He didn’t add more properties. He made his first one work harder. Most hosts assume growth means buying more. Josh Peterson was on that path too—until he missed out on a deal he really wanted. He had been watching the property for months, planning the design, ready to go. When it didn’t work out, it […]

She already had a successful business. The real transformation came when she stopped relying on instinct and started building with intention. Amy Ruocco didn’t come into short-term rentals as a beginner. She already had a successful business, a strong background in design and hospitality, and a growing portfolio of properties. From the outside, everything looked […]

It’s not about which fee structure you pick. It’s about whether you understand what it did to your bottom line. Airbnb updated its fee structure again, and if you’re a host, you’ve probably seen the conversation everywhere. Host-only vs. split fees. Which one is better. Which one converts more. Which one makes more money. But […]

Your Airbnb title isn’t there to describe your property, it’s there to win the click. Here’s how to write one that actually converts. If your Airbnb listing isn’t getting bookings, it’s easy to assume the problem is your pricing, your photos, or your amenities. But often, the issue starts much earlier, before a guest ever […]

Clean isn’t enough. Here’s the exact system that ensures every guest walks into a truly guest-ready stay—and why adding an inspector role changes everything. If your cleaner finishes the job and you assume your property is ready for guests—you’re not alone. But that assumption is where most hosts lose their five-star consistency. Because clean and […]

Why average properties are losing momentum and what it takes to stand out in today’s STR market The short-term rental market isn’t slowing down, but it is changing. And if you’re still approaching it the way people did in 2020 or even 2022, you’re going to feel that shift. In this episode, we sit down […]

If you’ve ever stared at your STR calendar and felt a wave of panic because it looks empty, you’re not alone. Many hosts react to that feeling by immediately lowering their prices. But according to Sarah and Annette, that emotional reaction, what they call panic pricing, is one of the biggest mistakes hosts make. Instead […]

Real questions from hosts reveal the biggest pricing, strategy, and booking mistakes happening in short-term rentals right now. If you’re a short-term rental host in 2026, you’ve probably asked yourself at least one of these questions: Am I underpriced because I’m getting booked faster than everyone else?Should I switch my property to a midterm rental […]

Stop hiring reactively. Start building partnerships that protect your five-star brand. Most hosts hire cleaners when they’re already in panic mode. A last-minute cancellation. A no-show. A bad review mentioning dust. And the job post reads something like: “Need Airbnb cleaner ASAP. Must be reliable.” That’s not a strategy. That’s stress. If you want to […]

The mindset shifts and data-driven strategies that separate profitable hosts from under-earning ones. Most hosts don’t have a marketing problem. They have a pricing problem. If you’re constantly trying to “get more bookings” but still feel like you’re not making the money you should be, it’s time to look at your numbers differently. In this […]

The biggest mistake hosts will make during the 2026 World Cup and how to avoid leaving thousands on the table. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to the United States, and hosts everywhere are seeing headlines about $13,000 to $17,000 Airbnb stays near stadiums. But here is what we want you to understand. This […]

Why responsible hosts pay attention to city council meetings, not just cash-on-cash returns Short-term rentals don’t exist in a vacuum—and the rules governing them are changing faster than ever. In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, Sarah Karakaian and Annette Grant break down what every host needs to understand about regulations before buying, listing, or […]

Virtual assistants don’t replace you—they help you follow through. Many hosts say they’re overwhelmed because they have too much to do. But more often than not, the real problem isn’t workload — it’s follow-through. In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, we walk through how short-term rental hosts can use virtual assistants (VAs) to stay […]

Stop guessing what’s wrong with your listing. Here’s what Airbnb is already telling you. If you’ve ever said, “I feel like my listing is buried,” you’re not alone. But here’s the truth: feelings don’t get bookings — data does. Airbnb gives hosts access to powerful performance metrics inside its Professional Hosting Tools, yet most hosts […]

How strategic hosts are unlocking new revenue streams by rethinking how their properties are used. Most hosts think of revenue in one way: overnight stays. But what if your property could generate income without anyone sleeping there? For strategic hosts, overnight bookings are just one piece of a bigger revenue picture — especially during shoulder […]

A strategic breakdown of the 2026 holiday calendar and how hosts can avoid blocked calendars, forced turnovers, and missed revenue. Holiday pricing is not about the holiday itself — it’s about how guests plan their entire trip around it. And in 2026, the calendar is working against hosts who aren’t paying attention. With major holidays […]

A behind-the-scenes look at why Thanks for Visiting is shifting focus and how hosts can apply “less but better” to their own businesses. For years, the Hosting Hotline was one of the most personal ways Sarah and Annette connected with hosts. Hearing your voices. Listening to real-time challenges. Helping you work through questions as they […]

How Do Guests Find Short Term Rentals Using AI? Guests are increasingly using AI tools to search for travel recommendations instead of traditional search engines. Rather than scrolling through pages of search results, travelers ask AI models direct questions about location, amenities, pet policies, and experiences. AI then pulls answers from websites and listings it […]

How intentional photo naming supports search alignment, accessibility, and long-term listing performance. When hosts think about SEO, they usually focus on titles, descriptions, and amenities—but images play a role too. In this Hosting Hotline episode of Thanks for Visiting, Sarah and Annette answer a listener question about whether renaming Airbnb photos with keywords actually improves […]

A practical, experience-backed guide to investing in the things guests actually care about—and skipping the rest. Furnishing a short-term rental isn’t the same as furnishing your own home—and treating it like one is one of the most expensive mistakes hosts make. We see hosts overspend on features guests barely notice while cutting corners on the […]

How to handle Airbnb’s new host fees without distorting your base rate or pricing strategy Airbnb’s updated host fee structure has created confusion across the short-term rental industry, especially for hosts using dynamic pricing tools like PriceLabs. In this Hosting Hotline episode, Sarah and Annette respond to a question from Jenna Louise, who asked whether […]