Do I really need cable tv?

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Do I really need cable tv?

Rental Property Investor · Inlet Beach, FL · Member since 2019 · 91 posts · 32 votes

New to us STR. Will be adding smart TV's. Do we really need cable TV service? Do you provide it for your guests? Any complaints if you do not?

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John UnderwoodPro Member

Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes

Cable is only a few dollars a day. I wouldn't skimp on this unless you have an inexpensive place.

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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
This reminds me of my steadfast refusal to add WIFI to one of my cabins. "Everyone has a smart phone, they can use that as a hot spot." "People vacationing in the Smokies don't need to be on the internet."
I finally added it @ $75 a month, and my rent went up around $8000 that year.
Be careful stumbling over dollars to reach for that penny...
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
You can watch live sports and any other live events without cable. No one has cable anymore that I know of....

And @James Hamling is right, Sling is the way to go....
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David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Wesley Myers:

New to us STR. Will be adding smart TV's. Do we really need cable TV service? Do you provide it for your guests? Any complaints if you do not?

If you don't have cable, how do you get broadband internet?
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
4y
Quote from @David Dachtera:

Quote from @Wesley Myers:

New to us STR. Will be adding smart TV's. Do we really need cable TV service? Do you provide it for your guests? Any complaints if you do not?

If you don't have cable, how do you get broadband internet?

You don't need cable to get the internet anymore, it just comes through the air magically...:-)
Same for sports and other live events, you just have to know how to get them......I haven't had cable for years now and haven't missed anything I wanted to see, including football or baseball......
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Lisa Beard
Rental Property Investor · Charleston, SC · Member since 2017 · 39 posts · 12 votes
4y
@Wesley Myers we have 7 STR's and do not have cable. No one has ever complained about it at all. We only buy Roku TV's, so they can stream whatever they need to. Cable is not worth the money.
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William Beck
Realtor · Branson, MO · Member since 2018 · 272 posts · 283 votes
4y
Have never had cable and have never gotten a complaint. Smart TV's RULE
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Tim Ryan
Investor / Mentor / Contractor · Arcadia, CA Buying Out of State · Member since 2015 · 654 posts · 622 votes
4y
Quote from @Wesley Myers:

New to us STR. Will be adding smart TV's. Do we really need cable TV service? Do you provide it for your guests? Any complaints if you do not?

I am returning to cable now on my 7 airbnbs/vrbo. I found that people definitely want local programming especially for local news and sports. Also, there are many guests over 35 years old who still have an issue with "streaming". I was using Hulu for the local programming but have had issues, like the guests signing out and then the next guest asking how to access Hulu. Which created more work for us. So, going back to cable. We still have the smart tv's of course so you don't lose anything there for the streaming folks.
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John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
4y
I am looking at competing 6 bedroom cabins in the PF area. Every single one has cable or satellite. If half or more were doing streaming it would be worth checking into for me. Since everyone else is providing cable on higher end bigger cabins it seems it is a requirement in this area. I'm only looking at 6 and 7 bedroom nice cabins for this research.
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Collin HaysBusiness Member
Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
Let's look at it this way...I spend about two rented nights per year on cable. If not having it costs me just two rented nights, I lost.

This debate is like arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
[email protected]806-672-7102
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Timothy Church
Real Estate Agent · Galveston, TX · Member since 2015 · 255 posts · 219 votes
4y
@Wesley Myers
+1 for using streaming as your main source but it is nice to provide something.

All of my personal properties are equipped with either a RokuTV or FireTV. I use Hulu Live for offering live cable to my units. There is suppose to be a limit to the number of TVs but currently I have 6 rental units (and my family!) using a single subscription and haven't had any issues. Most guests simply log into their own platforms as well to watch there Netflix, etc.

Quick Tip - If you do have streaming services where guests can log in, create a quick walkthrough page on how to log out of accounts remotely! It will save you so much time. Even with reminding guests to log out and stating that we cannot guarantee we can log them out before the next guest, people constantly forget. I have quick reference saved for the various services on how to log out remotely so that they can do it themselves.
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Eric Drum
Rental Property Investor · Richmond VA · Member since 2018 · 32 posts · 6 votes
4y
Yes, we just offer streaming and haven't offered cable TV... Honestly, we thought we would get questions or complaints on that but haven't received a single one. In addition, we thought people would be confused on how to use the remote works and/or set up but haven't received a single question. We have had this particular STR for almost a year now. No doubt the newer "smart TV's" have made things a lot easier. Good luck to you!
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Dell J.
Member since 2010 · 210 posts · 158 votes
4y
How about ROku device. Many people have their own netflix, prime, hulu accounts already anyways.
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Ian Dunross
Investor · Gainesville, FL · Member since 2016 · 44 posts · 28 votes
4y

Any nightly rate over $99/night I'd say cable is a must. If you have families that rent your STR, the younger generation might be OK with the Hulu Shmulu app streamer, but the elder generation want to turn on the TV and watch ESPN without hassle.
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Valerie Budd
Property Manager · Branson Missouri · Member since 2022 · 73 posts · 51 votes
4y
Who is your audience? If your area brings an older generation you will need it. Also if your internet is not strong you will need it. It’s all about your market……
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Dell J.
Member since 2010 · 210 posts · 158 votes
4y
Quote from @Tim Ryan:

Quote from @Wesley Myers:

New to us STR. Will be adding smart TV's. Do we really need cable TV service? Do you provide it for your guests? Any complaints if you do not?

I am returning to cable now on my 7 airbnbs/vrbo. I found that people definitely want local programming especially for local news and sports. Also, there are many guests over 35 years old who still have an issue with "streaming". I was using Hulu for the local programming but have had issues, like the guests signing out and then the next guest asking how to access Hulu. Which created more work for us. So, going back to cable. We still have the smart tv's of course so you don't lose anything there for the streaming folks.

35?!?!?! Jeez! im sure most streaming subscribers are that age
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Colleen F.Pro Member
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
4y
@Dell J. I like the roku interface and simple controller. We are having trouble now with a smart TV that won't let us delete our amazon account. I have no problem with the rest but amazon you can order movies so I want to delete it.
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Matt K.
Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
Quote from @Colleen F.:

@Dell J. I like the roku interface and simple controller. We are having trouble now with a smart TV that won't let us delete our amazon account. I have no problem with the rest but amazon you can order movies so I want to delete it.
You should be able to put a pin required for purchases on that probably with in the settings of the app it self
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