What 2021 Taught Us About the RV Market

A new year has begun, and that means it’s time for new adventures. Many of us are thinking about what we will do with 2022, and others are reflecting on the lessons learned in 2021. Some of the things we’ve been thinking about are the things we learned about the RV market in 2021. 

You see, 2021 was a unique and exciting year in the world of RVing. We saw more people than ever hit the road full-time, many families purchased RVs for weekend camping, and the demand for RVs went through the roof.

Here are some of the things we learned from the wild ride 2021 gave us folks in the RV industry. 

People Long for Adventure

People want to go on adventures. For the most part, they cannot stand to be cooped up at home for long periods of time. Unfortunately, the lockdown of 2020 meant there was a huge amount of sitting around at home. When those lockdown rules started to ease up, people were on the lookout for a safe way to get away. 

Enter the RV: a home on wheels that allows you to get out and adventure while avoiding many of the places germs might lurk. 

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

Another thing that a lot of people who are new to the RV world learned? Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Honestly, most of us long-term RVers have known this for a long time. That’s why we are able to be out in the world exploring. 

That said, the pandemic made remote work and schooling from home more prevalent than ever. The vast majority of people were forced to telecommute and homeschool, at least for a short time. This opened the eyes of many and made them realize just how possible it is to be free of those things that tie so many people down. 

The individuals who realized freedom was within their grasp and that they could follow their wanderlust? They jumped at the opportunity to travel all the time. This is why we saw so many full-time RVers launch in the year 2021. 

Demand has Gone through the Roof

With so many people looking to vacation in RVs for safety reasons, and with all those new travelers hitting the road full-time as they work and school remotely, we’ve seen a HUGE jump in demand for RVs.

This is a pretty obvious observation, but we feel it is one worth pointing out. Why? Because it really changed the RV market, the value of RVs, and a number of other things about the RV industry.

Demand Plus Short Supply Leads to a Seller’s Market

Not only has the demand for RVs risen, the supply of RVs being put out into the world came to a temporary halt in 2020. This happened when the country locked down and the RV manufacturers had to shut their factories down for the safety of their employees.

At first, this halt in production wasn’t very noticeable, and really, if demand had stayed consistent, there is a good chance the public never would have noticed much. However, as more and more people started buying the available RVs from dealerships, the effects became more and more apparent.

Currently, there is a national RV shortage due to the factories closing for a time, and this—in addition to the enormously increased demand—has definitely driven RV prices up, creating a seller’s market in the world of RVing. In fact, this might even be the best RV market ever for sellers.

RV Sales Show No Signs of Slowing

Yes, 2021 was an awesome year to sell your RV. That said, the surge in RVing popularity is still going strong. There are still thousands of people out there who are searching for the right RV for their family, and many more will come after them.

People have realized the possibilities that come with RV travel, along with just how much freedom the combination of remote work, roadschooling, and an RV can offer. In short, we predict RVs will be in high demand for quite some time to come. 

What does this mean for the RV market? It means it will continue to be a seller’s market into 2022, and likely well beyond. It also means that if you’re looking to sell an RV, now is the time to do it. You are sure to get top dollar for your rig, and it will almost certainly go to an eager family who will love your home-on-wheels as much as you did. 

Not sure how to begin the selling process? National Vehicle is here to help. We can help you determine the value of your RV with our free valuation tool, and we can even do all of the work of selling for you. Take advantage of this amazing seller’s market today!