Where Should I Sell My RV? 

There comes a time to say thank you to your RV and move on to a new rig.

It might be bigger, it might be time to go smaller, but whatever you choose, you have to sell the current unit before you move on to something new.

How do you sell your RV? What’s the best way? And most importantly, where should you sell your RV to get the best deal (or quickest sale)?

 6 Ways To Sell Your RV

Sell your RV on Consignment

With consignment you don’t have to sell your RV by yourself. Consignment means you take your RV to a dealership and they sell it for you.

You still have to do the work to clean it to get it ready to earn the best price, but the dealership will do the showings and handle the financing. It takes some of the stress off your shoulders.

Sell to a Dealer or as a Trade-In

When trading in a newer model of RV, it might make sense to trade in the rig to the dealership.

This could defray the cost of a new RV and makes it super easy for you to offload the trailer/motorhome without the effort of selling it yourself. Note: you might get less money with this option as you would selling through a private sale.

Online marketplaces (Like Craigslist, FB Marketplace etc)

Online marketplaces are a great place to sell your RV. Especially if you have a little bit of marketing skill and patience to work with many types of people.

Many times, the buyers on these sites are looking for a deal. They will offer a ridiculously low price for your unit. You don’t have to accept that.

Once it’s listed, get ready to have people want to see it ASAP. You can offer your RV on all of these sites, just be prepared to know who contacted your first and where they found your rig.

RV Sale Websites like (RVtrader, RVT, etc)

Use sites like RVtrader or RVT if you want to reach RV buyers directly.

You can sell your RV to anyone in the country. They can set how many miles away they want to travel for an RV deal. Marketplaces like Facebook or Craigslist are usually local buyers.

RVtrader costs $34.95, to put your ad up for 2 weeks with 4 photos. For $99.95, you can post 20 photos for 8 weeks, or if you really want to showcase your rig, spend $199.95 for a 1 year listing with 50 photos.

On RVT, pricing is similar, starting with a basic ad for $19.95 to an ultimate ad at $189.95. You still write the copy and take the pictures.

Display in Your Yard or in a Parking Lot

If you live on a major road or have access to a parking lot on a major road, displaying the RV there with a for sale sign can be a free and easy way to get lots of eyes on your rig.

If the parking lot your RV is in is at your office, be prepared to have people stopping by to ask questions throughout the day.   

Put up a “For Sale” Sign When Camping

A sign that says “You could be camping in this camper. For Sale. Inquire within” could be the way to sell your RV at the campground.

People love to walk around and look at other trailers parked to see how others live. If they see a sign, they might strike up a conversation. You never know who’s ready to upgrade from a pop-up to a self-contained, or a fifth-wheel to a motorhome.

Selling Your RV: Find Out Your RV’s Fair Market Value

When selling your RV, you need to know how much to price it for.

If there is a loan on the unit,  that may be a starting place for pricing. However, if you have a $30,000 loan on a rig that is only worth $20,000, it’s going to be a hard sell. You’re going to have to come to terms with fair market value.

Check out the NADA guides online to find how much your RV is worth for a private sale and how much you might get at a dealership. The private sale amount will be more. An RV dealer wants to get the best deal for them and adds in the cost to check all the systems, the time they will spend trying to sell it.

On NADA, you can add in all of the details of your rig to get a value. It divides RV types by travel trailers/fifth wheels, motorhomes, camping trailers, truck campers, park models and tow vehicles.

You can also look on RVtrader.com for new and used pricing guides.

Prep Your RV For Sale 

You’re getting rid of this RV. You want it out of your yard so you can move on to something newer, shinier, more exciting. However, to get the most views, money and finally move it along, you need to do a few things first.

Considering safety and security are important, too. If you’re selling online beware of scams. Gigi Stetler, CEO and Founder of RV Sales of Broward, says, “Avoid accepting cashier checks – there are many  scammers out there that buy big-ticket items with fake checks and you won’t know they’re fake until a week after you deposit them.”

Clean It Up

Wash your RV inside and out. Clean out all of your stuff. Empty the storage bins underneath and wash them out if they need it. Give the RV a good bath to get off any dirt, mold, tree debris or bird turd. Inside clean every surface, the windows, the sinks, the toilet (making sure there are no odors). You get the idea.

Fix It Up

Have repairs done. Check on batteries, flooring issues, problems with the generator and have them fixed prior to selling. If you go into the selling process without doing some or all of these repairs, you could be leaving money on the table. When the buyers ask about issues that will need to be fixed, you’ll have to come clean if the hydraulic jacks don’t work or if there are other issues that haven’t been attended to.

Make It Pretty

Cosmetic touch ups can make a big difference in the rig. Some people want it to look just like it rolled off the lot, even if it’s a 20 year old unit. Others want it to remake it the way they like with balsam wood floors and white cabinets. You can’t please everyone all the time. You can add some throw pillows for pops of color or a nice bedspread over the mattress. It adds a touch of home without breaking the bank.

People want to be able to buy a unit, jump in with their stuff, and be camping the following weekend. The more you can do to facilitate that, the quicker you will sell the unit.

How To Advertise Your RV For Sale Online

Writing A Great Sales Description

Have a catchy title. On Facebook or Craigslist, simple is better…2002 Holiday Rambler Admiral. $15,000, for example. Let them know exactly what to expect when the come to see the unit. Give lots of details, there’s no word limit on these ads.

Be through with the description. List all of the specs, including make, model, year, mileage, engine, length and then go into the features. If you have done maintenance or upgrades, put that in, like new flooring or new house batteries.

Expect that people might not read what you wrote and will ask questions you’ve already answered, but that’s part of the sales process.

Ravi Parikh, CEO of  RoverPass, says, “You need to figure out your RV’s selling points. Does it have features most don’t? Have you done some renovations or added things to it? Highlight that in the headline. Put your best foot forward and sell people on it in the headline.”

Don’t use CAPS LOCK. It’s like yelling at the person. “BUY MY RV”. It turns people off.

List the price. You can do it in the headline and then again in the write up of the ad. If you only accept Paypal or want cash, put that in the ad. If you limit how they can pay, you might limit the buyer pool.

Be honest. Don’t try to mislead buyers. It will only bite you in the rear.

Take Great Photos

You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take pictures of your RV. Using a smartphone, you can take pictures of the inside and outside of the RV.

Take current pictures. Don’t use ones from when you first bought the rig 5 years ago. Have a clean lens. Take the pictures on a sunny day in full light.

Give yourself a lot of pictures to choose from from different angles and of different things. Also, take a picture of the odometer! That can eliminates the question of mileage.

Take a picture from the back looking to the front to give the perspective of length. Don’t forget to take pictures of the bathroom.

Think about all the pictures you would want to see if you were looking to buy an RV – and take those photos.

You can stage your RV with flowers, throw pillows and bedding to make it more inviting.

If there were issues with something cosmetic, take a picture of it, like a dent in the back bumper from when you were learning to back up.

Blurry pictures or slanty pictures won’t help sell your RV. Wait until everything is picked up before taking the pictures. An unmade bed with dishes in the sink and trash on the floor isn’t going to help bring people in or sell the unit.

Tips For Getting Top-Dollar When Selling Your RV

Now is a great time to sell an RV. People are looking to get out on vacation to get away from reality in a safe manner. RVs can provide that for people. It is usually recommended to sell your RV first thing in the spring, but that’s only a guideline. Before you sell, let’s go over the best tips for getting top dollar when selling your RV.

1.  Do a deep clean. Hire someone if you can’t do it yourself.

2.  Stage the RV, much like you would a house you were trying to sell.

3.  Get organized with your paperwork. If you’ve kept maintenance records, include those with the sale. If you have owner’s manuals, make sure the buyers know that information as well.

4.  Be honest about what work the RV needs. The buyer is going to find out. Be honest up front and they’ll trust that what you’re telling them is the truth.

5.  Separate your emotions from the sale. Nothing stings more than having fixed up the RV, replaced the carpet, painted, and a buyer walks in and talks about ripping everything out to do over in her taste. If you’re ready to sell, this won’t hurt as much, if at all.

Selling Your RV

RVs are a large expense. When deciding to sell make sure you’re not leaving money on the table by missing key steps in the selling process. Be thorough, be honest, and be ready. Once you put your ad on a site expect to get a quick response.

You can sell your RV and get a good, fair price for it. With a little planning and the right buyers, you’ll be ready to move on to your next adventure. 

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