How This Couple Turned a Free Cactus Into a Vanlife Rental Business

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Though it took time, plenty of work, and an additional $1,000, the van was road ready and they started going on road trips. For many would-be flippers, the story might end there. But after taking the van on some trips, Deanna and James sold it for $12,000, took $6,000, and bought an old sprinter van. The other $6,000 they used to renovate it and traveled across the country. And what happened after that? You guessed it. They sold this van too, this time for $37,000.

Then, at the outset of COVID-19 In March 2020, the couple decided to enter the rental game, paying $20,000 for a second van, renovating it, and renting it out during quarantine. They couldn’t have picked a more perfect time to capitalize on the road trip market. Wisely, they sold this van for $85,000, used half of the profits to renovate a second van, and now, when they’re not using it, rent it out for $4,00-$7,000 per month.

The lesson here isn’t that cactuses are goldmines. But with a little ingenuity, luck, impeccable timing, and enough wanderlust, a seemingly small find could potentially lead to an epic travel experience.