He bought 5 acres of land for $27,000, built 3 cabin rentals

Chris Broomfield, 50, had been a carpenter contractor for decades when he decided he wanted to focus on building a future for his family.

“I realized that carpentry is a knowledge and experience-based. I couldn’t really hand that down to my kids,” Broomfield tells CNBC Make It. “So I needed to build something that at least would give them a head start on something to borrow against or something that creates additional income.”

In 2015, Broomfield and his wife bought a five-acre property in Remsen, New York, for $27,000. It was close to where Broomfield grew up and not too far from a property his brother owns nearby.

Shortly after closing on the land, Broomfield says he started commuting from his family’s home in Connecticut every weekend to work on an A-frame cabin he was building mostly by himself.

“I always knew it was going to be an Airbnb property. I knew I was going to put multiple cabins on it,” he says. “I chose this property because it was close to the lake. It was very wooded, and it had rolling hills. I saw its potential with multiple cabins.”

After three years, Broomfield finished building the one-bedroom, one-bathroom A-frame cabin for a total cost of about $90,000, he says.

He hired outside help to drill a well, an electrician to wire the cabin and somebody to hang the sheetrock.

Broomfield says one of the structure’s standout features was inspired by his wife: A motorized king bed that slides out into the woods, allowing guests to sleep under the stars. The A-frame also has a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, fire pit, and multiple decks.

When the cabin was first listed on Airbnb, the going rate was $60 a night. Now, Broomfield uses dynamic prices, so the rate ranges between $380 and $700 a night.

In 2024, the A-frame cabin had a revenue of $119,337 and its estimated revenue for 2025 is $143,504, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

“The process was amazing for me. I loved being up here. I loved being able to build anything that I wanted to build,” Broomfield says. “Something that came from my mind and not a blueprint. The free rein was really enjoyable.”

Broomfield says building the A-frame was challenging because he was commuting 8 hours round-trip to work 12 hours over the weekends, all while still working as a full-time contractor.

When he opened A-frame cabin for rentals via Airbnb, it went viral. It’s one of Airbnb’s “most-wishlisted” rentals the state of New York. It’s also a guest-favorite listing and earned Broomfield the title of “superhost,” according to an Airbnb representative.

Broomfield then moved on to his next project on the property: a treehouse cabin.

Broomfield hired a team of people to help him build the treehouse. After 13 weeks, it was completed in November 2019 for a total cost of about $175,000.

“I wanted to get the treehouse done as quickly as possible, so I hired some help. I knew the model was there and it worked by doing the A-frame, renting it out. The response from the guests was overwhelming,” he says. “I didn’t want to miss the window of opportunity to continue this wave of guests and potential guests’ interest.”

What makes this cabin particularly special is that it sits 14 feet in the air. To reach it, renters must cross a suspension bridge on the property.

“I wanted to create something that would bring in young families.”

The Treehouse has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a private pond with a small dock, a covered porch, and a fire pit. The living room and primary bedroom also offer views of a waterfall.

In 2024, the treehouse cabin had a revenue of $151,966 and this year, Broomfield estimates that number will be $150,562.

The treehouse is one of the top 10% of homes on Airbnb based on ratings, reviews, and reliability, according to an Airbnb representative.

The treehouse cabin was an instant success, he says, and he was ready to get started on his next build.

In 2021, Broomfield completed the Birch Falls Spa Cabin, a studio with a king-sized bed, kitchenette and spa room for a total cost $160,000.

The spa room has an 18-foot-long indoor waterfall, a massage bed, and a soaker jet tub. The cabin also has a private deck with a fire pit, BBQ and picnic area.

In 2024, the Birch Falls Spa Cabin generated $120,227 in revenue, and Broomfield’s estimated 2025 revenue is $120,890.

Broomfield named his business Evergreen Cabins.

As of September 2025, the Evergreen Cabins have brought in $2.1 million since the very first property was listed for rent in 2018, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

Broomfield says that monthly costs for operating Evergreen Cabins come in at $700 a month in utilities, $8,000 for operations costs, including payroll, and about $18,000 a year in property taxes.

He says that today he brings in about $400,000 a year with revenue from the rental properties. He retired from contracting in 2021.

Now, Broomfield’s day-to-day consists of overseeing his staff, designing new cabins, and developing future plans for the Evergreen Cabins.

Since retiring, Broomfield says it’s important for him to keep busy and keep building for his family.

“There’s always going to be something that is going to be pushing me to do the next thing. I can’t sit back and do nothing. My family is a huge part of my inspiration and my drive; eventually, they are going to be the ones owning this,” he says.

“The legacy of Evergreen is, I don’t really have a plan for it [but] I do know that it is going to inspire and help people. My kids are going to be a part of that.”

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