How to Organize Your Hosting Business: Tools and Tips for Success Running a short-term rental business can feel like juggling a dozen tasks at once. From managing reservations and property upkeep to brainstorming new marketing strategies, staying organized is essential for success. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the endless to-do lists, don’t worry—you’re not alone, […]

Airbnb Shut Our Listing Down: Here’s What We Learned It’s every host’s worst nightmare—your Airbnb listing is shut down, removed entirely from the platform, and your revenue stream comes to a screeching halt. That’s exactly what happened to us. But instead of panicking, we leaned on our experience, stayed persistent, and navigated the situation step […]

How to Accept Payments for Direct Bookings Without Zelle or Venmo? Managing payments for direct bookings can feel overwhelming, especially if popular platforms like Zelle or Venmo aren’t options for you. This is a common hurdle for international hosts or those operating in areas where these platforms aren’t available. In this blog post, we’ll break […]

From septic system to construction team updates, we’re taking you behind the scenes of building Rich Hollow Retreat. Follow along as we share lessons learned, small wins, and our ambitious goal of opening summer 2025. We Bought Land Part 5: Septic Systems, Construction Teams, and Early Summer Goals Building a retreat from the ground up […]

Encouraging guest reviews doesn’t have to be a challenge. Learn proven strategies to inspire your guests to leave glowing feedback and help your Airbnb stand out from the crowd. How to Encourage Guests to Leave Reviews for Your Airbnb Guest reviews are the lifeblood of any successful Airbnb business. They not only boost your credibility […]

Unlock the power of data-driven design to transform your Airbnb property, attract the perfect guests, and maximize your revenue with actionable tips from the experts at Somerled. Data Meets Design: The Secret to Maximizing Airbnb Revenue As short-term rental hosts, we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve bookings, enhance guest experiences, and maximize […]

Learn the strategies to create high-converting listings, attract more guests, and start the year with stronger bookings. Your Airbnb listing is your first impression—and it can make or break a booking. In this week’s Hosting Hotline episode, we answer a listener question about optimizing short-term rental listings. Whether you’re using Airbnb, Vrbo, or your direct […]

Unlock your full potential as a short-term rental host by making the most important investment of all—investing in yourself. The Best Investment You Can Make as an Airbnb Host As Airbnb hosts, we’re constantly seeking ways to improve our listings, enhance guest experiences, and grow our businesses. But have you ever considered the most crucial […]

Remote Hosting 101: Why a Landline is a Must for Your Vacation Rental Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Carol asks: Hi, I was wondering if I need to have a landline phone […]

Join us as we highlight this year’s standout moments, sharing the strategies, stories, and successes that helped short-term rental hosts thrive in 2024 As 2024 comes to a close, we’re celebrating the most impactful moments of the year on the Thanks for Visiting podcast. It’s been a year filled with incredible conversations, transformative insights, and […]

Navigating Airbnb’s 15% Host Fee & Pro Strategies for Boosting Reviews Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Shannon asks: I recently learned about Airbnb’s 15% fee for hosts using property management software (PMS). […]

Themed Short-Term Rentals: Transforming Creativity into Profitability In the competitive world of short-term rentals, standing out isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. That’s why themed properties are becoming the ultimate game-changer for hosts. From jaw-dropping design concepts to creating shareable experiences, a well-executed theme can turn a rental into a viral sensation and a revenue […]

Dynamic Pricing in Rural Areas: Should You Use It? Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Jenny asks: Do you still recommend dynamic pricing even if you’re in a rural area without lots of […]

How to Beat Market Trends and Elevate Your Guest Experience In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, we’re sharing our guest appearance on the Cashflow Positive Podcast with host Kenny Bedwell, the founder of STR Insights. Kenny is a data expert who combines revenue management strategies with actionable advice to help short-term rental hosts achieve […]

How to Turn One Property Into Two Listings on Airbnb Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Chrissy asks: Hi Annette and Sarah. This is Chrissy, the host of the Costelli Corner, a Scandinavian […]

STR Lessons & Takeaways From The VRMA Conference We’re coming to you live from the Vacation Rental Managers Association Conference! We partnered with Hostfully to host a party at the conference, and we took the opportunity to chat with leaders in the STR space and get their tips for you.  In this episode, we share […]

The Benefits Of Direct Booking With A PMS For Your STR Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Samantha asks: We have two beach properties only listed on Airbnb and Vrbo. We’re getting ready […]

Prevent Host Burnout With 24/7 Guest Communication Support We’re tackling a topic that’s near and dear to our hearts — how to avoid host burnout and take back your time. We’re joined by Rich Sippos, the Head of Sales at Extenteam, the industry’s first staffing-as-a-service company, offering a unique labor subscription model that extends local […]

How To Transfer & Optimize Your Airbnb Business As A New Owner Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Vanessa asks: We run a short-term rental on Whidbey Island in Washington State called Bells […]

How Unique Stay STRs Help Optimize Revenue This is a unique episode all about unique stays! We’re excited to welcome Whitney Hansen, a financial coach, host of The Money Nerds Podcast, and a unique property builder. She operates the Cascade Dome, a geo-dome in the mountains, and The Flower Pot, a giant flower pot you […]

Tax Tips For Co-Hosted STR Properties Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between. Madison asks: I’ve just completed my first direct booking at a property that I own and manage, and I’m going through […]