Short Term Rental opportunities thoughts Ohio

[Maria Carter]

Hi! I am new at BP and considering STR in the state of Ohio or near by Kentucky, seems like good places for STR are Hocking Hills and/or Red River Gorge. Any thoughts, recommendations about moving forward with a STR, or should consider other options or locations? Thanks

[Jimmy Lieu]

Quote from @Maria Carter:

Hi! I am new at BP and considering STR in the state of Ohio or near by Kentucky, seems like good places for STR are Hocking Hills and/or Red River Gorge. Any thoughts, recommendations about moving forward with a STR, or should consider other options or locations? Thanks

Hi Maria! Welcome to BP! Hocking Hills and Red River Gorge are both really popular STR spots and definitely have the natural attractions that drive consistent demand, but just know they can also be competitive and seasonal, so having a strong property manager who knows that niche market is key. Something to consider is that while those rural vacation areas can cash flow, you might want to also look at larger cities like Columbus, Ohio, where STR demand is growing because of business travel, university traffic (Ohio State brings in 68k+ students plus tons of visitors), and big events tied to all the new development like Intel, Amazon, Google, and Honda. The nice thing about Columbus is that it’s a diverse economy with population and job growth, so even if STR laws shift, you’ve still got a solid long-term rental backup exit strategy. That’s harder to find in smaller vacation-only markets. If your main goal is cash flow and appreciation, Columbus could give you both while still leaving you the option to run STRs in the right neighborhoods. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!