Bigger isn't always better

There is a prevailing thought currently that, the bigger the cabin you have, the better the yield.  That simply isn't true.  Not everyone who is vacationing is seeking a property that has room to sleep 12 people.  And in fact, to price the rent on a house this big appropriately, you are likely pricing it out of the range of everyone but large groups. 

And as a property manager, my experience is that large properties, catering to large families, experience significantly more wear & tear.  A lot of people bunched together can break a lot of stuff.  Over-taxed appliances, furniture being drug outdoors for use by the campfire, people sleeping on furnishings, dinging walls, and plugging potties.  

I am not discouraging you from looking at large properties, but small properties offer return-on-investment that is the same or better.  I own two quite small cabins in Cosby - one 1100 feet, the other 700 feet, and combined they will achieve about $87,000 in rents this year. 

Keep your options open!