Miami-Fort Lauderdale Skoolies

[Chicken Little]

Originally Posted by ewo1

I'll try to be real nice here but your question really makes me..... wanna laugh.
Take a look at the bottom of the affidavit...

see the space for the NOTARY acknowledgement.... ????

Guess what needs to be done!

And don't forget to check off which of the three required components you installed,
A) 110v electrical wiring
b) Liquified petroleum gas piping
c) Installed plumbing system

Good luck!

UPDATE I contacted National General who specialise in insuring SKoolie conversions and according to them, as of 2021 florida requires insurance coverage for registration/tittle. They did an over the phone quote and I have to send them pictures of the inside (back to front/front to back) and outside (from all four corners) showing all decals covered or removed/seats removed (you can temp leave a few seats under 16 passengers) they will then send everything out to their underwriters to be insured with partial conversion coverage for 1 year. I can then proceed to registration/tittle.

later on once I send pics of the potable water, compost toilet set up | sleeping quarters (mattress on floor) | and cooking area (portable coleman propane stove on a fixed table)
They'll consider my conversion 100% complete. Turns out its the dmv/tag agency that verifies with the insurance if the vehicle can be classified as a recreational vehicle. Youve been very helpful and you shouldnt be hearing much from me again, Thank you

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by Chicken Little

I understand your frustration lol believe me but I made that affidavit myself based on a general template I found online, what I wanted to know is if you had a notary sign off on yours because the Florida CERTIFICATE OF TITLE REQUIREMENTS FOR RECREATIONAL
VEHICLES, packet does not specify that.

When your right, your right.
I just looked at the tl-13. The wording for the affidavit is there but not an actual form.

You did right by adding the notary acknowledgment. The notary stamp serves to properly identify you as the person signing the form and attesting to the bus body changes.

Have it notarized and have all the other forms ready and just go to the Coral Gables tag agency.
When you walk out with the title, I'll take 2 corona beers for my troubles !!

[may2024]

I got evicted my by own cousin back in October 2023 I slept in my car for about 2 months. I came across someone that said that they would allow me to stay in their efficiency if we became a team and started wholesaling houses. Needless to say that didn't go as planned and I haven't heard from him at all. I've been staying in the efficiency without paying rent and I don't know when it is he will kick me out. I have a dog and a cat and my anxiety just gets worse by each day that passes by. Because I know it will be a mission to be able to rent once more I decided to buy a school bus and pay for it to be concerted into a tiny home I started researching and I came across this page on google. I am clueless on this but I am putting everything else on hold as far as my wholesaling business because I will like to spend every dime on this. I do have a job I just don't know where to go to buy the bus and to make sure that it is in good condition. This will be my future home for me and my pets and I just don't know how long I have in this place. Please if any of you could assist me ... I am located in Miami Florida where can I go to purchase the bus? And where can i pay to park it. Please if any of you could text me at 305-315-6525. I need to start on this asap I can't be in the streets with my pets again.

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by may2024

I got evicted my by own cousin back in October 2023 I slept in my car for about 2 months. I came across someone that said that they would allow me to stay in their efficiency if we became a team and started wholesaling houses. Needless to say that didn't go as planned and I haven't heard from him at all. I've been staying in the efficiency without paying rent and I don't know when it is he will kick me out. I have a dog and a cat and my anxiety just gets worse by each day that passes by. Because I know it will be a mission to be able to rent once more I decided to buy a school bus and pay for it to be concerted into a tiny home I started researching and I came across this page on google. I am clueless on this but I am putting everything else on hold as far as my wholesaling business because I will like to spend every dime on this. I do have a job I just don't know where to go to buy the bus and to make sure that it is in good condition. This will be my future home for me and my pets and I just don't know how long I have in this place. Please if any of you could assist me ... I am located in Miami Florida where can I go to purchase the bus? And where can i pay to park it. Please if any of you could text me at 305-315-6525. I need to start on this asap I can't be in the streets with my pets again.

I totally understand your frustrations, Miami Dade County is a really unforgiving place to try to make a living in. Too expensive, Too crowded, every inch of available land being converted to high rise buildings, traffic, crime....

Renting in Miami Dade has become INSANE! Most efficiencies are running between 1k-1500 a month, you would be lucky to rent a house for less the $2500 a month! I could easily get $3500 a month for mine!

Ooops, I feel like I'm gonna vent here too much....

Not to bust your bubble but living in a skoolie in Miami Dade county, forget about it... In years past when Miami Dade was mostly an un-incorporated county..maybe. But today with just about all of the county now incorporated, with all the multiple "gestapo" cities and there overzealous code enforcement coupled with the fact that there is no more "open" land in the county your gonna find it real hard and depressing to do what you are looking at here in Miami Dade.

What I do see happening though is more and more people putting pull campers in their backyard and then renting them out as efficiencies. But that does come with a the risk that the neighbors get pissed and call code enforcement, short living that rental opportunity.

If you are in a real tight bind I would save my money from the build and either rent another efficiency or maybe look into roommates.

It takes a minute or two to build out a bus and realistically speaking, there is no open space to boondock in Miami Dade. You might find a short term opportunity maybe at a warehouse with open parking lot but you are garaunteed to become a statistical victim of crime in that type of scenario. Let's face it, outdoor Miami dade is a dangerous place nowadays.

I've been here in Miami Dade for just over 30 years now, seen a crapload of change. There used to be nicer safer pockets within the county but now due to overpopulation (2.6 million people and counting) there are no longer any safe pockets of town. Even the Redlands are becoming overpopulated and filled with crime activity. One of the main factors on my decision making to finally get the hell out of dodge!

You mentioned a few things that are concerning, living in a rent free efficiency with a guy you haven't heard from again, he didn't set you up as a squatter, did he?

Finding a pay parking spot for your bus is not gonna be cheap either and you more than likelyt will not be getting any hookups either for plumbing.

To help you understand where to get a bus, many of us buy at an auction. It is risky!
You can buy from a private seller, craigslist of Marketplace, also risky but at least you get to inspect. You can also expect to pay double if not triple as compare to buying from an auction.
A couple of auction sites, publicsurplus.com, Bidera.com. I have used both tree times so far.

I am going to share with you the same advice I gave my 3 kids, get the hell out of South Florida and build a better quality of life somewhere else that allows for growth and prosperity. Miami Dade has become TOO expensive ....Even the influx of nationwide retirees are re-considering coming here. Homeowner insurance is the biggest problem today.

How funny, while typing this code enforcement just knocked on my door asking about the bus parked out front...had to explain that I am loading it up and heading out on the road today... LOL..

....My daughter moved to central Tx 5 years ago and now owns 2 homes, I went out there 2 years ago and now I have a home and a 4 acre workshop out there and my oldest soon and his wife are now leaving S. Fl. for Texas too in search for building a new life that does not come with crowd control management!

When I started my build, I helped a young couple build their bus. They had hopes of parking it here in Miami and living in it...didn't happen. After a 2 year build, they searched and searched but could not find a reasonable space to park it, they moved, with the bus, to North Florida, Orlando region.

Don't put your business life on hold, you will not survive well if you do that, the job market here in South Florida does not pay enough to survive here. Having a "Gig" income, maybe 2 or 3, is the new reality in South Florida, if you want to survive financially....

Take control of your life and your future, don't tie up what little life savings you might have on a bus build. It will no go well if you are not standing on solid ground.
Reach out to friends and family, work 2 jobs if you have too but just take control of it before it controls you.

I like pets, dogs especially, but you might want to consider placing them with friends or family while you get up on your feet, you don't need any anchors.

Please forgive me if I come at this in a way you don't like but reading your post makes me feel like your not ready and just looking for a better way up!

What I share here is the same thing I share with my 3 kids so please take it for what it is.

[ewo1]

Hey, if your dead set on a bus, I think there is one for sale in Palmetto Bay.
If you know where the Dunkin Donuts is on US1 (northbound) 2 blocks directly behind the DD, I believe there is one for sale. You might want to drive by and take a look at it.

Driving instructions - go past DD (NB), turn right at the end of the DD store complex, 2 blocks turn right again, 5 or 6 houses down on the right, you'll see it.
I do not know the guy, good luck.

[may2024]

Tha k you for responding I will drive and take a look at it.


I was told to buy one from a auction maybe from govdeals.com as long as it was owned my the government because they keep strict maintenance schedules and they tend to last longer is this true?


Out of all the different buses out there which one is the best make and model? I want a 40 footer

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by may2024

Tha k you for responding I will drive and take a look at it.


I was told to buy one from a auction maybe from govdeals.com as long as it was owned my the government because they keep strict maintenance schedules and they tend to last longer is this true?


Out of all the different buses out there which one is the best make and model? I want a 40 footer

Not so true! Many times they get rid of them because there junk, have been robbed of the good parts (palm beach county school district does this), some still run but have reached the end of their useful life meaning the engine will need a rebuild soon. In short, this is a bad rule to accept as a norm.

that being said, there are many private _re-sellers_ who will tell you this but just remeber that they probably bought at auction and looking to make a 100-150% markup by simply flipping a bus after telling you that yeah, "it was owned by the government and they keep strict maintenance schedules".


My personal favorite body is the RE IC/Amtran. Not so say it the best of all but it is what appeals to me. I am not into dognose busses.

[Albatross]

Originally Posted by may2024

I got evicted my by own cousin back in October 2023 I slept in my car for about 2 months. I came across someone that said that they would allow me to stay in their efficiency if we became a team and started wholesaling houses. Needless to say that didn't go as planned and I haven't heard from him at all. I've been staying in the efficiency without paying rent and I don't know when it is he will kick me out. I have a dog and a cat and my anxiety just gets worse by each day that passes by. Because I know it will be a mission to be able to rent once more I decided to buy a school bus and pay for it to be concerted into a tiny home I started researching and I came across this page on google. I am clueless on this but I am putting everything else on hold as far as my wholesaling business because I will like to spend every dime on this. I do have a job I just don't know where to go to buy the bus and to make sure that it is in good condition. This will be my future home for me and my pets and I just don't know how long I have in this place. Please if any of you could assist me ... I am located in Miami Florida where can I go to purchase the bus? And where can i pay to park it. Please if any of you could text me at 305-315-6525. I need to start on this asap I can't be in the streets with my pets again.

Please don't misunderstand me here, but trying to jump into skoolie life is not exactly any kind of a good way to get out of a bad situation. You would probably be better off buying a ticket on a bus or putting a lot of gas into your car and moving to someplace more 'rural' where the housing market and the job market make a lot more sense to each other.



For example, I'm in the middle of nowhere in flyover country, and the minimum wage out here is something like $12.15/hour, but you can find places to rent under $500/month. To save you the time of doing math, that means that any old full-time minimum wage gig would make it so that your housing costs are around 25% of your monthly take-home, instead of something like 120% or worse. If you've got marketable skills, and they match up with something in the market out wherever, then you could easily get ahead.



Instead of adding to your burden by acquiring a massive PITA to store and live in that is constantly depreciating in not only value but also mechanically--and all of the problems that arise are quite costly--I think it might be a better option for you to secure a better place to live first and foremost, and then figure out how to build a rig so that it is secure and stable, and you know the problems with the engine and systems.

[may2024]

After considerable research and thought into this I have determined that this is my only option.


Just like anything in life I can't focus on the negatives. It is an investment. Just like I have invested over $5000 I real estate and made no money this far.


Does anyone know of a local builder that I can pay to build the interior?


I went to go look at buses today and found a local business that sell them for $10k

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by may2024

After considerable research and thought into this I have determined that this is my only option.


Just like anything in life I can't focus on the negatives. It is an investment. Just like I have invested over $5000 I real estate and made no money this far.


Does anyone know of a local builder that I can pay to build the interior?


I went to go look at buses today and found a local business that sell them for $10k

Well since you got your mind made up, let's run the numbers.

Purchase bus - $10,000 - (This is way too much money!)
contract labor for build out - $10,000 - (budgeted)
Materials for build - $10,000 - (budgeted)

(You said you need it asap so those are good round numbers to start with.)

Well that's 30 grand you need in hand to get it done somewhat quick.

Then there's the monthly parking fee. Most places WILL NOT let you work on their lot here in Miami.

If you got 30 grand laying around then it seems to me that your future is not as bleak as it appears when reading your post.

Ok, now you start your build. It will take somewhere around let's say 6 months.

Oh, I forgot to budget for getting the bus road ready / road safe. Tires...??? They cost around $500 bucks for steers, a little cheaper for drive tires.
Brakes, at what percentage of life are the pads on the bus you gonna buy?
Brake job, 100o-2000 bucks, more if you need drums!

Then again, where you gonna park it in Miami???

Building a Skoolie is not the same as a tiny home and it is not an investment, it's a journey.

Owning a skoolie is almost like owning a BOAT, you won't sink in the ocean but you WILL Break Out Another Thousand each time it goes down!

So let's begin, What type of bus fits your needs? Long/short ???

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by ewo1

Well since you got your mind made up, let's run the numbers.

Purchase bus - $10,000 - (This is way too much money!)
contract labor for build out - $10,000 - (budgeted)
Materials for build - $10,000 - (budgeted)

(You said you need it asap so those are good round numbers to start with.)

Well that's 30 grand you need in hand to get it done somewhat quick.

Then there's the monthly parking fee. Most places WILL NOT let you work on their lot here in Miami.

If you got 30 grand laying around then it seems to me that your future is not as bleak as it appears when reading your post.

Ok, now you start your build. It will take somewhere around let's say 6 months.

Oh, I forgot to budget for getting the bus road ready / road safe. Tires...??? They cost around $500 bucks for steers, a little cheaper for drive tires.
Brakes, at what percentage of life are the pads on the bus you gonna buy?
Brake job, 100o-2000 bucks, more if you need drums!

Then again, where you gonna park it in Miami???

Building a Skoolie is not the same as a tiny home and it is not an investment, it's a journey.

Owning a skoolie is almost like owning a BOAT, you won't sink in the ocean but you WILL Break Out Another Thousand each time it goes down!

So let's begin, What type of bus fits your needs? Long/short ???

somewhere i posted about the $$$ Ive spent on my busses.. cant remember where that was.. and i dont even live in them.. and ive done all my own repairs with mechanical / electrical knowledge..



god forbid someone has to send their bus to a shop for a few days.. (where they likely wont let you live in it unless its a super lenient shop owner)BOAT is a REALLY GOOD approximation of a bus in repair....



or its like owning a JEEP (JustEmptyEveryPocket)

[ewo1]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

or its like owning a JEEP (JustEmptyEveryPocket)

LMAO, never heard this one!

[ewo1]

This is interesting, this morning while watching the local cbs news I saw an newscast in which the City of Opa-Locka (Miami dade county) is in the process of banning homeowners from parking RV's in their backyard/driveway.

The ordinance has already gone to first reading and is set for a second reading before a vote by the city council.

Rv's in backyards being used as rental efficiencies is a big problem here.

what's next?

https://youtu.be/wymCs43eKy8?si=zcyjm4HaJyCGwko2

[ewo1]

Banning RV's is becoming a thing now!

Hialeah bans the use of recreational vehicles for housing
Mayor warns violators face $500 daily fine

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2...s-for-housing/



HIALEAH, Fla. – Hialeah officials banned the use of recreational vehicles for housing in residential areas and promised to enforce the measure with both tenants and landlords.

City council members voted 4-2 in favor of the measure that Hialeah Mayor Steve Bovo supports during a public meeting on Tuesday night at City Hall.

Bovo said some property owners have created illegal “trailer parks.” He said migrants were renting the RVs with “illegal connections through electrical outlets” and access to water and sewer.

“This is a safety issue,” Bovo said adding that those who are in violation will have their electricity and water disconnected and face hefty fines.

Council members Angelica Pacheco and Bryan Calvo were the two dissenting votes. Calvo said the measure will also punish residents who have commercial vehicles or boats on their properties.

“This is going to be huge for the city of Hialeah and we’re talking about $500 fines per day of violation,” Calvo said. “This is an over-burdensome regulation. it’s going to create a lot of headaches.”

Pacheco worries that the measure is going to hurt the most vulnerable. There is an affordable housing crisis.

“It’s causing panic among especially a lot of elderly people,” Pacheco said.

Bovo said he was concerned about the safety of the RVs during a hurricane and about the lack of background checks that may attract sexual predators.

Bovo said some residents were complaining about undesirable neighbors and there were nearly 200 RVs legally registered with the state, but he believes there are probably more.

[cadillackid]

this is the trend after all of the publicity from "RV parks" in LA and san francisco.. rawsewage everywhere and a mess of discarded items, drugs, etc.. so now many places are trying to avoid such conditions .


valid RV parks have a lot of rules to follow.. (thus one of the reasons they arent cheap)..

[may2024]

Well guys I bought a bus for $1,000 With a 15,000 watt generator bolted to the bottom of the bus wired for electrical ready and all the seats removed.... I also found a place to park it a lot for $300 and guess what the guy is letting me work on it 24/7

.


So now what should I do for the aie conditioning a you gone do a mini split or a rv ac?

[may2024]

$300.a.month

[cadillackid]

mini split vs RV A/C depends on several things..


do you have a place to secure the outdoor unit.. skills to wire in and install a minisplit.. and whether you want heat or not.. the minisplit will give you a heat pump.



and of course you also get soft start capabilities whiuch is easier on inverters and battery / solar systems vs the hard start of an RV unit..



the inverse is that an RV unit is pretty much just pull out the roof hatch and make a nice plate and couple of supports to slap it on the roof..

[may2024]

So for me what is important is to have a a/c unit installed that can run without the bus having to run because by April 30th my pets have to be in the bus while I am at work... what do you all suggest

[cadillackid]

are you going to be able to shade or insulate your bus? a stock bus in the afternoon summer sun not under shade and no more than factory insulation is a really tough thing to cool.. my 14000 BTU portable A/C hardly touches my stock 7 window bus in those conditions.. now in the shade it does well enough that you could keep pets cool.... if you are going to insulate and cover the windows during the day that will help... plan your setup.. minisplit is a good choice if you have the space and setup..


RV ac is prob the easiest..



im assuming you have electricity at youre parking spot? and will set up some type of temperature monitor with a cell link in case the A/C fails at noon and you work till 5?