Short Term Rental investing is on the rise with revenue in the vacation rental segment projected to hit $19.5billion in 2023! With the right resources, creating a unique experience for your guests, and preparations - you can turn around quite a profit!

Have you ever considered listing your home as a short term rental but didn’t know where to start? Or maybe you have a property that you’d like to try as a short term rental but are overwhelmed with the process that goes into all the preparations, attention to detail, and hospitality required for a successful stay for your guests.

Having grown up in beautiful Augusta, GA - home of The Masters Golf Tournament - our city has been renting out our homes every Masters week for the last 40+ years! It’s hard to say precisely how many patrons travel to The Garden City for a week unlike any other, but the estimates come in at 40,000 people from around the world make a trip to Augusta during that week alone!

As you can imagine, with that type of demand, even though our city has many hotels, there simply were not enough accommodations for that scale of people. Needless to say, those in the heart of Augusta, GA, started renting out their homes for golf patrons.

The reach is now vast, and those who are 1 - 3 hours out from Augusta can get in on the premium rates while providing exceptional hospitality to their guests.

Born and raised in Augusta, I had the unique opportunity from an early age to be involved in getting homes “tournament ready” as we say, or rather now we say #mastersready which trends every year on Instagram!

Both of my parents have a gift for administrative, managing, and teaching roles, as well as a knack for organization. They also instilled in all four of us kids the importance of community and integrity. Combining these principles, along with having a “playbook” of how to get your home ready for a short term rental from age 7, I’d say it was only a matter of time before I started to help others in our community find success with their rentals also.

One thing I’ll mention before I share some of my top tips for a successful short term rental, specifically for those in the CSRA in mind, but these principles have also been used for additional vacation homes, from beach homes to mountain homes… is that I noticed many people shied away from renting their homes out for several reasons:

-They didn’t know where to start or were too overwhelmed

-They were not sure how they felt about others staying in their homes

-They rented before, and the experience was so chaotic - they never tried again

Through our very own Master Your Short Term Rental Course made with DIYers in mind, you will find MANY resources, checklists, and an overview of the systems I’ve created after essentially a lifetime’s worth of experience.

The benefits of this course result in reduced feelings of being overwhelmed during the preparations process, increasing your revenue, a simplified list of essentials for each space, and pro tips to make your home stand out in this competitive market. So check it out if that sounds like it can serve you!

We also offer Masters Hosting Solutions where we meet your hosting needs for Corporate, Sponsor, and Private Masters Listings! We offer custom packages to best serve you and enhance your guest experience.

More exciting news to come about Masters Housing rentals that you won't want to miss, so stay tuned if you’d like to list your home or book your next stay in Augusta with us!

So, without further ado, here are my top 5 tips for Mastering Your Short Term Rental!

1. Have a plan and create your strategy around that

I would be doing you a disservice if I did not mention this. Determining your why, your goals with the property, your goals with the additional income, your goals with how involved you want to be and the type of investment you’re willing to make all needs to be considered before diving in head first.

If you ever would like a strategy session regarding short term rentals, we’d be happy to hop on a Short Term Rental Strategy 1:1 consulting call with Kelly, please don’t hesitate to submit quick inquiry here. You can find out more about our life and business consulting here if you’re ready to take your vision to the next level.

2. Create a beautiful listing

Photography and cinematography is a MUST this day and age. It can truly make or break a listing. We partner with photographers to ensure we capture your homes beauty and cultivate your listing to attract bookings!

Themed design and staging are an essential piece to this and are included in our photography sessions, an onsite designer will be there for the shoot! Before the photoshoot takes places, we set up walkthroughs by appointment so we can ensure the home is ready for listing photos!

3. Offer something that’s unique to your property

Each home is unique! There’s something about your space that is not in any others so to emphasize that is a must to make a memorable impression for your guests that want them either booking for years to come, or leaving you an excellent review!

Some ideas can look like a theater room, an outdoor retreat, a putting green, a relaxation space unlike any other, and themed designs and treats that make a lasting impression are just a few!

4. Utilize and optimize resources, relationships, and softwares to create systems

We are in the 21st century, this means we have technology at our fingertips and unless we find joy in manually doing all the things, taking up to 5 times the time, we need to embrace technology where we can so it can work FOR us.

From building relationships and making a positive impact in your community, it’s vital for your listings lasting success. Whether you partner with a magazine, a florist, a baker, or a housekeeper - the more you can trust others to shine in their area of expertise, the more time that gives you to operate where you shine! We offer a “one stop shop” solutions from transportation and spa needs, to listing and design needs - so be sure to connect with us as we are always looking to expand out collaborations to further support our community.

5. Over deliver with your guest experience

Hospitality. Southerners truly know how to shine in that department. From gatherings for events, or accommodations for guests, I may be biased but there is just something special about the way we respect and serve others that may be lost in other parts of the world. I believe it is here to stay in the South and to take those principles into short term rentals - well - you can imagine the experience the guest has in one of our short term rental listings!

Maintenance and repairs. No one wants to enter a home that is not exceptionally clean, updated, and where things work! Ensure everything from your light bulbs to A/C, to faucets and baseboards have been attended to for your guests. We offer Home Success Pro Packages as well as natural Housekeeping Services to prep for your rental, so be sure to connect with us today if you are looking to maximize your short term rental and increase your rates.

For some extra tips, be sure to check out our other blog post for How To Host Your Guests Without a Guest Room.

We hope this article serves you well and encourages you to make a clear, informed decision to pursue short term rentals and it’d be an absolute privilege to assist you in your journey to increase your revenue, minimize overwhelm, and stay in the joy of the blessing a short term rental can be!

by Kelly Osment

@kellyosmentdesigns