Buying an Airbnb in The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

Luke Carl sits down with Reagen to break down the February 2026 market update in the Smoky Mountains. They discuss a noticeable shift in activity, including the highest monthly closings since December 2021, declining inventory levels, and what that means for buyers navigating a market that’s moving from a strong buyer’s market toward balance. Reagen also shares insights on turnkey new construction pool cabins, high-end luxury builds already booking deep into 2026, fixer-upper challenges, and why long-term cash flow and smart buying matter more than obsessing over first-year cash-on-cash returns.

Connect with an agent: [email protected]

Connect with us:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
https://stsplus.com/
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this episode of the series, Luke sits down with Smoky Mountain agent and long-time investor Matt Castle to break down what's happening right now in the Smokies market, including a surge in pending contracts and how shifting Fed policy and mortgage rates may impact short-term rental buyers. They talk through timing purchases and listings around tax strategy and seasonal slowdowns, why winter months can be prime time for both buyers and sellers, and how fundamentals like strong photos, themed design, cleanliness, and strategic deep cleans separate top-performing cabins from the rest. Matt also contrasts turnkey vs. value-add STR opportunities, shares how serious multifamily/commercial investors are adapting to the unique metrics of short-term rentals, and emphasizes not overthinking it—focusing on “heads in beds” and guest experience.

How to connect with Matt Castle
Best way to reach him: [email protected]

Connect with us:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
https://stsplus.com/
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

In this episode of the series, Luke Carl chats with Natalie from The Short Term Shop about the Smokies market. They discuss why “saturation” is misunderstood, how 15–20 million annual visitors support demand, and where to buy. They cover shifting momentum in the market, pricing realities for sellers, what amenities actually matter and two live examples of current listings.

Connect with us:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
www.strquestions.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

In this episode of the series, Luke Carl sits down with Reagan from The Short Term Shop to break down what’s happening in the Smokies market this fall. They cover how recent rate cuts and shifting inventory are shaping buyer leverage, strategies for writing strong offers in today’s environment, and what to watch for with new construction quality. Reagan also shares how she uses AirDNA to evaluate realistic revenue ranges for two-bedroom cabins and why grounding your numbers in data matters when deciding on a purchase.

Connect with us:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
www.strquestions.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Wayde Hall from the Short Term Shop for a hands-on walkthrough of how he uses Price Labs Market Dashboards to analyze properties in detail. Wayde demonstrates step-by-step how to filter for specific property types, review counts, and amenities, then sort by revenue to identify top performers and pinpoint areas for improvement. He shows how to spot seasonality trends, set realistic pricing expectations, and understand which amenities or policies impact booking rates. The episode is packed with actionable tips for both beginner and seasoned investors who want to get beyond surface-level data and make smarter STR decisions. 

How to connect with Avery:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/
www.strquestions.com
Follow Avery Carl on Instagram
Follow Avery Carl on TikTok
Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group
Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week's episode of Short Term Rental Management, Luke interviews Ryan Ferguson, an electrician-turned-hot tub repair expert serving East Tennessee's Smoky Mountains. They dive into common hot tub issues in vacation rentals—like economy mode, airlocks, and water damage from improper draining—while sharing maintenance tips, regulatory insights, and hilarious stories involving bears, raccoons, and overloaded tubs. Ryan also emphasizes the importance of simplicity, proper electrical installation, and regular inspection to keep STR hot tubs guest-ready and code-compliant.

How to connect with Ryan:

Website

Phone #: (865) 635-9383

Email: [email protected]

How to connect with Luke:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/

Follow us on Instagram 

Follow us on TikTok

Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group

Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week's episode of Short Term Rental Management, Luke Carl talks with photographer Mike Sutton about what makes great short-term rental photos, especially in the competitive Smoky Mountains market. They discuss the evolution of the vacation rental photography space, how to vet and select a photographer, what types of shots matter most (like twilight, drone, and 3D floor plans), and why authenticity in staging is more important than over-styling. Mike also shares personal insights into raising eight kids, his journey from IT to photography, and how hosts can prepare for seasonal and update sessions the right way.

Check out Mike's portfolio:

https://mikesuttonjr.com/

How to connect with Luke:

The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/

Follow us on Instagram 

Follow us on TikTok

Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group

Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube

For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books:

Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon
Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

 In this episode of the series we'll be talking about all things calendars! We'll go over the seasonality of the Smoky Mountains, how to set up custom calendars, how far in advance to open your calendar, some pricing mistakes to avoid and more!

Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop:

www.theshorttermshop.com

www.strquestions.com

Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA

Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow

The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow

https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop

https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/

https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/

https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be going over everything you should expect to happen (and prepare for) owning a home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We'll go over how to deal with a variety of unfortunate situations; snow, ice, dead bugs, bears, and more! 

Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop:

www.theshorttermshop.com

www.strquestions.com

Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA

Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow

The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow

https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop

https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/

https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/

https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the serie's we'll be going over the setup process once you've purchased your short term rental in the Smoky Mountains! We'll discuss what to buy and what to replace if your home comes furnished, must have amenities, as well as some tips and tricks for optimizing your setup as you buy more properties!

Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop:

www.theshorttermshop.com

www.strquestions.com

Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA

Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow

The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow

https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop

https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/

https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/

https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/