Owner Finance RV or Dealer Finance

OK your ready to get an RV loan to buy your dream RV, but you have questions.  Where do I go to get a loan?  Should I do something prior to getting a loan?.  How do I get a good interest rate?  Will I be able to afford the monthly payments?  What if I get turned down?  Oh Great, now I am dazed and really confused and my head is spinning and I feel ill.

Calm Down and take a breath, I am going to help you.  Getting an RV Loan isn't Rocket Science (actually Rocket Science is easier than getting an RV loan, JUST KIDDING).

How do I get a good interest rate?  

The first thing you need to understand is that just like any loan your interest rate is based on your Credit Score.   Do you even know what  your Credit Score is?  This is an important topic, so we have dedicated a whole page to it.

Your RV Loan Interest Rate Will Depend on Your Credit Score.

Once you've completed the section on credit reports you should review the two additional steps to getting a loan for an RV.  These steps will answer all of your other questions about getting a loan for an RV.

Step 1:  What to do before financing an RV.  Actually these are items that you should ponder, before actually seeking a loan.  These are monthly costs for owning an RV and should be reviewed before deciding what monthly loan payment amount you can afford. 

Some of these items may not have even crossed your mind, that is why I am here to bring them to your attention (because that's what I do).

Step 2:  Is a primer (tells you how to do things) on getting the best loan you can on  your RV purchase.  How diligent you are at completing step 1 will determine, how well step 2 will turn out (that's a hint, if you skipped step 1, you might want to go back and take a look at it).  I will give you a few tips on shopping for a loan (and this is definitely not like buying eggs at a supermarket with a coupon).

I know how excited you are about getting an RV.  We were too, when we got our first RV and our second RV and our third RV etc.  By providing these steps, I hope that I have helped answer some of your questions about RV Loans.

Once you have purchased your RV, you will have a chance to experience the RVing Lifestyle, and I know just like us, you will love it.  The memories you create by RVing will last you a lifetime making the steps you had to take to get your RV worth the effort.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy RVing. 

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic?  You can add them to this page by using the comments section located near the bottom of this page.

Rent to Own Campers - Insurance

Specialized Motorhome Insurance

Unlike typical automotive insurance, motorhomes, and even travel trailers require specialized RV insurance coverage. Not to be confused with RV "warranty" insurance, we are referring to comprehensive and collision type insurance, with some important supplementary benefits. The additional coverage and benefits can be especially important when traveling any significant distance, if you full-time, or occasionally reside in your RV.

Most specialized RV insurance will help to assure that the RV, its contents, and above all its occupants are protected from damage, loss or injury-related expenses. There should be coverage for the owners, occupants and/or guests in the event of injuries or accidents while on the road. It should also cover accidental damage while the unit is parked or in use while camping. Also, it should be covered for extreme weather such as hail or heavy winds.

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While shopping for the best RV Insurance protection, in addition to the best price, you should also look into what the actual cost may be in the event of a loss or emergency. Finding the right coverage often involves finding the perfect mixture of premium and specific protection meant for your particular type of RV. It should also consider the company, its track record, and rating, as well as its claims processing procedures in the case of a failure or loss.

Also, keep in mind that the lowest priced plan could someday be the most expensive in the case of denial of claims or other gaps in actual coverage of your specific RV related needs. Or, even the complete loss of your RV and all of your personal belongings and contents kept inside.

The various coverage plans specifically designed for RVs can vary widely when compared to each other. Opting to protect your RV under a typical auto coverage would, in most cases, leave you vulnerable to a potential loss in many areas. Auto insurance coverage is not intended to cover the unique requirements of a recreational vehicle. Even a minor claim against your RV, while insured through your auto insurance coverage could drastically raise your auto premiums.

An agreed value clause locks in the price of your RV with a professional appraisal or estimation of replacement. Vanishing deductibles decrease your collision and comprehensive deductibles by up to 20% to 30% for each individual year you continue coverage without any claims. In the event that a loss happens after your deductible has "vanished", your deductible amount will be waived.

In the event of a total loss, make sure that you can get a new or equivalent RV in a total loss in the initial 5 model years. For RVs older than five years, the cost of the coach is going to be paid for. This particular insurance option guards your property against the effects of depreciation.

Coverage designed specifically for your personal contents provides for belongings that are contained within your RV. This may include appliances, sporting equipment, cookware, clothing, and tools for their actual replacement cost. Although these things can sometimes be claimed under your home owner's coverage, generally only a minimal percentage applies to personal property carried in your RV. That could potentially leave you open to a large loss.

You may be reimbursed for emergency expenses incurred during the course of a covered loss or malfunction. You are also typically reimbursed for lodging expenses, rental car or even bus or airfare for a trip back home in extreme cases.

Many plans prove an option for towing and/or roadside assistance. This can cover "on-the-road" emergencies such as fuel delivery, battery jumpstarts, flat tire changes, lock-out protection and more. Some also provide for sign-and-drive protection 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In addition, towing benefits are included up to a specified amount or mile radius.

All-inclusive personal protection and supplemental every-day living costs may be available for those who live full time in their RV. Also for those who stay in their unit over extended periods such as wintering in the RV in warmer climates.

Some insurance plans may treat your RV like an automobile. So if you wish to properly cover your RV, your contents and yourself, you should consider an insurance coverage that is designed for the special needs of the owners of recreational vehicles.

View our inventory here.

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Buying an RV from a Private Seller

Just as the RV Dealer isn't your enemy; the Private RV Seller can be your best friend. They don't have ANY appreciable overhead built into the sale, other than the cost of their advertising, and/or any repairs or refurbishing to be done to the RV.

The private seller, or "RV for Sale by Owner", is usually much more motivated than a dealer. They only have ONE unit on which to concentrate their efforts. Many times their sole intention is to rid themselves of the burden of their no-longer-needed RV.

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In RARE cases, they are WISELY selling by owner so they can move on to a unit more suited to their present needs and desires. This allows them to sell their RV for a higher price than a dealer would allow them on trade-in, while still offering a bargain to their potential buyers.

Purchasing from a Private Seller can Work to Your Advantage in Many Ways:

1. Lower overhead = Lower selling price.
2. Higher motivation = Lower selling price.
3. No over-pricing to allow for trade-ins.
4. More extensive vehicle history.
5. A more personal transaction.

Because of these benefits, buying an RV from an individual may allow you to save thousands of dollars over buying a similar unit from a dealer.

You MUST, however, do your due diligence prior to the actual purchase. Any faulty systems left unchecked or untested will likely become your own burden unless discovered PRIOR to your purchase. In other words: "Caveat Emptor" - or - "Buyer Beware".

For now, let's take a look at some of the advantages of buying an RV from a private seller.

Low Costs for Private RV Sellers - We Finance Older RVs

Most individual sellers will incur minimal selling costs when selling "by owner". Most of these costs will come from advertising in local newspaper classifieds, Internet advertisements or other forms of marketing.

When compared to the costs incurred by an RV dealer, the individual has a major advantage. First of all, they have no commissions to pay upon the sale. Most RV Salesperson commissions in the RV industry are commonly set at approximately 20% of the gross profit.

In other words, if a salesman sells an RV for an average profit of $5,000 - Then $1,000 of that is going to the salesman as commission. This is not a concern for the private seller, therefore sales commission ALONE can be a potential gain of $1,000 or more to the buyer. (Not to mention the other $4,000 the dealer gained over his wholesale price.)

The above example is based on a moderately priced RV of say, $40,000 to $60,000. You can imagine the profits and commissions on higher priced units!

Also, because of the minimal or nonexistent overhead of the individual seller, profit is commonly NOT a motive for selling. In MOST cases, the sellers simply want to rid themselves of the unit. This usually translates into THOUSANDS of dollars in savings.

Combine those savings with Best Rate's used motorhome and RV financing programs, as well as our best loan rates, and you could double your savings.

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While most private RV sellers will try to achieve a RETAIL sales price when the unit is initially offered, they rapidly tire of the stresses of the sales process and lower their "perceived" value of the RV. In other words, when they start the sales process, they have an unrealistic impression of their RV's value. After dealing with prospective buyers for a minimal amount of time, they rapidly become educated on the true value of their RV.

Seriously, think about your own experiences. How many times have you tried to sell something for a premium price, only to accept a lower, yet HONEST offer for much less than your original price? It all goes back to the old saying: "One in the hand is worth two in the bush." In other words, fatigued sellers WILL accept a bargain price if the offer is GENUINE. It ends their suffering... so to speak.

The key is to FIND these fatigued sellers when they are weak. Just as the predator on the African Plains seeks out the weaker and slower prey, you must find the weary seller - and strike when they are at their weakest point. Ruthless - Yes. Unethical - No. It's the law of the urban jungle. Live and prosper by the law, or live and pay a higher price - still by the law. (I can't believe I just wrote that)

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RV Shopping and Financing Online

The "ritual" of shopping for a new RV or Boat, and even recreational vehicle financing, has changed dramatically in the last decade - especially within the last 5 to 8 years. Gone are the days of driving hundreds of miles, from dealership to dealership; always at the mercy of time and distance - and the pressure of the sales office.

Granted, the Internet has been in fairly common use since the early 90's, but only in the last few years have we seen the majority of Recreational Vehicle buyers doing most all of their most focused and "actual purchase" related research and shopping without driving a mile. They are doing their homework at home, (and at work), on the Internet.

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In the earlier days of the Internet, potential buyers had been slow to embrace major purchases, such as RVs and Boats - especially without seeing and inspecting the unit in person. But, smaller online transactions on websites like Amazon.com, eBay.com and other increasingly popular web-shopping sites, have increased consumer confidence and slowly matured into much larger and more expensive online purchases.

With the introduction of eBay Motors in the early 2000's, people began buying and selling all types of motorized vehicles, but the sale and purchase numbers for RVs grew faster than anyone had anticipated. By 2004, the search term "RV" was in the top 10 search terms on the (relatively new at that time), search engine Google.

In the following years more and more people began using the Internet to search for "Bargains", and the numbers of RV buyers and sellers have increased exponentially, year after year. Our experience has shown that online RV sales and online financing to be increasing even faster than expected.

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Today, the "new generation" of RV and Boat buyers span the entire spectrum of recreational-related demographics. Every age group from young families buying their first camper for occasional outings, to retired full-timers in super-luxury units, are joining the online recreational vehicle purchase revolution.

These buyers tend to do their initial research by driving to the dealerships in their comfortable driving area, usually a 50 to 500-mile radius, or by making periodic stops along their travels and adventures over time. By doing this type of initial shopping, they are able to see, feel and drive the types of units available. They can learn the pros and cons of the various styles, sizes and price levels by seeing these units in person at the dealerships they visit - hopefully leaving their checkbook and credit cards in their vehicle. (Lest they meet a salesman, and buy something.)

Once they have narrowed down their general types or units of interest, they can begin their online price shopping. They can slowly narrow down their search to a particular year, make and model, with specific options. From there on out, they simply call each dealer and/or private RV seller with a unit that matches their needs. Sooner or later, they find the right deal - at the right price. Distance seems to be no problem if they feel they are saving enough money, or finding the right unit.

At Nocreditcampers, we have seen our percentage of online, and/or out-of-state purchases grow to more than 50% of our RV financing customers. And, because they are normally unfamiliar with long-distance or private-party sales procedures, we provide them with an easy roadmap to a safe and successful transaction.

The new online RV and motorhome "Private Sellers" are wary of their exposure to unscrupulous or fraudulent buyers, so we help guide them through the complete transaction as well. Our RV pre-approval and loan processing, title research, and closing departments coordinate virtually all aspects of the RV purchase, finance and loan closing. A smooth transaction can be crucial to help guide the purchase and sale process from start to finish, with all parties satisfied with the outcome.

So, now you are able to easily find the best price and financing for just about any type of recreational vehicle. The thousands of dollars in savings normally cover more than the cost of driving or flying thousands of miles to take delivery of your new toy or home on wheels, or on water.

While most potential buyers' interest in saving money intensifies during the frenzy of shopping for a new boat or RV, they should remember those industry related businesses they may need after their purchase. Your local Dealer may be much more likely to go out of their way for "post-sale" related activities like service, troubleshooting, etc. if you purchased the unit from them. As you travel further and further from home, the savings in actual dollars become more and more important.

The rapid rise in the use of the Internet for RV shopping has closed more RV dealerships than any other factor, even the extended economic recession. However, the fortunate dealers with deep enough pockets to survive the recession, and those adaptable enough to survive the Internet, have evolved with the changing times.

Now that much of a dealership's income from unit sales has been reduced, they rely more and more on the increased income produced by other areas such as the parts and service departments. They have added new avenues of income such as rental fleets, consignment sales and other products and services.

If you decide to take the Internet leap and save money by researching, shopping and buying online, remember to give your local dealers a chance at earning your business. If not the sale - be it for service, parts or repairs; a little more money spent locally can go a long way in good relations over the long term.

And don't forget to remember that a "Great Deal" can be found just about anywhere if you look hard enough and smart enough. So start close to home, then go from there.

"For every buyer flying from New York to California to save a little money, there is another flying from California to New York to do the same thing."

Rent to own RVs near me

Basic Factors Involved in RV Loan Approval

Lenders look at several factors when underwriting each RV loan. Every lender is different and stronger areas of your credit profile can help outweigh weaker ones. There are several consistent factors that each lender will pay careful attention to when considering a potential loan.

1. Credit Score - When evaluating the purchasing of a car or even a home, lenders commonly grant an approval based on factors and credit scores lower than those required to purchase an RV. These items, RVs and boats, are considered luxury items. If you were to lose a job, become disabled, or become unable to pay your normal bills, then it is common sense to assume you will stop paying "luxury" items first.

RV lenders normally require a credit score of approximately 700 or better, with no visible credit history of bankruptcies, repossessions, foreclosures, liens, etc. Even late payments as recent as the last several years can be reason for them to decline a loan

2. Debt-to-Income Ratio - Your debt-to-income ratio is the percentage of your monthly revolving debt in relation to your gross monthly income.

Revolving debt is generally considered to be expenses such as monthly mortgage payments, auto payments, credit card debt and other things that may contribute to your monthly debt obligations. Monthly expenses like utilities and other personal items such as cell phone bills are not considered in computing debt-to-income ratios.

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Currently, lenders are limiting the maximum debt-to-income ratios at 42% to 45%. As little as an additional percent or two can be cause for a decline. You can figure your own debt to income ratio by dividing your total monthly revolving debt by your gross monthly income.

For example, to figure your own ratio, use a calculator as follows: $4,000 (monthly debt) divided by $10,000 (monthly income) equals 40% (debt-to-income ratio). Your own figures won't be as simple as this example, but be sure to use "monthly debt divided by monthly income" to get the correct percentage.

3. Liquidity - Liquidity is basically your total amount of readily available cash. Things that are considered are checking accounts, savings accounts, securities and investments. Company retirement accounts that are inaccessible or cause serious penalties for withdrawal are normally not regarded as "liquid assets".

In other words, how much money do you have available to pay bills if your income is interrupted, either temporarily or permanently? There is no set amount or ratio that can be computed. Each lender and situation is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Excellent credit could allow a lender to accept lower liquidity and vise versa.

4. Loan Value - As with nearly every type of loan, the value of the item being purchased is a consideration. An RV's value is normally determined by its "book value" as listed in the N.A.D.A. valuation guide. Some lenders add value for optional equipment while others do not. Each has its own formula for determining the loan value of a particular RV.

You can look up RV values at NADA RV Values website, but be cautious of how many options you check as applicable. Many of these options are considered standard equipment by both the lender and the unit's manufacturer. For example: A refrigerator is always standard equipment, but a larger, side-by-side with an ice maker would be considered optional equipment.

Since the loan value of a particular RV is a major factor considered in the approval of each RV loan preapproval, you will need to provide basic information on one specific unit, no matter if it is for an actual loan approval or a pre-approval.

It's normally advisable to wait until you have narrowed down your choices to a particular type, year and price range. You can then provide a subject RV's information for the pre-approval. As long as you stay close to the subject vehicle's basic information, the lender can simply switch the collateral (RV information) on the same approval.

Pros and Cons of RV Loan Pre-Approval

You should be wary of "shopping" your RV loan pre-approval to multiple brokers since each one will pull your credit report from one or all three credit bureaus several times. Each broker's loan processing department will need to pull your credit for their own records and information as well as any lender(s) the loan is sent to for potential approval.

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Multiple credit inquiries can lower your credit score by several points per inquiry, although lenders realize that some inquiries are part of any loan approval and consider a few to be normal. Excessive inquiries, 3 to 4 or more in a very short period of time can damage your borrowing ability. Multiple credit inquiries or "Hits" as they are sometimes called, may appear as if you are shopping for loans because you have been turned down elsewhere, even if that isn't the case.

By applying with a single broker or lender you can avoid the problem of multiple financing inquiries on your credit report on the three major credit-reporting agencies. Also, by having your RV loan pre-approved you are able to close on your purchase much faster than if you wait until you find the exact unit you decide to purchase. This is especially helpful when buying on eBay, from other online sources or from a seller who may have other potential buyers who could "beat you to the punch" while you wait for your loan approval.

Just as you shop for the exact RV you may decide to purchase, it is wise to do your homework and check the rates, fees, and terms of various lending sources before you apply for your loan pre-approval. Once you have narrowed your choices down to one or two sources, then you can proceed with your RV loan pre-approval application. Once approved, you will be prepared and ready to purchase the RV that's just right for you.

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