A brother and sister team in New York is building tiny homes to list on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
Their two builds located a four-hour drive from New York City have been hitting an over 90% occupancy rate.
The sibling duo wants to build 100 units around the country in the next five years.
Why vacation in a giant resort with hundreds of other guests when you can relax off-grid in a tiny cabin tucked away in the mountains?
Ethan Abitz
Over the last two years, unconventional accommodations — be it tiny homes, treehouses, or shipping container homes — have skyrocketed in popularity …
The Box Hop
… a sign that travelers are passing up on conventional hotels in favor of untraditional Instagram-worthy homes that make the accommodations part of the vacation.
Shelby Wilray
And now, investors, builders, hospitality companies, and scrappy startups across the US have been cashing in on this unique short-term rental boom …
Shelby Wilray
… including Emily and Gabriel Broomfield, a brother and sister duo who have built two wildly popular tiny homes, including one based in a shipping container.
Shelby Wilray
Before venturing into the short-term rental industry, the siblings found their entrepreneurial start selling home decor on Amazon and face shields at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ethan Abitz
In 2020, using the profits from their successful face shield business, the Broomfields decided to spend three months building a shipping container-based home now known as the Scenic Orchard.
Emily Broomfield
Soon after debuting the home on platforms like Airbnb, the tiny home was flooded with bookings.
Shelby Wilray
And within four-and-a-half months, the siblings made their money back on the unit.
Shelby Wilray
It was this sudden and surprising rise in popularity that made the team realize they had a solid business model.
Shelby Wilray
"The return on investment of tiny homes and short-term rentals compared to traditional real estate is not even in the same ballpark," Gabriel Broomfield told Insider.
Ethan Abitz
Six months later, the sibling team decided to start building their second unit: the slightly larger Starlink internet-enabled Hickory Outlook located about 1,000 feet away from its predecessor.
Shelby Wilray
But this time, the Broomfields decided to pass on building another home out of a shipping container.
Ethan Abitz
"I would not advise [a container build]," Gabriel Broomfield said, noting difficulties related to working with the container's metal sides.
Ethan Abitz
He says building the tiny home out of a shipping container would've added an additional $20,000 onto building costs.
Ethan Abitz
Despite these appearance differences, both units are equally popular with guests, hitting occupancy rates of about 90 to 95%.
Ethan Abitz
The Scenic Orchard starts at $445 per night, while the Hickory Outlook will run guests $545.
Christopher Funk
However, during peak seasons, these prices can grow up to $500 and $570 a night for the Scenic Orchard and Hickory Outlook, respectively.
Both properties sit on the same 45 acres of land in the Adirondacks, a popular getaway destination for New York City residents.
Ethan Abitz
The newer 456-square-foot Hickory Outlook — which cost over $200,000 to build, according to the property's Instagram page — is pretty similar to other tiny homes we've seen pop up over the years.
The main living room is open concept by nature — it is a tiny home after all — with a kitchen, king bed, desk, and couch all in one room. The bathroom is in a separate room.
Christopher Funk
And the kitchen is substantial for a tiny home: There's everything guests may need to prepare a meal, including an oven and cookware.
To make this interior space feel a bit larger, the walls are lined with tall windows.
Chris Daniele
The home isn't giant but there is a 600-square-foot heated patio with a fire pit, hot tub, and sauna, giving visitors a chance to relax outside with views of the surrounding trees.
Chris Daniele
If an escape into the mountains in a tiny home sounds like your dream vacation, you're not alone.
Shelby Wilray
The Hickory Outlook is now booked almost every day of September and October …
It's this booking success that has pushed the dynamic sibling duo to consider expanding their number of builds and locations.
Ethan Abitz
But gone are the days of shipping container homes: The Broomfields want to stick to building traditional tiny homes.
Emily Broomfield
And in about five years, it wants to roll out 100 units around the country with about a dozen in New York and some in states like Tennessee, Florida, and even California.
Christopher Funk
To help finance this rapid growth, the team is now talking to banks, credit unions, and even private investors.
Chris Daniele
And the future looks bright for the creative family: Gabriel Broomfield believes the tiny home trend will carry on as the cost of real estate keeps rising and people continue to seek out both mobility and minimalism.
Chris Daniele
So if you're planning on vacationing in a tiny home in the next few years, you might end up finding yourself in a home built by this brother and sister team.
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