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Observations

Observations are your log of when you checked on an RV and what you found. While price history tracks the numbers, observations track the story.

What Is an Observation?​

An observation records:

  • Date — when you checked
  • Status — what you found:
    • Found — the RV is still available at this listing
    • Gone — the listing has been removed or the RV is no longer there
  • Notes — anything you want to remember about this check

Why Observations Matter​

Tracking Availability​

RVs come and go. A listing might disappear from RVTrader for a week, then reappear. Did it sell and the deal fall through? Did the dealer just reorganize their website? Observations help you piece together the timeline.

Knowing When You Last Looked​

When you have 15+ RVs in your garage, it's easy to forget which ones you checked recently. The observation date tells you at a glance — and the hide/highlight feature can use these dates to automatically manage your view.

Building Context for Decisions​

Over weeks of observations, a picture emerges:

RV A — 2022 Tiffin Allegro Bus 45OPP

  • Feb 1 — Found. Listed at $310K. New listing, photos look good.
  • Feb 8 — Found. Price dropped to $299K. Only a week! Dealer might be motivated.
  • Feb 15 — Found. Same price. Dealer confirmed it's still available when I called.
  • Feb 22 — Gone. Listing removed from RVTrader.
  • Mar 1 — Found. Re-listed at $295K. Looks like a previous deal fell through.

That narrative is valuable. You can see the RV has been on the market for a month, the price has dropped $15K, and a previous buyer walked away. That's useful information.

Adding an Observation​

  1. Open the RV's detail view.
  2. Go to the Observations section.
  3. Click Add Observation.
  4. Select the date and status.
  5. Add any notes.
  6. Save.

Tips​

Combine with price tracking

When you add an observation, also check the price and add a price entry if it's changed. The two features complement each other — observations give you the narrative, price history gives you the data.

Use notes generously

Notes are freeform for a reason. Jot down anything useful: "Spoke with sales manager, said they'd consider offers under $280K." "Photos updated, looks like they cleaned the interior." "This is the same RV that was at General RV last month."

Mark as Gone when appropriate

When a listing disappears, add an observation with status "Gone." If it comes back later, you'll have a record of the gap — which might indicate a failed sale, a consignment transfer, or just a website glitch.