If you want to keep earning the same amount as before, you can slightly raise your nightly rate to cover the 0.5% increase.Example:If you charge $100 per night, Airbnb used to take $15 (15%).Now they’ll take $15.50 (15.5%).You’d earn 50 cents less per booking unless you raise your price a bit.So you could adjust your rate to $100.50 or $101 to keep your income the same.The issue is most of us are setup on the Airbnb setting where the guest pays 10% to 15% and we as hosts pay 3%. 

I really want to be proactive in property investment with the goal of earning enough passive income to be my own boss without crazy and unpredictable work hours.

It's a no brainer IMO, don't pay them off, don't even pay extra principal.

Spend some time earning trust and learning how each tenant operates.

If they are struggling financially, why are they paying extra for your STR?  

Are you looking to flip a property for extra capital?

.), let you keep more of what you earn, and give you extra capital to reinvest, all while building long-term wealth.Florida and Texas are great markets, but some areas can be pricey or competitive.

Who says you can't close one extra deal every month?

I'm looking for advice on ways to be able to earn an income while also gaining experience in the real estate industry.

In fact, it is likely to backfire by creating very significant extra hurdles (like double-entry bookkeeping and commingling prevention) and very significant extra costs (professional level bookkeeping and possibly the need to file separate partnerships tax returns).Allegedly, LLCs could enhance your asset protection, but not being  an attorney I cannot comment on it.