You're going to run into this in most of the major STR markets because within the last 2 years we have seen a massive spike in available inventory.In order to compete with the competition now, hosts/owners/operators need to step up their game and be willing to invest in good quality furniture, memory foam mattresses, high quality linens, professional seasonal photography, etc.In the high desert, most visitors are looking for peace, quiet, privacy, and amazing scenery so this means stay away from purchasing homes in residential neighborhoods with neighbors on all sides.

When I first started in real estate, I thought the key to success was finding that one perfect property.
But looking back, the thing that made the biggest difference wasn’t the deal — it was the foundation behind it....

I run a local landlord group on FB and have some Philly focused resources that I put together.

Also, think about your target guests (like traveling nurses, families, or weekend visitors) — it’ll help guide your furnishing and pricing strategy.Happy to chat more if you ever want to bounce ideas around — I love helping new hosts get started!

The garage can serve as a source of rental income, or be converted into additional residential or mixed-use space, further increasing cash flow potential.Baltimore Ave Commercial DistrictThe Baltimore Ave commercial corridor is experiencing a renaissance, with a mix of local boutiques, restaurants, and cultural venues attracting both residents and visitors.

When it comes to structuring a deal, most developers focus on the capital gap — but lenders focus on readiness.Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that deals move faster (and get better terms) when the borrower has a clean due diligence stack ready before approaching mezzanine or bridge lenders.Here’s a quick checklist we use internally before structuring mezzanine capital between $1M–$100M+ :✅ Updated project financials✅ Detailed pro forma with realistic DSCR assumptions✅ Rent roll or trailing 12-month P&L✅ Capital stack breakdown showing senior + subordinate layers✅ Clear exit or refinance planHaving these ready builds lender confidence and speeds up funding timelines.💡 Curious — for those of you who’ve raised mezzanine or bridge capital recently:What’s one document or metric lenders focused on the most during your due diligence?

You can do a friendly in-person visit or ask a third party to help verify.

It seems the pivot into a new area could have introduced risk.Ashcroft Capital (Joe Fairless) – Large but somewhat focused footprint (about 10 markets).

Focusing on 20–40 unit properties in Dallas is smart, and small operational improvements can really boost NOI.

We focus on single-family homes as rental investments and explore various income-producing strategies — from room rentals to traditional and short-term (Airbnb-style) setups — discussing what’s working and what’s not in today’s market and new options.AZREIA also has plenty of other meetings covering different real estate topics, so definitely check out the event calendar on their website for sessions that fit your interests.Check out AZREIA I host the buy and hold group we meet every 1st Thursday of the month - we focus on Single family homes as a rental asset class, and talk about options for income producing on those properties exploring new options room rentals, old airbnb, and anything working or not working. but there are more meetings with varying topics check the calendar azreia