Thanks For Visiting

If you are an Airbnb host, you have probably heard that earning Superhost status is one of the most important things you can do.

And it still matters.

But when roughly a third of U.S. hosts have the badge, Superhost alone is no longer enough to separate you from the competition.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the two things that actually determine which Superhosts win: listing analytics and revenue management strategy. They explain how to use Airbnb’s professional hosting tools to see whether guests are finding your listing, cl...

A bad review can feel personal, but defensiveness will not help you become a top-earning host.

Prevention will.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down six simple, fixable ways to prevent guest complaints before they happen and create the kind of stay that earns five-star reviews. None of these fixes are complicated, and most do not cost much to put in place. But skipping them can cost you far more in guest frustration, public reviews, and lost future bookings.

They cover why clear check-in instructions matter so much, especially when guests arrive...

If you have spent any time online lately, you have probably seen the headlines: rising costs, oversaturation, local bans, squatters, cleaning fees, strict house rules, and guests saying they are done with Airbnb.

But Sarah and Annette are not convinced the Airbnb market is collapsing.

They believe passive hosting is.

In this episode, they break down what is actually happening in the short-term rental industry in 2026, why guests are frustrated, and why the hosts going viral for the wrong reasons may be doing professional hosts a favor.

Sarah and Annette talk...

Most hosts think they are renting out a room, a house, or a place to sleep for the night.

But airlines used to think the same way about a seat.

Then they reimagined the flight experience. They built loyalty programs, unbundled extras, charged separately for convenience, and learned how to price based on demand. In this episode, Sarah and Annette explain what Airbnb hosts can learn from that same shift.

They break down how to stop seeing paid add-ons as “nickel-and-diming” and start seeing them as guest-centered convenience, luxury, and service. From fridge stoc...

When an Airbnb is not getting booked, most hosts blame the price, the market, or oversaturation.

But the real reason is often hiding in four places you can actually control: your listing, your data, your calendar, and your past guests.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the four areas every host should audit before dropping their rate. They explain why your title, hero image, photos, description, and review responses all affect whether a guest clicks and books. They also show why Airbnb’s professional hosting tools can help you find the exact point wh...

Shannon Leyh has been in the Thanks for Visiting world for years, but her hosting business looks very different today than it did when she first came on the podcast.

Shannon lives in Ohio and owns an out-of-state short-term rental in Snowshoe, West Virginia. For the first two and a half years, her property was managed through the resort’s rental program. But when the resort changed its housekeeping policy and Shannon realized how little visibility she had into guest issues, refunds, maintenance, and the guest experience, she decided it was time to take control.

In...

Allie White did not think she could manage her own short-term rental.

After a painful long-term rental experience and an underperforming short-term rental managed by a well-known property management company, she assumed someone else would always be better equipped to run the business.

But Serenity Cabin in Wintergreen, Virginia, was bleeding money. The property management company had brought in around $16,000 when Allie had expected much more, and selling the property would have meant walking away from the investment at the wrong time.

So she decided to test one question: what if she managed...

A better Airbnb setup does not always require a renovation.

Sometimes, the details guests remember most are the smallest ones: an extra blanket they can actually find, a coffee cup they can take on the road, a backup key when the smart lock fails, or a sound machine that helps them sleep better.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette share 10 simple but genius Airbnb setup hacks they use in every property they touch. These are low-cost, high-impact details that protect your property, reduce guest friction, prevent unnecessary messages, and create the kind of stay guests...

Sarah and Annette have generated $5 million through Airbnb hosting, but not because everything went perfectly.

That number came from more than a decade of building, making mistakes, fixing systems, managing guests, growing a team, and learning what actually moves the needle in a short-term rental business.

In this episode, they break down the seven biggest lessons they wish every host understood earlier. These are not just about choosing the right property. They are about the business around the property: clean finances, the right team, backup systems, brand standards, guest feedback, booking diversification, and knowing your...

Most hosts looking to grow their short-term rental portfolio start in the same place: Zillow, public listings, and whatever properties everyone else can already see.

But the best opportunities often never make it that far.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down four ways to find short-term rental properties before they hit the open market. They share how co-hosting can become an acquisition strategy, why being visible and vocal matters, how Facebook groups and local communities can surface hidden opportunities, and why working with STR-specific experts can help you spot the difference between a...

Most Airbnb hosts plan for the obvious costs: the mortgage, furnishings, cleaning fees, and maybe a few supplies.

But the expenses that hurt the most are usually the ones no one planned for.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down 11 short-term rental expenses that commonly catch hosts off guard. Some are small recurring costs. Others can wipe out thousands of dollars if they are missing from your forecast, budget, or profit and loss statement.

They cover everything from short-term rental insurance and permits to platform fees, tech stack bloat, credit card processing...

Gale Golden did not start with a perfect short-term rental strategy.

She started with a family ski house in the Adirondacks, a property that sat empty for years, and a decision: rent it or sell it.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette sit down with Gale to talk about how Five Star Lodge went from a beloved family property to a more intentional, more profitable short-term rental business. Gale shares how she first got into real estate, why she started hosting, and what changed when her market became more competitive after COVID.

She...

Steve Marquis did not stumble into short-term rental success.

Before buying his first Gulf Shores property, he was running seven or eight pro formas a day, studying markets, comparing opportunities, and trying to find the right investment. But once he finally bought his first condo, the real work started.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette sit down with Steve to talk about how he went from teacher to real estate agent to short-term rental investor, and how he used a data-driven approach to outperform his original revenue projections.

Steve shares why he chose...

Kim Kelley did not buy her Annapolis home with an Airbnb business plan.

She bought it so her family could be close to their daughter, Lizzie, while she attended the United States Naval Academy and played varsity lacrosse. After Lizzie graduated and was commissioned into the Navy, Kim had a decision to make: sell the house or turn it into something more.

So she “threw it on Airbnb.”

In this episode, Sarah and Annette talk with Kim about how The Goat Getaway became much more than a second home. Kim shares what it took...

You do not need to buy another property to build a six-figure Airbnb business.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the path they would take if they were starting with one property in 2026 and wanted to make $100K. Their answer is not buying more doors, taking on more debt, or jumping into rental arbitrage. It is co-hosting.

Before you manage someone else’s property, your own listing needs to be performing. Sarah and Annette walk through the numbers, systems, and standards that need to be in place first, including cost per reservation, pricing st...

You do not need to buy another property to build a six-figure Airbnb business.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the path they would take if they were starting with one property in 2026 and wanted to make $100K. Their answer is not buying more doors, taking on more debt, or jumping into rental arbitrage. It is co-hosting.

Before you manage someone else’s property, your own listing needs to be performing. Sarah and Annette walk through the numbers, systems, and standards that need to be in place first, including cost per reservation, pricing st...

Short-term rentals are not passive income. They take work, systems, pricing strategy, guest experience, and real operational discipline.

But that work is also what creates the opportunity.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down why short-term rentals can build wealth faster than traditional long-term rentals when they are run like a business. They compare the revenue ceiling of a fixed monthly lease with the earning potential of a well-managed short-term rental during peak demand windows, then explain how guest-paid mortgages, appreciation, and equity growth can create momentum toward the next property.

They...

Short-term rentals are not passive income. They take work, systems, pricing strategy, guest experience, and real operational discipline.

But that work is also what creates the opportunity.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down why short-term rentals can build wealth faster than traditional long-term rentals when they are run like a business. They compare the revenue ceiling of a fixed monthly lease with the earning potential of a well-managed short-term rental during peak demand windows, then explain how guest-paid mortgages, appreciation, and equity growth can create momentum toward the next property.

They...

Your Airbnb payout hitting your bank account is not the same thing as knowing your business is profitable.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette walk through the monthly payout routine they use to track revenue, catch missing money, compare actual payouts against forecasts, and move income into the right financial buckets.

They break down why every hosting business needs a dedicated business bank account, how to audit payouts against reservations, and why relying on your bank balance at the end of the month is not a real business metric.

You’ll also learn ho...

Your Airbnb might be beautiful, but that does not mean guests are going to book it.

When hosts struggle to fill their calendars, they often blame demand, competition, or the Airbnb algorithm. But the real problem may be sitting right inside the listing.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down six common mistakes that cause guests to scroll past a property or abandon it before booking. They cover everything from photography and listing titles to descriptions, reviews, pricing, and booking settings.

You’ll learn why real estate photography is not the same as...

If you've ever blamed the Airbnb algorithm for slow bookings, this episode might completely change how you think about your listing.

Sarah and Annette break down what the Airbnb algorithm is actually looking for—and why most hosts are focusing on the wrong things. Instead of chasing algorithm "hacks," they explain the five controllable factors that determine how often your listing appears in search and whether guests ultimately book.

From availability and minimum stays to hero images, reviews, pricing, and conversion rates, this episode offers a practical framework for diagnosing why your property isn't performing an...

Most Airbnb hosts are leaving money on the table without realizing it.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down four common guest requests that hotels routinely charge for but short-term rental hosts often provide for free. From early check-in and late checkout to pool heat, grocery stocking, and celebration setups, these services take time, coordination, and operational effort.

The hosts share real examples from clients who turned these requests into meaningful revenue streams, including one host who added thousands of dollars per month simply by charging for services guests were already expecting to pay...

Think your bookings are down because of the algorithm, seasonality, or increased competition? The real problem might be hiding inside your Airbnb settings.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the Airbnb features that could be creating friction for potential guests and limiting your visibility in search. They share three settings they recommend turning off immediately and five settings every host should review and enable to improve conversions, increase booking velocity, and create a smoother guest experience.

You'll learn why required booking messages can hurt conversion rates, the hidden downside of extra person fees...

If your Airbnb rating is sitting at 4.6, 4.7, or even 4.8 and you're wondering why bookings aren't growing, this episode is for you.

The truth is that most review-damaging mistakes aren't obvious. In fact, experienced hosts often make them because they're too close to their own properties to see the gaps.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down six silent mistakes that can cost you five-star reviews, lower your search ranking, and ultimately impact your revenue. From misleading listing descriptions and AI-generated photos to poor check-in experiences and inventory shortages, these are the issues that create...

You don’t need to spend more money to make your Airbnb look expensive. You need to spend in the right places.

In this episode, we’re breaking down what actually makes a property feel elevated to guests and more importantly, what gets them to click, book, and leave better reviews.

We’re sharing where hosts should invest, where they tend to overspend, and how to design with performance in mind so your property not only looks better, but earns more.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to “upgrade” your space without blowing your...

If it feels harder to get bookings right now, you’re not imagining it.

The Airbnb landscape has changed and the hosts who are still operating the same way they did a year ago are starting to feel it.

In this episode, we’re breaking down the new rules for 2026 and what it actually takes to compete in today’s market. From mindset shifts to pricing strategy to understanding your numbers, we’re sharing what the top-performing hosts are doing differently and how you can start applying it right now.

Because bookings aren’t gone. Th...

Laura Wegner didn’t get into short-term rentals because it was trendy. She got into it because her business disappeared overnight during COVID.

What started as a way to survive turned into a highly strategic hospitality business in Whistler, British Columbia. Today, Laura owns and manages premium ski-in/ski-out rentals and is preparing to expand into boutique property management with a very specific vision.

In this episode, Laura breaks down:

Josh Peterson didn’t start in short-term rentals by chasing deals. He started by solving a problem.

After too many mediocre hotel stays visiting his daughter at UNC, he bought a home near campus. What started as a second home quickly turned into a high-performing short-term rental—and then a full-on business.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

Instead of rushing to scale, Josh hit pause. He went back, optimized his first property, and unlocked a 35% revenue increase and a major jump in occupancy.

In this episode, we break down:

What does it actually take to scale a short-term rental business without burning out?

In this episode, we sit down with Amy Ruocco, founder of Hosted Guest, who went from running herself ragged in her business to building a more profitable, sustainable, and scalable operation.

Amy shares how she transitioned from instinct-based decisions to data-driven strategy, what finally helped her let go of day-to-day tasks, and how hiring the right team member changed everything.

We also dive into her journey from weddings to short-term rentals, the mindset shifts that unlocked major revenue growth...

Airbnb changed the fee structure again… and most hosts are asking the wrong question.

Everyone is debating which option to choose, but almost no one is looking at what actually happened to their numbers after the last change.

In this episode, we break down what Airbnb quietly updated, the biggest mistakes hosts are about to repeat, and the four audits you need to run before touching a single setting.

Because this isn’t about opinions, it’s about your profit.

What You’ll Learn:

If your Airbnb listing is getting views but not bookings, your title might be the problem.

In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the fastest and most overlooked ways to improve your listing performance: your Airbnb title. Because your title isn’t there to describe your space, it’s there to win the click.

We’re sharing the exact prompts we use (and teach our students) to create high-converting titles using AI, plus the strategy behind why they work. From understanding the click-through funnel to aligning your title with real-time demand, this episode will hel...

Most hosts think once the cleaner leaves, the property is ready for guests. But that assumption is exactly where five-star reviews start to slip.

In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, we’re walking you through the exact pre-arrival inspection checklist we use across our properties to ensure consistency, elevate the guest experience, and protect our reviews.

We break down the difference between “clean” and “guest ready,” why relying on one person to do both jobs creates gaps, and how introducing an inspector role can completely transform your operations.

You’ll learn how to systemati...

The short-term rental market is shifting—and what worked even a few years ago won’t cut it anymore.

In this episode, we sit down with Kenny Bedwell to break down the new rules of buying short-term rentals in 2026. From changing demand patterns to increased competition and rising guest expectations, we’re unpacking what’s actually happening in the market—and how to adapt.

Kenny shares how he’s still finding profitable deals across the country, why average properties are falling behind, and what it takes to create a top-performing listing today.

They get into:

Are you lowering your nightly rates because your calendar looks empty? If so, you might be panic pricing and leaving money on the table.

In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, Sarah and Annette break down one of the most overlooked metrics in short-term rental pricing strategy: your booking window.

Your booking window tells you when guests actually start shopping and booking their stay. If you don’t understand this data, you may be discounting too early, waiting too long to adjust pricing, or reacting emotionally instead of strategically.

The hosts share the tw...

If you’re hosting in 2026, chances are you’ve asked yourself at least one of these questions:

Am I underpriced if my calendar is filling faster than everyone else’s?

Should I switch to midterm rentals during the slow season?

Why is my listing cheaper than the competition but still not getting booked?

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down three real questions from hosts inside the Priced and Profitable Bootcamp VIP coaching sessions—questions that many hosts are quietly struggling with right now.

They unpack what these question...

If your cleaner controls your calendar… this episode is for you.

Today, we’re breaking down how to actually hire a five-star cleaner (not reactively, not desperately, and definitely not based on price alone).

Because here’s the truth: You are not hiring a cleaner. You are hiring the guardian of your five-star brand.

In this episode, we walk you through:

If you feel like you’re working harder than ever but not seeing the profit you want from your short-term rental, this episode is for you.

Today, we’re breaking down the pricing mistakes we still see hosts making every single day and how those mistakes are quietly costing you thousands in missed revenue.

We cover:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to the United States, and for short-term rental hosts, this is not just another busy weekend.

It is a multi-week, multi-city revenue opportunity.

In this episode, we break down what is really happening behind the headlines, including those $17,000 Airbnb listings near MetLife Stadium, and what smart hosts are doing differently.

This is not about price gouging. It is about understanding demand timing, fan behavior, booking windows, and strategic positioning.

Whether you are in a host city, a drive-to market, or nowhere near a stadium, the...

Where you host matters, but how you operate matters even more.

In this episode of Thanks for Visiting, Sarah and Annette break down what it really means to host legally and responsibly in today’s short-term rental landscape. From host-friendly states to high-risk markets, they explain why relying on outdated advice, spreadsheets, or assumptions can cost you everything.

You’ll learn how state and city regulations differ, why Airbnb won’t protect you from illegal operations, and how professional hosts stay informed, compliant, and profitable long-term. This episode is a must-listen for anyone buying, operating, or sca...

If the idea of hiring a virtual assistant feels overwhelming, or like something only “big hosts” do, this episode will change how you think about leverage.

In this episode, we break down five practical ways short-term rental hosts can use virtual assistants to improve follow-through, stay organized, and grow their business without handing over the keys or losing visibility.

Virtual assistants aren’t about stepping away from your business, they’re about staying focused on what actually matters. We share real-world examples, common mistakes hosts make when hiring VAs, and how to build a partnership that cre...