Software engineer -> Full time landscape photographer

[ygar]

Hey folks!

I'm a software engineer from Seattle, and I will soon be leaving my job to pursue landscape photography full time. That is, until I create images I am satisfied with, or until money runs out and I go back to coding.

I recently tried out a converted sprinter van for a short road trip to BC, and immediately knew that van life is not for me. It's cramped, and your van has to go with you to all the remote trailheads. However, after looking at airstreams at a local dealer, I quickly realized that this might be the perfect solution. Bright, spacious, and can stay at a campground while I take my car up to some crazy destination. I looked at other trailers, and none of them appealed to me like this one.

Also, looking around Airbnb, it seems like I can make quite a bit of income renting out the airstream on my property while I'm traveling abroad. My backyard has alley access and a view of the Olympics and the Puget Sound, while being close to downtown Seattle, so I think it has a lot of potential!

So, I am not an Airstream owner yet, but soon I may become one. Nice to meet you all! Do my plans seem reasonable? Is there anything else I should consider? I would love to hear your thoughts.

[skyguyscott]

Congrats on your new endeavor! Livin' the dream is great, but sometimes there are episodes that resemble nightmares, like if you spend $100,000 on a beautiful shinny new Airstream, only to return to find your renters dented or scratched it up, because, hey, it's not theirs. The walls, the appliances, etc. are designed to be light-weight, which means not everything is as robust as residential counterparts. If that doesn't bother you, then renting out your baby might be for you.

Alternatively, you can purchase and renovate a used one for substantially less outlay, not worry so much about the dings and divots as you boldly drive into the wilds or rent out a more rustic getaway. Used AS can be just as good or even better than new because you can improve on what Thor installs and customize it to fit your needs perfectly.

[Rocinante]

The first part of your plan sounds like a blast, have fun!

Regarding the Air B&B part of the plan:
Have you checked for potential local restrictions on parking your trailer back there and renting it out? Have you figured out how to get the trailer into and/or out of said yard?
Also, anyone who rents your trailer without understanding the difference between an RV and a house could easily mess things up pretty badly, starting with your plumbing - in particular, your black and grey tanks and the valves that drain them.
Oh, and in winter you will definitely need to either winterize the trailer or ensure it stays warm enough to prevent the occasional freeze.

[SYC2Vette]

Just another note on the short term rental of your AS. Check rules as above, but another thing that catches folks is that your regular homeowners insurance will not cover a short term rental unit, (like a guest house used as a STR) so likely some insurance issue would need to be investigated. A simple example on the difference would be if a vacation renter slips on soap left in the shower and is hurt you are potentially liable whereas long term renter probably not and homeowner's insurance would not cover you. Long term rental and STR require different policies. Point is look into the liability insurance requirements.

[Caffeinated]

IMHO that renting your AS while you are out of the country is a exceedingly bad idea. Your guests will likely have no clue about how a trailer works, and can easily do a lot of damage by simply being ignorant. And, even if the guests don’t mess up, stuff breaks. Renting out the trailer is doable, but someone who knows trailers should be close by for emergencies.

Mike

[ygar]

Thanks everyone for the tips! These are great points to look into about the rental part of the plan. I'll definitely do some more digging into this.