Kenny speaks with Andrew Keller, a leading short-term rental photographer. They discuss the importance of professional photography in enhancing property listings, share tips for staging and preparing properties for a photo shoot, and emphasize the significance of 'scroll-stopping' images. Andrew details his meticulous process, including the use of drone shots and twilight photos, and shares client success stories showing significant revenue increases. The episode is a comprehensive guide on...

Kenny reveals the top strategy to maximize ROI for short-term rental properties: high-quality photography. Kenny emphasizes that professional photos, particularly those that evoke emotion and show the property's best features, are crucial to attracting guests. He shares detailed tips on how to choose the right photographer, the importance of a hero image, the types of shots that perform well on platforms like Airbnb, and how to effectively communicate your needs to photographers....

Kenny sits down with Dave Menapace, a successful co-host and manager of over 30 properties in the Northeast, to discuss the challenges and strategies unique to seasonal short-term rental markets like Cape Cod and Maine. They delve into the importance of budgeting for off-seasons, the value of strategic amenities such as hot tubs, and the benefits of flexible revenue management. They also emphasize the significance of location and proactive planning in maximizing property potential and...

Kenny identifies the biggest trap for short-term rental hosts: not tracking future earnings and pacing. Kenny explains how hosts often get caught up in the high season's success and fail to prepare for the fall and shoulder seasons. He discusses how understanding key KPI metrics and being proactive, rather than reactionary, can help hosts maintain profitability. Kenny emphasizes the importance of data analytics, including understanding past trends, adjusting pricing strategies, and leveraging...

Kenny interviews Madeline Blum, a real estate agent and short-term rental investor with properties in various markets including the Smoky Mountains, North Carolina, Bourbon Trail, and Panama City Beach. They discuss the challenges of investing in popular and emerging markets, the importance of design and property optimization, and the unique characteristics that make certain areas appealing for short-term rental investments. Madeline shares her experiences and insights on finding and managing...

Kenny discusses the pitfalls and biases of 'Top 10' short-term rental market lists, explaining why they are often unreliable. He then provides his own list, detailing his top 10 regions to invest in for STRs in 2024 while emphasizing the importance of market-specific variables like regulations, property types, and inventory. Kenny covers pros and cons of markets including Florida's Tampa area, Taos, New Mexico, the Finger Lakes in New York, and more. He concludes by highlighting the best...

Kenny talks with Margot, the CEO and co-founder of Hostfully, a leading property management software company. Kenny discusses his journey from replacing his W2 income with short-term rental cash flow to helping others achieve the same success. Margot delves into how Hostfully assists property managers, particularly smaller-scale and novice hosts, with features like digital guidebooks, booking platform integration, and dynamic pricing. They also explore how automation can manage cleaning...

Kenny Bedwell discusses the common pitfalls of scaling short-term rental portfolios and offers solutions to avoid these mistakes. Kenny emphasizes the importance of focusing on quality over quantity, implementing property management software, utilizing dynamic pricing tools, building robust marketing strategies, establishing standard operating procedures, and tracking financial performance through accounting software. With his insights, Kenny aims to help both novice and seasoned investors...

Kenny discusses achieving maximum ROI from design and decor with Paige Hayes from Hayes and Company Interiors. Paige shares her expert insight into the strategies of integrating design into short-term rental properties to boost their appeal and financial return. Topics range from identifying the property's story, managing design budgets, to understanding market-specific adjustments. Listeners will also deep dive into a specific case study of a property on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, and...

Kenny shares detailed insights on determining the return on investment (ROI) from property design and décor. He emphasizes the impact of market-specific factors and competitive landscapes on budgeting for design improvements. Kenny outlines four key considerations for evaluating ROI, including the importance of design in your market, comparisons between properties with varying design qualities, the benefits of targeted design strategies, and the necessity of using available data to make...

Kenny welcomes Bryndee Barton from Revity Refined to discuss strategies for maximizing revenue in vacation rentals through effective use of amenities and design. Bryndee shares insights into her journey from flipping houses to running successful vacation rentals, such as Loma Homes, which have gone viral due to their unique themes and amenities. They delve into the importance of understanding market demands, using data to inform design decisions, and standing out visually with bold concepts....

Kenny delves into the crucial topic of property amenities and their impact on revenue for short-term rentals. Kenny explains the importance of understanding your 'guest avatar' to make informed decisions about which amenities to add. He highlights the difference between amenities that maximize revenue (such as pools and hot tubs) and those that sustain occupancy (such as theater rooms and barrel saunas). Bedwell emphasizes the importance of effectively marketing these amenities through...

Kenny welcomes special guest Emile Sakhel, a pricing expert from 'Pricing by Mira.' They delve into advanced pricing strategies for short-term rental properties, emphasizing the importance of proper revenue management and data analytics. Emile shares his journey from anesthesia to short-term rentals and provides actionable insights on optimizing revenue through strategic pricing. They also discuss the critical role of understanding market dynamics, setting accurate base prices, and the...

Kenny delves deep into the critical topic of pricing strategies for vacation rental properties. Kenny emphasizes the importance of understanding and optimizing pricing before facing booking issues or market saturation. He discusses how to evaluate and adjust pricing, listing descriptions, and amenities to ensure competitive edge and higher revenue. Using a specific case study from Black Mountain, North Carolina, he demonstrates how improper pricing and high cleaning fees can impact bookings...

Brian Bockholdt, joins for this week’s part 2 episode on ways we can scale our STRs - finance addition! Brian, with 30 years of mortgage experience and 5 years as an STR investor, shares valuable insights about various loan products, including second home loans and investment property loans. He clears up misconceptions about second home loans and highlights the benefits of using them to minimize down payments and secure better lending terms. You’ll also hear about the nuances of...

This week, we are focusing on ways to scale your STR portfolio…finance addition! You’ll hear how to effectively scale your short-term rental portfolio through a variety of financing options, and key concepts like leveraging debt to income ratio (DTI), speaking with multiple lenders, and using other people's money to maximize growth. Stay tuned for part 2 on Thursday! Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn! Follow Kenny on IG

Patryk Swietek is here for Pt 2 to dive into the ultimate question - is property management actually worth it? Patryk is the founder of STR Nation and a seasoned property manager with over 100 signed properties. This conversation covers the nuances of property management, the importance of localized expertise, the challenges of scaling property management at a national level, and the significance of continuous improvement in the competitive world of short-term rentals.  Follow Patryk on...

Is property management actually worth it? In today’s Part 1 episode, I’m covering the common misconceptions surrounding property management within the STR industry. I talk about the potential benefits of hiring property managers, the importance of utilizing technology, hiring virtual assistants, and how to enhance property performance without relying on expensive property management firms.  Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn! Follow Kenny on IG

Savvy realtor and short-term rental expert Tyler Coon joins for this week's part 2 episode on secret deal finding strategies! Tyler shares his unique strategies for finding hidden deals in the market, a recent success story involving a property that grossed $210,000 to $250,000 in its first year, and insights into the benefits of creative financing and the importance of amenities. Tyler also talks about maximizing cash flow, sharing valuable tips on executing successful short-term rental...

Are you looking for new ways to find real estate deals? Tune in to hear secret strategies with detailed examples and methods to help you think outside the box and optimize your real estate investments! Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn! Follow Kenny on IG

Welcome to Part 2 of this weeks topic - is it too late to invest in STRs? Brenna Carls, CEO and founder of The Mortgage Shop, joins to discuss this, talking about the current high-interest rate environment, how investors can still cashflow, and the importance of understanding loan types like DSCR. Brenna provides valuable tips on performing pro forma calculations, the significance of amenities, cost segregation for tax benefits, and navigating different loan options. Connect with Kenny on...

Is it too late to invest in short-term rentals? In today’s Part 1 episode, I’m sharing a detailed analysis, talking about treating STRs as an active business rather than a passive investment, the importance of understanding market revenue drivers, and more.  Stay tuned for part 2 to hear from an expert in the STR industry about this frequently asked question!  Connect with Kenny on LinkedIn!

Please welcome special guest and seasoned real estate broker, Matthew McCall-Stillman, for this Part 2 episode! Matt shares his journey from long-term rentals to owning and managing a diverse portfolio of 51 properties, including a mix of short, mid, and long-term rentals. He highlights a case study of a successful property in Cadillac, Michigan, and outlines creative strategies for assessing market potential without relying heavily on traditional data sources. Throughout this conversation,...

No data? No problem! This week, I’m talking all about how to make informed investment decisions even when there is limited or no data available. I share my personal experiences with adding unique amenities to properties and discuss the importance of risk management for investors, especially first-timers. You’ll hear my outline for a two-step method for handling situations with sparse data, practical examples, and a secret formula for evaluating the potential revenue impact of...

Joe Rohne, real estate agent and investor, joins us this week to discus the challenges and lessons learned from using unreliable data in real estate investment. Joe shares his journey from participating in an accelerator program to owning and co-hosting short-term rentals in Panama City Beach and Branson, Missouri. We focus on why it's important to have accurate, season-specific data and robust performance analysis to avoid making poor investment decisions based on 'dirty data'. Connect with...