All Forum Posts by: Shannon Strickland

The day this thread was started, "Thanks for Visiting" released an excellent podcast, #389, with tips to reduce risk. It's one of the few that I've listened to twice.

True. I only operate 1 STR and have only had 14 stays. After my doorbell camera alerts me to check in, I look to see that it's the same person. I heard a podcast mentioning a company that specializes in this called Super Hog. When I have a direct booking website, I will check into that business.

I also operate 1 MTR and RentRedi collects a photo of the ID with the person also physically in the photo and then Stripe verifies the biometrics’ authenticity. I’m sort of like a bank teller looking at an ID.

OwnerRez provided a way to collect a copy of a government-issued ID during the Rental Agreement e-signing. So far every booking guest's ID address matches their VRBO physical address.

@Zac Lindquist

No VAs are used here; I think I will self-manage as long as possible.

My occupancy would be close to 100%, but because of house hacking, sometimes I choose a gap between TMP contracts so family can visit.

I only list on Furnished Finder (FF). It is easy to find your comps there for quality and pricing.

Until an agreement is signed, communication is solely through FF. After signing, communication is through RentRedi and sometimes email.

@Zac Lindquist

Although my MTR is not in your location, I encourage you to listen to the Bigger Pockets Podcasts on LTR to MTR and read the book 30-Day Stay, especially since you have time on your side. That is how I got started.

I also encourage you to listen to the Thanks for Visiting podcast because they are in your city.

I hired an online interior designer and gave a per-square-foot budget. Then I purchased from Amazon, Wayfair, Etsy, and Costco. Consider saving up $10-$20 per square foot over the next year.

Apply the Enemy Method to find and study your comps. With OSU having a medical school, it seems like MTR will be a good pivot.

Not knowing exactly what you want to know about running operations, I will say that I created an evolving SOP that I follow that starts with a generated lead to after check-out.

My county is Very concerned about “occupancy and overcrowding”, so they made an ordinance that says, “A group of not more than three (3) persons not related by blood or marriage living and cooking together as a single housekeeping unit.” It would be wise for you to research your local occupancy and overcrowding ordinances.

@Robert Schwenkler

I only operate 1 STR which began Memorial Day weekend. Every week OR has an overview and Q&A webinar that I recommend.

I use OwnerRez and just searched the help section and they appear to have the rule setting you want. It's called "required time between bookings (prep time) rule".

Hi @Nathan M kiefer,

I'm currently only hosting my sixth guest in NMB, so my input is not as informative or deeply experienced as yours. While I don't supply paper towels, each of the three bathrooms is stocked with three rolls of toilet paper. But I don't provide any personal bathroom amenities (i.e. shampoo), and my guests are aware of that. So far, I haven't received any negative feedback about these choices. Since I purchased the 4/3 SFH this year and had to spend a significant amount on decorating and insurance, I've chosen to keep expenses to a minimum. My thought was one roll per person plus one extra—the house sleeps eight, so we supply nine rolls. I don't know why folks are complaining except that times and standards always change. Don't know if that helps!

I had the same question a year ago because it seemed daunting, but the Bigger Pockets Podcasts and books (such as Short Term Rental Long Term Wealth) encouraged me that I could do it. I just needed to hear that others were truly successfully managing on their own. Then, listening to the podcasts Short Term Rental Management, Short Term Rental Riches, Thanks for Visiting, and No Vacancy solidified that if others could do it, I could do it too. And I’m thrilled to say that now I am. If this old dog learned a new trick, so can others. Asking questions is how we learn. @Marc Shin, I hope you learned something after your posted question.