Pack in the job, rent out the house, get in the camper van, fuck off

[GotTheBug]

WIBU to do the above?

We have a house with a small mortgage, stable but unfulfilling jobs, a camper van and itchy feet. Some savings (but not a huge amount!) No kids at home, one ageing but currently still independent parent nearby. Both of us early 50s and healthy.

We have talked about doing this for years and I'm increasingly starting to think that we should do it now before we get any older - also I'm aware that my DF may need us around more in the years to come. I guess I'm worrying that if we leave it another 10 years/wait until retirement we'll have missed the window.

Obviously leaving the job and renting out the house are massive steps and that scares me - so much to potentially go wrong. But at the same time, life is for living, right? We could rent out the house easily I think - seaside location, an hour from London on the train - and the rent would pretty much cover our travel expenses. DH could take a career break for a year or so much more easily than I could, though, and we'd be pretty skint on our return.

Would we be mad to do this, or mad not to?

Well, death is always a risk I suppose, I mean a very heightened chance of death haha.

DH could take a career break for a year or so much more easily than I could.

Could you get your old jobs back? Or would you both need to get jobs when you got back? In your 50s? I'd look very closely at that.

How are you placed with regard to pensions?

Also, what about the expenses of being a landlord - specialist insurance, maintenance, replacement of broken items, letting agent fees? Will you need to rent storage for your personal goods? Will the rent cover all that as well as your day-to-day expenditure, or will you need to use savings?

If you can afford it and are confident that you won't face problems after your adventure is over, go for it.

One of my colleagues is just about to do this. I think it's a great idea. She is doing it before kids.

Enjoy planning your adventure- seeing the world like this must be very freeing

If you had a camper van, where would you go?
And how long for?

Camper vans seem very cosy. How long could you live in one for?

(I totally get this by the way. My 20s was an interesting time for me with travelling).

A friend did this. Travel. They rented out their house in DC and bought a van and travelled through South America. They took the kids out of middle school and home schooled. Never looked back. Her name is Rebecca eichler.

YANBU as it's what you want to do and you've figured out a way to do it. I'd be bored by driving round with no purpose except fulfilling basic daily needs and sightseeing, but then I like my work and being part of something, and don't like tourism or camping. If it's what floats your boat as a couple and you don't mind doing whatever job you can get when you're back then go for it and have fun. Maybe wait till Spring though, unless you're driving somewhere much warmer.

Sell up don't rent it out. Not worth the risk and resulting endless and horrific stress if it goes wrong.

Could you both ask your jobs for a leave of absence so you could return to them afterwards? That would give you more financial security.

I think it's a great idea. Carpe diem!

@BMW6 I think it'd be madness to sell up. Much less risky to rent it out, have the mortgage covered and then some and know you've got that safety net waiting when you get back. Selling up loses your place on the property ladder then you're eating away at the capital by living off it. Not every landlord faces endless, horrific stress. Good to go into it with their eyes open of course, and have management in place but they could likely rent it out for a year and be fine.

We'd want to see a lot more of Europe - although the 90 days Schengen limit is a PITA. I follow an older couple on tiktok who've spent a lot of time in Morocco. Eastern Europe (not EU) really fascinates me as well.

And there's plenty of the UK that I've never properly explored tbh!

I think early 50s are still early. Maybe you could try a month of break if you can and see how you find it.

I'd wait until next week when it will warm up a bit😉

Get a letting agent to do the work - ok, you get less money, but none of the potential problems.

One factor to consider is where you would go. I would hate to be in a campervan in the UK in this current cold snap. What would you do when we get one of those weeks when it rains incessantly? Thanks to Brexit you won’t be allowed to pootle around Europe indefinitely, just 90 days a year maximum.

Go now before your elderly relative gets too old. There's a sweet spot before elderly parents need much more help and you should take advantage of that.

Could you get your old jobs back? Or would you both need to get jobs when you got back? In your 50s? I'd look very closely at that.

Yeah, it does worry me. Less of an issue for DH but definitely a concern for me. Sabbaticals are highly unlikely.

I wouldn't, for reasons already stated. Plus, it can be a nightmare if you get bad tenants and the law has recently changed regarding tenants' rights.

No madness either way, having this break sounds manageable financially and the time is right so doing it now makes perfect sense.

We did it... 12 month trip. Quit jobs, took eldest out of school, sold the house and pootled off without much of a plan.

On our return we sold the van for more than we paid and used it and our residual equity from the house sale to buy another house and picked up jobs quite easily.

My tips would be... Just do it.

Bookmark the Aires / free stopping points and plan to stay in places for at least a few days. Diesel costs escalate quickly when you move the van each day. Bikes and local transport are useful for getting about.

Get a van that can go off grid if you can and get a winterised van - cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Visit the local tourist information office in each new area... If only to know what the local shop closing times are. We had a few days of scratching around the back of the cupboard for dinner. Also local festivals can be so fun... New years in Venice was a highlight along with a mushroom festival in Chamonix and an unexpected unknown parade in a small town in backwoods Spain.

I don't think I'd do this unless I had at least 6 months of expenditure behind me (ie not relying on a rental income).

Have you factored in the set up costs of renting out your house (especially with the new laws coming in)? Gas and electric compliance, management fees, deposit protection, insurances, maintenance/replacement if goods break down, permission from mortgage company. You will also need to declare the income for tax purposes. What if the tenants stop paying rent? What if they don't move out when you want to return? What if there's a fire, flood etc which means one of you would have to return? It's a real hassle being a landlord these days.

I would sell first and be properly free or see if your dc could move in and just pay bills. but it sounds like you haven't held property for long if you rented until your 40's? Think about how you would buy again when you return as this might be difficult if prices rise and you don't have a job.

Also, if your Dh is a teacher you could look at a stint working abroad (especially if he gets a TEFL qualification). China, Japan, Europe, ME. Some places come with accommodation.

If it's carefully planned then it's do-able.

You think people who rent are scumbags?

This

I would do it. Some practicalities to consider, like who for example you’d call if the tenants had a problem with the property whilst you were renting it out. But once you’ve organised what you need then I’d hit the road.

It is 90 days in a rolling 180 day period. Also you can go out of Shengen but stay on mainland Europe - many go to the Balkans (not including Croatia) Also there are regular ferries to North Africa.

I did something like this…but not in a camper van and just for one year. I called it my gap year. I was mid 50’s.
My advice is not to underestimate the effort, time and energy needed in getting the house ready for rental. The house wasn’t trashed on return but it was apparent as soon as I walked back in that the tenants had been smokers.
It was worth the tremendous effort to organise it all….a truly memorable experience.