15% ROI, 5% down loans!”,”body”:”3.99% rate, 5% down! Access the BEST deals in the US at below market prices! 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In This Article
When Travis DeRose launched his first short-term rental (STR), he didn’t simply need to construct a cabin—he wished to create an expertise. Positioned in Massive Bear, California, the “Horror Cabin within the Woods” is a Seventies-inspired love letter to scary motion pictures, spooky vibes, and immersive storytelling. It’s the place you half-expect a man in a Scream masks to seem, but additionally the place you discover tranquility whereas taking part in Monster Mash.
In brief, this isn’t your common STR.
Market Choice
For Travis, selecting the correct market was essential, particularly since his horror cabin was greater than a short-term rental; it was an experiment. “We would have liked a spot that made sense financially and creatively,” he stated. Massive Bear, California, ticked each bins.
“It was one of many final trip markets in Southern California the place we might discover one thing below $200,000,” he shared. “Preserving prices low was necessary as a result of this was a proof of idea for our imaginative and prescient. We didn’t need to danger an excessive amount of on our first go.”
Massive Bear additionally provided the proper backdrop for the undertaking. “It has that traditional cabin-in-the-woods vibe, which was precisely what we had been going for,” Travis defined. “Plus, it’s near LA and Orange County, the place there’s an enormous horror neighborhood.”
The established short-term rental market in Massive Bear gave him further confidence. “Persons are already coming right here in enormous numbers,” he stated. “We simply needed to carve out our personal house by providing one thing utterly totally different.”
The Theme: Why Horror Works
A Seventies horror theme isn’t the obvious alternative for a trip rental. However for Travis, it was the proper match. “We’re large followers of the style,” he stated. “The thought clicked once we noticed the cabins in Massive Bear—they already had that eerie, secluded vibe.”
Travis’s inspiration got here from extra than simply private ardour. “Southern California has an unimaginable horror scene,” he defined. “From haunted points of interest at theme parks to horror conventions that promote out yearly, it was clear there was an viewers for this.”
Nonetheless, going area of interest wasn’t with out dangers. “Horror is polarizing,” Travis admitted. “Some folks received’t even contemplate staying right here as a result of it’s too creepy for them. However we determined to lean into it. In case you love horror, our cabin might be already in your radar.”
How Standing Out Pays Off
Travis’s gamble paid off in a giant manner. Since launching the horror cabin, it’s constantly outperformed different leases within the space. “Our common nightly charge is $60.30 increased than related listings in Massive Bear, and our occupancy charge is 17.4% increased,” he shared.
The cabin has additionally earned an ideal 5-star score on Airbnb. “I hoped for not less than a 4.8 or 4.9, however the love and a spotlight to element we put into the theme actually paid off,” Travis stated.
What units his property aside? “We didn’t simply throw up some horror posters and name it a day,” he defined. “We created an entire backstory for the cabin. Friends get to resolve an escape room-style puzzle concerning the earlier proprietor, who mysteriously disappeared.”
Interactive components like this are what make the cabin genuinely distinctive. “Friends love the little touches,” Travis stated. “From the flickering lights and classic TV static to the Monster Mash button that prompts a disco ball, it’s all designed to make their keep unforgettable.”
The Viral Impact
Social media performed an enormous function within the cabin’s success. “Our first two weeks on Airbnb had been utterly silent,” Travis admitted. “However then a few of our movies on Instagram and TikTok began choosing up traction, finally getting hundreds of thousands of views.”
The impression was fast. “After the movies went viral, our Airbnb views and bookings skyrocketed,” he stated. “Social media allowed us to bypass the Airbnb algorithm, the place we had been buried pages deep. As a substitute, we created our personal buzz.”
Now, social media is central to Travis’s technique. “For future listings, we’ll design properties with Instagrammable photo-ops and viral moments in thoughts,” he shared. “It’s all about making a shareable expertise that will get folks speaking.”
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Recommendation for Hosts: Go Daring
Travis’s recommendation is easy for hosts contemplating a daring theme: “Do it. The power to take advertising and marketing into your individual palms is invaluable.”
His key takeaway? Ardour issues. “Friends can inform when one thing is made with love versus simply attempting to make a fast buck,” he stated. “Give attention to creating an expertise, not simply cool decor.”
Travis emphasised the significance of storytelling. “Our cabin’s backstory and interactive components make it particular,” he stated. “It’s not only a place to sleep—it’s a spot to discover, play, and create recollections.”
The Way forward for Stays
Trying again, Travis has few regrets. “If I might change something, I’d have began documenting the construct part on social media,” he stated. “That would’ve helped create buzz earlier than we even launched.”
As for the design? “I’m thrilled with the way it turned out,” he stated. “The daring theme set us aside and made the property memorable.”
With plans to create extra distinctive leases, Travis is simply getting began. For now, the “Horror Cabin within the Woods” is greater than a short-term rental—it’s a narrative price telling. And for visitors courageous sufficient to e book a keep, it’s an expertise they received’t quickly neglect.
Be aware By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the creator and don’t essentially symbolize the opinions of BiggerPockets.
Garrett Brown
Brief-Time period Rental Skilled & Content material Creator
