{"id":180226,"date":"2024-12-30T19:16:01","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T02:16:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/?p=180226"},"modified":"2024-12-30T19:16:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T02:16:01","slug":"how-this-short-term-rental-tool-has-saved-4-million-hours-of-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-this-short-term-rental-tool-has-saved-4-million-hours-of-time","title":{"rendered":"How This Short-Term Rental Tool Has Saved 4.7 Million Hours of Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let\u2019s start with a number: $4.6 billion. That\u2019s how much money short-term rental hosts earned using Hospitable in 2024. That\u2019s not just a number; that\u2019s enough cash to buy 2.63 billion tacos (if you\u2019re getting them for $1.75 each\u2014thank you, Texas). <\/span>This<\/span> is according to <\/span>Hospitable\u2019s new 2024 Year in Review report<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But wait: Let me tell you a quick story about saving time, which we all say we want but somehow always misplace, like my AirPods.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I work full-time and manage eight STRs myself. I could only do this with the power of automation rather than manually sending out guest instructions each morning.  I found <\/span>Hospitable<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>and it<\/span> changed my hosting life in the best way possible. I didn\u2019t <\/span>even<\/span> know the power of property management software until I started. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospitable hosts saved 4.7 million hours through automation. If you\u2019re like me and terrible at comprehending numbers that big, let me break it down for you: That\u2019s 535 years. You could send 305 missions to Mars and back in that time. Or binge-watch every season of <\/span>The Office<\/span><\/em> roughly 15,000 times. Or do something productive, like sleep.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Year of Direct Bookings<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a fun twist: Direct bookings grew by 440% on Hospitable this year, with $28 million processed. Why does this matter? Because hosts didn\u2019t have to pay massive OTA fees, and their guests <\/span>save<\/span> on the associated service fees.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hospitable crunched the math for us. If 30% of bookings were direct, hosts would save $458 million. That\u2019s not savings\u2014it\u2019s a revolution. If you\u2019re a host, it\u2019s like finding out you\u2019ve been fighting Thanos with a butter knife, and then someone hands you Mjolnir (Thor\u2019s hammer).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Community Impact and Toilet Paper<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hosts paid $424 million in lodging taxes this year, which means short-term rentals aren\u2019t just simple rentals\u2014they\u2019re economic powerhouses. That\u2019s real money going to cities, parks, and maybe, hopefully, a pothole near your property that you\u2019ve cursed at multiple times.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember all those guests? According to the company\u2019s data, 22 million people from 191 countries stayed at Hospitable-powered properties. That\u2019s a lot of happy travelers, reviews, and, honestly, an amount of toilet paper purchased that even Costco refuses to believe.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protection and Peace of Mind<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hosts were protected from $60,429 in chargebacks and $42,213 in damages this year. That\u2019s <\/span>a lot<\/span> fewer headaches when you\u2019re already fielding midnight calls about Wi-Fi passwords and broken coffee pots. No more worrying about guests calling their credit card and reporting how they don\u2019t know where that vacation rental charge could have <\/span>possibly<\/span> come from. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Automation Does Hospitable Help With?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are probably more automations than toppings at Chipotle, but they are all valuable. Here\u2019s a look at 15 of them: <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n