{"id":5414,"date":"2021-03-29T14:37:57","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T14:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familytravelfever.com\/?p=5414"},"modified":"2023-03-31T03:43:39","modified_gmt":"2023-03-31T03:43:39","slug":"renting-out-rv-profitable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familytravelfever.com\/renting-out-rv-profitable\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Renting out Your RV Really Profitable? (My Personal Experience)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NOTE*** The content on this page may contain affiliate links, we may make a commission. And, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0More information: disclosure page<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You may be skeptical that renting out your RV is profitable. In the right situation renting out your RV can be worth it. However, you need to make sure to avoid common pitfalls of the RV rental business… which don’t worry I will get to here. To get an idea of how much you can actually make I talk about our personal experience and dip into the expertise of over 40,000 other RV owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get started.\u00a0 So, Is renting out your RV profitable?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You make between $1000 and $3500 a month renting out your RV in the camping season. \u00a0 Many owners pay off their rigs in an average of three years.<\/strong> The rest is profit after that. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My family loves taking trips in our RV travel trailer. The freedom and flexibility it offers are second-to-none, especially with a large family like ours. The memories we have of past trips and our dreams for future trips truly keep us inspired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, I decided to try renting out our travel trailer on Outdoorsy<\/a> and RVezy<\/a>.\u00a0 Since then, I have learned so much about the RV rental business.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am an active member of a huge RV owners\u2019 group online. With over 11,000 members, it is a robust source of support and education. It was there that I learned how to run the most profitable RV rental business and avoid the downfalls.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the most profitable RVs to rent out?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camper vans, Class C motorhomes, and small to medium-sized travel trailers that are 2 to 10 years old make the most money. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My 35-foot bunkhouse travel trailer sleeps nine. I purchased it for $14,000 and it rents for $125 a night from early spring to late fall. On average, I have bookings for 10-20 days per month. I can tell you \u2013 that an extra $1,250 to $2,500 every month is always welcome.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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Campervan on the side of a deserted road on the South island in New Zealand<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I have heard from many other RV owners that they enjoyed the easy income potential of renting their RV so much that they added two or three new rigs to their fleet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, we gathered information from RV owners renting on the peer-to-peer network Outdoorsy<\/a> and RVezy<\/a> to find out how much you could make with each type of RV.\u00a0 In addition, I interviewed RVe<\/a>z<\/a>y<\/a> to get the best tips for making the most money renting out your RV.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to get started? Stick with us for information about the most profitable RVs to rent out, the average income you can expect, and some pitfalls of renting out your personal RV. And of course, we\u2019ll answer the biggest question you may have about renting out your RV \u2013 how and where to list it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is the Most Profitable RV To Rent Out?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A 20 \u2013 30 foot Class C motorhome or travel trailer that sleeps 4 to 8 people, is in excellent condition and 5 to 10 years old is the most lucrative RV rental for you as an owner. A camper that is a couple of years old has already lost value due to depreciation but still has low maintenance costs.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a type and style of RV that is in demand will make your new business profitable very quickly. Just by chance, my travel trailer happened to be very popular. The nice amenities, the bunkhouse in the back, and the separate room are features that many renters seek. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the best RVs that will rent out all summer long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Class C Motorhome<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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RV motorhome at an RV campsite By familie-eisenlohr.de<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Class C motorhomes are the basic RV that you think about when renting an RV. Average length, 25 – 30 foot Class C motorhomes rent extremely well. The size is short enough to maneuver and fit in many campsites but large enough for a family to be very comfortable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Campervans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Camper vans are in high demand because they are built on a van chassis and are by far the easiest RV to drive. These are perfect for couples and small families that want flexibility during their road trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camper vans are also quite popular due to their coolness factor. People are just excited to experience #VanLife!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Small or Mini Travel Trailers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Small R-Pods, pop-ups, and other lightweight towable travel trailers are all the rage. Since the small RVs can be towed with an SUV or light truck, they are highly desirable. People also like that they can have and use their own vehicle for side trips once they arrive at the campsite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefit to you, the owner, of renting out a travel trailer is that there is no vehicle maintenance and no depreciation due to mileage. They are also much cheaper to purchase. You can buy a travel trailer at a fraction of the cost of a motorhome but still rent it out for over $100 a night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, the downside is the risk of an inexperienced driver towing your vehicle. You can avoid this issue by offering delivery and set up (and make extra money in the process!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bunkhouse Travel Trailers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Larger travel trailers are rented frequently by families and groups that want to camp together. The lighter travel trailers that can be towed by a half-ton truck will rent the best. However, I can say that my 35-foot travel trailer requires more than a half-ton truck, it is still quite popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For people who rent out a large camper, an additional service you might consider offering is delivery to the campsite. I have received requests to deliver all over the state of Colorado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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These RVs Should Never Be Used as Rentals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some types of RVs that make poor rentals. This can be due to a high purchase price vs low-income potential or to a greater potential for damage. After connecting with thousands of RV business owners and getting input on the best and worst RV rentals, here is what I\u2019ve learned about RVs to avoid if you plan to do rentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Expandable RVs and Travel Trailers with Canvas Sides<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Pop-up Camper at night – by Tony at Adobe stock<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Travel trailers that expand with canvas sides are popular rentals. However, the canvas is very expensive to repair when damaged. The units are relatively cheap to buy but the maintenance could be very high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I regularly see folks ask on the RV forum if they should add a pop-up to their RV fleet \u2013 and the answer is always a resounding no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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New Luxurious Motorhomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A brand new motorhome depreciates quickly due to mileage. Although some people will be willing to pay a premium to take a vacation in a luxurious motorhome, this will not be a popular model. People who don\u2019t regularly drive an RV don\u2019t usually want to practice on one that\u2019s quite so pricey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Old Motorhomes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People generally want to rent the nicest thing they can afford and an older motorhome with a broken and worn-out interior will get negative reviews. In fact, some RV rental platforms only insure RVs up to 10 years old. \u00a0On Outdoorsy,<\/a> If your RV is older than 10 years, you must secure your own commercial insurance. RVezy<\/a> adds an additional layer of screening for RVs older than 20 years.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where to List Your RV for Rent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The easiest way to get started in the RV rental business is to list your RV on a sharing economy website. \u00a0 I have experience using Outdoorsy<\/a>, RVShare,<\/a> and RVEzy<\/a>. \u00a0 All are free to list your RV and you do not have to commit to renting to anyone you do not approve.\u00a0 So I keep an active listing on all 3 platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Content:\u00a0<\/strong> How to Make Money Renting Out your RV (The Smart Way)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I suggest listing on either RVEzy <\/a>or Outdoorsy <\/a>first to get set up.\u00a0\u00a0Download our swipe file here for instructions on getting your listing up quickly so you can start bringing in customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have found that Outdoorsy<\/a> is the best and easiest site to use for my RV rental business. \u00a0 You will get a welcome package and can schedule a coaching session with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Outdoorsy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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I like Outdoorsy<\/a> because it is super intuitive to use and you don\u2019t have to commit to a big business venture. You could try renting out your RV once and see how it goes. This is how I got started, and how I became convinced that the effort of renting out my RV is totally worth the reward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n