Vacation Rental News & Insights

How to analyze your next Airbnb investment - break down your launch costs, cash flow, and returns in minutes.

Author

Dom Trovato
November 05, 2025

Good morning,

Here’s what’s going on in the vacation rental world this week:

Nearly half of STR operators say they’re unsure if they’re tax compliant as local enforcement ramps up, Vrbo gives guests new photo-sharing power in reviews, and early data from ski markets shows a mixed start to the 2025–2026 season.

On the regulations front: Michigan lawmakers weigh a new 3% tourism tax on STRs, Corpus Christi considers density caps as low as 15% per block, and Green Bay moves toward an 80-day annual cap and week-long minimums for hosts.

Lets dive in. 

NEWS

Headline Roundup

  • Nearly half of STR operators are unsure if they're tax compliant as local enforcement tightens (The Host Report)

  • Vrbo overhauls quality standards for hosts, and allows guest-uploaded photos to appear alongside written reviews (The Host Report)

  • Ski Markets 2025–2026: early season pacing and performance Insights (Key Data)

  • Lawmakers’ favorite scapegoat takes a hit: Utah study says STRs aren’t driving the housing crisis (Yahoo News)

  • Booking Holdings reports solid U.S. growth while exploring OpenAI integrations (PhocusWire)

  • Caesars sees sharp Q3 downturn as Vegas tourism and spending slump (Hotel Dive)

  • Byway’s 2025 report highlights “peak creeping” and “athleisure travel” as rising vacation trends (Travolution)

  • New Michigan tourism bill would allow communities to impose a tax on short-term rentals (WSJM)

  • Expedia study finds travelers trust video and human touch more than AI-driven recommendations (Hospitality Tech)

  • Boom launches autonomous business AI agent (Boom)

  • HomeToGo extends WeatherPromise guarantee across France and the Netherlands (PR Newswire)

  • Airbnb Set to Report Q3 Earnings on November 6th (Yahoo Finance)

  • Equity Residences debuts new European fund targeting high-end vacation homes (PR Newswire)

The #1 Priority for 84% of people booking a place to stay is The Location!

INTERESTING INSIGHTS

Analyze Any Airbnb Deal in Minutes

Buying an Airbnb requires more than just a down payment. 

Most first time Airbnb investors make these mistakes:

  • Underestimate the real cash required to start

  • Miss hidden costs and taxes that kill profits

I built this calculator for myself so I had a quick way to underwrite deals & want to share it with you for free. It will help you understand: 

  • True launch costs (down payment + hidden expenses)

  • Monthly & Annual cash flow projections

  • The most important ROI metrics

The Airbnb Deal Analysis Calculator

This will break down your launch costs, cash flow, and returns in minutes. It’s everything you need to invest with confidence.

And here’s a short video tutorial I put together on how to use the calculator:

Good luck finding your next investment!

MARKET INSIGHTS

Mortgage Rate Snapshot

Mortgage rates jumped after the Fed’s October rate cut as markets reacted to Chair Powell’s signal that further cuts weren’t guaranteed. The surge erased earlier gains and marked the fastest two-day rise since the prior Fed meeting.

Regulations Update

  • Michigan legislation would allow communities to impose a voter-approved 3% tax on short-term rentals, hotels, and motels to offset tourism-related infrastructure costs

  • Corpus Christi, Texas, is proposing Phase 2 tiered rules with density limits of 15-30% per block for non-owner-occupied STRs

  • A Green Bay, Wisconsin commission recommended 80-day annual cap, seven-night minimum stays for non-owner-occupied properties

See this weeks full regulations report here: (The Host Report)