Buford, Georgia Short-Term Rental Market
Buford, GA STRs averaged $219/night at 56.4% occupancy in April 2026, driven by 12 million annual Lake Lanier visitors.
Quick Answer: Buford, Georgia is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 64%. average monthly revenue is $5,266. average daily rate is $299. the top operator is Suyun Home with 26 listings. market score is 48/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Lake Lanier regional market, which includes Buford. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Buford.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Buford, Georgia short-term rental market draws its demand almost entirely from Lake Lanier, the most visited U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir in the country, which attracts over 12 million visitors annually. As of April 2026, the market reported an average daily rate of $219, occupancy of 56.4%, and RevPAR of $123. Approximately 1,267 active listings are distributed across a wide bedroom range: 1-bedroom units lead with 417 listings, followed by 3-bedroom (308), 2-bedroom (220), 4-bedroom (171), and 5-bedroom (151). Entire-place listings dominate at 1,028 (81% of inventory), with 239 private-room listings rounding out the supply. Airbnb is the primary distribution channel with 646 listings, while 532 properties list on both Airbnb and VRBO, and 89 list exclusively on VRBO. Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy improved 2.8 percentage points and revenue grew 4.2%, though ADR slipped 2.1%. The market’s investability score of 75 out of 100 reflects relatively strong rental demand (64/100), while a total market score of 48 signals moderate overall performance, shaped in part by regulation complexity across multiple county jurisdictions surrounding the lake.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41% | $167 | $2,128 |
| Feb | 53% | $166 | $2,190 |
| Mar | 57% | $197 | $2,999 |
| Apr | 56% | $205 | $3,051 |
| May | 59% | $246 | $3,731 |
| Jun | 65% | $286 | $4,862 |
| Jul | 67% | $289 | $5,084 |
| Aug | 56% | $259 | $3,982 |
| Sep | 53% | $238 | $3,349 |
| Oct | 55% | $225 | $3,412 |
| Nov | 52% | $221 | $3,098 |
| Dec | 50% | $213 | $3,110 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Buford
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suyun Home | 26 | 331 | ★ 4.65 |
| 2 | Evolve | 25 | 626 | ★ 4.82 |
| 3 | Landing | 19 | 1 | ★ 2.60 |
| 4 | Anna Home | 16 | 136 | ★ 4.63 |
| 5 | ATLHomestay | 14 | 65 | ★ 4.93 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Buford?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 417 |
| 2 bed | 220 |
| 3 bed | 308 |
| 4 bed | 171 |
| 5 bed | 151 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $328 |
| Luxury | $658 |
| Professionally Managed | $224 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,676 |
| Entire Place | $5,828 |
| House | $5,811 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 51% |
| vrbo | 7% |
| both | 42% |
Investment Analysis
Buford’s STR investment case is anchored by Lake Lanier’s year-round demand. At a typical home value of $472,535 and average monthly revenue of $3,377, annualized gross revenue runs approximately $40,529, implying a gross yield of about 8.6% before expenses. Entire-place listings outperform the overall average significantly: entire-place properties averaged $3,746 per month versus $1,911 for apartments and $3,709 for houses. Luxury-tier properties command an ADR of $468 versus the market average of $219, demonstrating meaningful pricing power at the upper end. Professionally managed listings average $172 ADR, below the market mean, reflecting that the PM tier here includes many budget-positioned urban units rather than premium lake properties. The multi-year revenue trend shows the market peaked in 2021 at an average of $3,977/month, pulled back through 2023-2024 to $3,537-$3,677, and stabilized into 2025 at approximately $3,540. The April 2026 trailing figure of $3,377 is partly seasonal (April is a shoulder month). Investors should note that the effective opportunity depends heavily on county jurisdiction: Forsyth County’s Conditional Use Permit process and A1/Ag-Res zoning restriction limits where new STR properties can be added, which can benefit existing permitted operators. Housing inventory at 351 units for sale with a median days-to-pending of 44 indicates a moderately active buyer market.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Buford guests book an average of 34 days in advance, providing operators a meaningful window for pricing adjustments before arrival. This lead time is long enough to implement dynamic pricing strategies, but short enough that last-minute discounting may be needed during shoulder months to fill gaps. Average length of stay is 5.2 nights, which reflects the leisure-oriented Lake Lanier visitor profile: most guests arrive for a long weekend or full-week lake vacation rather than a single night. A 5-night average is favorable for operators because it reduces turnover frequency, lowers cleaning costs per occupied day, and typically correlates with guests who engage more deliberately with the property experience. Combined with the 34-day lead window, operators should set dynamic pricing that holds rates firm through the 45-day mark before arrival and begins adjusting only within the final two to three weeks if occupancy gaps appear.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Lake Lanier spans five Georgia counties, each with distinct STR rules, and the regulations differ materially depending on which county a property falls in. Hall County (covering much of the north Lanier shoreline) permits STRs in all residential zoning districts. Operators must obtain a county business license through a three-step process: license application, a building inspection ($75 fee, with Fire Marshal inspection added for properties with 16 or more occupants), and annual renewal by January 1. A local contact must respond to complaints within one hour. Hall County collects a 5% hotel/motel excise tax; starting August 2025, monthly remittance reports are due by the 20th of each month. Airbnb and VRBO remit taxes automatically for platform bookings; direct bookings require owner remittance. Forsyth County restricts STRs to A1 (Agricultural) and Ag-Res (Agricultural Residential) zoning only. Before licensing, operators must obtain a Conditional Use Permit through a public notice and county planning hearing. The annual STR license costs $250 and expires December 31. Forsyth County raised its hotel/motel excise tax to 8% in late 2024. Gwinnett County passed a new STR ordinance in April 2026 requiring annual licenses, safety inspections, and 24/7 local agents for all STRs in unincorporated areas. Enforcement is characterized as moderate. Investors must verify the specific county jurisdiction for any target property before purchase, as STR eligibility can vary significantly by parcel.
Market Comparison
Buford’s April 2026 ADR of $219 sits just below the U.S. STR median of approximately $220, and its occupancy of 56.4% is slightly above the national median of roughly 55%. This positions Buford as a mid-tier market by national benchmarks, with performance tightly aligned to U.S. norms. The market’s investability score of 75 out of 100 compares favorably to many lake markets, reflecting Lake Lanier’s scale and its accessibility from the Atlanta metro (approximately 60 miles north). The operator landscape is fragmented. Suyun Home leads with 26 listings and a 4.65 rating across 331 reviews. Evolve holds 25 listings with a 4.82 rating across 626 reviews. ATLHomestay earns the highest guest rating at 4.93 across 14 listings. Landing holds 19 listings but carries a 2.60 rating, suggesting variable guest experience across that portfolio. No single operator controls more than about 2% of the estimated 1,267-listing inventory, meaning the market remains predominantly self-managed with no dominant regional property manager.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buford, Georgia
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