Lake Lure, North Carolina Short-Term Rental Market
Lake Lure STRs averaged $210/night at 44.3% occupancy in April 2026, with an investability score of 81 out of 100.
Quick Answer: Lake Lure, North Carolina is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 58%. average monthly revenue is $3,793. average daily rate is $251. the top operator is Evolve with 723 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade B).
Market data reflects the North Carolina Mtns regional market, which includes Lake Lure. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Lake Lure.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Lake Lure, NC short-term rental market covers the mountain-lake resort corridor centered on the 720-acre man-made Lake Lure and the Chimney Rock State Park area in Rutherford County. In April 2026, the average daily rate across all active listings reached $210, with occupancy at 44.3% for the month and revenue per available rental (RevPAR) at $93. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy improved 3.2 percentage points, ADR edged up 0.4%, and monthly revenue grew 5.7%, indicating early recovery following the market disruption caused by Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
The market leans heavily toward entire-place rentals: 12,067 of approximately 12,370 active listings are entire-place units, with 303 private rooms. Two-bedroom properties make up the largest share (3,814 listings), followed by three-bedroom (3,371) and one-bedroom (2,991) units. Larger properties with four (1,418) and five or more (761) bedrooms are well represented. On the booking channel front, 7,543 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO simultaneously, 3,366 are Airbnb-only, and 1,461 are VRBO-only.
The StaySTRA market scorecard rates Lake Lure at 70.1 out of 100 overall, led by a strong investability score of 81.0 and regulation score of 74.2. Seasonality scores 71.0, revenue growth 67.6, and rental demand 59.4. The 2025 annual average occupancy of 48.5% and ADR of $221 provide context for the April 2026 monthly figures.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $183 | $1,842 |
| Feb | 41% | $181 | $1,882 |
| Mar | 47% | $187 | $2,363 |
| Apr | 47% | $194 | $2,450 |
| May | 49% | $205 | $2,533 |
| Jun | 61% | $230 | $3,558 |
| Jul | 68% | $226 | $4,163 |
| Aug | 56% | $218 | $3,422 |
| Sep | 49% | $207 | $2,750 |
| Oct | 61% | $212 | $3,426 |
| Nov | 49% | $213 | $2,819 |
| Dec | 46% | $208 | $2,732 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Lake Lure
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evolve | 723 | 35,109 | ★ 4.76 |
| 2 | Vacasa | 454 | 17,037 | ★ 4.47 |
| 3 | Yonder | 119 | 3,777 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Rumbling Bald Resort | 112 | 415 | ★ 4.35 |
| 5 | Bryson City Cabin Rentals | 112 | 1,400 | ★ 4.65 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Lake Lure?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 2,991 |
| 2 bed | 3,814 |
| 3 bed | 3,371 |
| 4 bed | 1,418 |
| 5 bed | 761 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $253 |
| Luxury | $433 |
| Professionally Managed | $290 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,628 |
| Entire Place | $3,843 |
| House | $4,036 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 27.2% |
| vrbo | 11.8% |
| both | 61% |
Investment Analysis
At an April 2026 ADR of $210 and 44.3% occupancy, estimated monthly revenue for a typical listing is $2,508. Annualized, that projects to roughly $30,100 per year. Against a typical home value of $453,301, that implies a gross yield of approximately 6.6%, before platform fees, management costs, and property expenses.
Luxury-tier listings command a notable premium: the average daily rate for the luxury segment reached $358 in April 2026, roughly 71% above the all-listing average. Professionally managed listings averaged $243/night, a 16% premium over the market average. Entire-home properties averaged $212/night, close to the overall market, while house listings specifically earned average monthly revenue of $2,651, compared with $2,541 for entire-place units across all property types and $1,762 for apartment-style listings.
Revenue trends show a market working through disruption and recovery. The 2024 annual average revenue per listing was $2,999/month; 2025 came in at $3,032, up slightly. ADR held relatively stable in the $221 to $223 range during 2024 and 2025, supporting the view that price integrity is intact even as demand recovers. The median active list price of $593,500 versus a typical home value of $453,301 suggests the active for-sale inventory skews toward larger or higher-end properties, with 122 units currently for sale.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, the average booking lead time for Lake Lure rentals was 48.8 days, meaning guests typically reserve approximately seven weeks in advance. The average length of stay was 3.7 nights, in the extended-weekend to short-week range typical of mountain lake resort destinations.
For hosts, a 49-day average lead time means that pricing strategy for summer peak dates, especially July, should be set at least six to eight weeks in advance. Late bookers tend to fill shoulder slots, so dynamic pricing tools that selectively reduce rates for near-term gaps can help recover occupancy without sacrificing peak-period revenue.
A 3.7-night average stay implies roughly 8 to 9 turnovers per month at full occupancy, which has real implications for cleaning logistics and turnover costs. Properties that accommodate midweek check-ins alongside weekend arrivals tend to capture a broader range of guests, especially during the strong October fall-color period when travel patterns are less concentrated around weekends.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lake Lure requires a Vacation Rental Operating Permit for any residential property rented for periods under 30 days. Single-family homes are broadly eligible across most zoning districts. Duplex and multifamily rentals are restricted and not permitted in R-1, R-2, and M-1 districts. There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement, and no stated annual night cap.
Applications go to the Code Enforcement Coordinator and require a site plan showing off-street parking, number of bedrooms intended for occupancy, sewer certification if on town sewer, a copy of the standard rental agreement, and the town’s rental addendum. Processing typically takes 3 to 4 days, up to about two weeks. The permit application fee is not published in the available data.
Operating requirements include 24/7 posted contact information on the building exterior, animal-resistant enclosed trash receptacles, parking only in designated areas, and a rental addendum included with each rental agreement. Overnight occupancy is capped at two persons per bedroom plus four additional guests, or 12 people total, whichever is less.
Lodging is subject to Rutherford County’s 6% occupancy tax plus North Carolina’s 4.75% state sales tax and applicable local sales taxes. Enforcement is rated moderate.
A narrow exemption from the permit requirement applies to properties rented no more than twice per calendar year for a combined total of under two weeks.
Recent context: Hurricane Helene struck on September 27, 2024, flooding and draining Lake Lure. A roughly 20-month restoration by the US Army Corps of Engineers concluded with the lake reopening to the public in spring 2026. Two tourism seasons were substantially disrupted, and demand is expected to recover through the 2026 summer season.
Market Comparison
Lake Lure’s April 2026 occupancy of 44.3% sits below the US STR median of approximately 55%, which is consistent with a shoulder-month measurement for a seasonal lake market and the ongoing post-Helene recovery context. The $210 ADR falls slightly below the US STR median of approximately $220, though the 2024 to 2025 annual average ADRs of $223 and $221 suggest the market trades near national norms when demand is fully recovered.
The revenue growth of +5.7% year-over-year in April 2026 is a positive signal relative to a broader national STR environment that has seen generally flat revenue per available night. The investability score of 81.0 out of 100 places Lake Lure above average for mountain-lake resort markets nationally.
On the operator side, Evolve leads with 723 listings and 35,109 reviews (4.76 average rating), making it the dominant professional manager in the market. Vacasa is second with 454 listings (4.47 rating), and Yonder holds third with 119 listings (4.71 rating). Local operator Rumbling Bald Resort manages 112 listings within the Chimney Rock and Lake Lure corridor. Evolve and Vacasa combined account for 1,177 listings, indicating that professional management is widespread and that independent operators compete against managers with substantial review volume and established guest trust.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lake Lure, North Carolina
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