Fall RV Shopping: End of Summer Inventory and Sellers Ready to Move

The ongoing debate in the RVing community is when is the best time to buy an RV.  Does it make more sense to go RV shopping in the spring or fall? There are two primary variables in this decision.  Which season presents the broadest RV choices and what is the level of motivation for the sellers to complete the sale? 

Of course, buying an RV is a personal decision and the best time for YOU to buy an RV is when you’re in the market to do so, you have desire, you have the funds, and you have your family’s support.  RVs are bought and sold year around but the peak of that activity is most notable in the spring and fall months.

Spring vs. Fall: When RV Sales Peak

Generally speaking, spring and fall are the two seasons when RV sales activities are the most pronounced. Because RV manufacturers introduce all their new models in the spring which stimulates interest in RVing and this heightened interest is evident in multiple RV shows across the country throughout the spring season.  But at the end of summer, in the fall months which precede the off-season, there is a similar flurry of RV sales activity. 

This extra activity comes as a result of a large portion of potential private RV sellers evaluating the risks and costs of waiting to sell their RV until the following spring.  Additionally, dealers are also trying to reduce their inventory before the harsh winter weather chases RV buyers from their lots. Dealers don’t want to pay inventory costs on excess RV inventory through the long winter months so they try to sell that inventory in the fall. 

They also know that every one of their RVs are getting older and less valuable with each passing season.  Plus, there are risks and costs with having excess RVs on their lots.  Dealers know if they can sell the inventory in the fall, they reduce their risk and lower their expenses over the long winter months when few people shop for RVs.  These factors all motivate RV dealers to move new and used inventory in the fall.  

On a personal level, private sellers are dealing with a similar set of circumstances and consideration. That having been said, I believe the available RVs for sale in the spring exceeds the available inventory in the fall.  In contrast, I think sellers (both dealers and private parties) are more motivated to sell in the fall. 

Since RVs are sold year around and shopping for one is as easy as accessing the internet, a buyer should be able to find just about any type, length, make, model, year, and floorplan that suits their needs and budget, whether they’re RV shopping in the spring, summer, fall or winter.  But the motivation of the seller will be the distinguishing criteria of exactly when is the best time to shop for a new RV. 

Why Fall Sellers Are More Motivated

Fall sellers are generally much more motivated than spring sellers.  The approaching off-season (the cold winter months) looms over the heads of both industrial and private sellers.  Sellers know that when winter arrives, interest in RVing will wane, there will be fewer buyers RV shopping for new or used RVs and if they can’t sell their RV(s) before winter, they will need to store and maintain it (them).  Additionally, every month that passes, the RV gets older and less valuable.  RVs like cars depreciate with age and they will never be worth more than they are worth today. 

The RV’s depreciation is another motivating factor for sellers to finalize a potential fall sale rather than wait for a better offer.  Waiting to sell is costly.  As a buyer you need to be aware that it will be easier to strike a deal with a motivated seller.  

Once you find the RV you want to buy, it doesn’t matter how much inventory is available.  What will matter is how motivated the seller is to make a deal.  Therefore, the debate between extra inventory in the spring vs seller motivation in the fall is irrelevant.  Extra inventory is only important if you can’t find the right RV for your needs.  But with multiple national databases at your fingertips that is unlikely, so the real issue is, can you persuade the seller to accept your offer? 

And convincing a seller to accept your offer will be easier in the fall, making fall the preferred season for shopping for and purchasing an RV.  If you buy it in the fall you may have to wait until spring to go camping, but during the winter months you don’t have to sit idly by and just wait for spring.  You’ll have an opportunity to familiarize yourself with your new acquisition, fix anything that needs your attention, outfit it to your liking, add any needed upgrades, and generally make your new RV truly yours.