Low inventory and high demand have driven rent prices up 19% over the past year, according to RealPage data. NBC 5 reported that two North Texas families are trying something a little different to fight high housing costs in the area.
Lorne and Lacie Washington have a blended family. Together they have six children and two dogs. The family of eight called an 1,800-square-foot townhouse their home for over a year.
Unfortunately, they have had to make tough choices to make ends meet due to rising costs.
“Groceries or clothes for my kids? Groceries or electricity?” Lacie said.
“Pay on the car note or pay on rent. Or pay rent, pay the utilities,” Lorne added.
Their frustration led them to downsize dramatically. They sold off all their possessions and moved into an RV.
“Because it’s one more step closer to our goal. We have everything going into savings so that we can pay for the RV down payment,” Lacie said.
It sounds like an extreme measure, but they are not the first members of Lacie’s family to make the switch.
Lacie’s brother and sister-in-law, Bo Dean and Christina Carter, did the same in February. The couple tried multiple times over three years to buy a house. When an offer fell through just three days before closing in 2021, they went back to the drawing board.
The two families are not alone. The manager at Bo Dean and Christina’s RV park in Denton County stated that the demand for RV lots is so great that they are adding 100 new lots to the park.
The Carters spent $7,500 on their RV and renovations but said their bills are now half of what they used to be.
Christina said it has been challenging transitioning to full-time RV life but added that the situation has improved the couples’ communication and increased the quality time they spend together.
To fight the rising cost of groceries, Christina said they started growing their food and have even started a community garden for the entire park.
Thanks to these measures, the Carters hope to be debt-free by the end of the year. They added they would have their truck paid off by January.
The Washingtons hope to imitate their results. They will need a larger RV since they have children and dogs. Fortunately, they found a 37-foot unit that would provide room for everyone.
Lacie says it is tough getting rid of their possessions, but with their rent going from $1,488 to $1,679, they feel they have no choice but to move out of their current home.
The family believes that by giving up space and most of their possessions today, their future will be brighter as they will someday be able to buy the land and home they want.