Suttons Bay, Michigan Short-Term Rental Market
Suttons Bay, MI short-term rentals averaged $411/night at 64.4% occupancy in June 2026, but STR permits do not transfer when a home sells.
Quick Answer: Suttons Bay, Michigan is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 64%. average monthly revenue is $6,344. average daily rate is $411. the top operator is Vacasa with 206 listings. market score is 59/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Traverse City regional market, which includes Suttons Bay. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Suttons Bay.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Suttons Bay is a small waterfront village on the eastern shore of Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula, population 580, roughly 15 miles north of Traverse City. It anchors the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, Michigan’s oldest and largest, with 20 to 30-plus wineries and tasting rooms, plus beaches on Grand Traverse Bay. In June 2026, the latest month with data, short-term rentals in this market averaged $410.84 per night at 64.4% occupancy, generating $6,344 in average monthly revenue per listing. Occupancy eased 0.6 point year over year and ADR fell 6.0%, but revenue still rose 4.5%. By property type, apartments averaged $5,431/month, entire homes $6,470/month, and houses $6,994/month. Regionally, entire-place listings make up roughly 97% of inventory.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32% | $243 | $2,217 |
| Feb | 39% | $240 | $2,264 |
| Mar | 35% | $212 | $2,085 |
| Apr | 40% | $219 | $2,094 |
| May | 52% | $274 | $2,699 |
| Jun | 64% | $343 | $5,015 |
| Jul | 79% | $349 | $6,779 |
| Aug | 71% | $347 | $6,314 |
| Sep | 49% | $295 | $3,909 |
| Oct | 45% | $265 | $3,347 |
| Nov | 29% | $230 | $2,035 |
| Dec | 39% | $239 | $2,172 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Suttons Bay
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacasa | 206 | 5,978 | ★ 4.46 |
| 2 | Elevated Homes & Hospitality | 116 | 4,924 | ★ 4.76 |
| 3 | True North Property Management | 109 | 3,627 | ★ 4.54 |
| 4 | The Mitten Group Property Management | 108 | 9,528 | ★ 4.79 |
| 5 | Evolve | 94 | 4,171 | ★ 4.76 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Suttons Bay?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 1,303 |
| 2 bed | 1,523 |
| 3 bed | 1,236 |
| 4 bed | 711 |
| 5 bed | 443 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $417 |
| Luxury | $638 |
| Professionally Managed | $441 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $5,431 |
| Entire Place | $6,470 |
| House | $6,994 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 28.2% |
| vrbo | 15.5% |
| both | 56.2% |
Investment Analysis
Suttons Bay’s market-wide ADR of $410.84 trails the professionally-managed tier average ($440.56) and sits well below the luxury tier average ($638.10), leaving room for well-positioned properties to price above the baseline. The typical home value here is $620,289, and average monthly revenue of $6,344 annualizes to about $76,129, working out to a gross rental yield of roughly 12.3% before expenses. For-sale inventory is very thin at just 10 homes. The single most important fact for any Suttons Bay STR investor is that Village permits are non-transferable: when a home sells, its STR permit dies with the sale, so a buyer cannot count on inheriting the seller’s rental rights. The Village has also capped total permits at 45 and, because roughly 53 were already issued when the cap was adopted, is not issuing any new permits at all, instead reducing the count through attrition until it reaches 45. In practice, new entry into the Village of Suttons Bay’s STR market is effectively closed for the foreseeable future; investors should verify whether a target property carries an active, non-expiring permit before assuming any STR income is achievable after purchase.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Guests book Suttons Bay listings an average of 87.4 days ahead and stay 4.0 nights per trip. That lead time is consistent with wine-trail and lake-country trips planned well ahead of the peak late-spring-through-fall season, giving operators several months of visibility to price ahead of the July peak, though new entrants face the permit constraints described above regardless of demand strength.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are legal in the Village of Suttons Bay but tightly capped and increasingly restricted. A short-term rental is any dwelling rental of less than 30 consecutive days, and operating one requires a Village permit. The Village has capped total STR permits at 45; because roughly 53 were already issued when the cap was adopted, the Village is not issuing any new permits and is reducing the count through attrition until it reaches 45. Permits are non-transferable: when a home is sold, its permit dies, so a buyer cannot inherit STR rights from the seller. Renting only a room while living on-site is treated instead under bed-and-breakfast zoning. Enforcement is rated strict, with a 24-hour complaint hotline. The adjacent Suttons Bay Township is a separate jurisdiction with its own program: up to 150 permits per year on a first-come basis in Residential Districts only, a $200 annual fee, and also non-transferable permits. Michigan levies a 6% state use tax on rentals under 30 days; no Leelanau County local lodging tax was confirmed.
Market Comparison
Suttons Bay’s 64.4% occupancy in June 2026 runs above the roughly 55% U.S. median often cited for short-term rentals, and its $410.84 ADR nearly doubles the roughly $220 national median, reflecting its position as a premium Leelanau wine-country market. No property manager snapshot data is currently published for this specific market, so a top-operator comparison is not available here; the Village’s hard 45-permit cap and non-transferable rule mean professional management concentration is unlikely to grow within Village limits regardless of investor demand.
Frequently Asked Questions About Suttons Bay, Michigan
If I buy a house in Suttons Bay, MI that already has a short-term rental permit, do I keep the permit?
Can I get a new short-term rental permit in the Village of Suttons Bay?
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What is the average nightly rate for a Suttons Bay short-term rental?
What is the gross rental yield on a Suttons Bay short-term rental?
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