Air BnB, short-term, vacation rentals in NC and SC advice

[Sarah W.]

I've read a few older posts on this topic but would love to hear from anyone doing short-term rentals  anywhere in NC and SC, particularly in Charlotte, Boone, and the coast. I am researching what market would give the best returns and have the lowest occupancy.  Charlotte is my local market and it seems there is quite a bit of activity in the uptown area, Dilworth, Elizabeth, and Southend but they are also expensive to purchase in right now. Not sure if the returns would be worth it.

The other options I'm looking into are Boone, Charleston, and the Oak Island areas. From what I've been reading, the coastal areas typically do not cash flow due to the 13 week peak season and the rest of the year vacancies, in addition to the higher maintenance costs, etc.. Boone seems to be saturated with vacation rentals, but I'd use that property a bit more since it is closer to home.

Any guidance or experience in these areas would be much appreciated! I'm trying to make a couple of purchases this year before rates start climbing.