What does a Chico Airbnb property look like when it comes with two separate homes, a pool, commercial zoning, and a location minutes from Downtown Chico?
Quick answer: 1050 Esplanade in Chico, CA is a corner-lot property with two separate homes, a 1920s main house and a permitted cottage with its own address, both currently operating as Airbnb rentals. Listed at $699,999 by Marisa Bauer of Platinum Partners Real Estate, it includes 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a pool, and commercial zoning.
This Chico Airbnb property gives buyers something that rarely shows up on the Esplanade: two homes, two addresses, and established short-term rental appeal on a single 0.23-acre corner lot in The Avenues. Whether you are an investor, a buyer who wants to live in one home and rent the other, or a family looking for multi-generational space, it is worth understanding how the whole property works before you book a showing. Here is our full breakdown.
What Makes This Chico Airbnb Property Different?
Most income properties in central Chico are duplexes, small apartment buildings, or a house with a garage conversion that never quite feels separate. 1050 Esplanade feels more like a small compound. The main home is a 1920s residence with soaring ceilings and original hardwood floors. The cottage, a permitted conversion of a former garage, has its own address, its own laundry, and its own living space. Add a sparkling pool, a pool house, and a corner lot lined with established fruit trees, and you have a property that guests remember. In short-term rentals, where photos and reviews do much of the selling, that kind of memorability is an asset.
Commercial zoning widens the picture further. Beyond vacation rentals, it opens the door to live/work arrangements that a standard residential lot simply cannot offer. Buyers should confirm specific permitted uses with the City of Chico, but the flexibility here is real.
What Are the Key Details of 1050 Esplanade?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Address | 1050 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926 |
| List price | $699,999 |
| Homes on the lot | Two: a 1920s main home and a permitted cottage with its own address |
| Bedrooms | 4 |
| Bathrooms | 4 |
| Living area | 2,755 sq ft |
| Lot size | 0.23 acre corner lot |
| Year built | 1920 |
| Zoning | Commercial |
| Current use | Both homes operating as Airbnb rentals |
| Outdoor features | Resurfaced pool with new pool sweep, pool house, peach, cherry, and fig trees, ample parking |
| Listing agent | Marisa Bauer, CA DRE #01418223 |
What Is Inside the 1920s Main Home?
The main home carries the kind of timeless character that buyers come to The Avenues looking for. Soaring ceilings and beautiful original hardwood floors set the tone, and a bright sunroom with all-new windows overlooks the pool. The spacious floor plan includes three bathrooms, one of which has been fully remodeled with handicap-accessible features, including railings and a ramp.
The home was previously configured with eight bedrooms, which means a future owner could explore converting it back to add sleeping accommodations and increase rental capacity. Recent improvements add even more value:
- Brand-new exterior paint
- A Trex front porch
- A new sewer line, a $15,000 improvement
- All-new windows in the sunroom
That sewer line deserves a second look. In a neighborhood where many homes are about a century old, aging sewer lines are one of the first things buyers and inspectors focus on, so having that work already done is a meaningful head start.
What Does the Permitted Cottage Offer?
The cottage was converted from a former garage, is permitted, and has its own address. It has become an Airbnb favorite with guests, and it is easy to see why. Private laundry and flexible living space give it the feel of a true separate residence rather than a spare room out back.
For an investor, that independence means a second income stream. For an owner-occupant, it means privacy: a place for a family member, a long-term guest, or a home office that sits apart from daily life in the main house.
How Do the Pool and Yard Add Value to This Chico Airbnb Property?
The outdoor space is where this property shifts from practical to genuinely enjoyable. The pool was resurfaced recently and features a brand-new pool sweep, making it an inviting retreat through Chico’s long, hot summers. A pool house adds functionality, complete with an on-demand water heater and a newer split HVAC system for year-round comfort.
Around the yard, established peach, cherry, and fig trees add shade and seasonal fruit, a small detail that guests tend to mention in reviews. Ample parking and handicap-friendly improvements round out the property’s appeal for a wide range of visitors and residents.
How Could You Use a Chico Airbnb Property Like This?
This is where the two-home layout really pays off. A buyer could:
- Keep both homes running as vacation rentals. The property is already operating this way, with an established guest appeal to build on.
- Live in one home and rent the other. Rental income from one residence can help offset the cost of owning the whole property.
- Set up a live/work arrangement. Commercial zoning creates options that most Avenues properties do not have.
- Create multi-generational living. The accessible bathroom, railings, and ramp make the main home practical for aging parents, while the cottage offers independence for adult children or caregivers.
- Offer furnished mid-term stays. Rentals of 30 days or more can suit people in town for work, school, or extended medical care.
If the commercial zoning is a big part of what draws you here, our guide on how to buy commercial property in Chico walks through how those purchases differ from a standard home sale.
What Should You Verify Before Buying an Airbnb Property in Chico?
Short-term rental rules are local, and they change. Chico’s Transient Occupancy Tax law (Municipal Code Chapter 3.52) treats stays of fewer than 31 consecutive days as transient occupancy, so short-term rental operators register with the City and collect and remit that tax. Before you write an offer, we recommend working through this checklist with your agent:
- Current City of Chico requirements for short-term rentals, including tax registration and licensing
- How each structure on the lot is classified and permitted, and which uses that allows
- Booking history, occupancy, and operating expenses for both homes
- Financing options, since lenders treat short-term rental income differently
- Insurance coverage built for short-term rental use
- A full inspection, with extra attention on the systems of a home built in 1920
None of this is unusual for an income property, and doing it early helps you buy with confidence. If you are still sorting out budget and loan options, our guide on how much you need to buy a home in Chico is a good place to start.
Why Does Location Matter for a Chico Airbnb Property?
For short-term rentals, location drives bookings, and 1050 Esplanade sits in one of the most recognizable parts of the city. The property is in The Avenues, also known as Chico Vecino, along the tree-lined Esplanade corridor in the 95926 zip code. From here:
- Chico High School is just down the Esplanade
- Enloe Medical Center, one of Butte County’s largest employers, is less than a mile north
- Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park and the Chico State campus are less than a mile south
- Downtown Chico’s restaurants, shops, and Saturday farmers market are about a mile away
- Bidwell Park, roughly 3,670 acres of trails, swimming holes, and open space, is a quick bike ride away
Chico is a city of just over 100,000 people, about 90 miles north of Sacramento, with Highway 99 and Highway 32 connecting it to the rest of the North Valley. University events, hospital visits, park visitors, and family trips all bring people into town who need a place to stay near the center of everything. For a deeper look at the neighborhood itself, our guide to The Avenues in Chico covers housing styles, buying tips, and other featured listings, and the Avenues neighborhood page shows what is currently on the market.
How Is the Chico Housing Market Performing in 2026?
| Chico Metro Metric (Jan to June 2026 average) | Figure | Year-Over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $411,483 | -2.9% |
| Homes sold per month | 159 | +8.2% |
| Active listings | 801 | -1.1% |
| Median days on market | 43.2 | +3.8 days |
| Months of supply | 3.9 | -0.4 |
Source: Redfin data reported by Stacker, Chico mid-year 2026 housing market review (January through June 2026 monthly average, Chico metro). For the latest monthly figures, see Redfin’s Chico housing market page.
What this means for buyers: with homes taking a little longer to sell and sales volume up, buyers have more room for careful due diligence than they did a few years ago. Distinctive properties with a clear use case, like two separate homes on one lot, still stand apart from the standard single-family inventory.
Who Is the Listing Agent for 1050 Esplanade?
Marisa Bauer is a Realtor® and the brokerage owner of Platinum Partners Real Estate (CA DRE #01418223). Marisa started her career in property management with Warren Properties in San Diego County after earning a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from San Diego State University. In 2004 she moved into residential sales with Prudential-The Bayhill Team in the San Francisco Bay Area, part of the top-producing team in Northern California.
Marisa has called Chico home since 2007, where she and her husband are raising their three children. That early property management background shows up in how she approaches income properties like this one, with a practical eye for how a property operates day to day, not just how it looks in photos. You can reach Marisa at (530) 570-5507, or meet the rest of the team on our agents page.
Where Can You See 1050 Esplanade?
Start with the short video tour below, then visit the listing page for full photos and details.
See every photo of 1050 Esplanade and schedule your private tour.
FAQs About This Chico Airbnb Property
Is 1050 Esplanade currently operating as an Airbnb property?
Yes. Both the main home and the permitted cottage are currently operating as Airbnb rentals. A buyer can ask the listing agent about booking history and operating details, and should confirm current City of Chico short-term rental requirements before planning to continue that use.
How many homes are on the lot at 1050 Esplanade?
Two. The property includes a main home built in the 1920s and a permitted cottage, converted from a former garage, with its own address. Together they offer 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms on a 0.23-acre corner lot, along with a pool and a pool house.
Can a buyer live in one home and rent the other?
Yes, and it is one of the most natural ways to use this Chico Airbnb property. A buyer could live in the main home and rent the cottage, or the reverse, using rental income to help offset ownership costs while keeping private living space.
What does Chico require for short-term rentals?
Chico’s Transient Occupancy Tax law applies to stays of fewer than 31 consecutive days, so operators register with the City and remit the tax. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules, licensing, and how each structure is classified with the City of Chico before you buy.