New 2 BP | Experienced @ Pittsburgh STR

[Donny Martin]

My name is Donny Martin. I’m a Navy Veteran and full-time Electrical Engineer in Pittsburgh. I got my start in real estate about 10 years ago. I was elected president of a contentious and underachieving condo association where I was living with my wife. We had a vision for the property and we were able to earn the trust and support of the owners to see it through. Together we restored the beauty of that historic Shadyside area mansion and subsequently sold our unit for nearly $100k more than any unit had sold there before (424 Shady Ave). We had found our true professional passion in life.

Today my wife and I operate a few high-end Short Term Rentals (STRs) in the Shadyside area of Pittsburgh. We established an LLC and spent nearly every free moment to grow it. We still use the booking sites (AirBnB, HomeAway, etc), but we do most of our business directly with customers now through our referrals, networks, and website . We've turned a lot of business away lately and have started considering third-party property management as a mutually beneficial way to expand our offerings. It would be on a very small scale to ensure that quality can be maintained.

I’ve just begun enjoying the BP community and have developed a respect for the quality and legitimacy of the users of these forums. My hope is to use this platform to expand our network and understanding. I’m also a big believer in win-win opportunities. The only thing that beats closing a deal is creating new allies in the process.