Should I stay away from STRs that only have 1 bathroom?

[Marc Shin]

I see many properties that are 2/1 or 3/1.  Should I stay away from these and only consider purchasing properties with at least 2 baths?   the idea is that if there’s only 1 bathroom then if it clogs it’ll be a huge hassle for the tenants and for me the owner.  Thoughts?

[Theresa Harris]

I have a few rentals that only have one bathroom and it isn't a problem.  They are long term rentals, not short term.  I think the bigger thing is the number of bathrooms to bedrooms.  A 2/1 or 3/1 is okay (though ideally 3/2), but any more people staying there, then a second bathroom is needed.

[Laura Nelson]

Definitely depends on where they are and who your desired guest is. A clogged toilet is a hassle no matter what. I have two 1/1s in a high cost mountain resort area, and they have rented out just fine to the right guest profile.

[John Underwood]

I put in the Champion toilet that flushes 8 golf balls.

My.kids used to stop up the upstairs toilet till I put in one of these. They never clogged this bad boy.

Smaller house should be ok with one bathroom, but I would want a bigger house.

[Jon Martin]

Not an issue. I have a 1 bath property and it does great, although it is a 2 bedroom. With 3 bedrooms it's more of an issue, but people on vacation are somewhat accustomed to it. 

Although if you need to exit in a down market 1 bath properties can be tougher to sell. 

[Michael Baum]

Hey @Marc Shin, like others have said, 2/1 OK, 3/1 less OK.

American Standard Cadet III. Flushes everything. Even stuff on the counter....

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Marc Shin:

I see many properties that are 2/1 or 3/1.  Should I stay away from these and only consider purchasing properties with at least 2 baths?   the idea is that if there’s only 1 bathroom then if it clogs it’ll be a huge hassle for the tenants and for me the owner.  Thoughts?

You can get by with just one, but 2+ is certainly attractive to renters, particularly short-term guests.

[Annie Seurer]

I'd focus on number of bedrooms and where there is a gap in the market. Market saturated with 3 or 4 bedrooms, a 2 bedroom may be ideal. 

[Ray Hage]

Unless you are getting a ton of bad guests, I think a 1 bath property is fine. I have 5 rentals with 1 bathroom and there haven't been many issues over the years. Of course, if you can find a property where you can add a 2nd bathroom or maybe a half, you'd be better off in the random case of a toilet clog.

[Sarah Kensinger]

STR is a completely different mindset then LTR, so worrying about clogs is just something to deal with in the STR world. Some hosts have found that more bathrooms are more attractive than offering a large living room, but I think it's somewhat market and guest avatar specific. So, I would think about what type of a guest comes to the area and who you're wanting in the property. Once those answers are in mind, find the proper bed/bath number count that fits your guest avatar.

[Mike Grudzien]

I've read this entire discussion.
You've got to be sh*tting me...
What's with all the potty talk...?
My 2 cents,
Mike

[David Ramirez]

I wouldn't shy away from them. I would analyze the market, understand the target demographics based on comparables, and decide from there.

[Bruce Woodruff]

Depends completely on your target market, location  and demographics. Of course the more bathrooms the better, but if you find a screaming deal on a 1 Bath house, go for it!

[Andrew Steffens]

IMO it depends on thee market, but a 3/2 is always more desirable. Most of our 3 bedroom 2 baths fit 10-12 people comfortably. I would cap occupancy at 8 if there were only 1 bathroom. That occupancy difference will likely lead to lower ADR and/or lower occupancy rate, affecting ROI potentially.

[Garrett Brown]

The market and stay are really important. I'll echo everyone's sentiments and say 2/1 ok..3/1 not as much. 3/2 is always desirable for short or long term. 

[Jon Martin]

Quote from @Sarah Kensinger:

Once those answers are in mind, find the proper bed/bath number count that fits your guest avatar. 

I ran the guest count numbers for 2023 and 2024 for each booking at my 2/1. The averages, medians, and % distribution of 1/2/3/4 guest stays were almost dead on between the 2 years. It was uncanny to see, with 2 guest stays being about half and then roughly similar splits between 1, 2, and 4 guest stays. Which makes sense because I can still be in the same ballpark price wise as a hotel to pick up those 2 guest stays (presumably mostly couples, but not always), with the added value of everything a SFR provides.

Part of me wonders if had 2 full baths I would book more 3 or 4 guest stays, and could then maybe add an extra guest fee for 3/4 guest bookings? Would be an interesting experiment but my instinct tells me that it wouldn't change much. Curious if anyone else here has a similar experience. 

[V.G Jason]

Quote from @Marc Shin:

I see many properties that are 2/1 or 3/1.  Should I stay away from these and only consider purchasing properties with at least 2 baths?   the idea is that if there’s only 1 bathroom then if it clogs it’ll be a huge hassle for the tenants and for me the owner.  Thoughts?

Only a 2/1. Avoid 3/1 or deeper bedroom:bathroom ratios. IF you're in a HCOL area or HCOL region in a normal area, definitely add a bathroom it's a huge appraisal add and game changer. 10-15 years from now when you sell, nobody wants a 3/1 now and won't then. 3/1s stay sticky in any market I'm in, I'll buy distressed and add 1-2 bathrooms and get a huge return on just that. 

Don't value the house just for STR purposes, value it as the asset it is. How you market it is how you market it.

[Mike Shemp]

@Marc Shin

We have a 2BR/1B and a 1BR/1B and are booked year round, even during the off-season.

[Mike Sebastian]

Anything over two bedrooms needs two bathrooms. Guests are there to do things like hike, visit museums, go out to eat, etc. They don't want to sit & wait around for everyone to get ready. With that said, if there are only one or two bedrooms then they won't have to wait too long. 

[Bruce Woodruff]

Quote from @V.G Jason:

Don't value the house just for STR purposes, value it as the asset it is. How you market it is how you market it. 

There you go ^^^

And remember, STR speaking, that there is a value for 2/1's or even 1/1's. A lot of couples traveling on their own would much rather have a smaller place, but really nice. If you get a 2/1 for instance, don't worry so much about the single bath, (most hotels/motels ahve 1 bath, right?)...instead spend money on better amenities. This is thinking with your STR hat on.

But as VG Jason says, if you think about the property simply as an Asset, then you will want to add another bath...