Renovation Rockstar: Beach Airbnb

“My favorite thing about the project was watching its transformation into being a really great place.”

When Neal and Cory Barnett, co-owners at List & Sell Realty, first snagged a great deal on a Topsail Island beachside property in North Carolina by preemptively bidding before the official auction date, they planned to fix up the weathered, two-unit vacation rental and flip it to another buyer. However, the ocean was calling, and the brothers soon decided to fix up the property and rent it on Airbnb as a short-term vacation rental and enjoy it themselves as well.

“My favorite thing about the project was watching its transformation into being a really great place,” Neal said fondly. “The location is just steps from the beach, and we’ve always wanted a place at the beach.”

Because the property has two full units, the investor’s plan to use the property as a personal vacation home and an Airbnb property is a realistic strategy. “The property is really unique because the top and bottom units are completely separate, meaning we have two different units we can rent out instead of just one,” Neal noted. He mentioned that if he had planned to Airbnb from the beginning, he would likely have closed in the garage to make a second bedroom in the downstairs unit, for a three-bedroom/ Beach Airbnb

Project Notes
Purchase Price: $175,000*
Rehab Budget: ~$75,000
Estimated ARV (before Airbnb income): $406,000
*Purchased prior to online auction, which allowed the investors to avoid competition for the property.

"This project was a dream come true for my wife, who is a design expert and a great bargain hunter as well," said Neal. She sourced nearly all of the design elements in both units. two-bath upstairs and a two-bedroom/one-bath downstairs. This is certainly an upgrade that could be made in the future, however, should this strategy appear to offer promising returns. “We’re really happy with our results, but I will say if we had planned on the Airbnb from the beginning, we could be generating even more income from the project,” Neal said.

Property Rehab at a Glance:

Although this two-unit Airbnb property was originally intended to be a fix-and-flip project, the ocean was calling the team of two brothers in North Carolina.
Neal and Cory Barnett of List & Sell Realty updated the exterior of the property with new HardiPlank siding, new frames, new windows, and fresh paint.
Both units feature their own entrances and separate kitchens. Everything was upgraded during the renovation.
Both updated kitchens feature "ocean-themed" granite and sea-glass tile backsplashes.
Neal called the project a "dream come true" for his wife, an interior designer, who sourced all of the furniture and design elements.
Both units have full, separate living areas as well. They were spacious, but dark, before the investors made their changes.
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and a combination of "sea salt green" and white colors in the color palette make the room feel more modern and luxurious.
The upstairs living area benefits from an open-concept design that makes the most of the "beachy" theme.
Here, you can see how the entire upstairs flows with lots of natural light and living space.
Bedroom 1 before
Bedroom 2 before
Brighter colors and minimal clutter, both essentials in Airbnb decor, make this furnished bedroom feel larger than it did when empty pre-makeover.
This room is now perfect for a kids' stay at the beach.
All the bathrooms featured dark floors...
...and cramped bathing spaces.
After the investors were done with the renovation, lighter LVP floors that looked like weathered wood, custom shower tiling, and a little bit more room to breath while bathing make this bathroom a true vacation experience.
Bath vanity after - Part of the V.I.P. treatment for all bathrooms included new vanities and bright, simple decor.