Non-smoking cottage or cabin rental

Families, couples and groups looking for a weekend or week away, often booking through listing platforms or your own website.

A nightly or weekly rate plus a cleaning fee. Demand is often seasonal, with peak summer or winter periods that can cover slower months.

• Organized with bookings and changeovers
• Customer service by message or phone
• Managing cleaners and handymen
• Basic pricing and budgeting

• Municipal licensing, zoning and caps on short-term rentals vary widely. Some areas have bans or limits, so check before buying or committing
• Condo bylaws or a landlord's lease may prohibit short-term rentals
• Insurance designed for short-term rental use, as ordinary home cover often excludes it
• Check whether you must charge GST/HST or a municipal or provincial accommodation tax
• Seasonal gaps in bookings and winter upkeep costs such as heating, snow clearing and frozen pipes
• The costs of buying or leasing the property are not included in the startup estimate

Startup costs for furnishing and setting up a rental are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on the property and how you furnish it. The cost of buying or leasing the property is not included in that estimate.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on location, season and how often you are booked. Plan for seasonal gaps in bookings and winter upkeep costs such as heating, snow clearing and frozen pipes.

Check before you commit. Municipal licensing, zoning and caps on short-term rentals vary widely, and some areas have bans or limits. Also check condo bylaws or your lease, insurance designed for short-term rental use, and whether GST/HST or an accommodation tax applies.