The popularity of short-term rentals has grown at a rapid pace in the past years. As an Alvin rental property owner, you might be wondering about buying or converting one of your properties to a short-term rental. Before you do, it’s a good idea first to examine both the pros and cons of owning a short-term rental property. While short-term rentals are a good fit for some, other investors may notice that the quantity of effort required isn’t worth it.
Perhaps the number one advantage to owning a short-term rental property is the potential for higher rental income. Short-term rentals typically rent for more per day than a long-term rental would. Then, if you can keep your property rented out, you can benefit a bit more each month than you’d acquire from a long-term lease. Short-term rentals let you increase prices at times of high demand, helping you to maximize your profits.
Another significant benefit of owning a short-term rental is that it offers a lot of flexibility. Contingent upon how you go about it, you could be renting your property a week at a time or for several months. If your rental property is in a nice vacation spot, you could use any vacancies as a chance for a personal getaway. You can also conveniently place your property on rental platforms like Airbnb, which means never dealing with leases. You can also remove your listing from those sites at any time should you want to convert your property back to a long-term rental.
On the contrary, there are a few drawbacks to owning a short-term rental. Although there is often a good potential for higher income, at the same time, that income is a lot less stable. Most short-term rentals experience seasonal fluctuation, which means that your property can stay idle much more often than you would want. While positive marketing and creativity might help you avoid this, it’s imperative to consider that even your guidance and support may not be enough. Short-term rentals are very sensitive to economic conditions, and economic downturns often result in less demand.
Another major issue of short-term rentals to keep in mind is that you will have higher costs. Preparing a short-term rental could mean requiring to furnish it and stock it with essentials. If you want your property to be competitive, it will need to have attractive furnishings and décor. You will also need to provide your tenants with essential things, such as linens, toilet paper, pots and pans, and more. These things will need to be re-stocked between tenants, which can start to add up over time.
There will also be lots of cleaning and maintenance required for a short-term rental. If you’re doing it yourself, getting the place ready for the next tenant will take quite a bit of your time. But hiring someone to do it for you could get expensive, especially if your property is in high demand. It’s essential to guarantee that the house is being thoroughly cleaned between tenants and that necessary maintenance and repairs are being done correctly and immediately. Failing to do so could result in bad online reviews and fewer bookings in due course.
Ultimately, it’s important to check state and local regulations on short-term rentals. Many cities have imposed strict regulations forbidding short-term rentals in some areas, and so have many homeowners’ associations. Because restrictions vary from place to place and from neighborhood to neighborhood – it’s imperative to perform research before buying or converting a property to use as a short-term rental.
Need help managing your current rental property? Give Real Property Management Prestige a call at 281-984-7463. Or conveniently contact us online.
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