My wife and I were looking for a cabin to stay at during a summer trip to Lake Tahoe. We found one that was reasonably priced and right off of the lake on north shore. We pulled into our own private driveway and walked up to the front door.
The cabin was small. It had its own front porch, a picnic table on the front lawn, a propane barbeque, and there was a random boat parked near the entrance. Turned out the property was in the backyard of our neighbors, John and Lisa, who were also the owners.
John and Lisa showed up on our front porch and showed us around the cabin. The front part of the rustic living space was taken up with a queen sized bed. There was a small tv and a rocking chair beside the wall next to the bed.
The kitchen was packed to capacity with a stove, a washing machine, a set of cabinets turned into a makeshift dresser. There was a little gas fireplace that kept the place warm. But no A/C so we had to have fans going at every window. Though the bathroom was tiny and the shower was a small compartment in the wall, the place as a whole was magic –a great gateway to our adventures jet skiing, fine dining, and adventuring in Tahoe.
My wife and I enjoyed every moment in that little space.
At night, when we started to get a little cabin fever, we walked down to the beach and looked at the stars up in the sky. Then we’d come home and we’d cook up a little snack. The next morning we’d fire up the stove and brew up espresso and make cappuccinos.
At the end of our stay in Tahoe, Lisa said that my wife and I must get along pretty good. “If you get in an argument in that cabin, there’s nowhere really to go except the bathroom.”
The space was really quite fun and it got rid of distractions so that my wife and I could focus on each other.
The liveable shed –a growing trend John and Lisa are entrepreneurs, using their property efficiently to make a little extra money. Tourism is so big in Lake Tahoe that they can pull in a lot of revenue from their liveable shed. Even more than that, they use it as an opportunity to meet new people from around the world, and enrich their lives with great hospitality.
Anyone in their situation would be wise to consider the benefits of hosting their property. It’s a great experience and I could tell from their amazing customer service that renting their place out was a great joy to them.
Is a liveable shed right for you?
Thinking about a liveable shed for your backyard? There are a lot of reasons you might be. Maybe you have aging relatives you want to keep nearby. Maybe you live in a tourist area and want to make some extra cash, like John and Lise. If that’s the case, why not invest in a liveable shed?
Of course you’ll want to make sure that the building ordinances are on par with the law. One important one to keep in mind is that in order for a building to lawfully host people, it must come intact with a bathroom. Check out any other building ordinances before making the decision to build your livable shed.