AirBnB room size question

[Joseph Moore Jr]

I have a small room off my kitchen that would probably fit an average person and twin size bed. Size is 5 ft X 6ft 8 inches. There is a full bath and entry door next to the room so the guest would never be in the main house. Currently using it for a dryer and some junk. There is a possibility of adding 3 ft onto the room to make it almost a 5x10 room. I would rather keep it small though. I was thinking of doing month to month rental but short term I would prefer to incase I shut the house down for the winter months. There is a Federal and State Prison plus lots of distribution centers within 15 minutes of the property. Also close to the interstate. 2 name brand hotels also nearby. Home is in Central PA off I-81. Just checking to see if anyone has success or tips to share about renting closet-size rooms. I use the house also when I am in the area so not ready to rent the whole thing out. 

[Michael Baum]

Hey @Joseph Moore Jr, that is a tiny room. Not sure it would be worth the effort. 

[Joseph Moore Jr]

@Michael Baum not really any effort would be put into the room since it is basically an unused room at the back of the house. It was just a thought I had in all my years of traveling all over Asia. Staying in rooms so small where you basically open the door and just room to stand sideways and a bed. A few were cheaper if I opted for no window. 

[Paul Sandhu]

I do not want to come off as a racist or a profiling person, but I can tell you from my own experience with STRs that 2 guys from Mexico will share that space.  

[Joseph Moore Jr]

@Paul Sandhu we do have transient workers that do construction in the area. Those are cash only rentals since most do not have a credit card or checking account.  I did plan to put a double-decker bed in there if I go with this idea. 

[Jeffery Wilen]

@Joseph Moore Jr

What do you have to lose to try it? Unless you’re there at the time, the only drawbacks are letting the guest in and cleaning. If there’s a way for a separate entrance, you could do electronic locks to solve to check in/out. 

[Joseph Moore Jr]

@Jeffery Wilen I have a lockbox on the door now but electronic keypad would be a better idea. Plan to self manage the unit when I am here. I am in a area where it is hard to find reliable and trustworthy workers.

[Paul Sandhu]

@Joseph Moore Jr  In my market, a motel room with 2 beds is $400/week.  Most of my STRs are 3 bedrooms.  I charge $600/week.  If I had a small room with a bunk bed, $200/week would be a reasonable price.  My renters are refinery contractors (welders, fitters, boilermakers).  The scaffold builders and insulators tend to have Spanish as their primary language.

Decorate that room like Hugh Hefner would. At the bare minimum, put a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition calendar in there.  But a Playmate of the Month calendar would be more appropriate.  It doesn't even have to be the current years calendar.  The renters can just display the appropriate month that jives with the current month.  I've got a 2006 jumbo Playmate calendar on the 3rd floor of my big house.  There's a jacuzzi on that floor too.  The stories I've heard of what goes on on that floor I can not post.

[Joseph Moore Jr]

@Paul Sandhu Average rent for a 3 bedroom in my area is $650 a month. The cheapest hotel in the area is $50 a night. I will probably give it try next year when the renovations are done. Boiler just went at the house so that is a crazy big expense. For my area listing on FB Marketplace or Craigslist, I would get more STR's. Plus most in this area prefer to pay cash. $200 a week is what I was thinking since that would include utilities and WIFI.

[Paul Sandhu]

@Joseph Moore Jr  $200/week for each bed in the house is how I advertise my STRs.  Travelling workers don't need a dining room.  A bed and some privacy curtains will turn your dining room into a $200/week space for generating more money in the house.  

[Roger Simons]

You don't mention air.  Where is fresh air coming in?  Is there a window?  Doesn't sound like it.  If not does it have air circulation through the house's air ducting system? 

Another problem may be noise from the kitchen.  Kitchen's are surprising noisy with dishes and pots clanking and clamoring, cutlery being dropped, machines being used.  Plus people talk in the kitchen.  You could soundproof the door though which would be wise.  Tenants that don't sleep well won't feel good there.  You don't want that.  Consider a loft bed where its situated on top of a desk to save space. 

What about a fire exit?  If you don't live there that is way more dangerous.  You do NOT want to risk someone dying for any amount of money.  There must be 2 exits out of any room. 

Want to maximize your income? Figure out the optimum room size for your area. Its probably about 80 sq ft but every area is a little different with a different demographic. Once you have that focus on chopping up your space to those size of rooms. Think of how much money most house hackers get out of a smaller, say 2000 sq ft place with an unused basement. It's pathetic, often 2 bedrooms at $500 and the living room at $600 because its a little bigger and nicer. They could do so much better if they redid the layout. Even at 100 sq ft each one should be able to squeeze out 8 rooms at least and still have a 2 toilets, 1 bathroom and an ample kitchen for everyone. 8 x $500 or so is mighty great for such an investment in an area with relatively low land costs (say $150,000 - $200,000). Now you're getting 2-3% a month return. That is something almost nobody outside of STR's gets with a fraction of th work involved. Converting to STR's will double or triple your income in some areas.

Hallways and stairways waste space so really try to minimize them.  Find out about egress laws for basement units.  A private entrance will add 10-20% to your rent.  Plumb it and add about 20% more.  Ideally each would have a tiny kitchen that is modular and customizable for their needs so that big kitchen mentioned above could be eliminated and 2 more units added.  People like privacy so a RV type toilet that can be emptied could be used in each suite. 

Obviously this is for single people only!