It isn't about the PRICE. It is about the YIELD!

As with ANY investment, investing in cabins in the Smokies is all about YIELD.  The investor should be seeking a property that will return a suitable yield in exchange for the significant amount invested.  

Here is the scenario:

Cabin A is a brand new 2 bedroom, 2 bath cabin deep in the woods with sparkling stainless appliances, laminate floors, a game room, and a fire pit.  The realtor says it will do at least $60,000 a year, and all for the low low price of $500,000!

Cabin B is a 20 year old, 2 bedroom, real log cabin on the side of a mountain.  It has million dollar views for sure, but old musty carpet, stained furniture, and outdated kitchen.  Plus it stinks. It "only" has a rental history of around $50,000 a year.  And it's still $500,000!  

Obviously, Cabin A is the "right" buy, correct?  I mean, brand new, lots of room, and the realtor knows what the cabin will produce!

But Cabin B is the right choice, 100 percent of the time.  Here is why:

1. 1.  It has a million dollar view.  All other things being equal, the cabin with the view will far outperform a cabin in the woods.  Every time. Vacationers travel to the Smokies to see the mountains, rivers, and creeks.  Any cabin that can deliver that is prime, regardless of its underlying condition.
2. 2.  It has proven rents.  Any cabin with proven rents has the advantage.  Talk about potential rents is cheap.  "Show me the money."  If Cabin B cabin is already averaging $50,000, that's huge.
3. 3.  Rent potential.  A cabin boasting $50,000 a year income while needing an update tells A LOT.  With $20,000 in expenditures, it could easily do $60,000 or more per year.  That's huge too.  

As you look for your Smoky Mountain dream cabin, the secret isn't the price, it's the yield.