Hi, I am an STR Designer and I wanted to drop some notes on the experiences I have had with a large swath of different owners this past year from low end to high end.

I can see that the point when an owner buys a property to getting it up is filled with anxiety, no to little design planning and most have a low grasp on the guest avatar. Design and photography are like the front end to attract guests — and they often get overlooked and minimized (oh you can design it yourself, who cares).

You cannot design your property the way you like and want — you need to design with guest in mind and go from there: WHY ARE THEY THERE, WHERE ARE THEY GOING, WHO ARE THEY AND WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE, HAPPY, RELAXED IN YOUR SPACE —— while having fun!

People are renting your spaces because they do not have that — they want a different experience than their home (which is likely not designed at all!). They did not go to a hotel (they want an experience where the home and exterior are different than a hotel and different than their own spaces)!

Being intentional with design — putting money to the side to pay a professional designer, buy furniture and accessories — can be all the difference in a 5 star listing or a 2 star listing. Yes most owners do it themselves. But I am seeing the market shifting and changing based on who is going. And at some point in near future — those people will pivot. You cannot just exist on where your property is and slap a house together. Nor can you expect a house that needs full sourcing including exterior backyard development, to a fully outfitted game room — to be $100.

STR Designers are vital — we bridge the gap with real estate acumen, professional design (and yes we are different than traditional interior designers!), competitive analysis of area, competitive analysis of area properties, guest analysis and the experiences they are searching for and purposeful design that elevates and differentiates from other properties who all look the same.

So yes start a Pinterest board.
Write down your long term goals for your property.
Look at your positive and negative reviews or if you are just starting out — hire a designer for an initial consult and see what you can start with.

Designers AND Photographers can make your property a 5-star listing!

Ask away here if I can help — I will!