Have you ever scrolled through Airbnb late at night, jaw on the floor, wondering who actually builds those insane cabins that make you want to drop everything and escape to the woods?
I know I have. And then I stumbled across a story that basically short-circuited my brain: one guy, armed with nothing more than carpentry skills and stubborn weekend warrior energy, turned a forgotten patch of land into a collection of rentals so popular people are literally wish-listing them years in advance.
By the time I finished reading, I was ready to sell my couch to buy a drill. Here’s how he did it – and more importantly, how the numbers actually work in the real world.
From Contractor Fatigue to Building His Own Empire
Picture this: you’ve spent decades making other people’s dream homes come true. You’re good at it. Really good. But one day it hits you – all that knowledge dies with you unless you turn it into something tangible your kids can inherit.
That’s exactly where Chris Broomfield found himself back in 2015. Instead of handing down a toolbox, he decided to hand down cash-flowing assets. He and his wife scooped up five acres of raw land in Remsen, New York – the kind of place he grew up near – for a mind-boggling $27,000.
Most people would see trees and deer and think “nice camping spot.” Chris saw dollar signs wearing flannel.
Why an A-Frame? Because Time is Money
Out of all the designs in the world, he picked the humble A-frame. Why? Simple. They go up fast when you’re the one swinging the hammer.
Every weekend for three straight years he made the eight-hour round trip from Connecticut, worked 12-hour days in the cold, and slowly watched his vision rise from the dirt. Total build cost for the first cabin: roughly $90,000. That includes well drilling, electrical, and the few trades he couldn’t do himself.
“I love the architecture of the A-frame. They’re beautiful and timeless. As a carpenter doing almost everything myself, I wanted the fastest possible build that still looked incredible.”
And incredible it is. The moment he listed it on Airbnb in 2018 at $60 a night (yes, really), the internet lost its mind.
The Feature That Broke the Internet
Here’s the kicker that turned a cute cabin into a viral sensation: a motorized king bed that literally slides out of the bedroom onto a private deck so guests can sleep under the stars – without ever leaving the mattress.
Chris built it for his wife who loves luxury but hates bugs. Smart man. That single feature alone probably books half the calendar.
Add a full kitchen, indoor fireplace, multiple decks, fire pit, and suddenly $60 felt like robbery. Fast-forward to today and the same cabin now commands anywhere from $380 to $700 per night using dynamic pricing.
In 2024 it pulled in $119,337. Projections for 2025? Over $143,000 – from one single cabin.
If One is Good, Three is Better
Once the A-frame proved the concept, Chris went full mad-scientist.
- Next up: The Treehouse – built 14 feet off the ground with a suspension bridge entrance. Took a crew just 13 weeks.
- Then came Birch Falls Spa Cabin – a studio featuring an 18-foot indoor waterfall (because why not?).
Both instantly shot into the top percentile of listings nationwide. Combined, the three original cabins plus a couple more he’s added have generated $2.1 million in revenue since 2018.
That’s not a typo. Two million from a $27,000 land purchase.
The Numbers Everyone Wants to See
Let’s put this in a simple table because honestly, my brain needs it:
| Property | Build Cost | 2024 Revenue | 2025 Est. |
| Original A-Frame | ~$90K | $119,337 | $143,504 |
| Treehouse | Not disclosed | $151,966 | $150,562 |
| Birch Falls Spa | Not disclosed | $120,227 | $120,890 |
| Total Business (to date) | <~$500K est. | $2.1M since 2018 | ~$400K/year current |
Chris retired from contracting in 2021. These days he oversees a small team, sketches new designs, and brainstorms the next crazy idea – all while the bookings roll in.
What Most People Get Wrong About “Passive” Income
Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it – the first cabin was anything but passive. Three years of weekends sacrificed, freezing fingers, and pure physical grind.
But here’s the magic: once the systems are in place – cleaners, automated pricing tools, a rock-solid guest experience – it actually does become the closest thing to money while you sleep most of us will ever touch.
In my experience covering real estate side hustles, the people who win big are the ones willing to front-load the pain. Chris is proof.
Could You Pull This Off?
Maybe. Maybe not. But let’s be honest – very few of us have high-level carpentry skills and the grit to work every weekend for three years straight.
The real takeaway isn’t “everyone should go build an A-frame.” It’s that unique, experience-driven stays are printing money right now. People aren’t just renting a bed anymore; they’re renting a story, a photo backdrop, a once-in-a-lifetime memory.
If you’ve got land (or can buy cheap land), a vision slightly left of center, and the willingness to put in the work upfront, the short-term rental game is still wide open – especially outside the oversaturated city markets.
“There’s always going to be something pushing me to do the next thing. I can’t sit back and do nothing. Eventually my kids are going to own this.”
That last part stuck with me. This isn’t just about getting rich (though that’s nice). It’s about building something real that outlives you.
Most of us won’t leave behind a company or a fortune. But a couple of crazy-beautiful cabins in the woods that throw off six figures a year forever? That’s the kind of legacy that makes family reunions awkward because everyone wants the keys for Thanksgiving.
So yeah, next time you’re doom-scrolling Airbnb dreaming of escape, remember: someone out there actually built that fairytale. And it started with a $27,000 plot of land and a guy who refused to let his skills die with him.
Pretty inspiring if you ask me.
