All Forum Posts by: Jon Martin

I've only done B. Not sure if I'd call them home runs but they seem to do well. I would consider A if the location was great and there was some low hanging fruit that was clearly holding them back (bad decor, management etc). 

Biggest gamechanger was going from 1st to 2nd property was getting a property with 5 bedrooms. Views are 4X and conversion is double over my 2/1. 2- and 3- bedrooms are the squishy middle with tons of competition, but when the potential guest needs to sleep a large group the pool shrinks dramatically. 

Obviously there are mature markets where this no longer stands out. 

What @Michael Baum said. Switching to a LTR would be the last thing I would do if a situation like that were to resurface. I also agree that most people are not going to go along with the charade again. If it is something truly catastrophic, then owning a few extra properties will be lesser on my list of concerns. 

From what I recall, most people who asked for mortgage pauses were given them. It's all government money backing the loans anyway. 

@Sarah Kensinger yes, I tried a few iterations of resizing. Also changed the contrast. Tried uploading via app and laptop. Nothing. Something about the photo is triggering the rejection.

I ended up pulling a photo from the MLS and cropping out the hideous towels they had hanging. . . . It'll have to do! Thankfully I've got tons of great photos from throughout the house so it really won't matter. Got about a dozen bookings within the first 4-5 days (all on ABNB)

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. To address them:

-File format is JPEG, same with all of my photos

-Tried resizing, filters, contrast; clearing image cache & cookies on laptop; uploading from mobile app (which would negate the previous); deleting the other bathroom photo that has the same tile pattern so it doesn't think it's a double (but otherwise looks very different) . . . None of it worked

-Cannot take photos of the bathroom since I am a long ways away. Next best option would be pulling MLS photos, which are close enough because no changes have been made. Might be what I have to do if customer service is no help

Seems that there is something that is throwing off the alarm bells in the photo and I cannot seem to figure out what it could be? 

Ugh. . . . I have tried well over a dozen times to upload a bathroom photo. It fits all the requirements- size limit, minimum pixels, file format, no text etc. I don't think I am pushing it over the total photo data limit because I have uploaded other photos since getting this one rejected. I have tried resizing, cropping, deleting other photos that are vaguely similar, etc. 

VRBO host "service" is closed. Anyone have any clue as to why it's not taking this photo? 

This is further confirmation for me as to why VRBO will always be 2nd fiddle to AirBnb. Thank you in advance to anyone who can offer assistance. 

I'm a big fan of college towns and mid-size cities. They tend to attract big companies, hospitable systems, cool downtowns with good restaurants, lots of events, and are usually a 1-2 hour drive from a major metro and airport. Many are also underserved by hotels. While I wouldn't center a STR around 5 home games in the fall and a graduation, there is usually a lot more going on in these types of towns to keep it busy. I grew up in a major football town, and a close family friend rents his personal home out for $3K a weekend.

While many were clawing over the Smokies, Joshua Tree etc and saying that you should only invest in vacation destinations I was quietly investing in a midsize city and enjoy great occupancy 10.5-11 months of the year. The high season highs aren't nearly as high, but the income is steady and reliable, and you also have more exit/pivot options. 

I'm sure it does . . . but it's not because of the kitchen reno. I can see either a pool or a shuffleboard table in the background, and I imagine it is in a good-to-great location. 

I am simply not seeing why any of those would be considered smart design decisions. They already had what look like good quality cabinets with a nice subtle finish. If anything the newer wood finishes are more outdated. The old backsplash looks good and all the colors worked together. Only thing I'm not sure of is the old countertop material, but it does look look in the photo. 

What exactly am I missing? Not trying to be mean here but kitchen rehab #2 is not making sense to me at all. Rehab 1 is marginally better, and 3 looks pretty good. 

Also, garbage can in the middle of the island and visible in your photos? Ew. Just no . . . . 

My thought is that the 2 before and afters above don't look much different . . . Looks like a waste of money for a marginal improvement. Especially on the right, where I wouldn't call those outdated finishes and the colors look nice, maybe just needs better lighting. I would also rather have upper cabinets than floating shelves, except for maybe in a compact unit with very outdated cabinets. 

That said what you are saying seems to be echoed elsewhere and fits how I would look for properties to rent. I would much rather have a place with a great outdoor space or game room and an OK kitchen than the opposite, especially since a lot of meals are eaten out anyway. OTOH bathroom renovations aren't too expensive, and I am always a fan of a larger walk in shower stall. 

 Agreed. Also, $50k revenue on a half million purchase is nothing to get excited about