Save Thousands, Sell Your RV Yourself!

Do you have an RV sitting unused in your backyard? Maybe you’re paying to store an old rig you never use anymore? Or have you found you just can’t keep up with the payments on your little vacation home?

In all of these cases, the smart thing to do is sell the trailer or motorhome. After all, it isn’t doing you much good just sitting there, and if the payments are causing you stress, it probably isn’t worth holding onto.

The question you may be asking is, “How do I sell my RV?” Or maybe you’re wondering, “How do I make sure I’m getting what I deserve when I sell my motorhome?” Our answer in either case? Sell your RV yourself. That’s right, we think you should go through the selling RV process on your own, without a third party.

Three Ways to Sell

While the idea of selling a motorhome or trailer might seem overwhelming at first, when you really look closely at the options, people looking to sell their RVs really only have three basic options:

1. Selling through consignment
2. Trading the RV in at a dealership
3. Selling the RV themselves through a peer-to-peer transaction

All of these have their pros and cons, of course, but we do believe one option stands out as the clear winner once you look at these choices side by side. That option is selling on your own.

In this article we are going to dive into the reasons why this is your best bet so you can fully understand the reasons one might choose to go it alone rather than turning to a broker or a dealership.

Selling Through Consignment

Letting someone else hold onto your RV and sell it for you is tempting. It removes the need to store the rig until it sells, and allows you to avoid showing the rig to potential buyers yourself. That said, it comes with some pretty big trade-offs.

For starters, hiring a broker to sell your motorhome or travel trailer for you is expensive. These individuals typically charge a 10% commission for their services. When it comes to pricier rigs, this is a huge chunk of change.

On top of that, selling through consignment requires you to sign a contract. This contract will restrict you from selling your RV on your own should you come across a buyer. Not only that, these contracts can last up to six months, meaning the broker can hold your RV hostage without necessarily putting much effort into selling it for a half a year while it continues to depreciate.

Trading Your RV

Okay, so a broker is clearly not a great investment in most cases, but what about selling your RV to a dealership? Maybe you could trade the rig in for a vehicle you’d use more often, or perhaps you could just take the cash?

Either way, we don’t recommend this route unless you are desperate to sell right away, regardless of the loss you might take. Why? Because a dealership is not going to offer you what your RV is worth. You see, these folks want to buy your rig and then turn around and sell it for a profit. This requires purchasing vehicles for less than they are actually worth.

Peer-to-Peer Transactions

With the consignment or dealership options ruled out, it’s time for peer-to-peer sales to come into play. We mentioned already that this is our recommendation, and now that you understand the reasons why you shouldn’t go the other routes, you likely see why you should consider selling your RV on your own. 

Many people looking to buy actually seek out peer-to-peer sales. They like that they can discuss the vehicle with a person who has actually used it. These shoppers also understand that an individual owner is likely to give them a better price than a dealership would. Nevertheless, by removing the middleman, the seller still comes out ahead, making peer-to-peer sales a financial win for all involved. 

Of course, those who sell RV motorhomes and trailers for a living do have a leg up. These people have more experience with the world of RV sales, meaning they understand how to price rigs and how to advertise. This is where National Vehicle can help. 

Our FREE valuation tool helps you get a better understanding of what your RV is worth, so you know what to ask for it. Additionally, you have the option of using National Vehicle to help you advertise your RV. We work hard to let people know your RV is out there waiting for them, helping your trailer or motorhome sell as quickly as possible.

In fact, many people who have used our services claim that our website is the best place to sell an RV. And who are we to argue?