| What are alternative lifestyles and why would they | | | | home. Here are a few more of these housing |
| require alternative housing? To answer the first part | | | | options.- RV Boondocking. I've talked to people living |
| it is easiest to give examples. Then the answer to | | | | in Rvs that cost $200,000 and ones that cost $600, |
| the second part becomes self evident.One winter we | | | | so the selection of accommodations is varied, to say |
| were camping in our conversion van at a hot springs | | | | the least.- Permanent travelers. Housing is whatever |
| area in Arizona. We met a man who sold stuffed | | | | works for the moment for those who work various |
| animals on the side of the highway. Having been | | | | jobs as the travel.- Houseboats. There are whole |
| through a bad divorce, and having little money, he | | | | communities of people living on houseboats, and they |
| was living in the van at places like these hot springs. | | | | usually don't have to pay property taxes.- |
| Every day he drove off to the nearest highways and | | | | Basements. Even some people with good incomes |
| set up his stuffed animals for sale. He claimed to | | | | choose to live in the basement as they build the |
| have sold $4,000 worth the first month, so his low | | | | house above for cash. No mortgage sounds nice, |
| cost living meant he could save the money and get | | | | doesn't it?- Log cabin squatting. Yes, there really are |
| back on his feet.Meanwhile, another neighbor at the | | | | people living out there in the national forests, moving |
| hot springs was living in his old RV. He had a house, | | | | when they get caught every five or ten years.- |
| but he preferred to supplement his social security by | | | | School busses. Apparently old busses sell cheap. We |
| renting it out. This meant he lived in his RV for a few | | | | met three young men who lived in one in the deserts |
| weeks at each location, often for free, and spent | | | | of Arizona, and anywhere else they could park it for |
| evenings sitting around campfires talking to travelers | | | | a month.- Offices. A couple I know almost moved |
| like us.A friend of ours lived in a shack that he built | | | | into the office building they owned. It was on the |
| for $3,000 on a small piece of land he bought for | | | | river and had showers, so why not? One less |
| $7,000. He was there for enough time to pay off the | | | | mortgage too.A national magazine recently did a |
| land and sell it for a profit. This is illegal in many areas, | | | | write-up on people who lived in the jungles of Hawaii. |
| of course, because of things like occupancy permits | | | | Rents are high in Hawaii, and life on the beach is |
| and minimum square footage requirements. Usually, | | | | good - at least for younger people who can tolerate |
| however, you can camp on your land, so a $2,000 | | | | camping out for years. Alternative lifestyles and |
| used RV parked on your land makes for a cheap and | | | | alternative housing are often more for the younger |
| legal housing alternative.Other Housing For Alternative | | | | crowd. Then again, tell that to the tens of thousands |
| LifestylesAlternative lifestyle doesn't mean "low | | | | of retirees living in RVs.Copyright Steve Gillman. Visit |
| income" of course. There are other reasons for living | | | | his website for: |
| differently and needing different types of housing. | | | | 1. A photo of a beautiful house he and his wife |
| Whether to save money, to travel, to live creatively | | | | bought for $17,500. |
| - there are many reasons why people choose to live | | | | 2. A free book on how to save thousands buying |
| in tents, RVs, cabins, underground homes, rental | | | | your next home. |
| rooms and anything else that's less common than the | | | | 3. A free real estate investing course. |
| houses, condos and apartments that most people call | | | | |