All Forum Posts by: James Carlson

@Erika Martinez

To your actual questions about mid-term rentals in Denver ...

The MTR market has seen a similar compression of revenues as the STR market saw the last few years. More supply of medium-term rentals meant lower rents for everyone. That said, just like with the competitive short-term rental market right now, there is always demand for a place with style and amenities in a good location.

You've got a good location, but I guess I'd worry that whatever was preventing your STR from thriving would likewise hinder your MTR.

We have an MTR condo in Denver and two 4br MTR homes in Colorado Springs. All are rented, but we also bought them all several years ago when prices and rates were lower, so MTR revenues are doing us just fine.

At the end of the day, even if you're not crushing it with cash flow, whatever you can do to cover your expenses while you hold on to the asset (the home) so that it can appreciate in value is what you have to do. Good luck!

@Erika Martinez

I'm interested in how long you've been doing the STR in Denver. Were you skirting the rules (don't mean to pry, but I'm interested for my own clients because the rules are explicit against any short-term rentals in Denver in anything other than your primary residence).

As a corollary to that question, Airbnb saw a drop in revenues in late 2022, 2023 and most of 2024 but my vacation rental buyers have seen an updtick in late 2024 into 2025 over previous years numbers. And with STR restrictions in Denver -- thus artificially limiting supply -- I'm interested in what wasn't performing well for your property.

May be counter to what others think, but I would buy all new everything (and possibly hire a designer).

From our own experience and what I see with my Colorado STR clients, there are two reasons:

1. Time. Sure you can try to do it on Craigslist and FB marketplace, but you'll spend so much time messaging, driving around, delivering, etc. Just buy in one or two places (Amazon is incredible now) to reduce time waste. 

Plus, doing it flea-market styl you're less likely to put together a cohesive design, which brings me to ...

2. Revenues. The Airbnb world is competitive now. The vacation rental clients I see having the most success here in Colorado are the ones that have great design. They either hired a designer or bought a cohesive look. 

My two cents. What do others think?

Quote from @Josh Ball:

Quote from @James Carlson:

That will be done in the end, just finding a temp solution until that can be done.

Totally get it. I have no experience with that thing, but I wish you luck with it. 

I also think we have to define for whom this will be a success or failure.

If I'm a business, I'm absolutely going to be on Airbnb Services. We had a tour business for a number of years that got around 25% of its business from Airbnb Experiences. For us, Airbnb put us in front of a massive audience of potential visitors.

If I'm Airbnb ... who knows. The Airbnb Experiences has been a mixed bag and does divert from their core business model.

If I'm an Airbnb guest ... not sure. I've booked a few experiences (mostly food tours) through Airbnb. I might consider booking a massage or spa treatment through them if it's right there.

Not what you're asking ... but I'd remove that damn thing.

There are Airbnb amenities that are a pain in the a** but that also bring value (hot tub, for instance, especially for my STR clients here in Colorado). Then there are amenities that are a pain in the *** but (I'd guess) add very little value. A fountain falls in the latter in my opinion.

@John Underwood

It seems like an offshoot of the Experiences they've been offering for five or six years now. (We actually ran a street art tour in Denver for two years that we offered through Airbnb Experiences.) 

I think it's brilliant of Airbnb. The Services offered so far seem in line with what a lot of travelers might want. Nails, spa treatments, massages, personal training. Airbnb is trying to be an all-in-one stop. 

I know my Colorado clients are a full spectrum of Airbnb properties -- from budget 1br cabins to high-end designed spaces. So it will be interesting to see if Services hit all those demographics.

I've had STR clients here relist and use the same language. Just have the PM delist right before you list and be sure to grab screenshots of the reviews as others said.

From a 2024 review of the place: "The swing really should have been mounted to the ceiling instead of the bed frame."

Can't "satisfy" everyone.

Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

I actually do not take whatever the city says as gospel.  

This is great advice. I talked to so many Colorado cities and counties in the early days of Airbnb and more often than not, the planning or zoning employee were flat wrong. Always ask for the actual city ordinance.

As I learned in journalism school, "If your mom says she loves you, investigate the claim."