Thanks for Visiting

Happy Thanksgiving! We partnered with Hostfully to host a party at the VRMA conference, and we took the opportunity to chat with leaders in the STR space and get their tips for you. In this episode, we share our biggest takeaways from VRMA. Plus, we interview 8 major players in the STR industry — from CEOs to co-hosts to leading property managers. They offer insights and advice on leveraging AI in your business, working with influencers, and optimizing your maintenance strategies. We also talk about the biggest pain points hosts face, and how to solve for them. These conversations will give you a look into today’s STR landscape and inspire ideas for the future.?

Our listener Samantha from @coopsvacationrentals asked a GREAT question this week! She's considering a PMS software for direct bookings but is concerned about Airbnb's host fee increasing from 3% to 15%. Since 95% of their bookings come from Airbnb, she worries about the impact on their listings. She is exploring alternatives like syncing the PMS with Vrbo and other OTAs but not Airbnb or creating a direct booking site through Squarespace without a PMS. So... are direct booking sites worth it? Tune into today's episode for our advice!

Who’s ready to kick off the holiday season!? ????♀?????♀?

We ?? safety here at Thanks For Visiting! (and you should too!) Our resident STR safety export Justin Ford of Breezeway is frequently a guest on the show and he is always serving piping hot tea ? on STR Safety If you haven't listened to our safety-centered episodes with Justin Ford yet, hit pause ? on whatever you're listening to now, open your favorite podcast app, head to your FAVORITE podcast, Thanks For Visiting ????♀?????♀? and listen to these episodes with Justin: ????♀? 345. 2024 AirbnB Safety Standards ?? 305. Keeping Your AirBnb Safe and Secure during the Holidays ?? 247. The Ultimate Spring Safety Guide ?? 202. Holiday Safety Tips for your STR ?? 189. Fire Safety Comes First in your STR ?? 159. Fire Alarm 101: Are You In Compliance? ??? 120. Make Deck Safety a Priority ????♀? 110. 7 Tips to Ensure Pool and Spa Safety ?? 56. Dryer Safety in Your Short Term Rental How are you prioritizing safety in your short-term rental!? (psst... if you're not prioritizing it, or if you want a better way, check out Breezeway!)

We’re tackling a topic that’s near and dear to our hearts — how to avoid host burnout and take back your time! This week on the pod, we have Rich Sippos, the Head of Sales at Extenteam, the industry’s first staffing-as-a-service company, offering a unique labor subscription model that extends local teams with professional global talent. Extenteam has an exciting new product, Tailwind, which features 24/7 guest communication for hosts. Tailwind is a game-changer because it helps you provide an excellent customer experience — without needing to be constantly glued to your phone. Rich explains how Tailwind operates, how it supports hosts, and its affordable pricing structure. We also talk about tips for hiring a reliable team, solving pain points for hosts, and the secrets to preventing host burnout so you can optimize both your business and personal life!

With the holidays around the corner, it’s more important than ever to have your house rules dialed in! Don’t let unclear expectations lead to hosting headaches—set yourself (and your guests) up for success. Download FREE Airbnb House Rules Template and host with confidence this season ???? https://lnkd.in/eqnC6Aug

Our listener Vanessa?called the Hosting Hotline with a GREAT question. She’s in the process of purchasing her second STR and the seller has been listing it on AirBnB already and has 4.93 stars. In this situation, we know you want to keep the listing, keep the bookings, keep the ratings, but it just doesn’t work like that ?? The listing stays with the host, not the address of the property. But what if you, the new host, want to make some changes? Swipe through for our tips! Good luck Vanessa! Keep us posted ??

Happy Monday, TFV fam! Drop a comment and ask us anything (hosting or non-hosting!) ????

What do you do when your guests violate your terms and have large gatherings/parties? Swipe ?? for our advice and let us know if there’s anything we’re missing in the comments ???? Remember... if you find yourself in a hosting pickle ?? and don’t know how to navigate it, give us a call on the Hosting Hotline at hostinghotline.com ??

Today’s podcast episode is all about unique stays! We have Whitney Hansen on the pod this week. She operates Cascade Dome and Idaho Flower Pot (a giant flower pot you can actually sleep in! ????) Whitney shares how she grew The Flower Pot into a flourishing business, why she’s attracted to unique stays, and the benefits and challenges of experiential STRs. She gets really honest about the financials of her properties, how she sets guest expectations, and her advice for managing social media and influencer outreach. This episode gave us a lot to think about for our next property, and we know you’ll find it valuable, too!