Vacation rental in a unit you lease

Lease an apartment with the owner's written approval, furnish it and rent it to guests.

Bright furnished holiday apartment living room with sofa and sea view window.
Startup cost$5k to $20k
Monthly revenue$3k to $10k
Time needed8+ h/week
First incomeMonths
  • $5k-20k
  • 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 lease a furnishable apartment from a landlord who agrees in writing to short-term subletting, then run it as a vacation rental without buying property.

Your first three steps

  1. Check your city or county short-term rental rules and find buildings or landlords open to short-term use
  2. Work out your numbers: rent, utilities, cleaning, supplies and taxes against realistic nightly rates and occupancy
  3. Get written landlord permission, sign the lease, then furnish the unit and publish your listing
Who pays

Tourists, traveling workers and families visiting the area for a few nights up to a few weeks.

How it makes money

Nightly rates plus cleaning fees, minus your monthly rent and utilities. Profit depends on keeping the unit booked well above your fixed costs.

Skills that help
  • Negotiating with landlords
  • Budgeting and pricing
  • Guest service and problem solving
Watch out for
  • Most standard leases ban subletting, so get explicit written permission and check the lease terms
  • Local short-term rental permits and lodging taxes, which vary by city and county
  • Fixed rent is owed even in empty months, so keep a cash buffer
  • Insurance for the contents and for guest liability, ask insurers about short-term rental cover
  • Landlord ending the lease or the city changing its rules, which could close the business quickly

Deep research report · US

Everything you need to start: vacation rental in a unit you lease

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 leased vacation rental?

Startup costs are typically around $5,000 to $20,000, depending on the unit, how you furnish it and the cash buffer you set aside. Monthly revenue is estimated at about $3,000 to $10,000, depending on location, season and bookings.

Can I sublet my apartment as a vacation rental?

Check your lease first: most standard leases ban subletting, so get explicit written permission from the landlord. Also check local short-term rental permits and lodging taxes, which vary by city and county, and ask insurers about short-term rental cover.

What are the main risks of a leased vacation rental?

Fixed rent is owed even in empty months, so keep a cash buffer. The landlord could end the lease or the city could change its rules, which could close the business quickly. Plan on at least about 8 hours a week.

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Vacation rental in a unit you own

Furnish a condo or apartment you own and rent it by the night to vacation guests.

  • $3k-15k
  • Side hustle
  • Own premises
2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

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Photo: jarmoluk on Pixabay

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