Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Moore.
Rebecca, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Our company is family-owned and operated with a lifetime of experience. All of us had lengthy careers in all aspects of the manufactured housing industry before dreaming RRC into existence. Recreational Resort Cottages and Cabins was formed in January of 2007 after a tour of factory-built housing in RV resorts across the nation. We immediately fell in love with the relaxed lifestyle of independence and flexibility coupled with community. The park model owners were so full of joy, and we soon realized they had something that most people we knew were missing: freedom, relaxation, and community with like-minded people. We wanted to offer an alternative to traditional housing that would allow people to share land without actually having to live together. We dreamed of parents living on the same land with their children, having their independence but with the security of family. For “Winter Texans”, a.k.a. “Snowbirds”, we could provide the opportunity to own one home up north and one down south and travel between the two as the weather changed. For full-time RVers, our park models allowed for a “home-base” with a full-size kitchen and full-size bathroom but without the full-size payment. And for the lake lovers, hunters, and fishermen, our cabins offered an affordable way to have a vacation home or hunting lodge. As the years went by and people came to us with different needs, we developed everything from offices to pool houses to student housing, and now we have a line of larger homes and cabins that still stay true to the uniqueness of our park models and cabins, but that offer more square footage.
Today we see a new desire among families to downsize; to get back to the basics of a simple life so you have the freedom to travel and to live life to the fullest. And as advocates of ‘thinking outside the box”, we are loving each and every opportunity to bring these families literally closer together. A few years ago the Tiny House TV shows became popular, and for those that have embraced the minimalist lifestyle, we are a perfect fit.
Our homes now range from tiny towable homes under 200 square feet to our traditional RV park models up to 400 square feet and now a wide variety of homes and cabins ranging from 400 square feet to over 2500 square feet. The one thing they all have in common in our unique signature designs and finishes.
For eleven years, our RRC team has designed some of the most unique cottages and cabins and have provided guidance and housing to thousands of families. And Tom has worked tirelessly to get them all delivered and installed. We have worked on some of the most exciting projects and have so many stories, pictures, and examples to share. Together, we have learned tons of lessons over the years, and we can spare our clients a lot of headaches simply through our years of experience. No one knows RV park models, tiny homes, or factory-built cabins better than we do, and our family loves to share this experience with our clients.
In 2018, we are developing our first tiny house community through Recreational Resort Living. It will be located in the quaint town of Campbell, Texas just east of Dallas and Greenville. The design allows for 200 tiny houses nestled in 64 acres with lots of trees and a 5 acre lake. We are simply waiting on the septic permit from TCEQ in Austin. This will be a huge milestone in our journey, as we have dreamed of bringing the park model communities to Texas since we began the company.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Nothing great or worth having is ever without obstacle. 2009 was a very difficult time for us following the 2008 election. The majority of our lenders exited the market, and people were forced to pay cash for the RV park models. Selling a secondary product, we were faced with people being scared about the economy and not wanting to purchase for fear they may need their cash for survival.
Our first retail center was in Granbury, Texas. But when things got tough in 2009, we needed to relocate to a place with less overhead. That is when we moved our inventory to Rockwall. Tough times call for tough decisions. We were out of money. But we were blessed with an opportunity that proved to be a lifesaver for our company.
A retailer in Rockwall was experiencing the same problems we were (no lending available for customers) and was losing a ton of money every month. So we proposed a deal: if they would allow us to store our inventory there free of charge and operate our business out of their location, in exchange, we would offer our management services for their business free of charge. It was a win-win situation. They saved money in personnel, and we saved money in rent. For almost two years we operated both businesses from the same location until the industry turned and we were able to sell all of their inventory. In November of 2001, we began officially leasing the property from them and operating just Recreational Resort Cottages from the location. We have been flourishing ever since. It was rough time, but we got creative, worked hard, and the perseverance paid off.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Recreational Resort Cottages story. Tell us more about the business.
Right now we are known for our tiny houses. But that is not really all we are or do. We were selling tiny houses long before the TV shows came along. What we offer is a unique factory-built home in a variety of sizes. Tiny houses just happen to be one of those sizes. We actually go up to 2500 square feet. It’s our unique styles and designs that are so attractive. You can’t find them anywhere else. Even if you found a manufacturer to build the basic house, they won’t add all of the finishing touches and special features that we offer. That’s why people travel from all over the nation to work with us.
Besides our styles and finishes, what sets us apart is our people. You won’t find anywhere a better group of people with not just skills and passion for what they do but also a heart for loving and helping people. Our clients have a blast with us, and we have an amazing referral rate thanks to the quality of staff we employ.
I am definitely most proud of our staff. Our first employee in Granbury is still with us today and relocated to help us develop the community. That’s how passionate she is about bringing the park model lifestyle to Texas. And our Sales Manager started with us when he was just a kid in high school. He started in lot maintenance, moved into web design and maintenance, then worked front desk, became a successful salesperson, and now is our Sales Manager. He has literally grown up with us. He got married a couple of years ago and just had his first baby; she is absolutely adorable. Clients want to buy from him because he is simply a great person. He cares, and it shows.
I could go on and on about each of my staff members; they all get the same comments from our clients. Why? Because they’re just good people. And we know what we’re doing. There are so many businesses trying to jump on the tiny-house bandwagon right now. But they don’t really know the first thing about designing them, building them, titling them, financing them, insuring them, meeting zoning and coding regulations, installing them safely, etc. Vicky, our top Design Specialist last year, for example, just sold her big home in Rockwall this year and downsized into a 399 square foot tiny house. She loves it and welcomes the opportunity to talk about the adventure with anyone who is curious.
We, too, own one. We both financed ours with our most popular lenders so we could experience the process from start to finish just like our clients would. I think that level of experience allows us to better assist our clients.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We do not believe in luck. We are blessed. We definitely have the protection and provision of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And we often times walk out on faith. He guides us. We pray daily for wisdom, discernment, and His blessing. And we pray daily that He will bring us the people we need to help. There is nothing that gives us joy more than knowing we helped a widow not get taken advantage of. Or we helped a single mother get her property prepared and utilities connected because there was no one else to help her.
Years ago I was a single mom in my 20s and something happened that had a major impact on my life. I was working in Waxahachie and what I thought was circumstance at the time (now I know it was part of the big picture plan God had for me) led me to rent a duplex in a senior housing development. I was looking for a place to rent and pulled in there not knowing exactly what it was. No one under 55 was supposed to live there but all of them had to be 70 or older. There was one rare vacancy, and by the grace of God, he allowed me and my daughter to move in. We loved it. The residents were always watching out for me. They would volunteer to help me with my daughter. But what profoundly impacted me was that one day an ice and snow storm hit. And I remember waking up and thinking “how the heck am I going to get to work?” I dreaded having to go out in the cold and figure out how to get my car out. When I looked out the window, I saw the property owner shoveling the snow off of all the walkways. He completely cleared all of the pathways so that I could get out and the residents could walk outside safely. I think of his kindness and service all the time. Because that is what I want to provide to people. I want to provide a community where like-minded people can live together, and we can help each other out in times of need. I now have a hard-working husband and three able-bodied sons. And I can’t wait for the day that our community opens and a snow storm hits, and I get to watch my sons shoveling the snow for all the residents that need our assistance. It not luck. It’s community. And kindness. And paying it forward.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4384 E Interstate 30
Rockwall, Texas 75087 - Website: www.RRCrockwall.com
- Phone: 972-771-2176
- Email: rebecca@recreationalresortcottages.com
Image Credit:
Recreational Resort Cottages
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