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 in the Melbourne/Titusville market area is 67%. average monthly revenue in the Melbourne/Titusville market area is $4,433. average daily rate in the Melbourne/Titusville market area is $246. the top operator in the Melbourne/Titusville market area 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 StaySTRA 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 |
|---|---|
| Jan | 65% |
| Feb | 81% |
| Mar | 81% |
| Apr | 63% |
| May | 61% |
| Jun | 71% |
| Jul | 72% |
| Aug | 56% |
| Sep | 49% |
| Oct | 56% |
| Nov | 57% |
| Dec | 59% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Malabar are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Melbourne/Titusville market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Melbourne/Titusville market as a whole, which includes Malabar, so these counts are not Malabar-only figures.
| # | 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 nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Malabar are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 34.6% |
| vrbo | 11.1% |
| both | 54.3% |
Home Value Trends (Malabar)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Malabar are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Malabar — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
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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