All Forum Posts by: Quinn Olivarez

Just a little reminder, our first meetup is today! 1pm, at axelrad in the midtown area. Hope to see y’all there! 

Just a little visual reminder of my event coming up, hope y’all can make it!

you don’t have to be super educated to understand this distinction. Most people don’t use dictionary definitions to guide their understanding of words. Language is just as much euphemistic as it is based on definitions.

And by your definition, putting gas in my car to get somewhere for work is investing. Or buying a particular uniform or wardrobe for work. No reasonable person would call their job an investment. Would you call leasing a car to do courier and ride share services an investment?

Arbitrage isn’t investing. It’s a side hustle with high input and high risk. You aren’t purchasing an asset that can appreciate and that you can borrow against. You’re buying furniture.

A STR full of ikea stuff definitely feels like one. Folks looking for something unique will scroll past your listing, leaving you to compete with guests seeking a cheap place to stay. As such, you will also be left with all of the problems that come with guests looking to spend as little as possible.

A crowded market just gives you more opportunity to stand out. It’s really simple. If you don’t think you have what it takes (financially, time wise, etc) to compete, then working on building that confidence is the next step. 

Galveston TX is a great in between market. Yes it's competitive, but deals can be had. Prices aren't insane, the infrastructure is there already for STR operations, and the city loves its vacation rental homeowners, so risk of regulation is comparatively low. If you'd like to discuss, feel free to DM me.

Just to add to the list of reasons STR arbitrage sucks. It's bad for the long term tenants of the property. Condos and apartment complexes aren't built to be treated like hotels, and very intentionally offer hotel-like amenities to guests to justify the rents. When folks do arbitrage in these properties, the pools and common spaces become effectively unusable for tenants. I lived in a building where illegal arbitrage became a rampant problem, and it significantly lowered the qualify of life for all us tenants.

Good business ethics means you need to evaluate how you affect the people around you, not just your customers. Rental arbitrage is a silly investment (even a broken clock is right twice a day) that has negative consequences for other relevant stakeholders. Don’t do it.