Unlike manufactured homes, which are a form of low-cost, permanent housing, recreational park trailers are 400-square foot movable resort cottages that are designed exclusively for part-time recreational use.

Park Models are typically upscale in appearance, they often include hardwood floors, bay windows and lofts as well as walnut, oak or maple cabinetry.

Most park model trailers are placed on campsites, which can be leased for $1,500 to $7,000 per year, depending on location. However, some consumers also place their units on campsites they’ve purchased or leased. And while condos and site-built recreational homes in resort areas typically cost $200,000 or $300,000 or sometimes even more, standard park model trailers generally cost under $50,000.

“People are realizing that park trailers enable them to have a weekend getaway or seasonal retreat cottage for a lot less than a condo or site-built recreational home, particularly if they want to place their unit in a resort setting,” said William Garpow, executive director of the Newnan, Ga.-based Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association (RPTIA).