I've earned $74,000 renting out space in my yard that I wasn't even using. The side hustle requires almost no effort.

Business Insider

27-04-2025

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stacy Spahr, 57, who owns an insurance company in Portland, Oregon. Since 2022, Spahr has used the storage and parking platform Neighbor to rent land on his property to people who need a place to park their vehicles or boats.
It has been edited for length and clarity.
I own a two-acre property about 30 minutes from downtown Portland that has a small rental home on it. I purchased it from my parents in 2022.
Before I bought the property, my dad had used the land to store belongings for some of his friends — things like trailers. He was old-school, so the arrangements were made with just a handshake.
As the new owner, it made sense to continue. There are about 21 lots on the property, and I didn't have enough friends to fill them. I knew I needed to bring in other renters, ideally through a platform that could take much of the work off my plate.
I stumbled across Neighbor on Google. The platform helps property owners find renters who need parking spaces. The company acts somewhat like a property manager, mediating between me and the renters.
I don't really deal with renters directly, except through the app's messaging feature, which I use very little. Honestly, it almost feels like the renter is running the show — I'm just making the space available and collecting money.
I started renting out my property in 2022. I've had RVs, travel trailers, boats, and even a bus parked on the land, and I've made about $74,000 so far.
I use Neighbor on my phone as an app, but it's also available online.
The platform works pretty simply: I list my available spaces, and Neighbor suggests how much I should charge, though I can adjust the price. The company verifies renters through their driver's licenses. The renter pays Neighbor, and then 30 days after payment is collected, Neighbor deposits the money into my checking account.
The company takes a small cut of the rent and charges the renter a service fee.
A cool thing about the platform is that Neighbor guarantees payment.
A couple of times, renters have fallen behind on payments. When that happens, Neighbor sends me a notification and asks me to stand by for instructions. They might ask for a photo of what's in the spot, and as long as I follow their requests, like sending photos of the lot or allowing a tow truck to come to the property, I still get paid.
People have tried to steer me outside the app occasionally, like, "Hey, here's my phone number, can we work something out directly?" They're usually trying to avoid fees. But I always say no. Using the app provides insurance coverage and records all our conversations. If there's ever an issue, Neighbor stands behind it.
The spots on my land are constantly booked
I started in June 2022 with one spot. It was rented in a day, so I started another spot. It rented quickly. I kept adding to the spots, and now I have about 21.
The lots on my property are almost always full. I currently have one open, which is rare.
Each lot is a little different. For example, I have one covered and a few larger ones, so pricing can vary. My cheapest space rents for $90 a month, and the most expensive goes for $200.
This June will make three years working with Neighbor. In 2022, when I started, I made $7,660; in 2023, I made $25,436; in 2024, I made $29,743; and through May of 2025, I expect to have made $11,572.
My mortgage payment on the property is around $2,500 a month. My daughter, a traveling nurse, rents a home that sits on the property from me.
On average, I make around $2,500 a month from the Neighbor renters.
After covering taxes and a few other expenses — maybe around $500 — I'm left with a couple of thousand dollars a month, free and clear.
I'm reinvesting my earnings back into my home
I'm not using the money I make from Neighbor to supplement my income or pay off debts, mainly because, other than my house, I don't have any debt. I work in insurance and financial planning, so retirement savings is already in my wheelhouse.
That said, everyone's situation is different. Renting out your yard could be a great way for others to supplement their income or save for retirement.
This started out as a fun project for me, and honestly, it turned out better than I expected once I got Neighbor involved.
I own property that increases in value each year, and I'm using the money I make from Neighbor to improve it. I enjoy fixing things up — landscaping, adding gravel, and all that.
Unless something crazy happens — like my home doubling in price — I don't see myself selling the property or leaving Neighbor anytime soon.
In a few years, I might retire and move to Arizona. If that happens, I'll definitely consider hiring someone to manage the home and keep the property running for me.