STR Investing, The Podcast

In this episode, co-host Taylor Jones breaks down a simple, practical framework for building your short-term rental buy box without needing expensive tools or large amounts of capital.If you’ve ever asked yourself where to buy, what to buy, and how to know if a deal actually works, this episode walks you through it step by step.Taylor explains how to use Airbnb itself to identify top-performing areas, how to analyze amenities and design trends, and how to reverse-engineer what’s already working in your market. He also dives into how to validate your assumptions with data tools like AirDNA or Rabbu and, most importantly, how to determine if a deal will actually cash flow.This is a straightforward, actionable approach to help you stop guessing and start making smarter acquisition decisions.

We’re bringing back one of our most actionable episodes on using Instagram to drive real bookings.In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Taylor Jones sits down with Ben Wolff, founder of Onera and a pioneer in the unique stays space.Ben shares how he built standout hospitality experiences that naturally attract attention online and convert that attention into direct bookings. From treehouse hotels to outdoor stays, his approach proves that the right content can become a powerful revenue engine.This episode breaks down the real strategy behind influencer collaborations, content marketing, and building a brand that drives demand. Including how one influencer partnership generated $25,000 in direct bookings with no upfront cost, and how these strategies contributed to over $1,000,000 in bookings.In this episode, you’ll learn:How Instagram can drive serious revenue for STRsWhy unique stays perform so well on social mediaThe strategy behind a $25K influencer winHow to turn content into consistent direct bookingsWhat’s working right now in STR marketingIf you’re looking to grow bookings and reduce reliance on OTAs, this is one to study.__Episode Sponsored By:STR SearchSTR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Mark Lumpkin breaks down the amenity data for Blue Ridge, one of the most popular cabin markets in the Southeast.Using insights from STR Search, this episode dives into which amenities top-performing properties are using to dominate the market—and how much additional revenue those features are generating annually.Here’s what the data shows in Blue Ridge:• Hot Tubs (91%) → +$20,000+/year • Game Rooms (50%) → +$16,451/year • Home Gyms (8%) → +$9,123/year • Saunas (5%) → +$24,861/year • Swimming Pools (3%) → +$57,348/year • Mini Golf (4%) → +$14,700/yearThe biggest takeaway? In Blue Ridge, amenities drive performance.Hot tubs are essentially mandatory for top-performing cabins, while features like saunas, pools, and mini golf courses are still rare—but generating massive revenue advantages for properties that have them.If you’re investing in Blue Ridge or planning upgrades to an existing cabin, this episode reveals the amenities that can help your property stand out and maximize revenue.Subscribe to the STR Investing Podcast for market data every Monday and expert guests every Friday.

Tyann Marcink - Hammond, STR operator and hospitality leader who runs Tyann Hospitality, author and new VRMA board member. She talks about why communication is the heart of five-star stays. Small gestures that reshape guest experiences. Why operators should prioritize hospitality over pure spreadsheets. Her new book and work shaping practical VRMA training.

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental amenity data for Bend, a popular mountain destination known for skiing, outdoor recreation, breweries, and year-round tourism.Using data from STR Search, this episode looks at which amenities top-performing properties are using to outperform their competition—and how much additional revenue those features can generate.Here’s what the data shows in Bend:• Hot Tubs (59%) → +$16,834/year • Fire Pits (34%) → +$2,276/year • Home Gyms (11%) → +$8,004/year • Saunas (6%) → +$8,839/yearThe biggest takeaway? Bend is still lightly amenitized compared to many other STR markets.Some amenities—like pickleball courts and game rooms—are so rare they barely show up in the data, meaning investors who add them could dramatically differentiate their properties.If you're investing in Bend or considering a mountain market, this episode breaks down the amenities that can give your property a competitive edge.Need help finding the right property? Reach out to STR Search.Need help designing or building your STR? Connect with STR Cribs.Subscribe to the STR Investing Podcast for market data every Monday and expert guests every Friday.

Hunter Harrelson, founder of Beachball Properties and builder of a 350+ door Gulf Coast vacation rental brand. He discusses bootstrapped growth from 20 to 350+ properties and why local branding and a COVID-era refund decision fueled trust. Hunter also covers recurring scaling pain points every ~50 doors and their internal AI tool, Beach Bot, plus fights over Airbnb’s merchant-of-record rules and Alabama law.

In this Monday Morning Market Data Report on the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Mark Lumpkin breaks down the latest amenity data for Sedona, Arizona using insights from STR Search.If you’re investing in Sedona—or considering it—this episode shows exactly which amenities are driving serious revenue and how much they’re worth annually.Here’s what the data says about top performers in Sedona:Hot Tubs (59%) → +$38,346/yearFire Pits (54%) → +$22,417/yearSwimming Pools (17%) → +$82,827/yearGame Rooms (16%) → +$49,657/yearGyms (14%) → +$20,000+/yearSedona is still an under-amenitized market compared to places like Scottsdale. That means major opportunity. Less than 20% of top performers have pools, game rooms, or gyms—yet those properties are dramatically outperforming the rest.If you’re buying in Sedona, this episode lays out the blueprint: Great views + strong amenities = serious revenue upside.Need help finding a deal? Reach out to STR Search. Need help designing or building? Connect with STR Cribs.Subscribe for weekly market data every Monday and expert guests every Friday.

In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Mark Lumpkin sits down with Jack Roberts from STR Cribs to talk sales, design, and what it really takes to build high-performing short-term rentals today.Jack breaks down why “being real” wins in sales, how to build trust fast, and why the best salespeople don’t hide behind scripts or corporate talk. From there, we get into STR design strategy, how guest expectations keep evolving, and why you can’t out-design a bad property.We cover:Why Jack says “I am the sales pitch”How to break down walls and get clients to open upThe difference between designing for homeowners vs. designing for guestsWhat refreshes actually move revenue (and what’s just wasted spend)Why STRs can pivot faster than hotelsJack’s favorite travel inspiration spots, plus rapid-fire favoritesConnect with Jack:Linkedin: @jackroberts00Book a call: STRCribs.com__Episode Sponsored By:STR SearchSTR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Mark Lumpkin sits down with Lance Morgan, founder of College Funding Secrets, to break down a different way to think about short-term rentals—using them to help pay for college and reduce taxes.Lance explains how high-income families can reposition college savings, lower “financial aid income” on paper, and use STR tax benefits (bonus depreciation) as what he calls “tax scholarships.” The goal: stop writing big checks for tuition and instead buy an asset that can help cover college costs while continuing to generate long-term wealth.We also talk about:Why the “secret cost of college” can be over $1M when you factor in opportunity costHow STR cash flow can cover student loan payments after graduationWhy income matters more than assets when qualifying for aidCreative alternatives like “box houses” and other tax strategy rabbit holesLance’s STR portfolio growth and what he’s building next: Scholarship Houses + Scholarship VacationsConnect with Lance:CollegeFundingSecrets.comScholarshipHouse.com (and ScholarshipVacations.com coming soon)__Episode Sponsored By:STR SearchSTR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, we continue our amenity-focused series — breaking down which upgrades actually drive revenue — and this time we’re diving into Flagstaff.Flagstaff isn’t overly saturated like some major Arizona markets, which makes strategic amenities even more powerful.In this episode, Mark breaks down:How much fire pits increase annual revenueWhy hot tubs are one of the highest ROI upgrades in this marketThe surprising revenue boost from game roomsWhether saunas and home gyms are worth itWhy pickleball courts are producing massive revenue gains with almost no competitionThe data reveals that several top-performing amenities exist in less than 5% of listings, yet generate tens of thousands of dollars in additional annual revenue.If you’re investing in Flagstaff, upgrading an existing STR, or underwriting a new deal, this episode gives you a tactical advantage.Have a market you want us to analyze next? DM Mark and we’ll bring the data.