Short-term rentals (STRs) are the talk of the town in the real estate community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Understandably, this strategy turns the heads of investors with the appeal of higher returns and the allure of owning a vacation property that you can access at your leisure in a market you love. STRs are especially interesting in our current market because rapid inflation and rising interest rates have made buying into cash flow using a traditional real estate investment model difficult.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m not saying those properties don\u2019t exist, but in markets like Denver, they are almost impossible to find. For similar high-demand markets, the increased prices on top of higher interest rates don\u2019t compute an immediate return on investment with a traditional lease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This is especially true for new investors and those of us searching for financial freedom through real estate. Seasoned investors with capital and steady incomes have the luxury of investing in assets that simply break even or take an initial loss, knowing that the property value and rents will appreciate and see a future return. For those of us looking for a return on investment as soon as possible, we have limited options in today\u2019s market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a short-term rental investor, I analyze properties daily for my STR management business. I know there are home-run opportunities for short-term rentals, but it is not for everyone! STRs have\u00a0<\/span>more inherent risks<\/span><\/a>, and the business model is more hands-on than a long-term rental.<\/span><\/p>\n But this investment strategy is a viable solution if you are searching for an immediate return in today\u2019s market. I\u2019m proclaiming this with the caveat that you must know what you are doing when it comes to short-term rentals.<\/span><\/p>\n To help you understand if short-term rentals are the next investment for you, I\u2019ve outlined four areas that you must have crystal-clear clarity on before you take the leap and start a short-term rental.<\/span><\/p>\n Like a traditional real estate investment, it\u2019s all about the numbers! You should always have numerical goals in mind when acquiring a property. It may be a target cash flow, a certain cash-on-cash return, or maybe the cap rate is your data point of choice. Upon solidifying your goals, you need to understand the following numbers associated with any STR.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The average daily rate (ADR) and occupancy rate are key pieces of data to understand what your estimated gross monthly income will be for a property.<\/span><\/p>\n Generally, prices on Airbnb and VRBO are dynamic, changing daily based on demand for the area and property type. Honing in on an estimated average daily rate can be done by utilizing data sites such as\u00a0<\/span>AirDNA<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Mashvisor<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>AllTheRooms<\/span><\/a>, or\u00a0<\/span>data.rabbu.com<\/span><\/a>. These can give a projected ADR for a property of interest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Pro tip:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Compare the numbers from data sites against the price directly on the STR platforms from present to three months out, and make sure there isn\u2019t a huge discrepancy in price.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The occupancy rate is a little trickier. The data sites mentioned above will give you a projected occupancy rate, provide an average occupancy rate for an area, and tell you occupancy rates for the individual comparable properties (this feature is usually paywalled). Unfortunately, the data for these numbers can be skewed by people listing their properties on multiple platforms, how long the property has been active, how far out in advance they make bookings available, and what they block off from their booking calendar manually.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I always like to check the comparable property\u2019s booking schedule and see if it reflects the occupancy rates provided by the data site. If it looks consistent across the board, you can have more assurance of your estimated occupancy rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once you feel comfortable with your estimated average daily rate and occupancy rate, plug them into the following formula to get your estimated gross monthly income.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n (ADR x occupancy rate) x 365\/12 = estimated gross monthly income.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n With a long-term rental, operating expenses are generally taxes, insurance, and a maintenance budget. There are several more expenses associated with short-term rentals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s good to consider what you spend on the following items for your own home and then plug-in conservative estimates to get a good idea of your operating expenses. Here are some categories you must be aware of. Some are self-explanatory, while some items are unique to STRs.<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a 20-year analysis of a short-term rental:<\/span><\/p>\n Notice that I didn\u2019t include cleaning fees in the expenses above. In most cases, cleaning costs are added to a booking on Airbnb and VRBO. Whatever cleaners charge to clean a property, you can simply pass this on to the guest. Including the cleaning income and expense in the budget would be a wash, so it doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be factored into your projections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Furnishing is a considerable expense that must be accounted for as you plan a short-term rental. There are two schools of thought on accounting for your furnishing expenses.<\/span><\/p>\n Getting a pricing estimate on furnishing is problematic because it depends on the size of the home and the quality of items you purchase. I have developed a simple furnishing template that estimates what I would pay to furnish a home.<\/span><\/p>\n My furnishings are stylish, budget-friendly, mid-grade quality items, so take these figures with a grain of salt if you want to furnish a more luxurious space.<\/span><\/p>\n Now that you have projected income and expenses, you can use these to project net operating income.<\/span><\/p>\n Gross Monthly Income \u2013 Operating Expenses = Net Operating Income<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Net operating income (NOI) allows you to understand if you will be able to meet your goals on a property. Using NOI, you can go on to figure out\u00a0<\/span>cash flow,<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>cash-on-cash return<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>capitalization rate<\/span><\/a>, and other helpful return on investment figures.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You must do the math to see if operating a short-term rental would achieve your goals!<\/span><\/p>\n To succeed with short-term rentals, you must have a mindset shift. We\u2019ve been told that real estate is a passive investment. Experienced real estate investors know that managing rentals can be more involved than some promote it to be. Barring poor management, once you go through the listing and application process, sign a lease, and give the tenant the keys, you and the tenant generally have to check in with each other if there is a problem. It can be pretty hands-off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Short-term rentals are anything but passive.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, you can automate your STR using software or by incorporating a team (more on that soon) to have a more hands-off approach. Still, many balls cannot be dropped, such as cleaning or scheduling cleaners, managing your online presence, guest messaging, inquiries, pricing, and property maintenance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I have my own Airbnb automated. Weeks can go by where I don\u2019t have to do anything other than answer the occasional question from a guest. Then, there are days when a bed frame breaks, and I have to either:<\/span><\/p>\n Obviously, these types of problems need to be addressed immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n A successful STR investor must see their property as an active business, have a refined process, and be on top of all aspects to ensure a guest can book a trip and have a great experience.<\/span><\/p>\n Another huge mindset shift for an STR investor is to realize that running a short-term rental property means you are in the hospitality business. When I set up my first long-term rental, I provided a great property and gave my tenants clear expectations of everything they needed to do, but from there, they paid rent and made the place their own.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With an STR, you are providing a service. To achieve this, you must go the extra mile, respond promptly, and be thoughtful in your marketing, management, and communication. Providing a memorable and comfortable experience is key to success for STRs, which is way more than simply providing the keys. Your goal is to get good reviews so your business can continue growing. Bad reviews will leave you with vacancies and negative cash flow.<\/span><\/p>\n Having a team in place is paramount for operating a great short-term rental. You may do the majority of the following roles yourself, but you still need to be aware that a team will amplify your success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You may choose to outsource any of the following. Whatever you do, you must have the following pieces of your team in place and ready to go before you purchase, set up, and run your STR.<\/span><\/p>\n If you plan to purchase a short-term rental property, working with an investor-friendly agent is extremely helpful. This should be someone who has experience with STRs and investment properties. They should be able to understand your goals and even help you tailor a strategy. A good STR investor-friendly agent would know all the steps of the process from purchasing, set up, STR management, local market knowledge of STR regulations and laws, and connections with the following vendors and systems to set you up for success.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The BiggerPockets Agent Finder<\/a> makes it easy to connect with real estate agents\u00a0who know the local market and can evaluate properties from an investor\u2019s perspective. Here\u2019s how it works:<\/p>\n To gauge if an agent would be \u201cSTR-investment friendly,\u201d they should be able to provide answers to the following questions:<\/span><\/p>\n A good property manager<\/a> is a linchpin for short-term rental success. Either you will be the manager, or you will have to hire someone to manage the property on your behalf. The STR manager will be the one-stop shop to ensure everything is running smoothly for your Airbnb\/VRBO. They will be able to do all of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n Securing reliable cleaning services that can \u201cturn\u201d your STR between guests is a pivotal role in your short-term rental team. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of short-term rental management. Dependable cleaners are hard to find and in high demand. You may have to go through several cleaners before finding one that can meet your standards and sync up with your STR calendar.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can find a good STR cleaner on platforms like\u00a0<\/span>TurnoverBNB<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>Guesty<\/span><\/a>. IT\u2019s best if they are on these platforms since they can have immediate access to your booking calendar, get notifications of when cleaning is needed, and be able to schedule the cleaning service. Cleaners that go the extra mile will restock your supplies as needed for your property, let you know when supplies run low, and even order\/replace items and send you a bill. Great cleaners can also wash and change linens and keep you in the loop if something is broken or missing.<\/span><\/p>\n Handymen or other vendors such as pool\/hot tub servicers must be available on short notice to address functional issues to ensure your guests can get back to a 5-star experience as soon as possible.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n1. Know Your Numbers<\/span><\/h2>\n
Average daily rate, occupancy rate, and estimated gross monthly income<\/span><\/h3>\n
Operating expenses<\/span><\/h3>\n
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![\"str](\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/str-analysis.png\" "\\"4")
<\/source><\/source><\/picture>![\"airbnb](\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/airbnb-transaction-edited.png\" "\\"4")
<\/source><\/source><\/picture>Furnishing\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Net operating income and goals<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. Forming the Right Mindset<\/span><\/h2>\n
It\u2019s a hands-on-business<\/span><\/h3>\n
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You\u2019re in the hospitality industry<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Building a Strong Team<\/span><\/h2>\n
Find a short-term rental investor-friendly agent<\/span><\/h3>\n
![\"agent](\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/agent-marketplace-2.jpg\" "\\"4")
<\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/figure>\nFind a Local Agent Today<\/h3>\n
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Hiring the right property manager<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Cleaners and maintenance<\/span> crew<\/h3>\n