This question is to explore the idea of adding some RV pads at selected places where it is possible. Then rent them Airbnb style.

I live in an area that is mostly tourist oriented - fishing, hunting, kayak on the lakes and rivers, etc. Lots of forest-lots. Smaller towns.

I'm planning on trying this as I have several older mobile homes on land - 1/2 acre places or more. There are some companies that act like Airbnb for RV pads.

I also have several RV's in storage that are basically not making any money for me.

What I'm thinking is add some pads(gravel), hookups and convert the older mobile on the site to more of a clubhouse arrangement. Rent out the pads by the day (there is a big shortage around the whole of northern Michigan and likely any tourist area. ) Have a pro handle it. Maybe have a caretaker to visit each site daily in return for a free place to live (their RV on site - like a "host" in state parks). Maybe have a BBQ "chef" on call that could provide meals for campers (like a dude ranch out west) for a fee.

My current options are put "C" type tenants in the older trailers and deal with them. Around here there are PLENTY of "C" people begging for "affordable housing" but most of them are overloaded with red flags.

Anyway, is anyone doing this? If so how is it working out?

Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

Richard,

I like the idea, esp no low end trailers to fix.

But understand it's a different industry to what you have now.

AND it's a job taking care of people moving in and out.

Check the zoning and septic.

TONS of videos on YouTube rating campgrounds and services.

Tons of websites for existing campgrounds.

Serious RVers as very knowledgeable and picky.

There are campers who you can hire for a season to collect rents and police the area.

During the pandemic and after, every site was full. Not sure where that is now.

Many campgrounds limit the age of the vehicle to keep the place nice.

Let us know what develops!

BRAD

I would warn against renting out the old RV's. Having owned several RV's for the last 30 years, the maintenance will eat you alive. The systems they put in them were never intended to be used full-time. You will constantly be replacing everything from switches to water heaters.

Renting out the spot is a good idea if it has water, sewer, and electric hookups (50Amp and 30Amp receptacles on a pedestal). If it's remote, people who rent these for a night or two don't want neighbors next door. If it's close to recreation like a lake, state park, or mountains. It will do even better if you can configure it with the ability of a larger family with 2-3 RV's and a couple of tents to come camp together.

In addition to the utility costs, you will have to provide trash services. The biggest complaint of camp hosts (those that take care of the place for their camp spot) is the amount of litter and trash left in the grounds. There can be quite a lot of beer cans and other much nastier stuff strewn around. It can take a couple of hours to pick up on a really bad one.

Been there, done that! Not for a Airbnb, but for motel, month-to-month units and some homes.

I had another thought after thinking about my friend that runs an older RV park on the wrong side of the tracks. I asked him one time why he didn't rent old rv's and that is when he showed me out the window where people had done all kinds of half-asz repairs. Knocked out a window and duct taped in a window AC, strung extension cords through windows when the wiring quit working, stacked cinder blocks when the stairs fell off. All manner of get-r-done repairs.

Richard, SIDS experience with air bnb revealed how vulnerable the investor is to bad reviews. That coupled with the day to day , all hours arrivals,departures.