From Abandoned Inn to Desert Oasis: A $1.1 Million Transformation

Sara and Rich Combs, founders of The Joshua Tree House, took a risk by purchasing an abandoned inn on 38 acres of land in the Arizona desert for $615,000 and spent over $500,000 renovating it. Unable to secure a traditional mortgage, they obtained a hard-money loan and completed the renovation within 12 months. The inn, called The Joshua Tree House: The Posada, offers seven bedrooms and features amenities such as a hot tub, olive trees, a canyon pool, and a fire pit. The couple plans to make the inn self-sufficient by adding solar panels and rainwater harvesting, and they have aspirations to expand their hospitality business throughout the Southwest.