The Aakers got started in real estate back in 2015, when they bought an acreage near Brandon that needed a new house prior to move in. Being in between houses for approximately 6 months made them realize that those options for shorter-term housing aren’t available. They had to buy a second house in order to have a place to live.
“It was an REO,” said Ben. “A real estate owned property, or bank owned.” Since it was a forfeited property, “it was a mess. It needed a lot of work.”
So, they fixed it up while living in it, and when their new house was done, they intended to sell the newly-remodeled house. However, thanks to a suggestion from their real estate agent Michael Gross, they rented it out instead, and realized they had enjoyed that venture.
It then became a hobby for Ben, who works in Yankton as an emergency room physician. And it has grown from there.
The “all-new” Davis Short & Long Term Stay (no longer just a motel) is still under reconstruction, but when it is completed, it will have 4 units and two long-term rentals. Ben is aiming for two units to be reserved for very short-term guests and overnight stays, and two will trend towards medium-term stays of a few weeks to 3 months.
Their first remodeling projects were the long-term rentals, the “house” and the “trailer.” The “house” is attached to the motel, and used to be inhabited by the motel owners. The “trailer” is a single-wide trailer house in the back of the property. Both of those needed some updates, and both of those rentals went quickly, according to Ben. He noted that rentals are in high demand in Garretson, and they have a waiting list for Palisades Heights.
The next project was to add three bathrooms to the short-stay units.
“It was built back when shared bathrooms were common,” Ben said. However, expectations today are very different, and most guests are not willing to use a shared facility. In the past, guests had to go outside or through Unit Three in order to access the shared facility, as well. Eliminating that limitation made the remodeling a bit of a challenge.
“Our contractor, K&W Construction, was great to work with,” Ben said. They were able to add a bathroom to each unit and bring it up to today’s code. All units also received new furniture and were painted, and the outside received a powerwash and some landscaping. The Aaker’s are planning to continue making updates to the outside, including new siding.
However, each unit has character, much like a bed and breakfast.
“My aunt was looking to downsize,” said Ben, which meant they were able to repurpose some very unique pieces of furniture and mix in with the new. In Unit Three, the short-term unit currently available for overnight stays, a nautical theme is evident. It also has a queen-sized bed and a futon with a thick mattress, which makes this unit viable for a family of four to share.
Unit Two will be very similar. Units One and Four will each be a single-occupancy unit. All short-term units will have a mini-fridge and microwave, and information about local food and entertainment options.
All short-term units will be run similar to an AirBnB, which means guests will receive a keypad code for entry upon registration, and there isn’t daily linen service or a manager on site, but it allows people to register and pay either via phone or website. The Aaker’s have a property manager, Megan, who is handling all registrations, turnover, and maintenance requests.
For those who are interested in learning more or booking a stay, visit TheDavisGarretson.com.
