Homestead Revenue Stack: Airbnb Lessons Learned - EP 1091

Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

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Today, we talk about how the Airbnb at the Holler Hub became a real revenue stream — what's working, what isn't, and what we've learned along the way. If you've ever thought about turning a space on your property into income, this one's for you. We'll also cover our usual Monday segments.

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Tales from the Prepper Pantry

Lambs came in, lambs went out! Processing and rotation are in full swing.
Time to harvest the sweet potatoes.
The restackening of the firewood has begun — getting ready for cold weather.
Starting to tap into the canned goods, especially green beans.
Made powdered sugar from regular sugar after realizing I forgot to buy it.

Frugality Tip

I like a little lemon juice in my water. Some of those bottles pour out like a waterfall, which is wasteful and makes something I do not want to drink. So this is a hack and a tip in one. The cap from Worcestershire sauce bottles fits on a lot of other things, including every lemon juice bottle I have purchased. So keep the lids that help you regulate the amount of "stuff" coming out of a bottle so you do not end up wasting product.

Happy savings y'all ~Margo

Operation Independence

The Airbnb has been renting well since we got back from SRF! It's great to see the Basecamp space generate steady revenue while serving the broader Holler Hub vision.

Main Topic: Airbnb Revenue Stream – Lessons Learned

Every property should have a purpose, not just be a payment.

Turning Space Into a System

The Airbnb wasn't about renting space — it was about keeping the Basecamp Lodge working for the mission.
Formerly a long-term rental ($1,600/month). Now a flexible, short-term system that:
- Generates income when not used for training.
- Brings new people into the Holler Hub community.
- Connects us to potential partners and collaborators.
Tools like Airbnb and VRBO open us to audiences beyond LFTN, expanding both reach and opportunity.

What's Working

Booked every available weekend in October by opening to tourists during fall travel season.
Earned ~$650 in October while still hosting events — a deliberate tradeoff between revenue and flexibility.
Low cleaning fee + clear expectations → relaxed guests and repeat visitors.
Purposefully low nightly rate to earn initial 5-star reviews and build credibility.
Making meaningful connections with guests — one couple with 10 glampers in California, another moving to Tennessee for homesteading.

Where It Got Messy

One guest left it a wreck → 8 hours of cleanup.
- Result: added language about cleaning expectations.
- Next step: keep a vacuum for pet-friendly stays.
"Clean beats new every time."
Set boundaries early: check-out policies, no parties, pet rules.

Pricing & Positioning

Set nightly rate (~$100) based on $3,000/month gross goal if fully booked.
Kept pricing low to reflect the space (one usable bedroom, not remodeled).
Using Airbnb's automated pricing to test how it behaves during peak season.
Cleaning service quote revealed current pricing barely covers costs — future plan to add modest cleaning fee.
Focus remains on mission-aligned guests first, not just volume bookings.

Systems That Keep It Running

Reset takes 45–60 minutes; double linens to avoid bottlenecks.
Pet stays add 1 hour for vacuuming and extra laundry.
Critical practice: always start cleaning immediately after checkout to stay ready for last-minute bookings.
Personal touch: greet guests, tell the Holler Hub story, collect feedback, and build relationships.

How to Apply It

Don't build the Taj-Ma-Rental — start minimum viable and test.
Clean trumps new every time.
The biggest mindset shift: being comfortable letting strangers on your land.
Most people with bad intentions aren't paying hundreds to sleep in your barn.

Reality Check

Short-term rentals aren't easy money there's always time involved:
- Responding to messages, building a guidebook, handling maintenance.
- Be available when problems arise — or you'll hate the process.
The fast reset is key: handle the "yucky" stuff early so it never piles up.

What's Next

Goal: book events at Basecamp that aren't led by you — already in the works.
Next expansion: a miner's cabin/tent rental to diversify the property's offerings.
Each step builds toward the broader Holler Hub vision — systems that connect people, sustain the land, and generate reliable income.

Every property should have a purpose, not just a payment.

Make it a great week.

GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.

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