A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Your First Holiday Home

Imagine owning your own Caravan Holiday Home on a beautiful stretch of the River Thames, perfectly positioned between Henley and Marlow. If you have even dreamed of owning your own static caravan, this is a guide to everything you need to know, from understanding the financial commitment to choosing your perfect location.

What is a caravan holiday home?

A caravan holiday home, otherwise known as a static caravan, is similar to a touring caravan, except you don’t tow it from place to place, you leave it somewhere you want to visit over and over again.

Caravan Holiday Homes are usually 12 or 14 feet wide and can range from 28 to 40 feet long. However, they vary greatly inside, with a wide variety of options including the number of bedrooms, the number of bathrooms (including en-suites) and whether it has balcony doors.

The decor can also range widely from minimalist to …. crazy?

Where can you keep your caravan holiday home?

When you buy a pre-owned unit, it will usually already be located on a park. New units would normally be bought through the park and you would then choose which pitch to put it on.

You would be given a Licence Agreement, which allows you to keep the caravan holiday home on that pitch for a fixed amount of time, paying an annual pitch fee. It is vital that you read this Agreement carefully as it is legally binding.

If you no longer want the caravan, you would normally be able to sell the caravan to another person or with some parks allow you to gift the caravan to another close family member.

It’s important to remember that caravan holiday homes are for holiday use only and you can usually visit them as much as you want while the park is open, but you aren’t able to live there.

Why should you consider buying a caravan holiday home?

The benefit of owning your own caravan is not just for the convenience of avoiding check-in and packing your bags. It allows you to have spontaneous weekends away, whenever you want. If you get the location right and love to visit your caravan frequently, it can also save you money on accommodation costs over time, whilst creating treasured memories for you and your family with a stress-free holiday.

How do you choose the perfect location for my caravan holiday home?

There are many factors in deciding where you want to buy a static caravan.

• Where do you most want to visit regularly? Do you want the remote countryside, do you want a quiet village near a river (this is our favourite!) or somewhere busier near the coast?
• How long it will take you to get there from your home? Weekend trips are easiest if you are not driving a long distance.
• Do you want a quiet park where you make your own entertainment or have somewhere lively with a swimming pool, restaurants and a clubhouse.
• Does the park have a good reputation? Make sure you do your research on the park online and also make sure they are part of one of the main Trade Organisations, such as HARPA (Holiday and Residential Parks Association)

What kind of financial commitment is buying a caravan holiday home?

Buying a caravan holiday home has various cost considerations

• Initial purchase price. This can vary greatly from under £10,000 for pre-owned units for a short number of years left on their Licence Agreement to over £200,000 for some new units. The cost will not only be dictated by which static caravan you buy, but also by where it is located, as some parks will charge a lot more than others for the same unit.
• Running costs. Annual pitch fees also vary greatly, ranging from £3,000 to £10,000 depending on location. It is important to remember that you are committing to paying this fee annually for the duration of the Licence Agreement.
• Utilities. These include utilities (gas, electricity and water)
• Insurance. All parks will require you to have your caravan insured
• Maintenance. You will be responsible for the general maintenance of your caravan and pitch, including your decking and fencing etc.

How do I buy a caravan?

It is usually quite straightforward to buy a caravan holiday home compared to buying a house.

You would normally pay a deposit, sign a Licence Agreement and provide evidence that you have a residential property that you use as your main home (usually a council tax and utility bill).

Then you would pay the balance and you can move in! Some sales can take a matter of days, while buying a new unit can take longer if it is not already sited on a pitch.

What do I do now?

The best way to choose a park is to visit it. Call them up and book a viewing. You will likely need to fill out an application form so that the rules of the park are suitable for your needs, then you can start the process of finding your perfect caravan holiday home!