As beautiful weather arrives in the Pacific Northwest, some things are a given. The rain turns to sunshine, people flock to the water and the Manufactured Home & RV (MHRV) Show Association holds the RV Show at the Washington State Fair Event Center in Puyallup. And now that they’ve partnered with TwinStar Credit Union to sponsor the event, South Sounders can rest assured that their financing dollars are going right back into the community they love so much.
The 2018 Puyallup RV Show was held on May 3–6. “This was the 44th year for the Puyallup RV Show,” says Cheryl Johnston, Marketing Director for the MHRV Show Association, “and we had the highest attendance since 1999. Over 11,200 people came out this May to the fairgrounds in Puyallup. Most came to explore buying options from 20 dealers, get information from the many free seminars and demonstrations, and see what RVing can mean for them. Just about every type and brand of RV was there including a ‘Used RV Corral’ that has become very popular in the last couple of years.”
The RV market has been better than ever. According to the RV Industry Association, a record 25 million people are expected to vacation in an RV this year, with recent trends favoring travel trailers, lightweight towables, “techy” amenities and other modern conveniences. Cheryl Johnston attributes these RV trends to the freedom that comes along with owning an RV.
“When you own an RV, you have the ability to go where you want, when you want. You decide when to depart, which route to travel, what to see, when and where to stay the night. You may decide to stay along a mountain stream far removed from civilization or at an RV resort that features swimming pools, hot tubs, tennis courts, golf, playgrounds and other luxuries. What better way to reconnect with the family than around the campfire after a day of hiking, fishing or bicycling? A big plus is the ability to bring the family pet. Whether it’s a tent trailer or motorhome, there is an RV that will fit the budget and pocketbook for most.” And with budgeting in mind, the CBRE Hotels Advisory found substantial savings from using an RV over other conventional methods.
Also because of their commitment to the local community, both MHRV and TwinStar worked with the EFN (Emergency Food Network) to set up a food drive called Fill the Toyhauler, where visitors of the RV show could bring non-perishable food to donate. “The MHRV matched the donations pound for pound,” boasts Johnston. “TwinStar jumped on board with this and matched pound for pound as well.”
So just how hard is it to get yourself behind the wheel of one of these homes away from home? According to Jose Galvan, Business Development Officer at TwinStar Credit Union, the financing process is much easier than one would think. “RV loans are very similar to auto loans when it comes to processing with our streamlined process and quick turnaround,” Galvan explains. RV loans are a sort of meld between traditional car loans and home loans. While this discretionary loan may seem daunting at first glance, TwinStar’s Director of Consumer Lending, Carmina Drummer, lays it out as simple as can be. “RV loan applications go through a very quick approval process similar to auto loans,” she clarifies, “but like a home loan, we do like to see more established credit history for this type of purchase.”
Due to their not-for-profit nature and love of community for both TwinStar Credit Union and the MHRV Association, it was only natural that the two organizations decided to work together. “We’ve been wanting to work with the [MHRV] Association for some time now,” recalls Carmina Drummer. “The stars aligned this year and we were able to pick up the Puyallup RV Show sponsorship. The association has a great reputation in the community and we hope for many more partnerships in the coming years.”
Cheryl Johnston and the MHRV Association agrees. “TwinStar was our new presenting sponsor this year and they were absolutely terrific,” she adds. “With a shortened time-frame than normal too, they stepped up and pulled things together in time for a great partnership with special financing for people buying at the show. As a non-profit organization, they are committed to providing the best options for their members. MHRV is also a not-for-profit organization made up of RV dealers, manufactured housing dealers and associated businesses.”
This information, of course, is just the tip of the iceberg. More detailed analysis, ideas and just about anything else RV related to the Pacific Northwest can be found at NorthwestRVing, a blog site dedicated to all things RVing. For details about an RV loan through TwinStar Credit Union, visit a local branch or check out their website here.
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