Buda, Texas Short-Term Rental Market
Buda-area STRs averaged $231/night at 58.2% occupancy in April 2026, scoring 90/100 on seasonality.
Quick Answer: Buda, Texas is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy is 62%. average monthly revenue is $3,874. average daily rate is $229. the top operator is AvantStay with 358 listings. market score is 57/100 (grade C).
Market data reflects the Austin regional market, which includes Buda. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Buda.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions Apivex evaluates per market.
Market Overview
The Buda market area extends into the Austin-South Texas Hill Country corridor along the I-35 corridor, spanning well beyond the city of Buda proper. The market includes approximately 24,662 active listings, with entire-place units at 21,276 (86.3% of supply), private rooms at 3,296, and shared rooms at 90. In April 2026, the market-wide average daily rate was $231.06 and occupancy reached 58.2%, producing a RevPAR of $134.44 and average monthly revenue of $3,832 per listing.
Year-over-year through April 2026, occupancy gained 4.0 percentage points while ADR fell 5.7%, with overall revenue still increasing 3.4%. As with several Texas markets, volume growth is outpacing rate performance. The channel distribution favors Airbnb: 12,942 listings are Airbnb-only, 10,094 appear on both platforms, and 1,626 are VRBO-only. Bedroom distribution is 1-bedroom-heavy at 10,663 listings, followed by 2-bedrooms (5,182), 3-bedrooms (4,406), 4-bedrooms (2,665), and 5-bedrooms (1,687). Buda’s proximity to Austin, about 15 miles south via I-35, positions the market as both a destination in its own right and an overflow lodging option for Austin events and tourism.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy | ADR | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50% | $160 | $2,254 |
| Feb | 59% | $180 | $2,581 |
| Mar | 63% | $232 | $3,867 |
| Apr | 57% | $220 | $3,451 |
| May | 58% | $224 | $3,467 |
| Jun | 60% | $225 | $3,572 |
| Jul | 60% | $216 | $3,525 |
| Aug | 57% | $202 | $3,127 |
| Sep | 56% | $206 | $2,974 |
| Oct | 59% | $231 | $3,560 |
| Nov | 53% | $201 | $3,000 |
| Dec | 51% | $180 | $2,630 |
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Buda
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AvantStay | 358 | 1,955 | ★ 4.79 |
| 2 | Landing, Inc. | 311 | 528 | ★ 4.29 |
| 3 | Hill Country Premier Lodging | 287 | 23,955 | ★ 4.62 |
| 4 | Landing | 272 | 53 | ★ 3.67 |
| 5 | Vacasa | 250 | 17,032 | ★ 4.70 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Buda?
Revenue and pricing by property type, tier, and bedroom count.
Revenue by Bedroom Count
| 1 bed | 10,663 |
| 2 bed | 5,182 |
| 3 bed | 4,406 |
| 4 bed | 2,665 |
| 5 bed | 1,687 |
ADR by Property Tier
| Entire Home | $251 |
| Luxury | $532 |
| Professionally Managed | $261 |
Revenue by Dwelling Type
| Apartment | $2,464 |
| Entire Place | $4,206 |
| House | $4,580 |
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 52.5% |
| vrbo | 6.6% |
| both | 40.9% |
Investment Analysis
Buda’s standout metric is its seasonality score of 89.7 out of 100, the highest in this batch, indicating exceptionally predictable and consistent demand patterns across the calendar year. The rental demand score of 65.7 and revenue growth score of 57.4 are both solid. The investability score of 56.5 is lower relative to the other metrics, reflecting higher entry costs or market saturation dynamics relative to yield.
The ADR tier structure shows meaningful premiums above the market average. All-listings ADR was $231.06 in April 2026; entire-home listings averaged $252.73 (a 9.4% premium), professionally managed properties averaged $268.92 (a 16.4% premium), and luxury-tier listings averaged $540.49 (a 133.9% premium). Monthly revenue by property type: houses averaged $4,425, entire-place listings averaged $4,158, and apartments averaged $2,672. The $1,753 monthly gap between houses and apartments is the widest in this batch, making property type selection especially consequential in this market.
No Zillow housing value data is currently published for this area, so a gross yield calculation cannot be provided. Investors should obtain current market comparables for the specific submarket before modeling returns. The combined hotel occupancy tax is 13% (6% state plus 7% city), and the annual permit fee is $150.
Revenue Trend (5 yr)
ADR & Occupancy Trends (5 yr)
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Booking Insights
Buda STR guests book an average of 40.5 days in advance, with average stays of 4.4 nights. The 40-day lead time is consistent with a market that draws both planned leisure travelers and Austin-event overflow visitors. For well-known Austin events such as SXSW or ACL Fest, bookings likely extend further out than the market average, while shoulder-season bookings may come in closer to the 30-day mark.
The 4.4-night average stay is the longest in this batch, reflecting a market where guests tend to settle in rather than pass through. This stay length implies roughly seven distinct guest groups per month, which is a manageable turnover cadence. It also suggests that Buda guests value the Hill Country environment as a destination itself rather than purely as an Austin staging point, which supports higher minimum stay settings and reduced short-booking churn.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rentals are permitted in Buda but require registration. Operators must obtain a Short-Term Residential Rental permit through the MyGovernmentOnline portal, providing proof of ownership and confirming the property has no outstanding tax, building, fire, health, noise, or code-enforcement issues. The permit fee is $150 per year, covering both initial application and annual renewal.
No owner-occupancy or primary-residence requirement applies, and no cap on nights rented per year is stated in the ordinance. Each January, operators must file a report stating the number of nights rented, proof of Hotel Occupancy Tax payment, and proof of current property insurance. The combined HOT burden is 13%: 6% Texas state HOT and 7% City of Buda HOT, both collected from guests. The city HOT is remitted monthly by the 20th of the following month.
Enforcement is complaint-driven but active: the city may suspend or remove a property from the registry for providing false information, unpaid taxes, or three excessive-noise or traffic complaints from neighbors within a 24-month period, with a 10-day notice to cure. STRs are regulated as a defined land use under Buda’s zoning code (Subsection 2.06). Investors should confirm the permitted zoning districts for specific parcels with the city’s Development Services department before purchasing.
Market Comparison
Buda’s April 2026 occupancy of 58.2% exceeds the national STR median of approximately 55%, making it one of the stronger occupancy performers in this batch. Its ADR of $231.06 is close to but slightly above the national median of approximately $220. The combination of above-median occupancy and near-median ADR produces a RevPAR of $134.44, which is a strong result for a suburban Texas market.
The operator landscape features both national and specialized regional players. AvantStay leads with 358 listings and a 4.79 rating. Hill Country Premier Lodging manages 287 listings with 23,955 reviews and a 4.62 rating, indicating long-established market presence. Vacasa holds 250 listings with 17,032 reviews and a 4.70 rating. Landing, Inc. and Landing appear separately in the data with 311 and 272 listings respectively. The top five operators collectively account for 1,478 listings, approximately 6.0% of total supply, a low concentration ratio consistent with a market dominated by independent hosts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Buda, Texas
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