Thanks For Visiting
566 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 547 ratingsGet actionable advice and the essential fundamentals of running a profitable 5-star Airbnb side-hustle or full on business. Annette’s extensive background in business operations and Sarah’s experience in high-end hospitality management and interior design make them a powerhouse duo that will deliver high impact content. With almost a decade of combined hosting experience they will not only share their own stories welcoming thousands of guests from around the world but also those of other Superhosts to deliver you a wide array of stories, insights, and profitable and creative ideas to make your listing rise to the top. Whether you’re experienced, new, or nervous to start your own Airbnb this podcast promises to be informative, fun, and from the heart.
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Episodes
373. We Bought Land (Part 3): Reality Check on Glamping Site Timelines, Financing & Construction
July 04, 2024 10:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBWe’re making progress on our Hocking Hills glamping project with cabin demo, prefab purchases, and creative financing. Check in for an honest, relatable recollection of the development process from two eager investors knee deep in a long term legacy build. First, we take you behind the scenes on Day 1 of cabin demo, a delightfully quick process with some fun creative questions to answer (roll-away bed or no roll-away bed?). Along the way, we sing the praises of our investment team, highligh...
372. Hosting Hotline: How (and Why) to Add Celebration Upsells to Your STR Listing
July 02, 2024 10:00 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Elaine asks: We get a lot of couples that stay at our romantic gazebo cottage. I had a guest that reached out to me who wanted to know if we have any add-on packages to help celebrate an anniversary. Unfortunately, I did not, but I would like to offer something. I don't know what to include or how to find it. Any insight that y...
371. They Banned Vacation Rentals in Our City — Now What?
June 27, 2024 10:00 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBToday’s expert guest is Ellyn Vollmer. She’s got a wild pain-to-purpose story that many hosts will find eerily familiar. She and her husband Devin live in Pittsburgh, PA and recently launched their first STR property in Oceanside, CA after a long and winding road filled with false starts and regulatory red tape. We talk all about how their six-month plan turned into a two-year (and more!) ordeal that involved almost every possible hurdle, spending the first year creating a rental experience...
370. Hosting Hotline: How Should You Handle Parties at Your Vacation Rental?
June 25, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Brandy asks: We host on a 10-acre property. We also live on this 10-acre property. But we continue to have guests that will break our terms and conditions, even though it is stated very plainly that we do not allow parties or gatherings of larger than six people. The last one, I walked in on their vows and was like… What's goin...
369. Secrets to Scaling: How I Managed 175 Listings on a Remote Mediterranean Island
June 20, 2024 10:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBToday’s expert guest is Lisa Roads, a seasoned short-term rental professional, whose journey began as a property investor in her early twenties. As Lisa continued to grow her property portfolio, she recognised the potential for early adoption in an emerging market in Cyprus. This investment move created the opportunity to start her second business venture, providing a fully managed service for hands-off investors like herself. Focusing on high-quality coastal properties and leveraging he...
368. Hosting Hotline: Can I Use Fabric Headboards in My Short-Term Rental?
June 18, 2024 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.42 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Melissa asks: I am going to be a new host, and I have a question about bed frames and headboards. I have a couple headboards that are upholstered. What are your thoughts about using those and cleaning those instead of buying new headboards that are wood or washable? I would love to know because it could save me a lot of money i...
367. We Stayed in a Castle! European Short-Term Rental Industry Review
June 13, 2024 10:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBIn today’s solo (duo?) episode, we unpack an expansive recent experience we shared in England, learning about this amazing industry. From an STR business retreat hosted in a towering castle, complete with moat, to the Short Stay Summit 2024 in London – we’ve come home with a wider and more full picture of what hosts are doing and seeing around the world. Our journey begins at Middleton Castle, where our new friend, Humphrey Bowles of Superhog, expertly curated a thought leadership retreat f...
366. Hosting Hotline: Five-Star Patio Amenities to Differentiate Your Vacation Rental Listing
June 11, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Patrick asks: It's Patrick with Farmhouse805 on the beautiful central coast of California. I have a big question for you… We've been having a lot of success with our STR. We've got a nice patio with a gas fire pit and a commercial grade barbecue, but we just don't have the budget to do a swimming pool. And I'm not a big fan of ...
365. Hosting Mastery Spotlight: How I Built a 60-Door Rental Company on 100% Referrals
June 06, 2024 10:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBToday’s expert guest is Colleen Chrien, a hyper-engaged member of our Hosting Business Mastery Method, mom of four young kids, and owner of Picket Fence Properties and Fully Furnished Charleston where she manages a portfolio of 38 long-term rentals and 21 furnished rentals – a mix between short, mid, and long term listings. We learn all about how she launched her business and landed in Charleston as a long term hub of operations, detail a few pain points on her initial projects, and unpack ...
364. Hosting Hotline: Does My Security System Camera Break Airbnb Rules?
June 04, 2024 10:00 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Becky asks: I have an ADT security system and my control panel has a little camera on it. It takes a picture of the person who is setting or disabling the alarm. Nobody ever sets the alarm in the Airbnb, but it is in the hallway. I was wondering… Does that count as a camera for Airbnb? If I put a sticker over it, would that wor...
363. The History of Vacation Rentals: Back to School with Brumby McLeod, Ph.D.
May 30, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBToday’s expert guest is the ultra-informed researcher and short-term rental historian, Brumby McLeod, Ph.D., an associate professor at the College of Charleston, School of Business in the Department of Hospitality & Tourism Management. He is also a research fellow with the Office of Tourism Analysis and the Riley Center for Livable Communities. The focus of his research is in overnight accommodation with a primary focus on housing, short-term rentals, and tourism. Dr. McLeod walks us thro...
362. Hosting Hotline: Quick Recap of Airbnb Summer Release 2024
May 28, 2024 10:00 - 15 minutes - 14 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Taylor asks: Can you please break down the Airbnb summer release for us? What do we need to know? Thank you so much. Can't wait to hear your response. (00:01:13) What’s New with the Airbnb Summer Update? (00:01:32) NEW Airbnb Icons: Sadly, Mostly Marketing (00:04:35) Guest-Related Updates in Airbnb’s Summer Release (00:06:3...
361. We Bought Land (Part 2): How to Use ChatGPT in Your Vacation Rental Competitive Analysis
May 23, 2024 10:00 - 38 minutes - 34.9 MBWelcome back to this dedicated series on the acquisition, set-up, and launch of our brand new Hocking Hills vacation rental project. In this episode, we update listeners on the actions we’ve taken since signing the deal, hard decisions we’ve already made, and what’s coming up next. Golden nuggets include how Sarah has leveraged artificial intelligence to create temporary branding for the property, early thoughts on how we might utilize existing structures (or not), and which critically impo...
360. Hosting Hotline: Should Direct Bookings Earn More Revenue Than OTAs?
May 21, 2024 10:00 - 13 minutes - 12.1 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Angela asks: One of my properties has a 60% direct booking rate. I'm trying to figure out the best way to adjust my pricing so that my net earnings on a direct booking is slightly higher than when guests book through a third-party platform. Right now, if I get an Airbnb booking, I pay 3% commission to Airbnb. If I get a direct...
359. Why Dynamic Pricing Should Be Your #1 Priority as an Airbnb Host
May 16, 2024 10:00 - 46 minutes - 43 MBWelcome back to the officially unofficial Money Making May, where we have a full month’s worth of content all around pricing profitable properties with PriceLabs! Today’s expert guest is our very own Chief Operating Officer, Colleen Prochaska! Colleen brings over ten years of hospitality experience as a hotel General Manager for Marriott and Hilton brands to Thanks for Visiting. Her passion lies in supporting guests' experiences and mentoring associates throughout her career. Her philosophy...
358. Hosting Hotline: Summer Grilling Safety Tips for Airbnb Hosts & Co-Hosts
May 14, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.2 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Samantha asks: What's your take on grills at a short-term rental? I always wanted to stay away because I'm terrified someone will burn down our brand new houses. But we recently had an upcoming guest ask if we had a grill, and they were pretty bummed out that we didn't offer that. Then, they asked us if we could provide one for...
357. My Airbnb Burnt Down! AirCover vs. STR Insurance Spotlight
May 09, 2024 10:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBToday it’s time to get serious – as serious as a catastrophic house fire. With no exaggeration, it is essential that any short-term rental host, or aspiring host, listen into this entire episode. This week’s expert guest is Nicholas Libertin. He and his wife live in the Cleveland area and host a vacation rental in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His area of expertise, unfortunately, lies in his experience with a second listing – a mountain cabin – which tragically burnt down in January of this ye...
356. Hosting Hotline: Quick Tips for Using PriceLabs Dynamic Pricing Software
May 07, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. A listener asks: I already use dynamic pricing strategies in my business right now. I see that Airbnb is making some changes to their fees. The host fee for me is going up from 3% to 15% and the guest is paying nothing. With that in mind, does it still make sense for me to use dynamic pricing tools? (00:01:16) Airbnb Hosting F...
355. What Are Typical Seller Financing Terms? (And Is It Worth It?)
May 02, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBWelcome to the officially unofficial Money Making May, where we have a full month’s worth of content all around pricing profitable properties with PriceLabs! Today’s expert guest is Michael Lacalle, a teacher, husband, and father of two who stumbled into house hacking as a means to afford living on the Central Coast of California. From there, he got the real estate bug and now owns five short-term rental listings on three separate properties (HINT: He is looking to partner with like-minded ...
354. Hosting Hotline: Details on Airbnb’s New Indoor Camera Policy (Starting TODAY)
April 30, 2024 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.4 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Russell asks: Hosts are seeing so much out there right now about cameras and Airbnb. I have one on my front porch. Is this still okay? Can you guys cut through all the noise and tell us exactly what we need to know about the cameras? Can we have them? Should we have them? (00:01:10) What’s the Deal with Cameras & Airbnb? (00...
353. Kristie Wolfe: How I Launched The Big Idaho Potato Hotel (and More!)
April 25, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 62.3 MBThis week’s expert guest is Kristie Wolfe, creative off-grid builder and short-term rental superstar. With her one-of-a-kind projects, her focus is on creating unforgettable guest experiences, not just accommodations. Kristie is not only the builder in her business, she is also the designer, and she crafts some of Airbnb's most sought-after wishlist stays. She has several tree houses, a hobbit hole, a cocoon cottage, a shipwreck, and even a potato hotel – properties which have earned thousa...
352. Hosting Hotline: Pros & Cons of Converting From STR to MTR Bookings
April 23, 2024 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Kendra asks: We purchased a property, my husband's pipe dream, in western Wisconsin on the trout streams where he grew up fishing. We launched it on Airbnb and VRBO in March. It's called the Trimbelle Cottage and we've had good success with consistent bookings and buzz in the area since that time. We had someone reach out aski...
351. Scaling a Hospitality Empire: Motel, Wedding Venue, Co-Hosted STRs & a Boutique Hotel
April 18, 2024 10:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBToday’s expert guests are Austin and Karlee Phippen, operators of an expanding portfolio of hospitality brands and businesses in scenic Northern New Mexico. Starting in just 2019, they’ve already built an empire in Chama – from boutique hotel rooms, a 16-room motel, a dozen co-hosted properties, and a sprawling ranch wedding venue. With Austin’s background in construction, and Karlee’s formal education and experience in the hospitality industry, magic was bound to be made when these two tea...
350. Hosting Hotline: Managing Guest Expectations for Airbnbs in Revitalized Neighborhoods
April 16, 2024 10:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Bri asks: How do I prepare guests for nuisance neighbors? I have a neighbor who lives two houses down and he is senile. He does get really chatty and he has doomsday stories. The other day, my guest engaged in conversation with him, and the story is always the same about wanting to get rid of the drug dealers in the neighborho...
349. We Bought Land (Part 1): Laying a Foundation for Long-Term Partnership
April 11, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBToday’s expert guest (and one of our new business partners!) is Mike Navarro of Columbus, Ohio. Mike and his wife Ingrid entered the residential market as first-time homebuyers and have since expanded into multi-family housing, constructing single-family homes ranging from 400 sqft to 4500 sq ft. Their diverse portfolio comprises over 20 units, including single-family homes, multi-units, and condos, with a total real estate holding value of $10 million. We chat with Mike today to lay the g...
348. Hosting Hotline: Bedding & Laundry Tips for Your Short-Term Rental Business
April 09, 2024 10:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. A listener asks: We are about ready to launch our first short-term rental on the beach. I've been vetting cleaning companies and have been a little surprised to learn of common standard practices related to washing (or not) the top layer of bedding. It seems like most cleaners don't wash that regularly, which to be honest, gav...
347. How to Optimize Your Supply Inventory as an Airbnb Co-Host in 2024
April 04, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBToday’s expert guest is Wendy Doris. Experienced house flipper, host, co-host, and Hosting Business Mastery Method (HBMM) coach, Wendy loves the details, especially when it comes to the operations of her business. We lean into that expertise in this episode, jumping into the deep end on supplies as they relate to short-term rental listings. Managing more than a dozen properties in the Phoenix area, Wendy set out to reimagine her supply chain operations – where, who, why, when, and how. We w...
346. Hosting Hotline: Short-Term Rental Dreams vs. Mid-Term Rental Demand
April 02, 2024 10:00 - 9 minutes - 9.08 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Katelyn asks: My husband and I own Stay Old Town Road in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's four small, super charming historic houses on one property in the best tourist location in town. We got into hosting because we love travel and hospitality. We've always envisioned our guest avatar as a vacationer. Then, we had a very differ...
345. STR Safety in 2024: The Latest on Regulations, Technology & Trends with Justin Ford
March 28, 2024 10:00 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBToday’s expert guest is Justin Ford, an international safety superstar when it comes to short-term rentals. Returning for his record thirteenth appearance on the show, the wisdom just never stops with Justin, as he’s become a close friend of the show – and hopefully, a trusted advisor to all of our listeners. Justin updates us on his latest travels, taking us from a safety survey in a $40k/night Colorado mansion listing to affecting permanent and positive change in Cancun’s STR regulations....
344. Hosting Hotline: Tips & Tricks for Avoiding Pet Smells in Your Short-Term Rental
March 26, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Samantha asks: We recently started our short-term rental business and we currently have two rentals down at the beach. We are allowing pets at both of them because we're dog lovers ourselves. Our first guest had two dogs, and when we went in afterward, we noticed the scent of a dog. Do you recommend using any products, or stayi...
343. What’s a Public Adjuster? Why Knowing One Might Save Your Vacation Rental
March 21, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBToday’s expert guest is Gwynne Beatty, a specialist in property damage claims, water restoration, mold remediation, maximizing your claim, and managing the repair process for residential and commercial properties. She's here to pull back the curtain on the claims process and give you the knowledge and tools you need if (and when) you find yourself with property damage. She’s a public adjuster (don’t worry, we learn all about what that means) and has tons of secrets to share today as she an...
343. What’s an Insurance Adjuster? Why Knowing One Might Save Your Vacation Rental
March 21, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBToday’s expert guest is Gwynne Beatty, a specialist in property damage claims, water restoration, mold remediation, maximizing your claim, and managing the repair process for residential and commercial properties. She's here to pull back the curtain on the claims process and give you the knowledge and tools you need if (and when) you find yourself with property damage. She’s a public adjuster (don’t worry, we learn all about what that means) and has tons of secrets to share today as she an...
342. Hosting Hotline: Creative Ideas for Concierge Services to Differentiate Your STR
March 19, 2024 10:00 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Francesca asks: I am looking for ways to enhance the guest experience through concierge services. As an example, I saw someone post that they'll put away Instacart groceries for guests before they arrive. I'm looking for unique and creative concierge services to offer guests and differentiate from competitors. If you have any s...
341. Problem Solving Hacks for Beginner Short-Term Rental Hosts & Co-Hosts
March 14, 2024 10:00 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBToday’s expert guest is Lynn Smith, a short-term rental host and co-host for properties in Oklahoma City and the surrounding area. Informed by a mixed background in public health, event planning, and sales, Lynn started her hosting journey in 2020. She’s a star member of our Hosting Business Mastery Method and has actually taught us so much over the years, that it came time to feature her unique perspective and approach on the podcast. Specifically, she’s a master at turning hardships int...
340. Hosting Hotline: How Much is Too Much Communication With STR Guests?
March 12, 2024 10:00 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Sandrine asks: I have a few questions regarding guest communication. How much is too much and how exactly do you handle communicating the rental agreement? Do you send the rental agreement right through the booking platform, like Airbnb, or ask for a personal email? What do you do if they don't respond or sign it by the time th...
339. We Fought Restrictive Local Hosting Laws (and Won): Lessons in Short-Term Rental Advocacy
March 07, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBToday’s expert guests are Bob and Callie Karlen. A husband-and-wife investing team, they currently house hack their primary residence near Minneapolis, own and operate Bigwater Cove – their STR cabin in Northern MN – and are hoping to scale their portfolio in 2024 in the commercial boutique motel space in the near future. Following last week’s informative discussion covering a painful acquisition process that didn’t quite work out, we talk to Bob and Callie about their own emotionally char...
338. Hosting Hotline: Recommended Training Tools & Software for Your STR Business
March 05, 2024 10:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Holly asks: What systems and processes do you use to train virtual assistants and other staff members? Where do you store them, how do you build them, and on what platforms? We are trying to systemize every single process so that we can control everything we can. (00:01:23) Question About Training STR Systems & Processes (00...
337. Broken Motel Dreams: Behind the Scenes of a Failed Real Estate Deal
February 29, 2024 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MBToday’s export guest is Tanya Rooney, a creative real estate seeker, life guide and owner of BAFS Real Estate + Yay You’re Here Properties. We’re thrilled that she’s taken the time to join us today to talk about a very important, and very on-trend, topic in our industry: motels and mid-term rentals. She gives us the low down on a painstaking deal that did NOT go through, sharing important lessons so you can better understand and take action on your own real estate opportunities in the futur...
336. Hosting Hotline: Beginner Steps to Host a Parent-Child STR Listing
February 27, 2024 10:00 - 15 minutes - 14.3 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Whitney asks: Can I create a parent-child listing for two homes that are next door to each other? I own one of them and my neighbors own the other. I'm the co-host for their house. I would like to create a parent-child listing to accept large groups that can stay in both homes, but I'm also aware that there may be tax consequen...
335. Tips for Effectively Welcoming Dogs to Your Short-Term Rental
February 22, 2024 10:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MBToday’s expert guest is Sara Sokol. Sarah is the creator of the Dogs Welcome Facebook group and vacation rental listing website as well as owner/operator of her own very pet-friendly, and award winning, vacation rental on the coast of Maine. She created the Dogs Welcome community as a place to connect dog friendly STR hosts with humans who travel with their dogs as a place to advertise her own property and has watched the community explode with growth over the past year and a half. Its webs...
334. Hosting Hotline: What’s the Secret to Scaling a Short-Term Rental Business?
February 20, 2024 10:00 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Jennifer asks: I run Pepin Forest Treehouse in Wisconsin. How does growth become exponential and how do people tend to do it so quickly? What does that look like with debt-to-income ratios? How are people growing their businesses on such short timelines? What's the secret that I'm missing? (00:01:23) What’s the Secret for Exp...
333. How To Make Facebook & Instagram Ads That Drive Bookings for Your Short-Term Rental
February 15, 2024 10:00 - 54 minutes - 50 MBToday’s expert guest is Tara Zirker. Tara is the owner and founder of Successful Ads Club, a high-touch support training platform where she teaches thousands of business owners how to rapidly scale their small businesses through the power of Facebook and Instagram Ads with tiny budgets (and has received over 1,000 positive student reviews!). She’s worked on ad campaigns with people like Marianne Williamson (New York Times bestselling author), Jordan Lee Dooley (multiple 7-figure lifestyle ...
332. Hosting Hotline: Hosting Short-Term Rental Guests vs. Mid-Term Rental Tenants
February 13, 2024 10:00 - 22 minutes - 21 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Caitlyn asks: Midterm rentals are a really great option for a lot of us hosts. What do we need to be looking out for when looking for great tenants? (00:01:47) Guests vs. Tenants: 28 Days Later (00:05:13) Building Rental Processes in Zillow (00:07:13) List Your Property as BOTH an STR & Midterm Rental (00:12:39) How Do I Co...
331. Use Data to Increase Profits in Your Short-Term Rental Business
February 08, 2024 10:00 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MBToday’s expert guest is Kenny Bedwell, in a session recorded at TFVCON2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Kenny founded STR Insights in 2021 as a tool to help investors find the most advantageous STR markets for their unique circumstances using advanced data analytics. We pulled Kenny aside to have a side chat – between his immensely popular educational sessions at the conference – to dig in a little deeper on what he had been presententing to attendees: How to use data to inform good decision making. ...
330. Hosting Hotline: Tips for Starting a Co-Hosting Business
February 06, 2024 10:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Claire asks: My name is Claire and I have started managing a number of other Airbnbs on the island that I live on. I made the mistake of having the listings under my Airbnb account. I really need support on how to run this (co-hosting) business from an admin/legal point of view. What do I need to get in place so that I can grow...
329. How to Identify Warning Signs of Human Trafficking in the STR Industry
February 01, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBToday’s expert guest is Catherine Ratcliffe. A vacation rental owner and host since 2018, she’s pivoted from a successful HR career to run a consulting business where she takes on tough subjects for employers and hosts – including today’s heavy topic, the global human trafficking crisis. Catherine shares subtle details to look out for and security protocols to implement in your business to combat this horrific invisible threat. You will leave this episode with a list of new methods to root ...
328. Hosting Hotline: Tips for Prioritizing Your Vacation Rental Offseason
January 30, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Samantha asks: We are super slow right now. With the exception of trying to figure out how to fill my units, is there anything else you recommend that I can do to better prepare my space for when we are busy? Do you have suggested preventative maintenance? Do you use that time to update your listing? What do you recommend? (0...
327. How To “Ask for Money” and Access Financing with Bill Allen
January 25, 2024 10:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBToday’s expert guest is Bill Allen in an interview conducted during TFVCON2023. Bill’s informative presentation inspired and empowered attendees to seek out creative financing outside of the typical bank structure. It may sound scary, but the logic behind this shift will surprise you! Amid the buzz and bustle of the conference atmosphere, Bill gets tactical with tools to shift your mindset from lender to partner, from building a transaction to building a relationship. He also shares wisdom ...
326. Hosting Hotline: Where to Find Unique & Affordable Decor Upgrades for Your STR
January 23, 2024 10:00 - 12 minutes - 11.7 MBWelcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Daisy asks: I'm looking to refresh my property and I want to stay on a budget. I also want to add some personality and interest to my rental. I'm thinking of an accent wall, maybe a mural or wallpaper. How do I add some unique decor, with some personality, that can feel special to my place rather than what you see everywhere? ...
325. Is Airbnb Banned in New York City? How to Host in the Big City in 2024
January 18, 2024 10:00 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MBToday’s expert guests, James and Laureta, are Superhosts with nine years of multimarket hosting experience. They started their short-term rental journey by renting out a bedroom in the apartment Laureta was living at the time – in Brooklyn – and together, they soon discovered their love of restoring historic buildings and dynamic properties. Of course, we ask Laureta about that first risky listing – two rooms in her own apartment in the early days of Airbnb – about launching and scaling the...