There's a lot of doom posting on the internet right now about soaring interest rates and what that means for STR buyers. Well, in today's episode TC and I are taking a sober look at the market and we're actually liking what we're seeing. Find out why.  0:00 - Intro5:03 - Who should and shouldn't buy an STR at today's rates8:30 - The big reason this is a buyers market20:44 - Avoid this common mistake as a buyer24:42 - RecapConnect with Carriehttps://carrie.applihl.com/Connect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

You guys asked for it. We're making it happen. In today's episode, TC and I are talking about bed bugs. You'll learn how to avoid them and what to do if it happens to you. 0:00 - Intro3:57 - Be insured against bed bugs6:58 - How to reduce your risk24:01 - What to do when it happens to you33:00 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

TC and I brought Thomas Castelli back for more tax talk. In this episode, we're getting into exit strategies. When the time comes to sell your property, you may want to think twice about how you go about it. The 1031 exchange could save you thousands in capital gains taxes but it requires a game plan. Find out the savviest way to exit your short term rental here.   0:00 - Intro6:42 - The mechanics of a 1031 exchange20:57 - The mechanics of the 1031 lite25:59 - Cost segregation29:44 - When a 1031 exchange fails37:50 - RecapConnect with Thomashttps://thomascastelli.com/https://www.therealestatecpa.com/Connect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

TC and I are back again to answer the questions you guys have been sending us. Keep 'em coming! 0:00 - Intro5:02 - How do I know what property to pick?12:21 - How can I lower my insurance premium?16:51 - How much should I pay for cleaning?25:05 - OTAs or direct website?28:12 - How do I find a good CPA or bookkeeper?32:42 - What's the problem with bunk beds? And what's the solution for bed bugs?39:37 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are talking to Thomas Castelli, a real estate tax advisor. In this partner profile, Thomas lays out how the IRS thinks about self-managed short term rentals and what steps you need to be taking TODAY so come tax time you'll sleep like a baby.   0:00 - Intro6:15 - Tax benefits you don't want to miss12:58 - Tracking and recording your material participation34:48 - How to calculate your expenses43:43 - RecapConnect with Thomashttps://thomascastelli.com/https://www.therealestatecpa.com/Connect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

You guys have been sending us tons of questions lately and we're loving it. But we noticed a couple questions kept coming up again and again. TC and I decided that instead of answering them privately, we're going to share these questions and our takes with everyone. 0:00 - Intro2:57 - What's the hardest part of owning an STR?8:57 - How do you handle negative guest reviews?16:50 - How do you de-risk occupancy and seasonality fluctuations?23:28 - Which amenities are must-haves?31:22 - How do you manage guest communication?43:42 - What technology tools should I be using?53:33 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are recording on location from one of our properties in South Florida. Why? Because we have a punchlist of odd jobs that is part of the natural wear and tear of vacation rentals. But instead of just contracting the work out, we're getting our hands dirty and bringing you along with us. 0:00 - Intro3:21 - How to stay ahead of maintenance problems5:46 - DIY Safety: Mounting extinguishers, pool safety equipment installation, and outlet covers12:16 - Be your own plumber and save $$$17:23 - Drywall repair, squeaky doors, and loose hardware19:50 - Hanging artwork and securing tippy furniture26:02 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Check out our How-to Videos: https://www.youtube.com/@strconsultantsCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

We did it. We took the Short Term Rental Safety Course to become Safety Inspector Certified and now we're spilling the goods. If you want to know the 3 actions that lower the majority of your risk, listen on. We'll also tell you the things we're doing to our properties THIS WEEK to make them safer and--guess what--lower our insurance premiums.  0:00 - Intro6:02 - Follow State and Federal Safety Regulation 14:30 - Preventing Death: Fire Alarms, Pool Safety and more17:11 - Preventing Injury: High Chairs, Bunk Beds, and Night Lights34:26 - Safety Cards 40:29 - Improving Rental Agreements 48:07 - How to lower your insurance premium55:12 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/**To take advantage of the Safety Program promo code mentioned in this episode, reach out to Tim at hello@timcaseyllc.comCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are talking with Justin Ford, a short-term rental safety expert and Director at Breezeway. Justin is here to lay some horror stories on us (many of which have happened within the last 12 months) and put a spotlight on the areas and features in our vacation rentals that are waiting for disaster to strike. But here's the thing: these disasters are avoidable. Listen to find out how.  0:00 - Intro8:10 - Why STRs are considered more dangerous 17:02 - Things you can do today to make your STR safer24:43 - Details you're probably missing28:43 - How to be your own inspector42:06 - RecapConnect with Justinhttps://www.breezeway.io/safety**To take advantage of the Safety Program promo code mentioned in this episode, reach out to Tim at hello@timcaseyllc.comConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are talking nuts and bolts of cleaning contracts. How much should you expect to pay? What additional services can you ask of your cleaning service? And what dirty little industry secrets do you need to be aware of? Find out in this episode.   0:00 - Intro6:30 - Avoid this trap13:34 - Dirty Little Industry Secrets20:36 - Checklists, photos, and inspections34:34 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are talking about the market and whether rental owners should be playing defense or offense in today's economy.   0:00 - Intro6:16 - Don't panic, do your research, have perspective12:54 - Maximize revenue potential30:22 - Referral-based marketing43:13 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are here for a sanity check when it comes to all the noise about Airbnbust. Anyone who is interested in the longevity of their STR will come away from this conversation with a strategy and things they can do today to make their vacation rental business future-proof.   0:00 - Intro1:23 - What's causing Airbnbust?9:19 - How to compete with hotels23:28 - Improvements you can make today34:30 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are unpacking what it means to be properly insured as a STR business and owner. We have special guest, Nick Massey of Proper Insurance, to give us real data on claims in the short-term rental space and the different coverage scenarios that make sure there are no vulnerabilities in your risk.   0:00 - Intro5:00 - Why Homeowners insurance is NOT insurance for your STR23:17 - Why AirCover is supplemental coverage at best36:41 - Know your liabilities50:45 - In-house vs. Third-party adjusters1:07:00 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/Connect with Nickhttps://www.proper.insure/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are breaking down the actual financial model we use for our properties. Warning: There will be numbers discussed in this episode; there may be the mention of percentages and even "Line Items". Buckle up.  0:00 - Intro9:42 - Setting your low, mid, and high season rates 18:20 - Estimating your expenses28:13 - Projecting your occupancy42:50 - RecapConnect with Ushttps://strconsultants.co/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are getting into the very touchy subject of allowing pets on your rental property. In this episode, we'll explain the difference between a service animal and emotional support animal and the pros and cons of being a "No Pets Allowed" vacation rental. Our special guest Cassandra (back again!) will tells us the language we can put into our rental agreements to avoid painful misunderstandings post-booking.  0:00 - Intro4:07 - Pet Free or Pet Friendly?15:40 - Pet clauses in the rental agreement25:41 - Service animals41:05 - RecapConnect with Cassandrahttps://www.judeinjury.com/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are continuing our conversation with Cassandra about all the legal stuff short-term rental owners need to know. In this episode, you'll hear about the non-negotiable terms that need to be in your rental agreement. We'll talk about how to deal with squatters, how to ensure guest compliance, and a few tips on how to avoid issues all together.  0:00 - Intro8:21 - Why you need a rental agreement (even if your using Airbnb or VRBO)15:13 - Dealing with squatters24:00 - Ensuring guest compliance33:00 - Stopping problems before they start36:47 - RecapConnect with Cassandrahttps://www.judeinjury.com/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I invite back Cassandra Jude for a conversation about liability insurance. If you think you're being covered by Airbnb or VRBO, think again. In this episode, we get into the nitty gritty about what's covered in those policies and what coverage you need to get in order to protect your property, your business and your guests. 0:00 - Intro5:43 - Knowing your risks (What's NOT covered by the listing platform)15:17 - Protecting yourself from slip-and-fall claims21:22 - Cameras: where to place them and why 28:43 - How to think about liability coverage as a business44:06 - RecapConnect with Cassandrahttps://www.judeinjury.com/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are continuing our Partner Series with Cassandra Jude, an Attorney in Florida with extensive experience including Business Law. Today she joins us for a fun (read: not boring!) conversation about setting up your legal entity as a short-term rental business. By the end of this episode, you'll know where to find trustworthy legal help, how to protect your personal assets from business liabilities, and what fees and maintenance are required to remain in good legal standing. Fun! 0:00 - Intro8:21 - Meet Cassandra11:15 - Why you need an LLC15:06 - The first steps24:00 - Fees and Maintenance 29:52 - RecapConnect with Cassandrahttps://www.judeinjury.com/CleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are continuing our Partner Series with the Woman, the Myth, the Legend herself, Tammy Lavarro. Tammy is an Interior Design Consultant and Owner of Dream Vacation Interiors. In this episode, she spill all her industry knowledge on planning out, sourcing and executing your short-term rental interiors.  0:00 - Intro6:44 - Don't try this at home, kids: Why you need a Tammy15:49 - How to budget for design20:55 - Making your design disaster-proof30:00 - Biggest design mistakes37:15 - More reasons why you should not DIY your vacation rental designConnect with Tammywww.floridadreamvacationinteriors.comCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.

Today TC and I are excited to kick-off our Partner Series with special guest Carrie Casey, a certified Mortgage Loan Officer focused on short-term rental investments.  In this episode, we walk through the different options for first-time buyers to start their journey.  0:00 - Intro9:35 - Finding your financial point of entry (income, down payments and credit scores)15:54 - Leveraging your primary home20:46 - Find your lender24:30 - RecapConnect with Carriehttps://linktr.ee/carrie_caseyCleaningBnB.com - CleaningBnB is committed to providing short-term vacation rental owners with an array of service offerings, allowing them to self-manage and increase profitability. By empowering self-management and avoiding the unnecessary expense of property management, CleaningBnB is here to help your business achieve long-term success and realize a higher return on investment.  We offer a variety of services, including turnover cleaning, to ensure guests have an amazing first impression.  Reach out today via cleaningbnb.com and let’s find the right the right solution for your investment.