A 34-year-old avid traveler started earning passive income when he listed a tiny home on Airbnb. In 2014, Ivan Ellis Nanney, an Idaho native, took a marketing job that required him to travel the country with a massive concrete and plaster potato. The Famous Idaho Potato Tour allows tourists to stop for a photo op alongside the giant potato, which is being transported around the country by a red semi-truck
Ivan met Kristie Wolfe, a fellow Boisean who turned the original six-ton potato into an Airbnb property, while on tour. Ivan assisted Kristie in creating additional listings, which inspired him to open his own Airbnb property. So Ivan, who spends six months of the year traveling, purchased a plot of land outside of downtown Boise.
He saved enough money from freelance video jobs, including a six-month stint as a content creator for Cancun.com in 2018 and the Famous Idaho Potato Tour. He paid $17,000 for the land and another $17,000 for the tiny house. He deconstructs an abandoned building on the property before constructing a tiny house out of “second-hand materials.” Ivan claimed to have installed the water and electricity himself.
Given how much Ivan enjoyed traveling, living in his tiny house full-time was pointless. So he reasoned that his tiny house could house his family or renters while he was away. “When you look at the costs of tiny houses, it just made sense to have a home base,” Ivan says. “It was providing a backup plan for my family, as well as passive income to free me up so that I could pursue my passions and work on other projects without being bound by a mortgage.”
He began listing his property in June 2019, intending to live there six months of the year when not traveling. Ivan called his tiny house in Boise “Chateau Ivan,” according to AutoEvolution. The rental home provides “glamping” vibes, allowing renters to experience the classic feel of camping while also enjoying modern comfort.
The tiny house has a nice living room with a projector where guests can enjoy a fantastic movie night. It also has a coffee table that converts to a dining table when lifted, as well as a sofa bed for an extra guest.