Orlando-area Airbnb experience?

[Karen Miller]

Hello BP community! I'm wondering if anyone has any experience owning a property near Disney for the sole purpose of renting it out on Airbnb? I have used Airbnb for my travel accommodation but never hosted. I live and work in the area, so I would look to manage it myself and just hire cleaners. Searching my Airbnb app for the equivalent of what I'd buy, there seems to be a lot of competition but when I check these properties' availability calendar, many are nearly full. Is this a reliable way to determine demand? Also, do you have to pay the sales tax and bed tax? Any insight would be much appreciated!

[Kaynea Bingham]

@Joann Lim, Fairview Shores is a real residential neighborhood.  The city of Orlando, and some of the outlining areas have strict regulations on Airbnb's in residential areas.  In addition, like @Shawn G. mentioned, personally, I wouldn't Airbnb in this neighborhood.  I feel a lot like @Ken Latchers, I have a genuine passion for STR. Although I am making a great profit, I am serious about how I manage my STR and treat it as a business. I am VERY hands on and take each guest visit personal. As a real estate agent in Orlando, I usually suggest that Buyer's sit down and explain to me why they want to own and how their lifestyle plays into owning a specific property in Central Florida. Joann, what are your goals for ownership in Orlando? Are YOU planning on being hands on with LTR or STR? Are you going to be living here? Are you planning to manage the property yourself? Lastly, like Ken suggested, there are great resources out there to do good, solid market research. You definitely need a game plan and to understand what you are trying to achieve.