Real Estate Broker · Austin, TX · Member since 2022 · 30 posts · 24 votes
When I look at STR acquisitions in Central Texas, revenue comps and bedroom counts are easy to pull. What is harder and more important is whether the physical property will support the guest experience that justifies those numbers once real people are staying there.
I check kitchen and dining flow for the claimed group size, bathroom access and privacy patterns, usable outdoor space that is not just a photo in spring, storage for luggage and daily gear, and whether the tech and layout create friction or stay out of the way.
A house can have the right bed count and a pool and still produce slower fills and more management calls if guests are fighting the space every day.
For buyers actively looking:
- What layout or feature issues have you learned to spot early because they kill reviews or repeat stays?
- Do you underwrite a certain amount of post-close guest-experience work into every deal?
- Any "on paper it was fine, but in practice…" stories that changed how you diligence now?
Interested in what has worked for people in different markets and price points. Practical observations more than theory.
Real Estate Broker · Sedona, AZ · Member since 2015 · 58 posts · 28 votes
18h
Yeah I've definitely seen some major discrepancies when an uneducated buyer buys a place vs how it pans out for them later. Some of the biggest issues that come up are:
- About half the homes in Sedona are on Septic. Which is fine but I've seen buyers plan to add bedrooms but the septic tank size is size for the existing layout and they don't understand that having 10 people use the showers and toilets vs 4 is going to cause issues. Not only smelly unexpected plumbing issues but also, the city has publicly said they are looking at STRs that claim a high bed count but don't have the capacity for it.
- A funny layout flaw I saw recently was a flipper did a major remodel to a house to make it look like a turn key STR but they didn't add any closets! I couldn't believe it. And guess what it sold for wayyy less than list because they didn't think through that someone else, like a primary resident would want to buy it.
- Another "on paper it was fine, but in practice" example is covering the garage into livable space. Like the septic example above, STR buyers are obsessed with "heads in beds" and forcing bedrooms everywhere they can. One buyer that another agent represented decided it would be a good idea to convert the garage to a bedroom, which is fine BUT, they took it another step further and replaced the garage with french doors and the very next day the city showed up and said they had to put the garage door back or build another garage. You can guess what they decided to do lol
Still fairly new to STRs and I only have 2 but I purchased in locations that are walking distance to the beach, likely to appreciate and where I enjoy vacationing. I renovated both and furnished with tasteful, modern pieces. Since I stay in them a few times each year I am able to evaluate the total guest experience.