THE SOUTHERN STAY | HOMES & HOSTING
We Didn't Buy a Vacation Home to Become Airbnb Hosts. But Here We Are.
On second homes, working vacations, and the rather unromantic business of keeping paradise pretty.
Some people dream of a condo overlooking the white-sand beaches of Orange Beach. Others imagine a little mountain cabin tucked away somewhere with snow-covered rooftops, oversized sweaters, and a fireplace that practically begs for a glass of wine.
Chris and I? We wanted a camp.
Our own little escape from the everyday. Somewhere we could trade traffic for trails, deadlines for dirt roads, and the constant noise of ordinary life for something a little quieter.
We didn't buy our vacation home with the intention of becoming Airbnb hosts. We certainly weren't looking to build a rental empire.
We bought it because we wanted to use it.
But somewhere between dreaming about weekends away and figuring out what it actually costs to own a second home, we discovered something rather interesting.
What if our vacation home could help pay for itself when we weren't using it?
And just like that, our little getaway developed a side hustle.
The Accidental Airbnb Hosts
When we started researching second-home ownership, we learned that renting out a vacation property wasn't necessarily an all-or-nothing arrangement.
Depending on the property, its financing, insurance, local regulations, and applicable tax rules, some second-home owners can rent their property for part of the year while still reserving plenty of time for themselves.
That was the part that caught our attention.
We didn't want to buy a vacation rental that we occasionally visited. We wanted to own a vacation home that we occasionally rented.
There's a difference. And for us, it's a pretty important one.
Five years later, we're Airbnb Superhosts, and renting our camp during the times we aren't using it has helped offset the cost of owning it.
Not because we purchased it as some grand investment strategy.
But because we found a way to make our lifestyle and our property work together.
Our Version of a Working Vacation
Now, let me explain something about being a second-home Airbnb host.
A trip to camp isn't always the relaxing, throw-a-swimsuit-in-a-bag kind of vacation people imagine.
Sometimes it's more like packing for a weekend getaway and a small housekeeping convention.
There are groceries, cleaning supplies, personal belongings, laundry, and whatever else we decided we absolutely cannot live without for the next few days.
And yes, even the cat comes along.
We call these our working vacations.
When a guest checks out, we sometimes head to camp ourselves. We can enjoy the property while taking care of the turnover, restocking, and little maintenance projects that come with owning and hosting a vacation home.
The moment we arrive, the juggling act begins.
One minute we're unpacking groceries. The next we're checking supplies, washing linens, wiping down counters, or discovering some tiny maintenance project that wasn't on the agenda.
But the beauty of owning a vacation home is that we're already exactly where we want to be.
So while the sheets are washing, we might take a four-wheeler ride.
While something's cooking, we might knock out another task.
And somewhere in between all that, we remember we're technically on vacation.
And Then There's Kitten
Some people pack a beach bag. Some people pack a cooler.
We pack a cat.
Kitten has become part of our camp routine, which means our packing list includes his food, his things, and his travel kennel .
Technically, the kennel is designed for small dogs. But Kitten has never been particularly concerned with marketing categories.
It's one of those little items that makes traveling between our primary home and vacation home easier.
The Secret to Sharing Your Vacation Home With Strangers? Keep a Little of It for Yourself.
One of the best things we've learned about second-home hosting is the importance of separating our personal things from our guest supplies.
Take our sheets, for example.
Chris and I have our own owner's sheets .
They're ridiculously soft, we love them, and we take them back and forth with us.
When we're staying at camp, we use our own bedding instead of putting extra wear on the guest linens. Then we wash, pack, and take our sheets home again.
It might sound like a tiny detail, but those little systems make a big difference.
Because there's something oddly unromantic about arriving at your own vacation home and feeling like you're staying in somebody else's Airbnb.
Our Cleaning Box Has Become a Traveling Companion
Another thing we've learned after five years of Airbnb hosting?
Organization is considerably more attractive than chaos.
We bring our cleaning supplies in a portable cleaning box , which makes it easier to carry the things we need between spaces.
Instead of spending half the day looking for the glass cleaner, trash bags, or whatever other essential has mysteriously disappeared, we have a system.
And believe me, when you're trying to balance Airbnb turnover tasks with enjoying your own second home, systems are everything.
We try to work in little bursts, take breaks, eat something good, and get back to the chores.
Not exactly the traditional definition of vacation.
But somehow, it works.
The Best Part of a Working Vacation? The Vacation.
Here's where our version of second-home ownership gets a little sweeter.
When the work is done—or sometimes before it's entirely done—we get to enjoy the very place we're working so hard to maintain.
We take the side-by-side out. We cook meals we actually look forward to making.
And when the weather turns cool, we love sitting around the fire pit in the morning or after the sun goes down.
There are moments when I look around and think about how easily we could have talked ourselves out of buying a second home.
The expenses. The upkeep. The responsibility.
All very reasonable arguments.
But then there's this.
A quiet morning. A ride through the woods. A good meal. A little time away from everything.
And suddenly the reason we bought the place feels perfectly obvious.
A Few Things We'd Tell Anyone Thinking About Buying a Second Home and Renting It on Airbnb
If you've ever dreamed of owning a beach condo, mountain cabin, lake house, or little country camp, there are a few things worth thinking about before you jump into second-home Airbnb hosting.
1. Buy a place you actually want to use.
For us, personal enjoyment came first. Rental income was a way to help support that enjoyment, not the reason we purchased the property.
2. Research the rules before you buy.
Second-home financing, occupancy requirements, HOA restrictions, local short-term rental regulations, insurance, and tax treatment can all affect your plans.
There isn't one universal rule for how many nights you can rent out a second home or how long a guest can stay. Your loan terms, property restrictions, and local laws all matter.
3. Don't assume Airbnb income will cover everything.
Rental income can help offset ownership expenses, but you'll still have maintenance, utilities, insurance, cleaning, supplies, taxes, and the occasional surprise.
We look at hosting as a way to support the cost of our getaway, not a guarantee that every expense will disappear.
4. Create systems that let you switch between owner and host.
Separate personal linens, organized cleaning supplies, secure owner's storage, and a reliable turnover checklist can make sharing your second home much easier.
5. Remember to actually enjoy the place.
This might be the most important one of all.
Don't become so consumed with bookings, calendars, and cleaning that you forget why you wanted a vacation home in the first place.
A Little Proof That We Do Relax
Of course, the morning we leave can be a little hectic.
There are sheets to wash, personal belongings to gather, supplies to check, and that final walkthrough to make sure everything is ready for the next guests.
It's not always glamorous.
But then again, neither is packing for a fabulous weekend away only to discover you forgot your favorite shoes.
A little chaos is practically part of the experience.
Our Kind of Return on Investment
After five years of hosting, we've learned that there are different ways to measure the value of a property.
There's the financial side, of course.
But there's also the time you spend there. The memories you make. The weekends you wouldn't have taken otherwise.
For Chris and me, being second-home hosts means getting to enjoy our camp while allowing it to help carry some of its own costs when we're away.
It isn't always perfect. It isn't always effortless. And it certainly isn't always a vacation.
But it's ours.
And maybe that's the real luxury of owning a second home.
Not just having somewhere to escape to.
But finding a way to keep coming back.
Watch Our Working Vacation
Want to see what one of these working vacations actually looks like?
Come along as we balance Airbnb hosting, camp chores, and a little fun in between.
Thinking About Hosting Your Own Second Home?
At The Southern Stay, we believe a property should fit the life you want to live.
Whether you're dreaming of a vacation home, wondering how to rent out your second home on Airbnb, or looking for ways to make hosting easier, we love sharing what we've learned along the way.
Because sometimes the best real estate investment isn't just about what a property can earn.
It's about what it allows you to experience.
The Southern Stay
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