I have been speaking with short-term furnished rental owners who rent to workers or other travelers, and operate near national parks like Yosemite, in urban areas like Oakland and San Francisco, the desert and coastal communities like Palm Springs and Venice Beach..

THE COMMON THREAD IS THAT THEY TEND TO PULL IN 2-3 TIMES THE GROSS RENTS OF AN UNFURNISHED LONG-TERM RENTAL

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TOGETHER AND HEAR FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL BP COMMUNITY ABOUT THEIR IDEAS, WHAT THEY ARE DOING/OPERATING, WHAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING BUYING OR OPERATING, AND ANY AND ALL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SHORT TERM RENTALS.

From vacation rentals w/ bikes and toys, to super-high-end corporate rentals for tech employees in Silicon Valley, to families near the lake, medical students or workers on rotation, and oil field workers who need a home away from home...

THERE IS A NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF HOUSING FOR NICHE TYPES OF WORKERS AND TRAVELERS ALL OVER THE US AND THE WORLD.

I have seen apartments, hippie trailers, house boats, towering castles, spectacular lofts, tiny homes, dirty couches, teepees, yurts, and impeccable $2MM+ homes and estates.

I've personally stayed on VRBO type places in a boat on the canals of Amsterdam, a castle in overlooking the Rhine River in Germany (on the way to Oktoberfest ;) , an old apartment overlooking Al Duomo in Florence, and w/ a wonderful couple in a Rome apartment with cathedral ceilings on a busy alley a stroll from the Vatican. I think high-cost metro areas (and or tech/liberal) like San Francisco, New York, Austin, Portland, Seattle, and many more would be good targets...

PRICING ABOVE ANY NORMAL LONG-TERM RENTAL, BUT GENERALLY BELOW AN EQUIVALENT HOTEL RATE CAN CREATE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL INCOME FROM THE PROPERTY.

BUT ISN'T THIS TOO MUCH WORK??

It's all about systems: ****TIPS*****

1) Set up the space right, and get everything you need - 3 sets of all linens, iron & ironing board, hair dryer, extras of stuff for them..
2) Have a thorough ad, that answers all questions, w/ FAQ. Have prepared PDF's/ emails w/ local things to do, options from airport, entering unit, etc..
3) Use keypads and lockboxes - so you don't have to be there!!!
4) Find a local cleaner. Ask neighbors. Message other AirB&B hosts. Having someone local or already coming out saves everyone money!

BUT AREN'T THERE A LOT OF COSTS?

There are very few fees for AirBnB. I have not tried VRBO .com yet or any other sites. You charge the guest the cleaning fee. You just need to replace linens occasionally, plus the cost of set-up.

I'm not selling anything, or doing any seminars or coaching regarding this. I just think there's a lot of opportunity in this sector. I'm also not advocating people dive into this w/o due diligence. But I see big potential opportunities.

I have 2 short-term rentals now. One on AirB&B w/ about a 5 day average stay approaching $10/sqft/mo during heavy traffic (w/o kitchen or living room), and a short-term furnished rental to international students earning a good return, as a test.

What are you doing? Considering a master lease to operate short-term rentals? Leasing out a trailer or extra bedroom? Planning a short-term rental community or business? Let's hear it!!!

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