If you have other hair people who know you and like you, maybe they would write you a good letter of reference. I got "let go" at a job before and ended up winning an Unemployment case against them. If that didn't go through, I could have sued them for sexual harassment, which would have been a lot more money. I still got a job in the same field and just told them I couldn't use the other Drs for a reference. I think most people have a story like that. Most employers understand and will use personal references and interview you extensively to see what THEY think you're like. One job I left, I gave them my mgr's name for the reference instead of the owner. I knew he would give me a good reference, where the owner may not have since I was his top salesperson and quit for a better job As for the debts...they will be there wherever you live. Live where you will be happy.

[BarbaraRose]

The ferrets can't come with me They are illegal in CaCa land. I will drop them off in Denver with a friend of mine. She has three ferrets so they will have new friends to play with and be very well taken care of. Not sure I can take Zoey either. Not sure if she can handle the stress of being in a car that long. Will have to try her on a few test runs this spring and see how she does. I also won't take much with me other than some clothes, books, and folding furniture I have. When I moved to SB, I flew out there with only a couple of suitcases and did just fine! (bought a car after I got out there). I can live very light and simple when I need to!
I am going to talk to my old assistant manager/friend and see what she thinks I should/need to do to get a job out there. She will be a great reference for me as will a few others from that shop, and also the manager I have now. I don't want to go out there without a job lined up, as I know jobs are very hard to come by right now. The cost of moving won't be cheap either. I figure about $700 minimum for gas, food and motels plus a little extra for unexpected surprises. I am just worried about getting in over my head and ending up as a bag lady out there somewhere. I guess being homeless under a palm tree on the beach out there is better than being homeless up here!

[bikerchic777]

I almost was homeless under a palm tree...with 2 kids Lots of praying and others praying for me and ta da! I got a job!!! God is GREAT!!! Well, it sounds like you do kind of have a plan. It's sounding good! I guess I didn't know you do have a job now. It is good to have a job waiting for you, but I think you could still get one, once you got out there, with your experience. There is always opticianry work for me, but I have had to change my mindset with this full time RVing thing. I have done many things in the past and know I still can. You could do the same and do something else while you're waiting for your "ideal" job. They will appreciate that you worked, instead of sat on your duff Heck! There are workamping jobs out there where they provide a place to live if you don't have an RV! There's a thought for you. You sound like a natural RVer, since you can pack so light Just a thought...If I get a workamping job out there for next winter, and you get a job lined up too, we could caravan out there together It would take longer, but at least you would save on hotel bills. You never know! I picked up and moved back out there when my kids were something like 9 & 11. I had $300 to get there from IA. We did it! I located someone moving out there and they had room in their U-Haul for our stuff. They picked it up on their way and we were off! I always say...Where there's a will, there's a way!!! We should try for a mini gtg this summer, since you're in MN and I will be in IA.

[BarbaraRose]

Where in Iowa will you be? I have some relatives in Moline/Rock Island that I have been meaning to go visit, so not sure how far away you will be from there?

[bikerchic777]

I will be at Saylorville Lake, just north of Des Moines. If you came down I-35, which you probably would, you could see me easily. When are you thinking of going?

[BarbaraRose]

No idea yet...Maybe May or June. Will have to see how the job and finance situation is then.
When are you headed up to Iowa? I thought you had said the end of March? Too bad you couldn't meet my friend Cathy down there before you leave. She just got back today from North Carolina and is leaving tomorrow for a cruise with her husband.

[bikerchic777]

Leaving here on April 1st. Stopping at my brother's in TN, then heading up to IA. Will drop off the car and trailer with the motorcycles in IA before heading up to Forest City to pick up my new "home sweet motor home". Have to be at Saylorville a couple of days in April for COE meetings, but officially start the job on May 1st. That will give us time to pick up stuff out of Mom's garage and split up what things we have and get our respective mh's set up. We can start staying in our sites on April 23rd. Sounds like I'll be there when you come through Keep me posted on when you're coming. Maybe we can announce a GTG and have others join us! Yes, it would have been nice to meet Cathy, but at least I got to meet Liz