This article is about how and when to sell your RV. And how to get the most money when you do.

Now we’re not going to be covering the subject of trading in your RV at a dealer.

No, this article is really just about selling it as a private seller instead.

Table of Contents

• Is This A Seller’s Market Right Now?
• What Is The Best Time Of Year To Sell An RV?
• How To Sell An RV – Where?
• Selling RVs On Facebook
• How To Sell An RV – Prep It For Sale
• How Important Is Appearance When you Sell An RV?
• How To Sell An RV – Establishing The Sale Price
• Websites That Can Help you Set Your Sale Price
• How Quickly Can You Sell Your RV?
• How To Sell Your RV Using Maintenance Records
• How To Write The Ad For Selling Your RV
• What Is The Best Way To Show Your RV To Prospective Buyers?
• What About RV Inspectors?
• Should You Pay For An RV Inspection Yourself?
• How To Sell And RV – The Paperwork
• What About The Loan You Have On Your RV?
• How To Sell Your RV – Avoiding Fraud
• Conclusion

Is This A Seller’s Market Right Now?

Now first of all, what kind of market are you facing at this point? Well, the seller’s market of the Covid pandemic years has come and gone.

And right now we are back to a more normal selling market for RVs. Maybe a little slower than normal.

The years between 2020 – 2022 were not normal by any means. And we definitely aren’t going to see that kind of high interest in buying RVs of all types again anytime soon.

At least not unless we see another major upheaval like the pandemic caused.

So the question is, given the market for used RVs now, when should you put it up for sale?

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Sell An RV?

In other words, what are the best times of the year to sell an RV?

Well it’s usually during the run up to, and during, the year’s RVing season.

And the RVing season usually begins around April and runs pretty strong through the month of September.

This is when more RVs are bought and sold than any other time of year by far.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to sell an RV outside those months.

Because the truth is that people buy RVs year round. And that’s why RV dealer sales departments stay open throughout the year.

But if you sell in the months leading up to, during, and right after RVing season, the odds are more in your favor.

How To Sell An RV – Where?

Now the next question we want to answer is where you should try to sell an RV.

Of course, in the old days people just put a an ad in the newspaper. As that was the most common way to advertise things for sale then.

And actually it worked really well then, and still can produce results today too.

The next way to sell an RV is you could always put a “for sale” sign on your RV. And then try to put it in a visible area where lots of people can see it.

Once again, that works really well for some people these days too. Especially if you put your RV in a spot that will get a lot of traffic going by.

But most RV sellers want to have a bigger reach than just the area where the RV is located.

So here are some places where you can do that. RVTrader.com is a very good place to start. And also RVT.com as well.

Both of those websites have nationwide reach as a forum for selling RVs. And lots of RV sellers get good results advertising there.

But these days another good place to sell an RV is on the Facebook Marketplace. It has increasingly become more popular now.

And believe it or not, Craigslist works for a lot of people too. You just may have to wade through a lot of low ballers to get to the better buyers.

And don’t forget EBay.com either. They have a very active RV sales section that gets a large audience too.

Selling RVs On Facebook

But a method that’s working very well right now is selling through Facebook groups.

Yes, if you belong to Facebook just go to the groups section. Then search for the RV type that you want to sell.

In other words, if you have a Class A, search for that. If it’s Class C, a fifth wheel or travel trailer, put in a search for that kind of RV.

And most likely you’re going to find some groups that are specifically set up for people to sell those kinds of RVs.

And the great part is that advertising your RV for sale in these groups is not considered spam.

Finally though, these days a lot of folks are having good results by trying to advertise their RV in as many spots as possible.

OK, so now we’ve covered when to sell and where to sell an RV. Now let’s talk about how to sell your RV.

And I’m going to give you 10 steps that will really do the job right if you follow them.

How To Sell An RV – Prep It For Sale

Let’s start with number one. And that is to prepare your RV for sale. Don’t just put your RV out there and hope for the best.

Instead, do some preparation before putting it up for sale. And what do I mean by that?

Well, first of all make sure that everything works in your RV before you sell it.

And if you’ve been using the RV you should know what works and doesn’t work. And maybe there’s certain other things that need some attention too.

So it’s a good idea to take a list and go in and around your RV. And try to look at it with fresh eyes as if you were a buyer.

If so, what would you be looking for? And what would catch your attention?

What would impress you about your RV and what would not impress you?

Then make a list of all of the things that need repair and adjustment. And get them fixed.

Do your best to get your RV in the best shape that you possibly can. And why is that?

Well if you do, it’s going to pay you back handsomely for all of that effort.

Because when buyers see an RV and think “this is really nice, I like it”, what happens to the price?

In most cases, the price in their mind is going to go higher. The more they like that RV, typically the more they are willing to pay for it.

And if they can see that your RV is in tip-top shape, it eases their mind about buying a used RV. So make sure everything works on your RV!

How Important Is Appearance When you Sell An RV?

Now, the next thing to do is to thoroughly clean that RV inside and out.

And I have to say that I see a lot of people that really mess up on this selling stage.

Quite often, they don’t clean their RV hardly at all. Especially on the outside.

And that’s because it seems to be a lot of work for people to do. So they just try to sell the RV without all that effort.

But what I recommend is to get it clean inside and out. Make it shine and make it look nice.

That’s because the first impression a buyer has of an RV will mean a lot!

And the appearance of an RV is one of the major factors that will influence the price you get.

How To Sell An RV – Establishing The Sale Price

Next up is to establish your sale price. And how do you do that with RVs?

Well if it was a car or a truck you’d just go to NADA or Kelly Blue Book, right?

Because they produce listings of accepted prices for most passenger vehicles.

And in the RV industry we do have NADA as a guide. But my personal experience with it has been that it’s not really all that reliable.

Certainly not as trustworthy as the passenger vehicle guides they produce.

So to find out how the market values your RV, here’s what I do.

Websites That Can Help you Set Your Sale Price

I go to RVTrader.com and RVT.com because they’re both nationwide forums for selling RVs.

Then search nationwide for your year, brand and model of RV. Don’t just search in your little area, or even just in your state.

Instead, search all across the country and bring up a list of all the RVs that are like yours.

And I usually go maybe a year newer and a year older as well just to make sure I’ve got a good rounded out representation of prices.

Now what you’re going to find is a whole range of prices. From the highest price that somebody wants for it to the lowest price.

And this is very valuable information to have. Because now what you want to do is check those ads out to see what they are selling and for what price.

Then try to determine where your RV falls in that price range. How does it compare to the ones you find listed on those sites?

If it’s truly in better shape than what you’re seeing, then add a little extra to it. That gives you more room for negotiating the price too.

The main reason for doing this kind of price research is you start to get a feel for RV prices.

You start to learn what the market says that RVs like yours, in the shape it’s in, is really worth.

Also now that you have your selling price in mind, you know that it’s a fair price too.

And it’s easy to prove that it’s worth that kind of money as well. Because you have done your research like you should.

How Quickly Can You Sell Your RV?

Now let me say one more thing about price here. And that is that the price you set for your RV will definitely affect how soon you sell it in most cases.

So if you want to sell it quickly, you need to lower the price some.

That way buyers are going to consider it a good enough deal that they just can’t pass by.

But on the other hand, what if you’re going to try to get every nickel out of that RV? Well, expect to have it a bit longer to sell.

So your motivation to sell and your timeline for selling will affect the price as well.

How To Sell Your RV Using Maintenance Records

OK let’s move on to the next point about selling your RV. And that is to assemble all the service records and maintenance records for that RV.

Get the records for whatever you’ve done on that RV in the past while you owned it.

Put them together and then organize them. Maybe put them in a folder that makes it easy for a buyer to look over.

Then when a prospective buyer looks over the RV hand them that folder to consider.

That way they can see what you have done. How you have cared for that RV and looked after it while you have owned it.

It proves that you’ve done the things necessary to keep the RV in good shape.

And when you do that, automatically in the mind of a buyer the price is going up.

Because most buyers appreciate the value of a well maintained RV. And they will be willing to pay more when they see proof of that.

How To Write The Ad For Selling Your RV

OK, now it’s time to write the ad for the RV. And my advice is to write that ad honestly!

Please don’t do like some RV sellers do and try to hide problems and get away with things. Why?

Well, here is what often happens when you do that. Someone comes to look at your RV and they’re a very serious buyer.

And you’ve told them that everything works on this RV, that everything’s wonderful.

And then they start finding things that aren’t so good. Problems and issues.

So what happens to their thought process then? Well, they’re immediately thinking, “if you didn’t tell me about this then what else do I not know about”?

So at this point, what happens to the price? Well, in their mind the price is going down rapidly.

And that’s because they’re thinking “what else am I going to have to pay for to get this RV in good shape”?

Especially because they feel that they can’t trust what you have to say about the RV.

However, what if you write the ad honestly? And you’re up front with buyers about the true condition of the RV?

Well, that usually makes them have more confidence in you and what you say. And therefore more confidence that they are getting a good RV.

What Is The Best Way To Show Your RV To Prospective Buyers?

The next thing to do is have the RV ready for interested buyers to inspect it.

And what do I mean by that? Well have it in a place that’s easily accessible. A place that people can get into and look it over easily.

In fact, it’s a good idea to have all the hookups already connected too. So it makes it easy for them to go through the RV and try things out.

They can check the plumbing, the lights, and so on very easily. Once again, this helps them have confidence in you as a seller.

It helps them feel that you are not trying to hide something that could be a problem.

What About RV Inspectors?

Next up is to allow an RV inspector to go through the RV if the buyer chooses to do that.

Now I know some private sellers just refuse to have an RV inspector come in and go through their RV.

But what happens when you deny the buyer the opportunity to use an RV inspector?

For many people it makes them think “what are they trying to hide about this RV”?

I know that is what goes through my mind when a seller refuses an RV inspection.

In fact, in cases like that I just leave and rule out that RV for consideration altogether.

So if you want to establish trust and get a good sale for your RV, that’s a very bad way to do it.

Also what does it say if a buyer is serious enough that they’re willing to pay for an RV inspection?

Well, you better believe that they’re a serious buyer. Because they are willing to invest their own money in this transaction.

And that is the kind of buyer that you don’t want to let go. They are the serious buyers you want.

Should You Pay For An RV Inspection Yourself?

Now one more suggestion I have for you here. And that is that you might even consider paying for an RV inspection yourself before you put it up for sale.

Because what happens if a buyer comes to look at the RV and you hand them maintenance records on that RV? It instills confidence.

Then what if you also hand them an inspection report that shows the condition of the RV too? From a third party inspector?

Wow, that’s really impressive to a buyer! And well worth the investment on your part to have those records and report on hand.

Because once again, that often brings the price they are willing to pay higher.

They’re willing to pay more if they feel they can trust this is a good deal. And you are giving them everything they need to establish that kind of trust.

How To Sell And RV – The Paperwork

OK, the next point to consider when selling an RV is to have a bill of sale ready.

Yes, have your paperwork ready for the sale. Don’t be having to run around and try to get it at the last minute.

Instead, have all of that set up and have an approved bill of sale for your state that’s ready to be signed.

Now the bill of sale doesn’t have to be anything special. In fact, it can be very simple.

Just have it ready so that you can get the sale done without hassle.

Also know what taxes are going to be required for the sale of that RV.

Again, don’t be running around at the last minute trying to figure out what the taxes are. That’s not good for the buyer.

So know what the taxes are in your state to help them complete the sale quickly.

What About The Loan You Have On Your RV?

While I’m on the subject of financial matters, you should also know what your loan payoff is going to be. That is, if you have a loan on the RV.

It will be good to know what the amount is that will pay it off for the sale.

Don’t wait on getting that information. It’s good to know before you sell the RV.

And that way you know exactly what you can and cannot afford to get for the sale.

Of course, the best thing to do with an RV loan is pay it off before you sell the RV.

That will make the sale go so much faster and easier. But that’s not always possible.

Now the last point that I want to cover in this article is a very important one.

How To Sell Your RV – Avoiding Fraud

And that is to decide how you’re going to accept payment for the RV’s sale.

This is so important. Because you have to be very careful these days with fraud.

There are lots of people out there looking to deceive someone in an RV sale.

So my recommendation is this. Most people have a bank that they do business with, or a credit union.

Then get hold of them and tell them what you want to do. That you want to sell your RV.

And ask about their advice on how to sell that RV while protecting yourself from fraud.

In fact, try to involve them in the sale as much as you possibly can. Most of these kind of institutions are happy to help you in the sales process.

Conclusion

OK, I think you can see that there’s clearly a lot of work that goes in to selling your own RV.

And that is exactly why so many people choose to trade in their RV at a dealer instead. Or maybe put it on consignment at a dealer.

It’s true that it is much easier that way. However if you follow the guidelines I’ve given you today, I believe that you can make quite a bit more money from the sale of your RV if you do it yourself.

And that’s it for now. Have safe and happy RV travels!