From Offer to Almost Closing: Building the Brand Behind Elysian (Part Two)

In part one of this series, I walked you through everything we did before submitting an offer on our newest short-term rental investment: market research, guest reviews, P&Ls, zoning laws, utilities, and all the financial prep that happens behind the scenes.

Today, we’re diving into part two of Elysian—what happened after the offer was submitted and accepted, what the due diligence process looked like, and how we used this under-contract phase to begin building a fully realized brand and business before we even close.

At the time of writing this, we are officially one week away from closing on our newest property in Fancy Gap, Virginia—a one-of-a-kind concrete dome house that will become the first unit on the Elysian property.

---

Making the Offer: Why We Negotiated Seller Credits Instead of Price

When we submitted our offer, it was intentionally on the lower side. The sellers countered, we countered again, and after a bit of back and forth we landed on a deal that worked well for everyone.

Our primary negotiation goal wasn’t lowering the purchase price—it was seller credits.

Why? Because we wanted to keep as much cash on hand as possible after closing. We knew upfront that we would:

• Lay new flooring
• Paint throughout
• Redesign and refurnish most of the home
• Invest in upgraded amenities

Cash flexibility post-closing gives us freedom—and freedom is everything when you’re creating an intentional guest experience. (I’m still lobbying hard for a stargazing dome 👀✨)

---

Due Diligence on a Short-Term Rental: Inspections, Well, Septic & a Dome Curveball

Once under contract, we entered the due diligence phase.

Inspections

We completed:

• Standard home inspection
• Well inspection
• Septic inspection
• Water quality test

Nothing alarming came back, which felt like a huge win—especially for a 30-year-old concrete dome home.

There was one small fix needed on the hot water heater, and the sellers were happy to take care of it.

The Reality of a Unique Structure

This house is extremely unique. There are very few concrete dome homes like it in the U.S., let alone in Fancy Gap. That uniqueness is exactly why we love it—but it also means finding contractors isn’t always straightforward.

During inspections, a few items landed on our “three-year fix” radar rather than urgent repairs. I started calling contractors early, and after six or seven calls, I finally found someone who could handle dome-specific work—who had actually worked on the house before. Small world.

Overall? The inspection process was smooth, and we walked away feeling confident.

---

Short-Term Rental Appraisal Challenges for Unique Properties

Because the property is so unique, finding comparable properties for the appraisal wasn’t easy. Dome houses don’t exactly populate MLS listings in rural Virginia.

That said—it appraised 🙌

That was the final piece needed for financing, and a huge exhale moment.

---

From Accidental Host to Intentional Short-Term Rental Investor

Up until now, every short-term rental we’ve owned was something we stumbled into. This one is different.

Between our previous hosting experience and everything I learned at Level Up Your Listing Summit, we approached Elysian with intention from day one.

One of the biggest takeaways from that event was the importance of professional design—not just for aesthetics, but for performance.

---

Hiring a Short-Term Rental Interior Designer: What We Looked For

I scheduled consultation calls with three designers:

• Summer Led
• Funkit Interiors
• Brianna Michelle Interiors

Each brought something different to the table, and the pricing varied significantly—from design fees to estimated furnishing budgets.

Ultimately, we chose Brianna Michelle Interiors because:

• Her work aligned with the calm, retreat-like vision we had
• Her pricing fit our budget best
• She came highly recommended by others in the STR space

We opted for virtual design only, skipping project management because we love being hands-on (and slightly chaotic DIYers at heart). Flooring in a circular house may test us—but we’ll cross that bridge later.

---

Designing a Short-Term Rental for the Ideal Guest

During onboarding, I provided:

• A Matterport scan with dimensions
• Market insight on Fancy Gap
• Our guest avatar vision
• The full brand identity for Elysian

Brianna’s team pulls real booking data from the area to design spaces that don’t just look good—but perform. Based on initial analysis, they believe we can nearly double the property’s revenue, pushing it into the top 10% of listings in the market.

That’s the goal.

---

Creating a Short-Term Rental Brand: Introducing Elysian

This might be my favorite part.

The property sits on five acres in Carroll County—where there is no zoning. That opened my eyes to the possibility of building a micro resort with multiple unique units over time.

So the brand needed room to grow.

The Inspiration

While touring the property, I kept coming back to one detail: stained glass window panes hanging in an outdoor pavilion. That detail stuck—and eventually became the foundation of the brand.

I crowdsourced name ideas on Instagram and ran them through a bracket-style vote. Two names rose to the top:

• Elysian Vale
• Villa Luna

We used both.

The Brand Structure

• Elysian = the overarching property brand
• Luna = the first unit (the concrete dome)

Elysian represents peace, retreat, and a nod to mythology and heaven. Luna pulls in moon imagery, reflected in the dome’s shape and its color palette—deep blues, silvers, and purples.

Each future unit will have:

• Its own name
• Its own color palette
• A variation of the Elysian logo with stained glass accents

Future ideas include Eden and Sol—and honestly, this brand already feels bigger than just one house.

You can follow along at @stayatelysian on Instagram.

---

Short-Term Rental Marketing Before Closing

Even before closing, we:

• Launched an Instagram account
• Created a waitlist using Flowdesk

Inspired by Bolt Farm Treehouse’s proof-of-concept strategy, I wanted warm leads ready the moment we launch.

We’re not taking money yet—but we already have people raising their hands saying, “Tell me when this is live.”

That matters.

---

Setting Up the Short-Term Rental Business (LLC, EIN & Banking)

Before closing, we also:

• Formed the LLC
• Obtained an EIN
• Opened a business bank account
• Prepared to apply for a business credit card

This allows us to:

• Track expenses cleanly
• Leverage welcome bonuses
• Earn travel points (huge win for a family of five)

Intentional structure now = freedom later.

---

One Week From Closing: Final Thoughts on Building Elysian

To recap, during the under-contract phase we:

• Negotiated seller credits
• Completed all inspections
• Passed appraisal
• Hired a designer
• Built a full brand identity
• Launched social media
• Created a waitlist
• Set up the business legally

And we still haven’t closed yet.

Next up:

• Design boards
• Renovations over Thanksgiving
• Black Friday furniture orders
• December launch (fingers crossed)

Part three will cover the design process, renovations, and launch strategy—and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Until next time—cheers to building intentional brands and standout spaces.