Highlights:
But lately hosts have hit a wall: Short-term rentals in Orlando and the surrounding suburbs saw revenue per available room drop 6.4% in the first half of this year, according to data compiled by economist Bram Gallagher at analytics firm AirDNA LLC. Near Joshua Tree National Park in California and in towns such as Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee (think: Dollywood), revenue has plummeted as much as 17% and 8.7%, respectively.
By the end of the second quarter of this year, it had more than 7 million. That glut has led to as much as a 13% decline in host revenue in 32 of the top 50 largest short-term rental markets in the country in the first half of this year, according to AirDNA. (For its part, Airbnb says the typical host made an average of more than $14,000 in 2022, up almost 88% from 2019.) Many hosts said they’ve lowered prices to make their listings more competitive. In its second-quarter financial results, Airbnb reported that average daily rates are up 42% since 2019 to $166, but rates in North America are down 1% from a year ago.
“I started thinking about selling it because prices started going down on properties,” says Telfer, a former digital marketer who’s made hosting and investing in real estate her full-time gig. “And there’s less inventory in my neighborhood now. So I might be able to get at least what I paid for it and not lose any money at this point.”