My "Plan B" just became my new "Plan A"(SHTF....ongoing)

[Doomsteader]

Hi everyone,
   I recently joined the forum and was actually getting ready to make the usual intro post in the newbies section this past
Sunday, when the phone rang(<--more on that later), and got some Bad News, so this is gonna be one helluva unusual introductary post.

   Here's a bit of background and a sort of timeline that explains how I got to be in the situation that I am:

First off, I live in NY. Have for many years, and still do(although not_much_longer!)

Last summer I bought me a sad, decrepit old mobile home(on it's own land) in upstate SC. It was, amazingly enough, lived in up until this past June by a family of 6 w/3 dogs. I say "amazing" because when I actually visited the property for the first time in Aug(yeah, I bought it on ebay. `nuff said), I was amazed that ANYONE would be actually living in this flea-infested(did I mention they had 3 dogs?) dump in it's present condition. The interior is pretty much gutted. It needs pretty much everything. First order of business would have to be to cover the opening from the thru-wall A/C unit the previous owner decided to take with him, and not bother at least covering the hole with a piece of paneling or something, and then flea-bomb the place good. Get the (city)water turned back on(and hope the pipes are still ok after some of the cold days that occurred there the past month or so. The water was still on when I visited in Aug, and the pipes seemed ok at the time, but since I was on a 3 day visit (Sat, Sun and Mon), and had a flight to catch back to NY early Tues am, there was no way for me to wait to have the water turned off, and then drain the pipes. Hopefully, they're still ok. No guarantees. But it looks like I'll get to find out soon enough.

But I digress. I bought it with the intention of eventually relocating to SC permanently, and having an inexpensive place of my own to live, where it would be possible to "semi-retire"(I am 51 y/o), and fully retire when the time came. Doing so up here on Long Island is impossible. Being a lifelong renter I also bought the place in Roebuck as a "back-up/Plan B" type of thing, in the event the excrement hits the rotary air circulation device for me up here(and hit, it DID....more on that in a minute).

I had originally planned to be living in SC by around Mar/Apr of 2009, but once I saw the condition of the place last August, I was figuring on having it demolished/hauled off to the dumps, and replacing it with a nice, much newer unit. That set my projected relocation date back a good year.

I should add, my predictions and estimates were made in, and based on the much brighter and (apparently, anyway) robust economy that still existed at that time.

Fast foward to last month, when I felt it necessary to resign from my job, because my employer started putting me in a situation where risking my license became part of the job. I knew it was a bad time to resign what with the economy being as bad as it is, but I figured "better to be unemployed in a bad economy with a clean license, than (sooner or later), be unemployed in a bad economy with a dinged license(or worse). Regardless of wether it was an in retrospect Bad Move, I felt it necessary in the extreme to extricate myself from that situation ASAP, before something Bad happens, it's water under the bridge at this point. For better or worse, it`s a done deal.

One leg of the 4-legged bar-stool gone.

Being out of work(even with the lack of unemployment checks) was actually a nice change of pace - I had taken only 1 vacation in 4 years, could desperately use some time off,, and wasn`t all that worried about finding another job. I didn`t even start to look in earnest until the beginning of this month. Not a big problem, because I live well within my means, and managed to sock some money away prior to leaving.

Yesterday, Really Bad news. I got a call from the property manager that I have to leave my super-cheap living situation STAT,...preferably within 24-48 hours. You see, my living situation here was never "legal"(from a zoning standpoint) and I knew that and he knew that all along. He stuck his neck out for me 5 years ago, and got me on the property back when I really needed it, and I/we've been operating on the principal that it could end at any time. Neither of us expected it to end 3 days before Christmas, and certainly not with the rapidity and super-short notice from the Town. It was a nice ride while it lasted. He doesn`t own the property, but even if he did, he's powerless to fight City Hall. We both know that. He has to protect the property owner's best interests and I respect that, and so will try to be out of here within a day, 2 at the most.

The second leg of the 4-legged barstool is pulled, and stool begins to fall.

I suppose I could go redouble my efforts, find a job(that almost certainly pays less than the one I left), and then work full time and begin the never-ending struggle that is living on Long Island without the benefit of being wealthy. 20% of my meager paycheck goes to the gov't, 50% of what's left goes to pay the rent(a *room* here, JUST a room, is a *minimum* of $500 a month, IF you can even find one of the cheaper ones when you need it) Vehicular living starts to look attractive. I've done the V-L before, and I really don't want to go back there. That's why I scrimped and saved to buy the place in Roebuck. I still owe a little on it, but NOTHING compared to anyone's mortgage or even new car loan.

So, it looks like I`m gonna have to junk the RV I was living in for the past 5 years(no plates, lost title, hasn't been started in 5 years, and got 3 1/2 miles to the gallon back when I drove it from Buffalo to Long Island) so it's not saleable, only good for junk.
Amd since my car is a tiny econobeater and has little room inside, I have to leave lots of good stuff behind(fridge, TV, AC, gas stove, microwave, kerosene heater, ect - all stuff that I could use to try and get set up in SC, but will have to buy new to replace,
since I can't transport the stuff down there.  And wether my 11 year old Hyundai is up for the 800 mile trip is also an open question.  It's only got 68k on it, but it ain't no Honda.  And all this just before Christmas, on one the worst possible weeks to
be traveling on the road of the entire year.

And besides the uncertainty of the fixability/condition of the MH, there is also the rather frightening prospect of being a stranger
in a strange land, not knowing a single soul in SC, and above all(in this horrible economy)needing to find a job STAT. 

Wish me luck, people.   I'll try and post from the road from time to time(I have laptop and cellular internet).

If Plan A doesn't work out, my new Plan B is to keep driving south another 800 miles to S. Fla, and stay with a close relative for the time being.

[Kiboru]

Holy shit... You sure are an unlucky one. Remember to stay optimistic and don't give up!

[lady-t]

welcome and i am sure it will work out.  things always do.  you could always live in the decrepit mh and fix one room at a time until you have it the way you want it.  not a great choice, but doable.  stop and buy a flea bomb for every room of the house and set them off and come back in 24 hours to vacuum and sprinkle flea killing powder on the carpet,  do a double dose of flea killing...one single application won't work.  ask me how i know this.  i have dogs inside as well,  and NOW i have NO fleas in the carpet.  also take some sevin dust and sprinkle the ground around the house especially if they had a dog house and a dog tied out,  do that area real good.  anywhere it looks like dogs hung out. 

get some plywood and cover the hole in the wall and any broken windows,  change the door lock or get it re-keyed. 

as for the old motor home,  try selling it to the junk yard and they will haul it off.  or something...don't just leave it,  even if you get 50.00 for it it is more than you would have gotten.  also you need to take the power converter out of it...they are way expensive btw  also you might consider stripping it of other things and renting a u-haul to take them with you.  like if it has a fridge or generator,  the hot water tank alone costs over 300.00 to replace.  if you rent a u-haul you could tow your car and move all your stuff at the same time.

[msegk]

You might consider liquidating entirely, fly to Florida, take a deep breath and take a few days to examine the big picture to avoid impulsive decisions.  Maybe your relative has some ideas.  South Florida is loaded with cheap RVs for sale.  It wouldn't be cheap to drive one to SC but it sure won't get any cheaper.  You might be farther ahead, depending how bad the mh is.  Do you have rehab experience?  I ask since you didn't turn off the water yourself. 

[getting ready]

Could you get your professional/vocational license for SC?  New York has some of the tightest laws in the country for licensing and certification.  Transferring it to SC may be easier than you think.  Perhaps there is a more populated area of SC not too far from your doomstead?  You could get a job in your field in this more populated area, along with a room to rent to stay in 4-5 days a week and stay at and work on your place on days off?

All the best to you while you are on the road.  Have faith.  Oftentimes things flow magically.  Keep your chin up and keep on keeping on. 

[Doomsteader]

welcome and i am sure it will work out.  things always do. 

Thanks, Lady T, I hope you're right.  I`m not feeling very optomistic right now.....I could SO use a valium right about now

you could always live in the decrepit mh and fix one room at a time until you have it the way you want it.  not a great choice, but doable.  stop and buy a flea bomb for every room of the house and set them off and come back in 24 hours to vacuum and sprinkle flea killing powder on the carpet,  do a double dose of flea killing...one single application won't work.  ask me how i know this.  i have dogs inside as well,  and NOW i have NO fleas in the carpet. 

Do I buy this stuff at a hardware store?  Pet store?

also take some sevin dust and sprinkle the ground around the house especially if they had a dog house and a dog tied out,  do that area real good.  anywhere it looks like dogs hung out. 

Flea-killing powder is what...? Borax?  What is sevin dust?  I never heard of it.

get some plywood and cover the hole in the wall and any broken windows,  change the door lock or get it re-keyed. 

as for the old motor home,  try selling it to the junk yard and they will haul it off.  or something...don't just leave it,  even if you get 50.00 for it it is more than you would have gotten. 

That's what I plan on doing.  Like you said, even if I just get the gas money for the trip out of it, it's better than nothing.  I'm actually more concerned that it gets disposed of legally and properly, so that it doesn't wind up abandoned somewhere after the all the worthwhile stuff has been stripped off - the last thing I need is for tickets to start being mailed out by the NY DMV
blaming and fining me for abandoning a vehcile.  Since I was the last registered owner, the VIN # is most likely traceable back to me.

also you need to take the power converter out of it...they are way expensive btw 

I don't have the time nor inclination, nor any immediate prospects for selling it on such short notice, so that's out.   I'm certainly not stuffing it into the Hyundai.  I plan on traveling liight.

 also you might consider stripping it of other things and renting a u-haul to take them with you.  like if it has a fridge or generator,  the hot water tank alone costs over 300.00 to replace.  if you rent a u-haul you could tow your car and move all your stuff at the same time.

As much as driving a late-model rental truck would help insure I reach my destination without breaking down, U-Haul gets expensive after a few miles, likely close to the cost
of replacing the stuff I can't take in the Hyundai.  No,...someone's gonna get a free bonanza of stuff with the RV.  I'd give the stuff to my neighbor, but he's being made to leave, as well.
He's a few years older than me, and has no real place to go either, but he's on disability, and gets a small pension, so at least he has not only an income, but a portable income, and I have
floated the idea of him going to SC with me, helping me fix up the place, kicking in $200-300 a month for rent, and once I got a job, and finished paying the place off, I'd just split expenses
with him.  I could probably talk him into it fairly easily, but not really knowing the situation with the MH, I don't want to bring him down with me, only to have to put him on a plane/train back to NY, while I continue on to Fl.  At this moment, we are waiting for call backs from 2 possible last ditch reprieves that would buy us some time here, but I`m not holding my breath - neither
situation are all that attractive.  May be best just to cut my losses, and *GO* and stop diddling around here in an effort to stall off the inevitable, but it`s just about the most horrible week to
be traveling on the I-95 right now.  Just getting to southern NJ from Long Island is a horror, even on an average day - if I could just_get_past New Year's here, before hitting the road, I
wouldn't bequite  so apprehensive about the drive(of course, the way my luck's been running lately, Jan 2 would be a snowstorm).

BTW, thanks to everyone for the tips and advice so far, for any encouragement, and for reading my posts.  I know I'm not actually accomplishing anything by posting my situation here, but just putting it down "on paper" and trying to sort things out is kinda like therapy for the stress, so I guess in a way, it helps   Right now, misery is luvin`company

[PostApocalypticTribe]

Welcome to the board.

If you need any ideas or tips on renovating the mobile home, ask away. My company bought a old mobile home park and we had to renovate every single home in the park. We learned how to do things on the cheap really quick. As long as the frame, roof, plumbing, and electrical are sound everything else can be replaced fairly easily. First priority is the roof. If it goes everything else goes.

BTW, I'm in Dillon SC, welcome to SC as well.

[Doomsteader]

You might consider liquidating entirely, fly to Florida, take a deep breath and take a few days to examine the big picture to avoid impulsive decisions.  Maybe your relative has some ideas.  South Florida is loaded with cheap RVs for sale.  It wouldn't be cheap to drive one to SC but it sure won't get any cheaper.  You might be farther ahead, depending how bad the mh is.  Do you have rehab experience?  I ask since you didn't turn off the water yourself. 

*Flying* to Florida would be counterproductive, because I'd still have to fly back and get my car, and Florida is a distant Plan C.  Replacing my (currently, anyway) good-running and economical
car is not an option nor desired at this time.  I figure that, since I'm driving, and have to pass SC to get to Fl anyway, I may as well stop in SC, flea-bomb and check out the MH, and take a
good assessment of it's condition and figure out what, at a minimum, it needs to be at least semi-liveable.  I`m really not very picky or fussy about my abode -  as long as there are no "critters" of any kind crawling, jumping or flying around in there, and the roof doesn't leak, I`m good, for the most part.  Having spent the last 5 years living in a pretty decrepit `73 Dodge RV, and prior to that, several months in a Ford conversion van, a crappy, 35 year old singlewide seems positively palatial to me by comparison.  It looks like the previous owner had started re-doing the
inside, and it's mostly gutted right now.  Much of the insulation is just barely clinging to the inside of the exterior walls, and about half of the sheetrock(?) is off the inside walls.  Some of the interior walls were removed as well.  It's going to need insulation, some studs for framing some new interior walls, and some paneling and/or sheetrock to cover those walls.  There is s soft
spot in the floor in one place.   The windows are (or were, anyway) all there, but it needs curtains .  The bathroom has been stripped to bare walls and studs.  I got some pics if I could figure out how to post them here.

But with the exception of the curtains, I only *need* to: seal up that AC opening, flea-bomb, wait, cart out the rest of the previous owner's leftover crap, vacumn, sweep, ect.  Fleabomb again, vacumn, sweep, clean, and buy a bed, microwave, small frdige and maybe a cheap table and a couple of chairs, ect and get the water turned back on.  That's all I NEED to do so I have a place to sleep, wash up, bathroom, and cook.  At that point, I'd consider it habitable - at least, as long as we're talking just me living there.  (I've had the power on since July)

As for me not turning off the water when I was there, if I simply had shut off the water off myself, I would have had to cut the water company's lock on the valve to do so, and this would not have stopped the $30 or so monthly billing for the city water and sewer.  They DO have an option(but you have to specifically ask for it) where, when they turn the water on, they leave it unlocked, which is what I'll have them do when I go to have it turned back on.  Do I have rehab experience?  No, not really, but I'm pretty handy with tools, and am a half-assed decent
carpenter in a pinch.  I know my way around a circular saw and such.  The only thing I can't do is sweat copper pipes together.  I suck at it. Threaded pipes I'm good at cutting and threading,
but copper pipefitting is out of my knowledge and comfort-zone. 

[Doomsteader]

Could you get your professional/vocational license for SC?  New York has some of the tightest laws in the country for licensing and certification.  Transferring it to SC may be easier than you think.  Perhaps there is a more populated area of SC not too far from your doomstead?  You could get a job in your field in this more populated area, along with a room to rent to stay in 4-5 days a week and stay at and work on your place on days off?

 

Heh, the only "professional license" I have is a CDL.  The MH is in a very good location, semi-rural/suburbanish yet at the same time, only 5 miles from downtown Spartanburg(decent-sized city), and about 18 miles to Greenville(biggest city in the upstate of SC, I believe)  I'm shooting for a job as close to the MH(I almost said "close to home" by accident - freudian slip/cognitive dissodence/denial mojo goin' on in my head, I guess) as possible, and would of course commute, but really want to keep the commute distance reasonable.  I am willing to take damn near ANY job that I was able to do, outside my field or not.  The important thing for me would be to get a steady income going ASAP, so that I have a firm "footing" in the area, both financial and
psychological.  The one good thing about the MH, is that it's a cheap date   property taxes + having the power on works out to like $15 a month.  I estimate that if I lived there F/T, and made normal use of the electric heat, electric stove, electric water-heater, AC and had the water/sewer on, it would cost me less than $200 a month - perhaps as low as $150 a month,
to live there.  Not bad for owning your own place and not having any rent or landlord. No POA or HOA, either This would allow me to take even some bottom-end $7 an hour job, and still pay all my bills, continue to pay off the property - I still owe about $3,700 on it (@ 0% APR for one more year, anyway - I charged it on my credit card, 110% LTV ), and live reasonably well
on a wage that would send some renters and most homeowner with a mortgage rocketing into insolvency.  It would be possible for me to live on minimum wage, or work a decent/good paying P/T job and do nothing else productive if I didn't want to.  The further the commute, the more the job would have to pay to make the extra time and expense worthwhile.  If I fix up the inside and finish up a decent bedroom, I could easily rent out a room for $200 a month, I would have essentially totally-free housing, so there is possibly some potential for further expense reduction on my part, but that would be down the line a ways. 

All the best to you while you are on the road.  Have faith.  Oftentimes things flow magically.  Keep your chin up and keep on keeping on.

Thanks, I'll try!

[Doomsteader]

Welcome to the board.

If you need any ideas or tips on renovating the mobile home, ask away. My company bought a old mobile home park and we had to renovate every single home in the park. We learned how to do things on the cheap really quick. As long as the frame, roof, plumbing, and electrical are sound everything else can be replaced fairly easily. First priority is the roof. If it goes everything else goes.

BTW, I'm in Dillon SC, welcome to SC as well.

Thanks PAT, there's a lot I don't know about MH, and if I wind up going down there(Roebuck), I'm sure I'll have need of your expertise.  Yeah, I know MH go downhill fast, especially
when the roof starts leaking.  Seller siad roof was just resealed, no leaks and in good shape, but then again, he wasn't totally honest and forthcoming about several other things, so who knows?  I know there was a soft spot in the floor in one area - wether that was from an old leak or is an ongoing thing, I don't know.   Those old, pre-76 MH were largely crap, and pretty much not build to any code.  They aren't really worth fixing, I think, once they've been allowed to deteriorate.  My plan(after seeing this MH in person) was to add a year or so to my scheduled departure of NY, demolish or haul off the old MH, and bring in a newer one that's in nice shape, but due to recent events, I'm going to have to make do with the one that's there - or wind up in Florida  

Oh and thanks for the SC welcome - I'm guessing I'll get a mixed reception due to my hailing from NY.  It's certainly no asset.  My neighbor in Roebuck, who I've talked to by phone a few times, said "We think the civil war is still going on!"  I laughed it off as maybe he was doing a self-parody to parody some northerners' pre-conceived stereotypes sbout southerners, but I'm not so sure he was kidding  

[Doomsteader]

Update: Property manager told expeditor he absolutely cannot do anything till after Christmas, so it looks like we got till at least until the 26th.

[CMH]

Update: Property manager told expeditor he absolutely cannot do anything till after Christmas, so it looks like we got till at least until the 26th.

Good for you, at least it gives you a little time to sell your stuff.

Last summer I bought me a sad, decrepit old mobile home(on it's own land) in upstate SC. It was, amazingly enough, lived in up until this past June by a family of 6 w/3 dogs. I say "amazing" because when I actually visited the property for the first time in Aug(yeah, I bought it on ebay. `nuff said), I was amazed that ANYONE would be actually living in this flea-infested(did I mention they had 3 dogs?) dump in it's present condition

lol, welcome to the south honey!!! he he he 

[McDoom]

///

[Doomsteader]

lol, welcome to the south honey!!! he he he 

Thanks, LOL!   And according to this "national flea activity map" I looked at, the sun never sets on the flea empire in SC,...not even in January.  Just slows the little buggers down a bit is all.

[PostApocalypticTribe]

Oh and thanks for the SC welcome - I'm guessing I'll get a mixed reception due to my hailing from NY.  It's certainly no asset.  My neighbor in Roebuck, who I've talked to by phone a few times, said "We think the pivil war is still going on!"  I laughed it off as maybe he was doing a self-parody to parody some northerners' pre-conceived stereotypes sbout southerners, but I'm not so sure he was kidding  

Ah well.... The War of Northern Aggression still weighs heavy in the hearts of many.... We did just take the stars and bars off the state house a few years ago...  but as long as you're friendly, not rude, and don't call oil "earl" then you'll probably be welcomed. We are known for our friendliness.