Lessons from My First Year in RV Rental Management

Renting out your RV sounds like a dream on paper: passive income, weekend warriors making memories, and your investment working for you while you sleep. But the first year in RV rental management is also a crash course in operations, trust, systems, and the unexpected.

This article isn’t just a highlight reel. It’s a real-world account of what it’s like to enter the RV rental business as a first-time owner. From rookie mistakes and surprise costs to hard-won wins and systems that saved the day, here’s what I learned in year one.

Table of Contents

1. Why I Decided to Rent My RV
2. The Learning Curve No One Warns You About
3. Mistakes That Cost Me (and How I Fixed Them)
4. What Worked Surprisingly Well
5. How RVM Helped Me Go from Chaos to Confidence
6. My Year-End Earnings Breakdown
7. Biggest Lessons I’d Share With New Owners
8. Final Thoughts: What’s Next in Year Two?

1. Why I Decided to Rent My RV

My RV journey started like many others: I bought a Class C motorhome during the pandemic to get outdoors with my family. But after our summer road trip, the unit sat in the driveway—insured, maintained, and depreciating.

I wasn’t ready to sell. I loved the flexibility. But I also hated watching an $80,000 vehicle do nothing 10 months a year.

After some research, I decided to try renting it out. At first, I listed it myself on Outdoorsy and RVshare. Then, I discovered RV Management USA (RVM), and everything changed.

2. The Learning Curve No One Warns You About

Here’s what no one tells you when you list your RV:

• Renters don’t always return it clean
• You’ll spend hours coordinating pickups, cleanings, and walkthroughs
• Insurance claims take time—and paperwork
• Things will break, even if they didn’t when you used it

The first few months were chaotic. I took last-minute bookings. I drove 30 minutes for handovers. I forgot to refill propane. I underestimated cleaning time. And yes, I had one renter dump their trash in the black tank.

It was far from passive.

3. Mistakes That Cost Me (and How I Fixed Them)

Here are a few of my biggest (and most expensive) first-year mistakes:

• No renter walkthrough: A family accidentally burned out the water heater. I hadn’t explained the propane system.
• Skipped pre-trip photos: A bent awning arm turned into a blame game I couldn’t win.
• Underpriced bookings: I accepted $100/night for peak season weekends. Turns out, similar units in my area were going for $185+.
• DIY everything: I was cleaning, managing the calendar, coordinating with renters, and trying to live my actual life.

The turning point was when I decided to stop trying to do it all alone.

4. What Worked Surprisingly Well

Not everything went wrong. Some strategies paid off big:

• Automated messaging: I used templated messages to walk renters through everything pre-trip.
• Pet-friendly policy: This got me 30% more bookings. Most renters with pets were extremely respectful.
• Delivery service: Offering delivery within 25 miles (for a fee) added $150–$300 to many bookings.
• Upgraded linens and mattress topper: The rave reviews these earned me were worth every penny.

In short: the more I made my RV feel like a boutique hotel on wheels, the more it got booked.

5. How RVM Helped Me Go from Chaos to Confidence

After four months of solo rentals, I joined RVM. That changed everything.

They matched me with a local Territory Manager who:

• Handled all cleanings and pre/post inspections
• Took care of renter communication and walkthroughs
• Managed scheduling, listings, pricing, and insurance

My RV started earning more—and I was no longer spending nights and weekends managing it. I could finally step back and treat it as a true passive income asset.

What surprised me most? Bookings increased because RVM’s listings and processes were better optimized than mine.

6. My Year-End Earnings Breakdown

Let’s talk numbers.

Unit: 2019 Thor Four Winds 28Z
Location: Denver, Colorado
Total nights rented: 153
Gross rental income: $29,150
My share (45%): $13,117.50
Expenses:

• Loan payments: $6,480
• Insurance: $1,320 (through RVM)
• Repairs & maintenance: $1,050
• Misc (linens, supplies, add-ons): $470

Net profit: ~$3,800
Personal use: 2 trips, 9 days total

Not a fortune—but a solid first year that paid for the loan and proved the model.

7. Biggest Lessons I’d Share With New Owners

1. Get help early. Whether it's RVM or a local co-host, don’t go it alone.
2. Treat it like a business. Document everything, respond to renters promptly, and set clear rules.
3. Insist on walkthroughs. Avoid damage and confusion.
4. Invest in comfort. Soft linens and a good mattress pay dividends in 5-star reviews.
5. Say no. Not every renter is a good fit. Trust your gut.

8. Final Thoughts: What’s Next in Year Two?

Year one was a bootcamp in business ownership and asset management. I learned how to systematize, when to delegate, and how to build trust with renters and my RVM manager.

For year two, I’m looking to consignment. I’ve already sourced a second unit I’ll be managing for a friend. If that goes well, a third might follow.

Renting out my RV started as a way to offset costs. Now? It’s an asset class I understand—and a side hustle that’s finally working for me

– RVM Team