Thanks For Visiting

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...

Many hosts say “I feel like my listing is buried.” But feelings don’t get bookings—data does.

In this episode, we break down the four Airbnb metrics that actually impact bookings and show you how to use Airbnb’s Professional Hosting Tools to pinpoint exactly where guests are dropping off in your funnel.

Instead of randomly tweaking photos, prices, or descriptions and hoping for the best, you’ll learn how to make one strategic change at a time, guided by real performance data, not guesswork.

We also reveal a common mistake hosts make that qu...

What if your short-term rental could make money without guests sleeping there?

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down unconventional — but proven — ways hosts are generating additional revenue by leveraging their properties during the day, shoulder seasons, or slower periods.

From commercial photo shoots to coworking days, private events, pool rentals, and wellness experiences, this conversation challenges the idea that overnight stays are the only path to profitability.

You’ll learn:

If you haven’t looked at the 2026 calendar yet, this episode is your wake-up call.

In 2026, major holidays fall on Fridays and Saturdays — and that one detail changes how guests book, arrive, and leave. If you price holidays the same way you always have, you risk blocked calendars, forced turnovers, or sitting empty on some of the biggest revenue weekends of the year.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette walk through the 2026 holiday calendar and explain exactly how different holiday placements affect demand, guest behavior, minimum stays, and turnover flow. This is not about guessing — it’s a...

This Hosting Hotline episode looks a little different.

Instead of answering a listener question, Sarah and Annette are pulling back the curtain on a big decision: sunsetting the Hosting Hotline format and refocusing their time, energy, and creativity on deeper ways to support hosts.

In this episode, they share the real reasons behind the shift, what they’ve learned from years of Hotline questions, and why “less but better” has become a guiding principle for both Thanks for Visiting and their own hosting businesses.

You’ll hear:

AI is no longer a future concept for hosts. It is already shaping how guests search, discover, and choose where to stay.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette sit down with AI strategist Rick Mulready to break down what hosts actually need to understand about AI right now and how it impacts visibility, bookings, and direct booking websites. From generative engine optimization to answering guest search questions inside AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, this conversation goes beyond buzzwords and into real, practical applications.

You will learn how AI is changing search behavior, why traditional...

Should you rename your Airbnb listing photos with SEO keywords before uploading them? In this Hosting Hotline episode, Sarah and Annette break down when photo naming actually matters and when it doesn’t.

They explain how Airbnb and other OTAs interpret image data, why guest search behavior matters more than marketing adjectives, and how intentional photo naming can support long-term visibility and accessibility across platforms. This isn’t a shortcut or hack—but it is a smart, low-effort optimization that compounds over time.

If you’re serious about aligning your listing with how guests search, and help...

Furnishing a short-term rental can feel overwhelming and expensive, especially when you’re trying to stand out in a competitive market. In this episode, we break down exactly where hosts should splurge and where they can save when furnishing their properties.

After furnishing dozens of short-term rentals and helping hosts across the country do the same, we’ve seen the same costly mistakes over and over again: overspending on things guests don’t care about and cutting corners on the things they absolutely do.

We walk through the specific items that have the biggest impact on gue...

Airbnb’s host fee changes have left many hosts wondering where, and how, to make adjustments without breaking their pricing strategy.

In this Hosting Hotline episode, Sarah and Annette answer a question from Jenna Louise about whether management fee changes should be handled inside PriceLabs or directly through Airbnb or a PMS.

They walk through why your base rate must remain stable, why there’s no universal percentage that recaptures Airbnb’s new host fee, and what hosts should be tracking right now as platforms continue to evolve. If you’re trying to protect your margins...

What do the most-downloaded Thanks for Visiting episodes of 2025 have in common?

They weren’t about shortcuts or trends. They were about pricing, revenue, and running a smarter hosting business.

In this episode, Sarah and Annette break down the top-performing episodes of 2025 and what they reveal about how hosts are thinking differently. From pricing strategy and upgrades to insurance, taxes, cancellation policies, and direct bookings, a clear pattern emerged: hosts want clarity, confidence, and better decision-making backed by data.

If you’re heading into the next year focused on profitability and long-term growth, this...

This week on the Hosting Hotline, Vanessa brings a highly unique scenario: an off-grid cabin by the river and a big decision to make: stay fully off grid or add water to potentially increase demand.

Rather than treating this as a technical upgrade question, Sarah and Annette zoom out to what really matters: your goals, your values, and the kind of hosting business you actually want to build.

In this episode, we cover:

AI is everywhere—and short-term rental hosts are using it more than ever. But where does AI actually help, and where can it quietly create risk?

This week, Sarah and Annette are joined by attorney Scott Brown to break down what hosts need to understand before relying on AI in their business, especially when it comes to legal agreements, contracts, and compliance.

In this episode, we cover:

This week on the Hosting Hotline, Randa writes in with a question many new hosts face: What should I be focusing on while I’m waiting to take possession of my first short-term rental?

Sarah and Annette walk through exactly how to use this in-between time wisely—so you’re not scrambling once the first guest checks in.

In this episode, we cover:

Every market has a slow season—and no, it doesn’t mean your listing is broken. This week, Sarah and Annette break down how to use your slow season strategically so you can maximize revenue when demand returns.

In this episode, we cover: