STR Investing, The Podcast

Short-term rentals may be one of the most overlooked areas of hospitality when it comes to safety.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Justin Ford of Breezeway to break down the real risks STR owners and operators need to understand—and the simple steps that can prevent injuries, lawsuits, and major property damage.

Justin shares lessons from years of managing vacation rentals and working specifically in short-term rental safety, including:

• Why pools are one of the biggest risks in STRs
• The smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every property should have
• Why slips, trips, and falls generate so many claims
• The biggest safety mistakes owners make in kitchens
• Where fire extinguishers should actually be installed
• The growing risk of lithium battery fires
• Why decks, egress, railings, and renovations need to meet modern safety standards
• How proper documentation can protect owners when something goes wrong

The biggest takeaway: safety isn't something you address after an accident. It needs to be built into the way you design, operate, and maintain your property from day one.

If you own or operate short-term rentals, this is an episode worth saving—and revisiting.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR 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

San Diego has some of the strongest STR revenue numbers we’ve seen—but getting into the market comes with a major hurdle.

In this Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the San Diego, California short-term rental market, including tourism, regulations, revenue by bedroom count, and the amenities investors need to compete.

The numbers get interesting fast:

• 1 Bedroom → ~$81K/year average
• 2 Bedrooms → ~$92K/year
• 3 Bedrooms → ~$102K/year
• 4 Bedrooms → ~$115K/year
• 5 Bedrooms → ~$161K/year
• 7 Bedrooms → ~$200K/year average

The biggest jump? Going from four to five bedrooms adds roughly $45K+ in average annual revenue, while some top-performing larger properties are reaching $300K–$500K in revenue.

Mark also breaks down San Diego’s amenity stack, where fire pits and hot tubs are common—but movie theaters, saunas, mini golf, and pickleball courts remain rare.

The opportunity is there. The challenge is navigating San Diego’s strict STR permitting environment and finding a property that can actually operate.

Tune in for the complete breakdown.

What does it actually take to keep a short-term rental guest-ready - not just clean?

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Jonathan Wicks, Founder of Well & Good, one of the largest vacation rental cleaning and servicing companies in the industry.

Jonathan breaks down the systems behind operating STRs at scale, from cleaning and off-site laundry to restocking, inspections, maintenance issues, and the tight turnover window between guests.

They cover:

• Why “clean” doesn’t always mean guest-ready
• The biggest mistakes STR owners make with cleaners
• Why cleaning, laundry, and restocking should be separate processes
• How Well & Good handles hundreds of turnovers during peak season
• What owners should expect from their boots-on-the-ground team
• How to build operating systems that scale

Whether you own one STR or manage hundreds, this episode is packed with practical ways to improve your operations and deliver a better guest experience.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR 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

Is Indianapolis a good market for short-term rentals?

In this week's Market Monday, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the numbers behind one of the Midwest's most event-driven STR markets. From the Indianapolis 500 and NFL games to NCAA tournaments and major conventions, Indianapolis offers strong revenue potential—but only if you understand the seasonality, pricing strategy, and what it takes to stand out.

Mark covers the latest market data, revenue by bedroom count, and the amenity stack that's helping top-performing properties generate well into six figures.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why Indianapolis is a strong event-driven STR market 
•  Revenue potential by bedroom count 
•  Which property sizes generate the highest returns 
•  The amenities that separate average listings from top performers 
•  Why dynamic pricing is critical in this market 
•  How to build a "super property" with minimal competition 

Whether you're considering your first investment in Indianapolis or looking to optimize an existing property, this episode gives you the data you need to make smarter decisions.

Owning a short-term rental is exciting - but are you legally protected?

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Katie Johnson, Founder of STR Law, to discuss the legal side of owning and operating vacation rentals. From LLCs and rental agreements to insurance, guest safety, and changing regulations, Katie shares the steps every STR owner should take to protect their investment before a problem ever happens. 

You'll learn:

•  How to legally protect your short-term rental business 
•  The four pillars every host should have in place 
•  Why LLCs and rental agreements matter 
•  Common legal mistakes investors make before buying a property 
•  How to reduce liability around pools, hot tubs, and guest safety 
•  What the future of STR regulation could look like 

Whether you're buying your first Airbnb or managing a growing portfolio, this episode will help you protect your business, your guests, and your peace of mind.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR 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, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in College Station, Texas—home of Texas A&M University and one of the country's most seasonal STR markets.

Football weekends, graduation, and major sporting events create huge demand, making pricing strategy just as important as the property itself.

In this episode, Mark covers:
* Revenue potential by bedroom count
* Why 4 and 5-bedroom homes outperform the rest
* The unique seasonality of a college-town STR market
* Which amenities help properties stand out

The data shows:
• 1–2 Bedrooms → ~$35K/year average
• 3 Bedrooms → ~$41K/year average
• 4 Bedrooms → ~$53K/year average
• 5+ Bedrooms → ~$70K/year average

Amenity penetration:
* Fire Pits → 42%
* Game Rooms → 16%
* Pools → 9%
* Pool Tables → 8%
* Hot Tubs → 8%
* Pickleball Courts → 2.5%
* Mini Golf → 3%
* Movie Theaters → 4%

The takeaway?

In College Station, your biggest advantage isn't just amenities—it's owning the right-sized property and maximizing revenue during peak football and graduation weekends.

Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with George Salas, Founder of Empress Capital, to discuss what it really takes to build a scalable short-term rental business.

George shares his incredible journey from immigrating to the United States with almost nothing, to starting with rental arbitrage, surviving the challenges of COVID, and building a vertically integrated hospitality company focused on experiential short-term rentals, boutique hotels, and institutional-quality operations.

You'll learn:

• How to think beyond buying individual Airbnbs
• Why unit-level economics are critical for long-term success
• The systems and financial tracking every STR investor should have
• How George evaluates deals, manages seasonality, and scales operations
• Why execution—not just acquisitions—is the key to building enterprise value
• The mindset shifts that helped him grow from operator to CEO

Whether you're buying your first STR or building a large portfolio, this conversation is packed with practical insights on scaling smarter, operating more efficiently, and creating a business built to last.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another STR investor looking to take their business to the next level.

In this week's Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in St. Louis, Missouri—and the data reveals one of the biggest opportunities we've seen all year.

With more than 25 million annual visitors, growing STR occupancy, and an incredibly under-amenitized market, St. Louis may be the perfect place to build a true "super property."

In this episode, Mark covers:

• Revenue potential by bedroom count
• Why 4, 5, and 7-bedroom homes see the biggest revenue jumps
• The current STR regulations and market trends
• The amenities your competitors have—and more importantly, the ones they don't

The numbers are shocking:

• Game Rooms → Less than 7% of listings
• Playgrounds → Less than 7%
• Pickleball Courts → 2%
• Mini Golf → 1.5%
• Pools, Hot Tubs, Saunas, Fire Pits & Home Gyms → Less than 1%

The takeaway?

Most St. Louis Airbnbs have almost no amenities. That means investors willing to build something unique have an opportunity to create a true one-of-one property with very little competition.

Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

In this week's Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down one of the most requested short-term rental markets in the country: Destin, Florida.

With more than 8 million annual visitors across the Destin and Fort Walton Beach area, this Emerald Coast destination continues to be one of the strongest beach markets for STR investors.

In this episode, Mark covers:

• Revenue potential by bedroom count
• Why larger homes dramatically outperform condos and smaller properties
• The amenities every Destin investor needs to compete
• Which upgrades still help you stand out in a crowded market

Here's what the data shows:

• 1 Bedroom → ~$50K/year average
• 2 Bedrooms → ~$80K/year average
• 3 Bedrooms → ~$103K/year average
• 5 Bedrooms → ~$164K/year average
• 8 Bedrooms → ~$250K+/year average

On the amenity side:

• Pools → 92% of listings
• Hot Tubs → 45%
• Game Rooms → 22%
• Waterfront → 22%

The biggest opportunities?

Less than 10% of properties have pickleball courts, gyms, or playgrounds, while movie theaters, mini golf, and saunas remain extremely rare.

If you're buying or optimizing an STR on the Emerald Coast, this episode is your roadmap to standing out and maximizing revenue.

Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

AI is changing the way travelers discover short-term rentals—and it’s happening faster than most hosts realize.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Gil Chan, Founder & CEO of Crafted Stays, to discuss how AI search, direct bookings, and modern website strategies are reshaping the future of the STR industry.

Gil explains why relying solely on OTAs is becoming increasingly risky, how AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini are influencing guest booking behavior, and what hosts can do today to position their properties for the next generation of search. He also shares how Crafted Stays is helping operators build high-converting direct booking websites that are optimized for both traditional SEO and AI-powered discovery.

Whether you're managing one property or hundreds, this conversation is packed with practical insights to help you future-proof your business.

In this episode, you'll learn:

•  Why AI is changing how guests search for vacation rentals 
•  How direct bookings compound over time while OTA bookings stay transactional 
•  The importance of identifying your ideal guest avatar 
•  What SEO, AEO, and GEO mean—and why they matter 
•  How to build a website that's ready for the future of travel search 
•  Why hospitality and guest experience still matter more than ever 

If you're serious about growing your direct bookings and staying ahead of where the industry is headed, this is an episode you won't want to miss. 

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR 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