To Lease Mid-Term, or Not.

With so much fluctuation over the last few years, mid-term rentals entered the chat.

Some markets with no short-term regulation became flooded. Cue the host complaints.

But as the records now show, and as mentioned in The Art + Science of STRs, not everyone has the required gifts in their DNA. Many properties are performing and maximized.

If you live in a prime summer vacation location, with millions of visitors driving through town, plus a cap on STRs, and your short-term rental is not fully booked for the entire season by June 1st, there could be any number of good reasons why. 

That said, in the markets where there ARE a zillion short-term rentals and a lack of local housing, reconsider. 

Without locals being able to find housing, the entire town is pulled down into a number of issues. Increased local commuter traffic, lack of enough employees to keep local businesses flowing with ease and grace through the height of tourist season, and even throughout the year, which offers all parties a lot more stability. Something we could all use a lot more of these days.

However, if your property is in an area flooded with STRs but also with an abundant healthcare industry… or you’re in a college town… consider mixing it up with mid-term options. Travel nursing has become much more common over the last decade or two. Some college students and professors are in and out of town on a semester basis. Plus, other professionals and retirees come and go monthly. Mid-term rentals can provide much more bang for the buck for both you and your guest depending on your location.

Always go deep into the data. Or hire someone who does. Hint, hint. 

Make these Headaches Go Away with Soleil

#1: Time and Mental Load

Managing a short-term rental, or even a mid-term rental, is a second job most hosts weren’t expecting. Guest messaging throughout evenings, coordinating cleaners, chasing maintenance, monitoring pricing daily. It all adds up. Time is our most precious commodity.

#2: Underperforming Revenue

Your calendar has gaps it shouldn't have, especially in a market where new permits are frozen and summer demand is real. Not to mention that autumn is our second summer and winters are equally gorgeous. Equally worth noting: AI automation has its place, but it will never replace high-touch client care

#3: Review Anxiety

Airbnb removed the requirement for guests to have prior reviews before booking in 2025, meaning hosts are now also fielding first-timers who don't understand STR norms. One bad review can tank search ranking. Managing the guest experience before problems arise is an art and a science. Knowing how to publicly respond, massage, and “correct” a poor review can make a world of difference in future guests’ interpretation of a less than satisfactory review.

The Art + Science of Short Term Rentals

One of my wise elder friends in Jackson Hole always says, “Everyone thinks they can do short-term rental management, but few have the magic combination of artistic vision, high-touch communication skills, and the willingness to go above and beyond for guests.”

Truly. 

Not to mention that just when everything is smooth sailing…

A toilet backs up.

The incoming snowstorm is three times what was predicted, resulting in multiple driveway snow plows costing three times as much.

Or you find yourself driving an hour to deliver an extra lamp to a guest who needs additional lighting to film on location for their online yoga business. True story.

A film director once said he only hires former restaurant employees to work on his production sets because they have foresight, resourcefulness, and a willingness to get their hands dirty and excel.

Anthony Bourdain once said restaurant service professionals have the ability to read people like a book and handle guests with more grace than most could muster, married with a host of soft skills you’ll never find on LinkedIn.

And then there is the data.

Making data-driven decisions is mandatory. But it also requires real interest and sometimes obsession with the overall real estate market, world events, as well as the local data. It’s all connected.

It also requires pattern recognition.

While some operate intuitively and others more logically, any way you get there… It's either a natural gift or a deeply honed skill that comes into play. Something in your body says… Now is the time to turn this short-term rental into a mid-term rental.

Or you see a pattern beginning to repeat and know deep in your soul that it’s time to prepare for a light rehab to ready your property to sell at the tippy-top of the market successfully—again.

Wink. We’ve got you.