STR Lessons From Surviving a Million Dollar COVID Loss

Monday Market Data: Breakdown of Seattle, WA Market

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin heads to the Pacific Northwest to break down the short-term rental market in Seattle, Washington. With more than 5,000 active listings, nearly 40 million annual visitors, and inventory growth exceeding 50% over the past few years, Seattle has become an increasingly competitive market for STR investors. But despite the growing competition, the data reveals something surprising: Seattle may be one of the least amenitized STR markets we've analyzed. In this episode, Mark covers: * Seattle's tourism demand and seasonality * The impact of corporate and mid-term rental travelers * Current STR regulations and licensing requirements * Why occupancy and revenue vary so dramatically across the market * The amenities that can instantly separate your property from the competition The takeaway? Unlike many markets where amenities have become standard, Seattle still offers tremendous opportunity for investors willing to create something unique. A simple hot tub and gym combination immediately puts you ahead of most of the competition, while a true "super property" would have virtually no competition at all. If you're considering investing in Seattle, this episode provides a roadmap for how to stand out in one of the country's fastest-growing STR markets. Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

Dream Cleaning with the Dream Team

A dirty property can ruin a guest experience before the vacation even begins. In this episode, Mark sits down with Logan, founder of Dream Clean Team, one of the largest vacation rental cleaning companies on Florida's Emerald Coast. Starting as a side hustle with his wife cleaning properties during summer break, Logan has grown the business into a full-service operation serving hundreds of short-term rentals across Northwest Florida. The conversation dives into one of the most overlooked parts of STR success: cleaning systems, guest readiness, and operational consistency. You'll learn: • The difference between a clean property and a guest-ready property  • Why laundry is often the biggest bottleneck in vacation rentals  • How professional operators scale cleaning across hundreds of properties  • The systems and SOPs that transformed a small side hustle into a major operation  • How cleaning impacts reviews, rankings, and repeat bookings  • Real stories of the wildest guest damage and turnover situations they've encountered  • How AI is helping streamline operations without replacing people If you're an STR owner, host, property manager, or investor, this episode will change the way you think about cleaning, guest experience, and operational excellence. __ 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 [http://strsearch.com/]

Monday Market Data: Breakdown of Yosemite, CA Amenities Market

Yosemite is one of the most visited national parks in America, attracting more than 4 million visitors every year. But when it comes to short-term rentals, the opportunity may be even bigger than most investors realize.  In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the Yosemite STR market, including travel demand, regulations, seasonality, and the amenities that separate average properties from true standouts. Here's what the data shows: *  Fire Pits → 64% of listings  *  Hot Tubs → 61%  *  Pools → 13%  *  Home Gyms → 13%  *  Game Rooms → 10%  *  Saunas → 8%  *  Playgrounds → 6%  *  Waterfront → 4%  *  Pickleball Courts → 1%  The takeaway? Most Yosemite rentals stop at a fire pit and hot tub. The investors who add game rooms, pools, saunas, or pickleball courts create true unicorn properties with very little competition. If you're looking for a mountain market where differentiation still matters, Yosemite deserves a closer look.

AI-Generated Direct Bookings

AI is moving faster than most short-term rental hosts realize. In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, Mark Lumpkin welcomes back Boostly founder Mark Simpson for a deep dive into how AI agents, automation, and direct booking technology are changing the future of hospitality. Mark Simpson shares how he went all-in on AI at the beginning of 2026, replacing repetitive manual tasks with AI agents that now help run parts of his business 24/7. What started as simple experiments quickly turned into real revenue, operational efficiencies, and entirely new systems for managing guests, marketing, and direct bookings. Throughout the conversation, they discuss the difference between basic AI chat tools and true AI agents, how operators can use AI without losing the hospitality element, and why most hosts are still thinking too small when it comes to automation. They also break down: * AI agents and how they actually work * Using automation to increase direct bookings * Why hospitality still matters more than AI * The future of Airbnb algorithms and booking platforms * AI tools that save operators hours every week * How hosts can leverage guest data more effectively * The importance of owning your customer relationships * Real examples of AI-generated revenue growth Mark also shares details about Boostly Connect, the new platform designed to help hosts better manage guest data, automate outreach, and improve direct booking performance. If you’re trying to stay ahead in the short-term rental industry, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. __ 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 [http://strsearch.com/]

Monday Market Data: Breakdown of Galveston, TX Market

Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in Galveston — one of the fastest-growing and most competitive beach markets on the Gulf Coast. With over 6,000 active listings and supply up more than 50% in just two years, Galveston has become a major target for STR investors. But despite the competition, there’s still a clear path to winning. In this episode, Mark covers: *  The travel demand driving Galveston tourism  *  Why cruise traffic creates consistent STR bookings  *  The amenities that are now mandatory to compete  *  And the rare amenities that can still create a true “unicorn” property  Here’s what the market looks like today: *  Pools → 35% of listings  *  Fire pits → 29%  *  Waterfront → 27%  *  Hot tubs → 20%  Those are expected. The real opportunity comes from the amenities almost nobody has: *  Pickleball courts → 2.2%  *  Mini golf → 1.5%  *  Movie theaters → <1%  *  Saunas → almost nonexistent  The takeaway?  If you want to stand out in Galveston, you need more than just a pool and a beach house.