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
- 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
You run a whole apartment as a short-stay rental in a place people like to visit, such as near a beach, a city center, a university or a national park. You either own the unit or lease it with the landlord's written permission to sublet short-term, then furnish it, list it and manage guests.
Your first three steps
- Research your target area's short-term rental rules and compare nightly rates and occupancy on existing listings
- Find a unit and get written permission from the landlord, HOA or building if you are not the owner
- Furnish and photograph the unit, set up listings, a lockbox or smart lock, and line up a reliable cleaner
Who pays
Vacationers, visiting families, event and conference attendees and people on short work trips.
How it makes money
Nightly fees plus cleaning fees, minus rent or mortgage, utilities, cleaning and platform fees. Profit depends heavily on how full the unit is across the year.
Skills that help
- Budgeting and tracking monthly costs
- Guest communication and problem solving
- Organizing cleaners and handovers
Watch out for
- Many leases forbid subletting, and some cities ban or cap short-term rentals, so check before signing anything
- Local permits, business license and lodging or occupancy tax registration may be required, so check with your city, county and state
- You pay rent or the mortgage even in empty months, so test the numbers with slow-season rates
- Get insurance designed for short-term rentals, because landlord and standard renter policies may not cover guests or your furnishings
- Damage, bad reviews and last-minute cleaning problems
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: furnished vacation apartment in a tourist area
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
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a vacation apartment rental?
Startup costs are typically around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on the unit and how much furnishing it needs. You pay rent or the mortgage even in empty months, so test the numbers with slow-season rates.
How much can a vacation apartment earn per month?
Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on location, season and how often the unit is booked. The estimate starts at about 8 hours a week for guest communication and cleaning coordination.
What rules should I check before renting out an apartment short-term?
Many leases forbid subletting, and some cities ban or cap short-term rentals, so check before signing anything. Also check local permits, business license and lodging or occupancy tax registration with your city, county and state.
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Photo: CyprusVillas on Pixabay