What New STR Hosts Learn in Their First Year. Real Income, Surprises, and What They Would Do Differently
Most new STR hosts earn 20-40% less than projected in year one. Here is what the first year actually looks…
Feature Writer & Editorial Voice
I grew up in a bilingual household in San Antonio where storytelling was just what you did. My abuela told folktales, my father turned his day into an adventure every evening at dinner, and somewhere along the way I decided I wanted to do that for a living. I started as a travel writer, spending years crisscrossing the Southwest and Latin America writing about the people and places I encountered. A profile I wrote on a family-run bed-and-breakfast in Oaxaca ended up getting national attention, and that piece taught me something I have carried ever since: the best stories live at the intersection of place, culture, and hospitality. When short-term rentals started reshaping communities, it felt like a natural fit. I saw hosts opening their homes, neighbors adjusting to change, entire neighborhoods in conversation about what belonging means. Those are the stories I chase now. I write features, profiles, and the occasional editorial, always trying to find the human thread that connects individual experiences to something bigger. I split my time between Austin and Mexico City, which gives me a front-row seat to how home-sharing plays out across very different cultures. If my writing works the way I hope it does, you finish reading and feel like you have been somewhere, met someone, and maybe understood something a little differently than before.
Most new STR hosts earn 20-40% less than projected in year one. Here is what the first year actually looks…
Real STR hosts break down every dollar it costs to operate in 2026: insurance, permits, TOT taxes, cleaning, management, software,…
First-time STR investors share what the property search process really looks like, the near-misses, red flags they caught or missed,…
Five cost categories most STR calculators miss and what real first-year hosts discovered when each one showed up in their…
First-time STR buyers share the specific mistakes that cost them money and bookings. From HOA CC&R traps to permit waitlists…
EU Regulation 2024/1028 went live today. In major European cities, short-term rental listings have already contracted sharply. Here is where…
With less than a month before the FIFA World Cup kicks off, we talked to STR hosts in Dallas, Houston,…
Luxury STR operators are thriving in 2026. Mid-range hosts are getting squeezed. Here is what the data shows about the…
Three hosts quit W-2 jobs to operate short-term rentals full-time in 2024-2025. Their year-one numbers tell a story of revenue…
Real stories from STR hosts in university towns. What graduation weekends, game days, and summer slumps actually look like from…
Take a look at our sister companies
Create your account to start analyzing properties
Analyze properties, track investments, and grow your short-term rental portfolio
Join 2,500+ STR investors getting weekly insights
We typically respond within 24 hours
Select a plan to get started with StaySTRA
1 property analysis per month • Basic STR metrics • Email support
Unlimited property analyses • Advanced STR metrics • Save & compare properties • Print reports
Everything in Pro Monthly • Best value - equivalent to 2 months free • Priority support
