One Las Vegas couple aims to go off-grid by selling their house, leaving their mortgage behind, and moving into the vehicle on their property.
Both 56, the couple plans to lower their living expenses while building a modest home on their land in southern Nevada. They took to Reddit's r/OffGrid forum to share their plans and ask for advice.
Here's what to know
In the Reddit thread, the original poster explained that profits from selling their house would be enough to fund a combined barn-style home and shop.
OP wrote, "My husband and I are getting ready to sell our house here in Vegas and move into our RV on our off-grid land in southern Nevada. We've spent plenty of long stretches of time in various RVs over the years, but we know living in it full-time is going to be a whole different experience."
The OP added, "We're really excited about the move, but I'm curious to hear from others who've done something similar. Anything you wish you'd known before making the leap?" They also wrote that their 10-year-old indoor-only cat, Frankie, would be joining them.
Commenters quickly joined the thread to share their experiences and input. One wrote, "From my perspective it was adjusting to life just generally being harder than I expected, not worse just harder. Just turning a tap on means that's water I've harvested or power means turning a generator on or on the boat constant power management."
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Another user added, "Just recently started doing this myself. 3 months in with my two cats and I'm in love with it… Only universal advice I have is grab yourself some good black tank enzyme treatments. RV-Digest it and green gobbler together for me have completely eliminated any sewage smell."
One commenter simply wrote, "Living in an RV while building is a perfect little hotel with all the modern convenience already built in. You'll be just fine."
After one user warned the couple to hold onto their home and rent it out for additional income, the OP responded, explaining that "We plan to sell the house and with the profit we will build our off grid barndo/shop/home. It will be modest/basic but it sure beats having a mortgage and associated bills hanging over our heads."
Where can I learn more?
The couple hopes moving off-grid will lower their expenses, but RV living comes with practical challenges. These stories follow retirees embracing van life, households creating off-grid homes, and people navigating water use and local requirements.
• In the U.S., retirees are turning to van life when retirement checks no longer cover housing.
• In Maine, an off-grid RV owner faced demands for a gray water plan after a neighbor's complaint.
• A Pennsylvania family plans to move off-grid to a 10-acre shack, drawing on Amish know-how.
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