For short-term rental hosts, summer is boom time. But with competition more fierce than ever before, some hosts are turning to direct booking for summer 2024. By leapfrogging sites like Airbnb, Vrbo and Expedia, they can pocket more money by avoiding fees.
The practice of booking guests on a property's personal website is most common among professional hosts, those with more than 20 listings. But the strategy isn’t without risk. Jumping ship from the major booking sites means losing insurance protections and bearing the responsibility of paperwork for background checks and payment information.
Hosts are also observing a shift to more last-minute stays, adding to the stress of managing a property. To combate that shift, some hosts are recruiting local influencers to create hip content that shows off their STRs. In some cases, they offer free stays to content creators on unbooked nights as a low-budget marketing strategy.
Below, please find Property Guard's weekly short term rental regulation round-up, highlighting state and local news regarding short term rental regulations to regulate (or prohibit) Airbnbs and other STRs. If you want a comprehensive data solution on STR regulations in all 20,000 state and local jurisdictions, contact us here.
New and Proposed Regulations:
- Arizona: Legislators passed a bill that would allow for homeowners to rent out accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, on a short-term basis on the condition that the owners reside on property. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk. (link)
- New Hampshire: A state Supreme Court ruling handed a couple a win after a two-year legal battle to rent their trailer out as an STR. (link)
- York, Maine: Voters have rejected a bid to regulate STRs, with about 53% of residents voting against the proposal. (link)
- Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts: A neighborhood on the popular vacation island has a new committee to oversee STRs. (link)
Other Noteworthy News:
- Laundry list: A California lawmaker wants to crack down on the cleaning tasks that come at the end of a stay at some STRs. (link)
- Miami boom: A new report found over half of all new Miami condos, or up to 10,335, will be rented out as Airbnbs. (link)
- Tax haul: In Pinellas County, Florida, officials hauled in a record breaking $14.6 million in tourist taxes in March. (link)
- Landlord fines: New York City scored $16.3 million in settlements from lawsuits related to its STR ban. (link)
- Mini empires: "Professional hosts,'' with several dozen STR properties, dominate in popular vacation states like Colorado and Florida. (link)
- Airbnb neighbors: STR hosts and their neighbors are “feuding at a resounding rate.” (link)
