Do I rent an apartment or buy a mobile home? What’s the best long term solution since I am 72?

Where I live, most apartment complexes require their tenants to purchase renters insurance & & usually can bundle that with your auto ins for a discount.
 

AZ Jim, I don’t think you understand my position. I have no choices. He’s decided on an apartment, so an apartment it is. Yes, I have to live with it, as I have to live with him. He also wanted to re-home Grace. He was starting to be mean to her which is another reason I re homed her.

Aunt Bea, No kidding, I’ve even said to him why don’t we get two apartments? We can get them side by side if you want since you require so much “me” time. Two smaller apartments costs the same as a bigger apartment in today’s market. He’s refused.

It is easy for me to look back and see the mistakes I’ve made. But impossible to correct them now. As AZ Jim says, got to live with those decisions.

Bonnie, I’ve been looking at the senior apartments, but have not found any that have openings plus we still have his dog so that limits things as well.
 
Aneeda , excuse me for asking such a personal question...and of course you don't have to reply to it, but why do you stay with this man!!?
 

Aneeda , excuse me for asking such a personal question...and of course you don't have to reply to it, but why do you stay with this man!!?

I had the same thought. And yet I understand the mindset. I continued to allow myself to be victimized for 30+ years because of misplaced loyalty and because of fear. Leaving my ex was one of the most frightening decisions I have ever had to make, but without question THE most liberating.
 
Me too Ronni, I've been a victim myself, it's hard to leave and must be so much harder in older age, but in all honesty, I would rather be out of that type of situation Aneeda is describing than live with a man who takes none of her feelings or needs into consideration , and now we discover he's being ''mean'' to her dog... :(
 
I simply can’t decide. I am too emotional right now to be making decisions, yet I have to make decisions. There are pros and cons of for both places. It’s my husband, me, and a standard poodle and a 6 month old lab.

Second question: should I rehome grace, our lab puppy if we decide on the apartment?

Need advice.

The thought of a motor home really appeals to me. To be able to travel and have your facilities with you is always on my mind.

I'm too old for that now but I think if I had it to do over I would get the motor home.
 
The thought of a motor home really appeals to me. To be able to travel and have your facilities with you is always on my mind.

I'm too old for that now but I think if I had it to do over I would get the motor home.

It's not a motor home it's a ''mobile home''....


MW-GQ117_manufa_20180914151931_ZH.jpg
 
Aneeda, from what you have said about how your husband treats you, it might be a good idea to have a confidential talk with a domestic relations lawyer. People with temperaments like you describe his often become worse if any dementia sets in, and in your dependent situation Id worry about your long term safety, physically & financially
 
The testing was the best thing that happened. He starts therapy this month which he’s never done before-medication, therapy, and anger management. As to why I stay, where would I go? Yes, Keesha, I have choices. I could live under a bridge for a short period of time. But when I woke up in the morning I would be frozen in place unable to move. Rat food and dead.

All those homeless people that you don’t want in your neighborhoods, where do you suppose the women come from? How do you think they become homeless? Of course, I have a choice, just not decent good choices. He is verbally abusive, but I’m not a door mat anymore. When he gets that way, I refuse to engage for the most part. He goes to his room usually.

Over time he has become more and more withdrawn. I am sad for him but it’s better for me. And, to be fair, you haven’t heard his side. Also I let this happen to me, as I grew more ill, I became more dependent. My dependence enabled his behaviors. As you see, it takes two. But he can be a perfectly nice person, and is to most everyone else.

It’s a complicated situation. But leaving would be a disaster for me. My situation in general would be much worst. I have a great many serious medical conditions. No one, no doctor or social worker has ever suggestioned I leave, and they are aware of my situation. But, lol, they decided no couples therapy for sure.

Anyway, Grace hasn’t been here for two weeks and I’ve found a new home for her so she will be fine. I noticed he was not being careful with her, a little heavy handed with the leash. I won’t be getting another dog or pet. While I would prefer a mobile home, the apartment is probably just as good. Maybe better as I think about it.

Having a car, that he can’t drive, gives me a certain level independence. Although, I can’t drive much or often. It’s up to me to take back my life as much as I can. That’s the hard part, as I am too nice a person. I have to start thinking of myself first.

Plus he has lung cancer, this might make an impact on him. Remains to be seen. Anyway, I will be fine. But I appreciate everyone’s concern.
 
Hollydolly,

Thanks for asking. It is my choice. We had a discussion and he agreed.

We both like a nearby apartment complex. It’s all ages (not wild about that) and with what people are saying maybe I don’t want a senior complex. I envisioned a senior complex as being active with no children, lol. I thought assisted living would have the more needy seniors. But assisted living is 4000 a month. Pretty non affordable.

The problem with the nearby complex is one-it doesn’t have Comcast and, well, I need Comcast. I love Comcast. The apartment has direct tv. It would be a hard adjustment, seriously. This old lady likes her tv shows, lol. But I guess I could adapt.

Where we live can be far away from the hospital in an ER. Once when the instant care called an ambulance for me after an hour we went in the car. The ambulance got stuck in traffic on the freeway. This is a consideration. With the lung cancer thing, kinda up in the air, it might be better to find something much closer to the hospital.

Then again, it would be easier to move close by and harder to move further away. Moving in the middle of the valley would be best. Nearer the hospital, closer to our son. The mobile home park met all these location problems. But was further from his work. It was never this hard before. It’s our age, our medical problems, distance from help, and my indecision.

It used to be that when we moved, whoever made the decision, we moved. Now it’s just complicated. Opinions are welcome. Also, apartments are hard to find. Utah is booming. Lots of people moving in. Shortages in houses and no low costs housing, everything is expensive. We have his dog. I don’t want to pay double rent, but I might have to in order to insure we have a place.

I think moving nearby, a six month lease, might be best and give us more breathing room. It’s a big change. That means a choice between the small two bedroom or the large three bedroom. A difference of 400 dollars which depending on what the house sells for could be a lot of money. Then again if he gets increased va benefits it won’t be as bad.

Either way, if he dies, I would have to move to a one bedroom. Daughter’s house is sold. She is in a rented cabin till they move in two weeks. :(. Poor son left to deal with us, and my frustration, all by himself. So many issues, so much stress, and the trip to Disneyland in about three more weeks. Sigh.
 
It's definitely hard work as we get older to move without all the other considerations medical or otherwise.. however I think your idea of a 6 month lease on an apartment in an area you think might be more suitable to your needs..hospital, easy distance to stores, perhaps the television service that you would like, and maybe you could think of putting some of your stuff in storage just in the interim, while you make a final decision, it would certainly save you having to move everything twice or 3 times before finding your forever home!!..
 
We did rent storage a couple of days ago. Starting to move stuff in on Friday. I totally agree, want to make sure he/we like the apartment as last time he didn’t. Lesson learned!
 
In responding to hollydolly, thanks by the way, I realized I had not brought up the issue of wanting to be closer to the hospital. I mentioned this to him. The fact that if/when he has chemo he doesn’t want to be so far from the hospital. It can take an hour or more during peak traffic hours to get there.

At first just mentioned it in passing, then more and more. Daughter already told him she thinks we should buy a mobile home. Then yesterday my son chimes in and says he hated the apartment before, he will hate it now. We need to buy another house, one level, or a mobile home.

YAY! He finally agreed to a mobile home. We went and looked at some parks yesterday. Now, he is really wants to buy one before “it’s gone.” Lol.
 
Buying or even renting is getting tricky if not harder for retired seniors in the day and age of the internet. Throw in post bubble paranoia and cya realtors unless your financial numbers fit their formula cash purchases or high credit score is the only way one can get into a new place. Too many realtors, property managers, dealers etc just want to plug your numbers including monthly income into one of their computer programs. Most seniors are low or fixed income. Doesn't mean we don't have cash or good credit but unless one is going into an actual retirement community many alternatives are out of the picture wether they can be paid for or not. Cash is still king.

Mobile homes unless going into a set up home can get pricey going in. Transport and set up of a home is where alot of the expense is, not the home itself. Also ask about lot fees because one still has to pay utilities, insurance etc. It's that upfront cost that takes away cash for the future.
 
Insurance is a big concern. Not every company will sell policies for mobile homes, and not all will sell in certain states. See an insurance broker to find one for you.

Pay attention to not only what perils are covered, but also what perils may be excluded, or purchased by an endorsement to the basic policy.
 
I like (static) Mobile homes... they're a little different here to those in the USA in that comparatively there are very few resident mobile home parks here , ... Most static home parks are for holidaymakers , ..but that aside anyway..I would buy one , some are really beautiful inside and on pretty parks albeit expensive , often more so than bricks and mortar homes ....BUT.... I would never dream of buying a home, and then having to pay rent on the land forever, and or risk the landlord selling up, or rents going up every year ..or the land being sold from under you!!




What is the point of buying a home and still paying rent?...and not low rents either!!??

Here's the typical type of UK static mobile home..

https://parkhome-living.co.uk/park-homes-for-sale-and-rent/fangrove-park/homes/1687

These are the rules and regs of Park homes in the UK

https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/factsheets/fs71_park_homes_fcs.pdf




 
This mobile home and park is very nice, HD.

I considered selling my condo and buying a mobile home when I retired, but what I saw within a reasonable distance didn't suit at the time. I was thinking the rent for the site would be less than my mortgage payment. I still think they're cute tho', but snow damage is always a consideration in my area.
 
You're right RR, the rent for the plot would be cheaper than your mortgage but you've still got to find the price of the Home as well... of course you could always just rent a mobile home rather than buy !!
 
We have found one senior mobile home park that was sold. They sued, and won the right to buy the land, so they did. If we buy in that park, we will co op the land and the park, itself, can not be sold. It’s a very small park, but well kept. No pool but I don’t swim. There are three homes for sale that we are planning on looking at.

One is a 2004 double wide, one is a 2018 single wide, and the other is a single but pictures were not on line. I don’t know how big an issue age is in a mobile home. There is also a two bedroom 1997 home which I think is too old to buy and too small. We looked at one home on line, in a different park, which would suit us very well, but when we saw the park it was not kept up.

The condition of of the park is important. Overgrown yards bring many critters. Ugh. We plan on looking at all the parks with homes for sale before we decide. It’s impossible to buy another house for now. The prices are too high and when the market corrects most people will end up-upside down.

We bought this house three years ago. We should make 50,000 plus when we sell it. Crazy.
 
Aneeda, our friend on here 'Pappy'' owns and lives in a park home part of the year. I'm sure he'd be able to tell you more info about details like how important the age is, and the pitfalls to look out for!!
 
We hope to see the mobile homes we are interested in this week. There is one home I am set on buying, but won’t have a down payment till this house sells unless I can only pay 5%. Since we only bought this house three years ago, and had a lot of expenses over those three years, we haven’t been able to replenish our savings.
 
Well, back to square one. Sigh.

The financing for a mobile home is insane. The interest rate is 12%, longest is 23 years. Plus you have to use an out of state lender which we don’t do. We went to our credit union and they would give us a home equity loan for 10 years at 12%. Hmm, no.

So, we either buy another house or rent an apartment. It’s just too stressful. Looks like the apartment for now, maybe a house later once the market gets reasonable.
 
Can you just rent a mobile home if you don't want to get an apartment, instead of buying? Seems to me that the apartment is the easiest thing for now, one that accepts pets is best, you do still have Grace, don't you?
 


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