Research: Cheap Caravan for Temporary Living

[nelsonic]

Please note: we are definitely not considering living in a Caravan long-term. ⛺
However if we buy any land that doesn't have existing living quarters e.g: #116
we will need something either for ourselves to stay in short-term.
or for an on-site construction worker to live in, again, short-term.

Todo

Please: search OLX, Stand Virtual and any other websites where these sorts of things are sold
and share links to the listings you find that are relevant to us.

• Research available reasonably priced [Budget: €10k] caravans that we can use short-term.

  Note: We don't want (have time for) a "fixer-upper" caravan; it must be immediately liveable with minimal cleaning.
  Once we no longer need the caravan it will be re-sold at a small loss e.g: €7k

• Sleeps 4 people. 4️⃣

  Note: if you find smaller caravans that sleep 2 people but still have OK facilities [see below] (toilet, shower & kitchenette),
  please share as these will interest us for workpeople/workawayers Workaway #119
  Smaller caravans should be correspondingly cheaper e.g. €6k.

• Desireable facilities:

  • Toilet 🚽
  • Shower 🛒
  • Kitchenette (most likely propane/butane based ...) 🍴
  • Solar Panel + batteries ☀️
  • Road-worthy (for re-saleability ...)

Example of the kind of thing we are looking for:
https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/caravana-sterling-europa-de-luxo-em-boa-condicao-IDHjK7J.html#ae20fee65b

[nelsonic]

FYI: apparently renting a caravan on AirBnB is a thing in PT: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/32442749

€16/night for 2 people is a bargain.

But the caravan is ooooollllddd ...

The caravan doesn't have any W/C or shower, these are located in an out-house:

They are very much playing up the nature angle:

The AirBnB Listing location is "São João das Lampas, Lisboa, Portugal"

As you can tell from the map it's quite far from Lisbon ...

All this to say: a Caravan could be a totally viable AirBnB option on the land in the short to medium term.
Reviews are good:

We could probably get €20/night. Not going to make bank with this kind of cash but it could gradually pay for the caravan. The interesting version of this would be getting foreign families to spend a week at a time with airport transfer.
We could get €180/week and do 12 weeks a year it's €2,160/year.
At those sort of numbers it would pay for itself pretty quickly.
But we are not, I repeat NOT building a "caravan park" under any circumstances!!
This would be a short-term stop gap for us to stay in on weekends while the "main" house is being built.

Please share your research on potential caravans we can buy. 🙏

[nelsonic]

https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/caravana-inglesa-quarto-wc-separados-IDHlgBc.html

Google translate:

Interior:

Looks like it's in very good condition.

[nelsonic]

@iteles looking at the prices of the TinyHousePortugal you shared on dwyl/tiny-house#21 (comment) 31500€ + IVA trailer 💰
I feel like a used (but still great condition) caravan is a much better option in the short-term. 💭

https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/caravana-inglesa-ranger-IDIH3pC.html

This seller appears to have a few of them that they have imported from the UK:
https://www.olx.pt/ads/user/l9aiD/?query=caravana

The SONATA looks even better maintained:
https://www.olx.pt/d/anuncio/caravana-inglesa-sonata-IDIIpwi.html

They have made an effort with their website: https://dfccars.pt

https://dfccars.pt/contactos#location

T2h drive from @home https://maps.app.goo.gl/psJYc9k45RGXEwTd6

We could go down to Coimbra to Portugal dos Pequenos https://www.fbb.pt/pp/
and or Lousã: https://www.booking.com/hotel/pt/octant-lousa.en-gb.html

We could visit your Mum's Cuz at Aldeias do Xisto for a night or two:
https://www.tripadvisor.pt/Attraction_Review-g1769086-d10472744-Reviews-Aldeias_do_Xisto-Lousa_Coimbra_District_Central_Portugal.html

@iteles thoughts?

[carolrmc]

There are some very good vans reasonably priced.
It's a great choice for a tiny house substitute, especially if you put a veranda extension.