Bellaire, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Bellaire-area STRs averaged $240/night at 26.6% occupancy in April 2026, with July peaks reaching 75.2% occupancy and $6,123 average monthly revenue.
Quick Answer: Bellaire, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 27%. average monthly revenue is $1,798. average daily rate is $240. the top operator is Northern Michigan Escapes with 198 listings. market score is 70/100 (grade C).
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Bellaire, Michigan short-term rental market covers the northern Lower Peninsula lake country, drawing on demand from the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Grand Traverse Bay wine country, and four-season resort activity at Shanty Creek and Crystal Mountain. As of April 2026, the market recorded an average daily rate of $240 and a 26.6% occupancy rate, consistent with the region’s deep April trough before the summer ramp. RevPAR stood at $63.73 for that month.
The active listing base totals approximately 4,248 units across bedroom tiers: 1-bedroom units account for 902 listings, 2-bedroom for 1,103, 3-bedroom for 1,160, 4-bedroom for 679, and 5-bedroom-plus for 404. Entire-place listings dominate at 4,159 units, with only 93 private-room listings in the mix. By distribution channel, 2,259 listings appear on both Airbnb and VRBO, 1,240 list exclusively on Airbnb, and 753 on VRBO alone.
Year-over-year in April 2026, occupancy fell 12.0 percentage points from the prior April, while ADR rose 5.5% and revenue declined 1.7%. Looking at full-year 2025, the market averaged 44.2% occupancy and $322 ADR for an average monthly revenue of $3,792, the highest annual average on record in the dataset. The market’s investability score of 98.1 out of 100 and revenue growth score of 89.6 out of 100 (per the platform’s market scoring model) reflect a sustained upward revenue trend despite occupancy softness in 2024 and early 2026.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35% | $321 | $3,134 |
| Feb | 43% | $324 | $3,410 |
| Mar | 25% | $266 | $2,151 |
| Apr | 28% | $212 | $1,597 |
| May | 45% | $247 | $1,961 |
| Jun | 59% | $304 | $3,846 |
| Jul | 75% | $325 | $6,123 |
| Aug | 67% | $319 | $5,561 |
| Sep | 41% | $270 | $3,059 |
| Oct | 39% | $239 | $2,621 |
| Nov | 24% | $214 | $1,680 |
| Dec | 46% | $290 | $2,465 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Bellaire
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Michigan Escapes | 198 | 9,939 | ★ 4.69 |
| 2 | Evolve | 138 | 6,120 | ★ 4.71 |
| 3 | Graham Management | 73 | 1,279 | ★ 4.74 |
| 4 | Pure Vacation Management | 61 | 339 | ★ 4.73 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 48 | 925 | ★ 4.27 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Bellaire?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 902 |
| 2 bed | 1,103 |
| 3 bed | 1,160 |
| 4 bed | 679 |
| 5 bed | 404 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $243 |
| Luxury | $371 |
| Professionally Managed | $271 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Entire Place | $1,819 |
| Apartment | $1,251 |
| House | $2,104 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 29.2% |
| vrbo | 17.7% |
| both | 53.1% |
Investment Analysis
At a typical home value of $348,426 (Zillow, April 2026) and a 2025 annual average monthly revenue of $3,792, an investor grossing $45,504 annually would see an approximate gross yield of 13.1% before expenses. That figure uses full-year 2025 averages and does not account for management fees, property taxes, or maintenance, so net returns will be lower.
Tier comparisons show meaningful spread by property type and management model. Entire-home listings in April 2026 averaged $243 ADR versus the all-listings average of $240, a modest premium. Luxury-tier properties (top-performing segment) averaged $371 ADR, roughly 55% above the market average. Professionally managed properties averaged $271 ADR, a 13% premium over the all-listings figure.
The 2025 annual average revenue of $3,792 per month represents the high-water mark over the full history in the dataset, up from $3,586 in 2024 and $3,483 in 2023. Revenue grew in each of the last six complete years. The market’s high investability score (98.1) reflects a combination of entry price relative to revenue potential, low regulatory barrier at the county level (township-by-township rules vary), and growing visitor volume anchored by Sleeping Bear Dunes’ 1.67 million annual visits.
The median list price of $269,000 for currently-available properties is below the typical home value of $348,426, which may present entry opportunities at below-replacement cost in some segments.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
In April 2026, guests booked Bellaire-area STRs an average of 45 days in advance, with an average length of stay of 3.1 nights. The 45-day lead time is meaningful for pricing strategy: it provides a reasonable window to adjust rates dynamically before arrival but means most inventory is not booked months out at rack rates.
The 3.1-night average stay is shorter than typical for a pure resort destination. This reflects a mix of weekend getaways (lake access, wine trails, day hiking) and some longer-stay summer bookings pulling the average up from pure weekend trips. Operators running a minimum 2-night policy should see strong weekend capture without sacrificing the longer stays.
For peak summer weeks, operators should consider loading higher rates 6 to 8 weeks out to capture the portion of bookers who plan farther ahead, then holding firm rather than discounting as arrival nears, given the strong July and August demand environment. The 45-day average lead time suggests that last-minute discounting is less necessary in peak months than in the November-April trough.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
The Bellaire-area STR regulatory environment is fragmented and strictly enforced in several jurisdictions, requiring due diligence at the specific township or city level before purchasing.
Traverse City requires a Vacation Home Rental License at $200 per year (annual renewal). Unhosted whole-home rentals are prohibited in residential districts and are only permitted in commercial, mixed-use, and development zones, where a 25% per-building unit cap applies. Owner-occupied Tourist Homes are allowed in residential districts with Fire Marshal inspection every three years.
Peninsula Township (Old Mission Peninsula) bans all rentals under 30 days in residential zones. Civil fines reach $5,000 per day for repeat offenses. East Bay Township caps permits at 145, a limit that was full as of mid-2023. Petoskey restricts STRs to commercial districts only with a city-wide cap of 40 licenses.
The area-wide occupancy tax rate is 6%. Owner-occupancy is not required under the area profile data on file.
Enforcement severity is rated strict. Peninsula Township and Cleveland Township (Leelanau County) began enforcement using automated listing-platform scanning software in 2025. Traverse City’s Planning Commission held hearings in May 2025 on proposals to reduce allowable supply from approximately 460 to 128 units. Prospective investors must verify the specific jurisdiction’s current ordinance before committing to a purchase.
Market Comparison
The Bellaire, MI market’s 2025 annual average occupancy of 44.2% sits below the US STR median of approximately 55%, reflecting the strong seasonal concentration typical of lake and resort destinations in the upper Midwest. The 2025 annual ADR of $322 is above the US median of approximately $220, consistent with the premium guests pay for lake-access and resort-adjacent properties in a supply-constrained northern Michigan environment.
The operator landscape is led by Northern Michigan Escapes with 198 listings and 9,939 reviews at a 4.69 average rating, representing the largest local operator in the market. Evolve follows with 138 listings and 6,120 reviews at 4.71. Graham Management holds 73 listings with a 4.74 average. Pure Vacation Management operates 61 listings and Vacasa rounds out the top five with 48 listings.
The top five operators collectively account for approximately 518 listings, or roughly 12% of the estimated active inventory of 4,248 units. This relatively fragmented operator landscape means individual property owners without professional management face competition primarily from other self-managed operators rather than institutional scale.
The market’s total score of 70.0 out of 100 and seasonality score of 44.7 reflect the trade-off between strong summer performance and extended shoulder periods, which investors should factor into return projections.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bellaire, Michigan
What is the average daily rate for STRs in the Bellaire, MI area?
What is the peak season for short-term rentals near Bellaire, Michigan?
How much can a short-term rental earn annually near Bellaire, MI?
Are short-term rentals permitted in the Bellaire and Traverse City area?
How far in advance do guests book STRs in the Bellaire area?
Who are the largest property management companies operating in the Bellaire, MI STR market?
What is the typical home value in the Bellaire, MI area relative to STR income potential?
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