All Forum Posts by: Anja Schaer

Hi Keetaek,

regarding the prices for QBO .. I'm using them since 2006 and the price increase has been INSANE over the last years. Hot tip to save: go into your subscription area of QBO once a year and click the "Cancel" button. They will offer you a discounted rate for the next 3 months between 40-60% off to keep you as a customer. I did this for 3 of our company files a while ago and saved over $700 this way. Try it out!

Hey John. I feel you. Some guests just don’t treat a home with the respect it deserves, and it stings even more when they claim to be “hosts” themselves. Sadly, it happens across all platforms, but I’ve noticed the same trend: Vrbo guests usually take better care, while Airbnb can be hit or miss. At this point, I just build “guest wear-and-tear” into my operating costs and coach my cleaners to document everything for AirCover claims when it crosses the line. Hopefully this is your worst one of the year and the rest are the kind of guests that remind us why we love hosting.

Hey Keetaek. QBO can feel like overkill with just a few properties. Many small-portfolio hosts stick with simpler, cheaper tools like Stessa, REI Hub, Ledgre, or Quicken. Or check out Baselane since they offer integrated bookkeeping features. They’re easier for receipts and property-level tracking.

Biggest tip: get a dedicated credit card for STR expenses - it saves hours of manual entry. If you plan to scale, QBO can still work, but only if set up right. For now, a lighter option may be the better fit.

Hey Marc. Rabbu can be a good starting point, but its numbers are often overly optimistic. I’d recommend double-checking projections with AirDNA or another tool and then validating against actual comps by looking at live listings, calendars, and reviews. With any analysis platform, the key is to use it as a guide, not actual data to underwrite your deals with. The real performance will come down to how you design, market, and manage the property - and net cashflow after expenses is what ultimately matters.

Hey Laura. Yes, Airbnb recently gave guests the option to opt out of sharing their phone number with hosts. That’s why you’re seeing blanks on a couple of bookings. Some PMS platforms can still capture numbers if the guest allows it, but if they opt out, neither Airbnb nor a PMS will provide it. The workaround many hosts are using is either sending random door codes (instead of last 4 digits of phone numbers) or leaning on Airbnb’s integrated smart lock partners, which auto-generate codes. A bit of an adjustment, but it looks like this isn’t a system-wide glitch, more a new privacy option for guests.

Hey Lauren, Congrats on getting your first STR up and running! My take: focus on stabilizing this property before buying #2. Self-managing can help keep margins higher, at least until it's more established. Build momentum by offering temporary discounts, pushing for reviews, and making sure your calendar is open far out for bigger groups. For financing, DSCR loans work, but underwrite conservatively with lower ADR and occupancy so you're safe. Don't stress the timeline - better to grow slow and solid than fast and shaky.

Hey Blake. Really solid point about the suburbs being overlooked. Families, groups, and even corporate stays often prefer space, parking, and convenience over nightlife, and that usually means longer stays, less wear-and-tear, and fewer party issues. Plus, the resale flexibility is huge compared to “trophy” STRs downtown or in the mountains. Are you mostly leaning into family/group demand, or do wedding/venue-driven bookings play a big role too?

Hey Shannon - you’re right, Hospitable doesn’t have a phone line. Everything runs through chat or email, and they rely heavily on their knowledge base. That said, their support team is usually responsive once you get used to it, and a lot of hosts find the automation and integrations make up for the lack of live calls. If phone support is a must for you, you might want to compare them with Guesty for Hosts or Hostaway, since those do offer more direct customer service.

Curious: are you mainly looking for a PMS to manage messaging across Airbnb + VRBO, or also for pricing, cleaners, and reporting?

HI Zeni. Excited to have you here. Do you already know where you want to get your 1st STR? there's a ton of knowledge here in the group, other's already mentioned the library of books published by BiggerPockets like Avery Carl's "Short term Rental Long Term Wealth" helped me at the beginning.

Hi Tommy 👋 I've found success by focusing on guest experience and adapting to market changes since we got started in 2019. Personally, I prefer single-family homes or townhomes (no HOA) for more control and better cash flow. And we implemented a Hybrid Rental strategy for all our homes, blending MTR & STR together for a more stable revenue and also a reduced workload which works great in our urban market (Metro ATL area). It's all about finding your niche and leaning into it. I'm now building a boutique style Brokerage to offer services for furnished & unfurnished properties .. opportunity is everywhere. Wishing you all the best Tommy!