Short-term rental industry content


NOLA's Stay Redamo Houses First Responders for Free

Chris and Ashley Genard, owners of New Orleans short-term rental company Redamo, were all set to have a record spring. Their properties had around 85% occupancy scheduled from March through May. That quickly fell to 0% when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Then Chris saw a Facebook post by the New Orleans EMS Foundation asking for housing for first responders. Since then, he has housed several first responders at his properties for free.

Chattanooga Property Managers Donate Personal Savings to Laid-Off Employees

Two years ago, Christina Thoreson gave her husband, Christian, an unusual Christmas present: paperwork to form a nonprofit. The couple wanted to create a foundation that could help fund personal and professional development for employees at their short-term rental management company, Chattanooga Vacation Rentals. It sat on a shelf as they tended to their growing business, which manages properties in Tennessee and Georgia. Then came COVID-19. So they dusted off their nonprofit paperwork and relaunched the Fly Foundation, funding it with their personal savings, with a new mission: to supplement what unemployment does not cover so their laid-off staff could receive their normal level of income even while the business is down.

Income taxes are due April 15. Do you know when your vacation rental taxes are due?

Even if you don’t know much about taxes, you probably know this: United States federal income tax returns are due April 15. However, if you’re a short-term rental host, income tax is probably not the only tax return deadline you have to deal with. Most short-term rental operators are also required to collect lodging taxes from their guests, file tax returns, and pay the tax to authorities.

10 safety concerns to document when renting out your home

When potential guests consider whether to stay in your short-term rental, they probably aren’t thinking about whether the house has a clean chimney or the proper number of fire extinguishers. But as a host, it’s wise for you to think about the safety features of the space you’re offering up for rental. Not only do you want to ensure the safety of your guests, but you should also be thinking about protecting yourself from liability.

Software help for managing your Airbnb

Managing a successful short-term rental requires hosts to wear many hats — entrepreneur, concierge, accountant, tax expert, reservations agent, staff manager, designer, web master, and more. It’s a lot to take on, especially for short-term rental hosts with busy bookings or more than one property. Luckily, busy hosts can get technological help with many of the tasks associated with running a short-term rental. Here are some features to look for when considering short-term rental software.

Cities turning to technology to enforce Airbnb rules

The regulation of short-term rentals is a hot topic in cities across the United States. As the popularity of online short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway has grown, conflicts have increased as well — with disgruntled neighbors objecting to vacation party houses, the hotel industry seeking a level playing field, and cities looking to reap tax revenues. Operating a short-term rental business was once as simple as putting up a listing online. Now, an increasing number of c

Understanding how Airbnb tax collection happens (or doesn’t)

Operating a short-term vacation rental means, in many places, that you also need to collect tax on the cost of that rental and pass it on to tax authorities — just like hotels do. With the rapid growth of the short-term rental industry over the past 10 years, governments are realizing the revenue potential in this area and increasingly looking for ways to make sure they capture as much of that tax money as they can.