just send a payment request and block the days or even better get them to pay via zelle and block the days.

For instance, you can't block off May through December on your calendar - it will stay open and show as available to guests, and you'll need to explain in your description that you won't be renting it then.  

I own a similarly sized 4-plex on the same street two blocks away whose appraisal dropped from 1.674M to 1.434M (14.3%) for 2025. 

I invest in a couple states and I also am a agent in new jersey. my rule of thumb for a client is when they say I'm hoping for in a sentence describing a property I dive a little deeper into there goals because it sounds like they are trying to fit a square block into a round whole.

I like to say it goes block by block.

If you want to optimize you could identify the busy season and make that STR friendly and then the rest of the year block it for longer stays.

With new construction and renovations going on, on almost every block.

If banks controlled all this business and did away with the broker model and like what I experienced the lender was a bank employee and was on salary not commish.. docs are prepped by the bank ( on my commercial loans that is free no charge NO JUNK Fees at all just appraisal and 1/2 a point to maybe 1 point. this is a stumbling block for owner occ especially first time buyers who dont have money for closing costs and generally need the seller to contribute you know I see it all the time on my starter homes that I finance for flippers.. virtually everyone has seller assist on it to pay for all the junk fee's and brokers fees.. its getting paid somewhere and that just makes it harder for those buying homes to live in ..  

Even though I don't have long hour blocks in my day where I can dedicate to REI education or execution, these little efforts each day have taken me further than I was just a few months ago and will continue to take me much farther in my REI journey.

You've been around the block.