This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosures for more info.
Are you looking to start or grow your short term rental business? I have put together a list of tips for what I know will be important in this space as we head into 2025.
If you have any desire to get started in this business, check out my top tips below! You’ll learn something new and I would love to know if you’re going to take the plunge.
This post is all about short term rental business tips.
Short Term Rental Business Tips For 2025
1. Understand the data
The short term rental industry has come so far! Since I started my first listing in 2019 to now, there’s so many data companies out there that make the data on any market in the world accessible for a low cost.
It’s crucial you learn tools like Airdna and Pricelabs market dashboards. These tools can get you data on listings that are top and low performers and why, you just have the spend the time to understand it. There are a lot more listings out there but if you know what your target client wants, you can beat out all the other operators in the area.
Are you new to Airbnb? Use my referral link and I’ll coach you through setting up your first listing! Airbnb will give you a $48 bonus for using me as your Airbnb ambassador for listing set up after hosting your first guest!
2. Pick a market that is growing
If you want to pick any market outside of the one you’re in, it’s crucial to pick a growing market. You want to understand why people are moving or traveling there and what is the draw. Is it temporary or permanent?
Any sub market that is about 3 hours from a big city will typically do well. You just need to do the research to understand where those markets are and why they’re a good investment.
3. Regulation is not bad
Regulations around short term rentals are not always a bad thing. I have 1 Airbnb that is in an unregulated market and the others are in areas where there is regulation. It keeps the bad operators and listings out of the area.
If the regulations are volatile in your market, I would suggest looking in a different area. You want steady regulation or an area where the municipality isn’t going to care too much.
4. Design matters
Design matters more than anything now. If you want potential guests to even click on your listing now, you need to have a good design. Designers are worth their weight in gold and you don’t have to go with someone super expensive either.
There are so many e-design services that make the barrier to entry super low. Check out this article about Airbnb aesthetics that can be a good guide.
5. Amenities matter too
Amenities matter too. You want to have the right amenities for your property size and market. What are guests expecting when they book your place and what kind of vacation is it? Are they just hanging at the house and expecting to be entertained or will they travel out to different site seeing opportunities and use the home as a crash pad.
6. Direct booking websites are the future
I have seen direct booking websites blow up in the past couple of quarters. Guests are getting savvy at doing reverse image searching for properties on Airbnb to direct booking sites.
Direct booking typically saves the guest some money and it makes you, as the operator, more money because you’re not paying fees.
Want to learn more about Airbnb fees? Check out this article!
7. Pricing tools are a must
I have always talked about Pricelabs on here and they’re only going to get better in 2025. Having demand pricing and understanding how to use the tools to get the best nightly rate possible is a key to success.
Repeat after me, Airbnb’s price tool is not the best fit!
8. Reinvest into old properties
Revamping old properties and focusing on good design, adding amenities, and enhancing guest experience is key. These investments are going to keep your listings top notch while competitor sit and wait on the sidelines.
Turn old garages into game rooms. Add a hot tub, sauna, cold plunge or cowboy pool. Look up amenities that are important to your market with a tool like Airdna.
9. Mid tier markets are still hot
The best piece of advice I heard this year, as the economy was slowing and inflation rising, is that people are still going on vacation. They are probably just not doing the lavish trips they once did. Looking at markets that are driving distance to big towns is a great way to get started with a “recession proof” asset.
These mid tier markets still offer a lot – skiing, boating, hiking, national parks. Potential guests can spend on an Airbnb and not plane tickets as well!
10. Guests are getting savvy
Guests expectations are rising as more hosts catch on that good design, professional pictures and basic amenities are required now. You have to know guests will expect the place to be perfectly clean. Everything listed as an amenity in the listing, needs to actually be there.
Your responsiveness needs to be fast and your problem solving skills top notch!
11. It’s still all about guest experience
At the end of the day, the thing that matters the most is guest experience. Guest experience starts will making sure you are setting the right expectations with your guests from the beginning.
You want to under promise, over deliver every time and have a perfectly clean listing. This will secure you the 5 star review regardless of your listing design.
What other short term rental business tips would you give for 2025? I’d love to know in the comments below!
This post was all about short term rental business tips.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. See my disclosures for more info.
