In December 2011 John, 60, and Fin Kernohan, 44, decided to leave their city lifestyle in Miami and move to Georgia. John had recently sold his medical-research-lab firm, and they wanted to live a quieter life.
While John was happy to join Fin, he wasn't prepared for what she had in mind. John Kernohan, who served as chairman of the Board of Governors of the American Gaming Association, told The Associated Press.
They'd already spent a year on a canal boat in London, and Fin didn't see the need for a large house. She decided to sell her belongings and lease an 80-acre plot in a Georgia forest. They built a lofted cabin shell from Derksen Portable Buildings that they could turn into a home.
A year had to be spent on the shell to turn it into a livable home, which they named the Beloved Cabin. The construction needed to install drywall, install a wood-burning stove, add electric and plumbing, build a bathroom and kitchen, and create custom furniture.
The shell cost $6,500. John said he was deeply disappointed with the decision to make such a decision. The cost of building electricity and food were the only expenses they were able to cover.
In 2015, their permanent home was transformed by a 3-acre plot with its own creek. After moving their cabin to its new location by trailer, the couple set down roots by building a deck around it with the help of a friend.
But this time they chose to install solar energy, a rainwater collector, and a HomeBiogas system for producing methane gas cooking fuel, and use their natural spring for water.
They established a garden with fruit trees, built boxes for vegetables, and created a small yard to house chickens and ducks for fresh eggs.
HomeBiogas added goats in 2021, which gave fresh milk and natural fertilizer to the facility.
The Kernohans first learned about the fake account they created on a tiny-house listing site and posted an image from their Facebook page. After the fake account was removed, a whole new world opened up to them.
The couple began to grow as they answered people's questions about their lifestyle.
Keen to connect with other tiny-house owners, they launched the, which now has 183,000 Facebook followers and hosts festivals and charity events. They went on to build a to take to fundraising events to raise money for firefighters.
They visited Fin's parents in Thailand in March 2020 and stayed in a small villa on their property, alongside other family members who also had homes there. On their own land but with tiny houses, they considered how they could recreate this community vibe.
They now own a total of 16 acres of land and have three more plots of land. One lot came with an 2,000-square-foot premanufactured house that the couple decided to turn into a community space to give guests the chance to socialize.
They parked the tiny firehouse on one patch of land and added two more tiny homes - one with a Moroccan vibe and the other decorated with ornate gold mirrors and ivy, giving it a French feel. They built each home from scratch using upcycled wood and decorated them with items they'd found on Facebook Marketplace or at recycling centers.
John said: 'It is time for a change,' he said. At first, their guests mainly came from Atlanta, but when travel restrictions were lifted, they began to attract tiny-house fans from as far away as Vietnam and South Korea.
While Airbnb searches for the majority of their guests, they've attracted fans on TikTok. By submitting a short tour of the inside of Beloved Cabin, Fin received more than 1 million views.
Many homeowners have faced their challenges, as well. A pipe burst in a firehouse last winter due to the cold weather. We just turned the heaters on, he said.
In the community house, John spends his time baking cookies or serving pancakes to hungry visitors. Fin, a spa therapist, offers spa treatments to female guests.
The property has been decorated with yurts, domes, a bell tent, and other items. They now have that range from $99 to $148 a night.
The Beloved Cabin provides hiking trails, biking, or kayaking opportunities for visitors. The creek can also be filled with crystals, allowing people to search for them. John said he was determined not to quit, but to be the best president of the United States.
They're booked during Christmas and most weekends, but they keep Monday to Wednesday free to leave room for planning events and their philanthropic work.
Fin said she loves the pace of her life now.