Over the last two years, unconventional accommodations — be it tiny homes, treehouses, or shipping container homes — have skyrocketed in popularity …
… 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
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{194d821e0dc8d10be69d2d4a52551aeafc2dee4011c6c9faa8f16ae7103581f6}.
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.
Shelby Wilray
Source: Scenic Orchard, Scenic Orchard
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 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