Non-Smoking whole-home vacation rental

Furnish a house, condo or cabin as a self-catering stay for families and groups, with a firm no-smoking rule.

Bright self-catering holiday cottage living room with a no-smoking sign.
Startup cost$8k to $30k
Monthly revenue$1.5k to $7k
Time needed8+ h/week
First incomeMonths
  • $8k-30k
  • Side hustle
  • Own premises
  • Licence or permit needed

Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.

Official data

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

NAICS 721199 “All other traveler accommodation”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.

What it is

A whole property used only as a vacation rental, such as a condo, cabin or small house you own or have written permission to rent short-term. It is fully equipped for self-catering and kept smoke-free to stay fresh and appealing.

Your first three steps

  1. Check your city or county rules on short-term rentals, including permits, zoning, occupancy limits and tax registration
  2. Get a short-term or vacation rental insurance quote and furnish the property with durable, easy-to-clean items and safety equipment
  3. Create listings with professional-looking photos, set a no-smoking policy and line up a reliable cleaner and a local backup contact
Who pays

Vacationing families, groups of friends, couples on getaways and traveling workers who want more space than a hotel room.

How it makes money

A nightly rate plus a cleaning fee, with higher prices in peak season and for weekends and holidays. Direct repeat bookings can cut platform fees.

Skills that help
  • Guest communication and problem solving
  • Organizing cleaners and turnovers
  • Pricing and budgeting
Watch out for
  • Some areas cap or ban short-term rentals, or require an owner to live on site, so confirm before you buy or furnish
  • If you rent the property, get the landlord's written permission, and check HOA covenants
  • Check that your insurance covers guests and property damage, since a standard homeowner or landlord policy may not
  • Lodging taxes, sales tax and income tax reporting vary by state and locality, so ask your state tax agency or an accountant
  • Seasonal demand can leave quiet months, so plan for gaps in bookings
  • Guests who break the no-smoking rule can leave lingering odors, so check your cleaning fee and damage policy

Deep research report · US

Everything you need to start: non-smoking whole-home vacation rental

Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.

  • Startup costs with real prices
  • Licences, registration and rules
  • Pricing: what others charge
  • Break-even example
  • Finding your first customers
  • 30-day launch plan
  • Risks and how to reduce them
Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a whole-home vacation rental?

Startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $30,000, depending on the size of the property and how much furnishing and equipment it needs. These are estimates and do not include buying a property.

What should I check before renting out a whole home short-term?

Check whether your area caps or bans short-term rentals or requires an owner on site. Also check landlord permission and HOA covenants, insurance for guests and damage, and lodging, sales and income tax rules.

How much can a vacation rental home earn?

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on location, season and rates. Plan on at least about 8 hours a week, and expect quiet months. These are estimates, not guaranteed bookings.

Other ways to run this business

Non-smoking guest suite or backyard cottage rental

Rent a spare suite, garage apartment or backyard unit to visitors on a strict no-smoking basis.

  • $1.5k-7k
  • Side hustle
  • From home
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Similar hospitality ideas

Private holiday villa with swimming pool and terrace overlooking the countryside.

Full-time vacation rental host on a leased home

With the owner's written consent, lease a house and run it as a guest-ready holiday rental as your main job.

  • $8k-30k
  • Part-time
  • Own premises
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year
Guide leading a small group of hikers along a mountain trail with map in hand.

Guided multi-day hiking trips

Run weekend and multi-day hiking trips for groups, with route, logistics and safety handled.

  • $8k-30k
  • Full-time
  • Out and about
2,584 US businesses with employees in this field, +2.0% in a year
Tidy furnished apartment bedroom ready for holidaymakers arriving for a short stay.

Furnished vacation apartment in a tourist area

Furnish a dedicated apartment, with the landlord's written consent if you rent it, and let it to visitors by the night.

  • $5k-25k
  • Part-time
  • Own premises
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year
Self-catering wooden chalet holiday let surrounded by trees with a welcoming porch.

Whole-home vacation rental

Furnish and run an entire house, condo or cabin as a vacation rental for guests.

  • $5k-25k
  • Part-time
  • Own premises
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year
Cosy holiday cottage in countryside with an agent's sign and welcoming garden.

Local vacation rental management company

Run a small team that markets and looks after a growing set of cabins and cottages in a tourist area.

  • $5k-25k
  • Full-time
  • Own premises
60,818 US businesses with employees in this field, +5.9% in a year

Vacation home rental on a property you own

Furnish a house you already own and rent it to vacation guests by the night or week.

  • $5k-25k
  • Side hustle
  • Own premises
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Photo: PublicDomainArchive on Pixabay

More ideas →