Insider RV Financing Strategies - Buy here pay here

Insider RV Financing and Loan Rate Strategies

Many people who contemplate financing an RV, or any other high-ticket item such as a boat or private aircraft, are intimidated by the length of the financing term needed for an acceptable payment. Typical financing terms are 10 to 20 years, with 15 years being the most common.

Some consumers choose a shorter financing term and a higher payment simply because of their fear of the longer-term commitment. Even though they obviously know RV owners rarely, if ever, keep an RV for the entire term of their financing; they choose a shorter loan term. They unnecessarily strap themselves to a higher payment that could strain their budget - should illness, unemployment or other hard times take place.

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Most buyers choose the longest term available to secure the lowest payment possible - even though they could afford much more. They pay more interest than principal during most, if not all of their actual loan period, and wind up in an "upside-down" position.

In other words, the remaining payoff on their loan is much more than the actual value of their unit when the time comes to trade or sell their RV.

A Hybrid RV Loan System

Savvy RV buyers use a "Hybrid" type of financing system to get the best of both worlds. They finance the RV for the longest term available for the loan amount, which makes the payment lower than they can actually afford.

During the loan, they make the monthly payment PLUS an additional amount, which is directly subtracted from the principal amount of the loan.

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When this approach is followed with a good degree of discipline, it can lower the "effective" interest rate to as much as half the original rate - as well as dramatically shortening the length of the loan term.

It also allows the most flexibility. Should the borrower face a situation where times are rough or money is tight, they still have the luxury of making the lowest payment possible.

An Example of a $50,000 Loan

Interest Rate - 5.25%
Term in Years - 15 years
Payment Amount - $428
Total Interest Paid - $27,168

If this person added $50 to each monthly payment, he would change the repayment terms to:

Effective Interest - 4.64%
Loan Term in Years - 12.63 years
Total Interest Paid - $22,418
TTL Interest Savings - $4,750

Now let's assume that this person added $150 to the monthly payment.

Effective Interest - 2.62%
Loan Term in Years - 8 years
Total Interest Paid - $5,487
TTL Interest Savings - $21,681

The example above is ONLY on a loan of $50,000. Imagine the savings if this strategy was applied to an RV loan of $100,000 or more! It is all about planning, application, and discipline. But, if he happens to miss a few months, he just saves a little less.

What's the Bottom Line?

Comparing our last example of a consumer applying a hybrid system - to an individual who took out an 8-year loan upon purchasing the same RV... The hybrid system would have saved nearly 4% in interest over an actual 8-year loan term.

By shortening your loan term from 15 years to roughly 8 years, he would have saved over $21,000 in interest. He has also reduced the "effective" interest rate to less than 3%.

Plus, the buyer has paid off a 15-year loan in about 8 years! Even if he misses a few months of additional principal payments, he will still have saved thousands of dollars in finance charges.

The additional $150 per month added to principal has saved about $78 per month over choosing an 8-year initial loan term. That equates to about $7,500 savings in payment amount over the course of the loan.

What if I Don't Make the Additional RV Finance Payment?

The key to making a hybrid payment system work - is discipline. You must make the additional principal payment every month, or very close to it. You should be certain your scheduled payment amount plus any additional amount you plan to add toward principal is within your budget.

Even if you intend to use a hybrid payment system, but never add an additional penny to the principal loan amount, you will have simply paid off your loan, in the same manner, the majority of RV financing buyers choose.

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The RV Loan Approval Process

Motorhome and  RV loans are considered to be "Recreational Financing". This basically means that they are for "Luxury" items. Things you could live without if best, for some unexpected reason or event, came to worst.

Most people have applied for various types of loans in their lifetime. Student loans when you were younger. Auto loans may also be among the first types of loans that you have become familiar with.

Later in life, you may have encountered home loans, or even business financing, equipment, inventory and other types of credit lines. This list is seemingly endless, all with different criteria in qualifying and underwriting guidelines.

RV Loans vs. Other Types of Financing

Most of these types of loans are considered necessary expenses, such as your home and auto loan. If times become tough, or if you have unexpected medical bills or become unemployed, these "necessary" expenses are usually bills you would find a way to pay.

After all, everyone needs a roof over their head, as well as a means of transportation to get to work, the doctor - or even the unemployment office. You also have other fundamental expenses such as utilities and food. All of these things are considered necessary expenses.

Now, you may be considering purchasing an RV, and are possibly finding it much more difficult to qualify for this type of financing. It doesn't seem to make sense, since in many cases, your home, or even your car cost more than the RV or boat you are trying to finance, yet you easily qualified for these loans.

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Why is it Harder to Buy an RV Than a House?

Once again, lenders have to look at the difference between loans for necessary items and "Recreational Financing". The first being things like home and auto loans. The latter, being recreational items like motorhomes, boats or even other power sport related items such as motorcycles or personal watercraft.

Before the financial crisis and banking system "Bailout", recreational financing was much easier to obtain, just like the sub-prime home loans that led to the financial meltdown in the first place. Loans with zero down payment and "No Doc" loans were readily available - even in the field of recreational lending. Those days are long gone. And, if the banks are giving any indications, likely to never return.

Now, RV lenders are much more critical of things like:

1. Credit Score. (Above 700 normally required.)
2. Debt-to-Income Ratio. (Usually no greater than 42% - 45%.)
3. Liquid Assets. (How much money you have in accounts or investments.)
4. Employment & Residence History. (Over 2-years each is preferred.)

Lenders are even looking at a factor called "Payment to Income Ratio". This means that the payment for your new RV cannot exceed roughly 15% of your total monthly income. This is usually not a problem for individuals with higher incomes, but more likely to affect retirees or those on fixed incomes.

So, even though recreational financing is more difficult to obtain, it is not impossible by any means. An RV loan pre-approval can be helpful in determining if you qualify, and what price of RV you can afford - or - at least what the bank says you can afford.

To obtain pre-approval, you will first need to select a particular year, make and model, and establish an approximate selling price. This information is necessary, since part of the approval is based on the "NADA Loan Value" of that particular year, make and model of RV.

Once you have been pre-approved, you can switch to another similar unit and be relatively sure you will qualify, if it is relatively similar to the unit on which you were approved.

If you choose an RV Loan Pre-Approval, just enter the information for your "Subject Unit". We can normally receive a decision from the lender in as little as one day, so you're ready to close your loan as soon as you find the RV that's just right for you.