Today I took the next step to buying a caravan – I went to a caravan retailer and looked inside!
First impressions are that I need to increase my budget by about NZ$5-10K. I was looking at 2 berth online, and realistically, I need a 4 berth just to have the space to live in it full-time. A 4 berth means it can sleep 4 people – the sofa area turns into a double bed and the mini dining area into bunk beds. I can imagine getting lazy with changing the bed back and forth first thing in the morning, so a small dining area makes sense to have that first cup of tea. The more expensive caravans have a fixed bed in the back – Luxury! I don’t think I need to go THAT far.
There was a lot of wood and patterned sofa fabric, which I was expecting and would want to one-day update. They’re definitely not marketed for my age. Richard, the dealer, asked why I was wanting to buy one and we ended up discussing the ridiculous prices of houses in Auckland.
I’m nervous about driving the caravan and asked Richard if he knew of any courses I could take. Apparently there is nothing – but he said he spends time showing the buyer how it’s done. I have heard I could get lessons for driving a trailer, which would be better than nothing. Practising first, before towing $25K around, would be a GOOD idea!
This was my first day seriously looking for a new home and I feel like it’s an achievable dream. Hearing about my workmates struggle to purchase his first home and needing to up their budget has confirmed that this is right for me.