Malabar, Florida Short-Term Rental Market
Malabar, FL and the surrounding Space Coast market averaged $239 per night at 60.2% occupancy in April 2026 across 6,537 active listings.
Quick Answer: Malabar, Florida is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 67%. average monthly revenue is $4,433. average daily rate is $246. the top operator is Happy Palm Stays with 408 listings. market score is 62/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Melbourne/Titusville regional market, which includes Malabar. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Malabar.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The short-term rental market tracked for Malabar, Florida (southern Brevard County, Space Coast) covers a broad coastal geography with 6,537 active listings. In April 2026, the market posted an average daily rate of $239 and occupancy of 60.2%, generating average monthly revenue of $3,956 per listing. RevPAR was $144.
The listing mix is nearly all entire-place rentals: 5,976 listings (91%) are whole-home or whole-unit properties, 558 are private rooms, and 3 are shared rooms. By bedroom count, 2-bedroom units lead at 2,328 listings, followed by 1-bedroom (1,718), 3-bedroom (1,529), 4-bedroom (602), and 5-bedroom and above (347).
Listings are split across channels: 2,260 on Airbnb only, 727 on VRBO only, and 3,550 active on both platforms.
Year-over-year as of April 2026, occupancy declined 3.5% and revenue fell 4.0%, while ADR edged up 0.5%. The 2025 annual average occupancy was 62.3% at an ADR of $212 and average monthly revenue of $3,707, nearly flat versus $3,702 in 2024.
Malabar itself is a small rural town of about 3,066 residents in southern Brevard County. The market data reflects the broader Space Coast area, where demand is driven by beach access, Kennedy Space Center, Sebastian Inlet State Park, and Space Coast rocket launches. The composite market score of 62.4 out of 100 reflects strong investability (77.9) and rental demand (89.0), offset by lower revenue growth (48.3) and seasonality (67.4) scores.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 65% | $173 | $3,059 |
| Feb | 81% | $187 | $3,587 |
| Mar | 81% | $213 | $4,524 |
| Apr | 63% | $200 | $3,427 |
| May | 61% | $191 | $3,212 |
| Jun | 71% | $213 | $4,011 |
| Jul | 72% | $201 | $3,985 |
| Aug | 56% | $179 | $2,916 |
| Sep | 49% | $161 | $2,254 |
| Oct | 56% | $163 | $2,531 |
| Nov | 57% | $166 | $2,434 |
| Dec | 59% | $176 | $2,697 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Malabar
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happy Palm Stays | 408 | 13,709 | ★ 4.82 |
| 2 | Beachside Vacation Rentals | 284 | 8,885 | ★ 4.70 |
| 3 | Evolve | 111 | 5,255 | ★ 4.69 |
| 4 | Beachside VR | 65 | 1,862 | ★ 4.49 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 63 | 1,562 | ★ 4.32 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Malabar?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,718 |
| 2 bed | 2,328 |
| 3 bed | 1,529 |
| 4 bed | 602 |
| 5 bed | 347 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $257 |
| Luxury | $407 |
| Professionally Managed | $277 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $3,883 |
| Entire Place | $4,654 |
| House | $5,078 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 34.6% |
| vrbo | 11.1% |
| both | 54.3% |
Investment Analysis
The Space Coast market near Malabar offers high absolute revenue alongside a premium home cost. At a typical home value of $535,000 and 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $3,707, an investor projecting a full-year average generates approximately $44,484 annually, implying a gross yield of roughly 8.3% before operating expenses.
Luxury-tier listings averaged $410 per night in April 2026, a 72% premium over the $239 market-wide average. Professionally managed listings averaged $272, a 14% premium over the market average. Entire-home listings averaged $249 ADR, 4% above the market average.
Revenue by property type: houses average $4,364 per month, entire-place listings $4,157, and apartments $3,627. The house-to-apartment monthly gap is approximately $737.
The YoY trend signals caution: revenue declined 4.0% in April 2026 compared to April 2025, and the 2025 annual average was essentially flat at $3,707 versus $3,702 in 2024. Occupancy has compressed from 65.5% in 2023 to 62.3% in 2025, with the April 2026 reading at 60.2%. This declining occupancy trend and the 4.0% revenue drop suggest increasing supply competition in the Space Coast market. For sale inventory was very limited at 13 listings in the April 2026 housing snapshot for the immediate Malabar area, reflecting a constrained local supply.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Space Coast guests book an average of 54 days in advance, nearly a 2-month lead time. This longer window reflects the market’s profile: beachside vacation planning, rocket launch viewing trips, and multi-family leisure stays typically get booked weeks or months ahead. Operators should set rates and availability at least 8 weeks out to capture the majority of demand.
Average length of stay is 4.9 nights. At 60.2% occupancy and 4.9 nights per stay, a property fills approximately 4 bookings per month (roughly 18 occupied nights per month at 4.9 nights per booking). The near-5-night average stay is consistent with week-long beach vacation booking behavior, where guests often book Saturday-to-Saturday or Sunday-to-Sunday stays.
The 54-day lead time means operators cannot rely heavily on last-minute demand to fill the calendar. Aggressive last-minute discounting in August and September can help move otherwise-empty dates, but properties that price well in January through March when demand peaks are better positioned for the year overall.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Malabar has no dedicated STR ordinance. Under Florida Statute 509.032, the town cannot ban whole-home vacation rentals or restrict rental duration or frequency, as no qualifying local ordinance predated June 1, 2011. STRs operate as a permitted residential use subject to standard zoning, parking, septic, and noise rules.
State-level requirements apply: any rental of six months or less generally requires a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Vacation Rental Dwelling license, renewed annually. Operators must also register to collect lodging taxes.
Tax obligations: the operator must collect Florida’s 6% state sales and transient tax plus Brevard County’s 5% Tourist Development Tax, for a combined rate of approximately 11% on stays of 182 days or less. Effective October 1, 2025, the Brevard County Clerk of Court (rather than the Tax Collector) collects the Tourist Development Tax; returns are due monthly by the 20th of each month.
There is no owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement. There is no annual night cap. Enforcement at the local level is minimal given the town’s size and rural character. Operators should verify current requirements directly with the Town of Malabar and the Brevard County Clerk, as small municipalities may adopt registration or zoning provisions not captured in published guides.
Market Comparison
The Space Coast market’s 60.2% occupancy in April 2026 slightly exceeds the U.S. STR median of approximately 55%, though the declining trend (down 3.5 percentage points year-over-year) warrants attention. At $239 ADR, this market sits well above the national median of roughly $220, reflecting the premium Florida beach-destination pricing.
The composite market score of 62.4 out of 100 is moderate overall. Rental demand (89.0) is notably high, reflecting the Space Coast’s enduring appeal. Revenue growth (48.3) and seasonality (67.4) are the weaker sub-scores, consistent with increasing competition and meaningful seasonal swings.
Among the top operators, Happy Palm Stays leads with 408 listings and 13,709 reviews at a 4.82 rating. Beachside Vacation Rentals operates 284 listings with 8,885 reviews at a 4.70 rating. Evolve holds 111 listings at a 4.69 rating. Beachside VR manages 65 listings at a 4.49 rating, and Vacasa rounds out the top five with 63 listings and 1,562 reviews at a 4.32 rating. The five operators combined manage 931 listings, approximately 14% of the 6,537-listing market. Local operators (Happy Palm Stays and Beachside brands) dominate the top positions over national platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Malabar, Florida
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