5 Vacation Rentals Business Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
Start A Vacation Rentals Business

Vacation rentals host travelers for a short period. Often located in top vacation destinations, vacation rentals feature spacious rooms and a cozy lifestyle and are cheaper than booking a hotel.

Building or buying a vacation rental is a smart way of creating a passive income without much involvement in the business.

To make money through the vacation rental business, ensure a strategic location, often nearby attractions. Choose an area that is easily accessible and desirable all year round and create a beautiful space for your guests.

Stand out by optimizing the vacation rental listing online and featuring all available amenities.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a vacation rentals business:

1. Cardiff Vacations ($150K/year)

Julio and Alison Sanchez came up with the idea for their vacation rental business, Cardiff Vacations, after inheriting properties from Alison's parents. They decided to remodel the properties and rent them as vacation rentals to share the beauty of their beach homes with people from all over the world. With an average revenue of $50k per year and property, they continue to focus on their online presence and targeted marketing strategies to attract more guests.

How much they make: $150K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 12

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How We Started A $12K/Month Beachside Vacation Rental Business

This case study explores how a couple turned their childhood homes into vacation rentals, welcoming around 3k guests annually and generating an average revenue of $50k per year and property by focusing on a strong online presence and organic traffic.

About
Julio started Cardiff Vacations almost 13 years ago
Revenue
Julio grew the business to $12.5K/month
Costs
It cost Julio $30000 to start the business
Read by 7,435 founders

2. Tiny Away ($3.54M/year)

included well-known travel bloggers and the local media. This press launch generated significant buzz and media coverage, resulting in a surge of bookings and inquiries. We also strategically partnered with various eco-tourism organizations and promoted our offerings through social media campaigns, resulting in a steady increase in awareness and bookings. Through effective marketing strategies and a unique and appealing offering, we were able to successfully launch Tiny Away and establish ourselves as a leading player in the tiny house hospitality industry in Australia.

How much they make: $3.54M/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
Current team size: 40

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We Make $1.8M/Year Renting Tiny Homes To Travelers

Tiny Away, a network of eco-friendly 'tiny houses' across Australia, has grown to over 75 private locations and brings in an average of $156,000 in monthly rental revenue, appealing to city dwellers seeking unique and comfortable accommodation experiences.

About
Jeff started Tiny Away almost 7 years ago
Revenue
Jeff grew the business to $295K/month
Costs
It cost Jeff $300000 to start the business
Read by 6,576 founders

So... can you actually make money with a vacation rentals business?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

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3. StayFi ($960K/year)

Arthur Colker, the Founder and CEO of StayFi, came up with the idea for his WiFi marketing and management company after working as a marketing consultant for a short-term rental operator. He realized that there was a need for a solution that could collect marketing data from guests in rental properties, as the booking platforms didn't share this data. He built an MVP version of the product for his client and then expanded it to other operators in the industry.

How much they make: $960K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150K
Current team size: 6

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This Service For Airbnbs Makes $1M/Year

StayFi CEO Arthur Colker founded a WiFi marketing and management company that operates in almost 10,000 short-term rental properties from 600+ companies across 10 countries, with a focus on helping customers to introduce their brand and market to guests to book directly.

About
Arthur started StayFi about 5 years ago
Revenue
Arthur grew the business to $80K/month
Costs
It cost Arthur $150000 to start the business
Read by 3,103 founders