Newbie Question - STR by arbitrage in Clearwater, Florida

[Karen DeLone]

Trying to understand STR and zoning for Clearwater, Florida. (Not Clearwater Beach). A new concert venue was recently opened in the downtown and my husband and I have been looking at the demand for STR in that location. Here's the question - on the city website, it states no short term (nothing less than 30 days) for a residential home as a homeowner, yet, there are already operating STRs in residential areas in the city. We are using their average nightly price in our calculations. Can you get around the zoning, by signing a long-term rental agreement with a landlord, then arbitraging and managing an STR? As we would not be the "homeowner"?

[Andrew Steffens]

Hi Karen,

In city limits of Clearwater is illegal (30 night min only).  There are listings on there as people do operate illegally but I would not bark up that tree, especially while arbitraging.  Feel free to DM me we operate 80 or so listings in that area and wider FL.