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Hey, Olivia! 👋

The release of A Minecraft Movie has ignited a viral "Chicken Jockey" trend, with fans bringing live chickens to theaters and causing a ruckus during screenings. It’s time to add a strict “No Chicken Ruckus” rule to your listings as soon as possible. 

– Garrett Brown (BiggerPockets STR Expert)

In this email:

Let’s check in! ⤵️

Airbnb’s Big Q1

Airbnb’s Q1 report shows steady, not explosive, growth: Revenue is up 6% year over year, and bookings rose 8% to over 143 million nights. The growth is still there, but the rocket ship days are slowing. For STR operators, that means leaning into strategy over hype.

The U.S. market is carrying the load, with domestic travel making up most bookings. Last-minute reservations are still strong, but longer lead times are softening—so hosts banking on far-out bookings may need to rethink their pricing and promo timing. High-income travelers continue to book steadily, but budget-conscious guests are pulling back.

Airbnb is also adjusting behind the scenes. They’re dusting off old crisis playbooks and planning a big product release on May 13. I discuss these massive changes and the STR outlook in the forums. 

Zillow's Buyer's and Seller's Markets

I learned the art of negotiation early. I traded my unopened Fruit Roll-Up in second grade for a half-eaten brownie because the kid swore it had "extra fudge." It didn’t. But the lesson stuck: Don’t make emotional decisions, and know what you’re getting into.

The same goes for today’s STR buyer’s markets. There’s opportunity, but only if you know how to spot the desperate sellers, overpriced listings, and properties that look like brownies but are just dry cake. Austin Wolff (BiggerPockets’ Market Intelligence Analyst) recently broke down the March 2025 data from Zillow that shows where buyers are winning and sellers are still making out like bandits. 

I decided to look at three buyer’s markets for STRs and what they mean for short-term rentals:

Cape Coral/Fort Myers, FL
Occupancy is flat (+1%), but supply is up 16%. High insurance costs make this a tricky market, but motivated sellers and oversaturated inventory may create opportunities to buy low and optimize smarter. A bit of regulation constrains the market, but the right deal does exist.

McAllen, TX
Here, we find only 24 active STRs and a 5% rise in occupancy—but ADR is down 14%. It’s a business traveler's market where big homes win. With little competition, there’s an opportunity here if you serve the right guest. I would personally pass on this market.

Miami, FL
Still expensive and elite, Miami is now technically a buyer’s market. With 5% YOY growth in occupancy and supply, it offers long-term equity plays over quick cash flow, so plan for the future in this market, not quick income.

Florida is by far the biggest buyers’ market that Zillow is reporting. The Sunshine State may become the home of negotiations for the rest of 2025.

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STR Headlines

Strong Jobs, Steady Stays

The economy shrank slightly in Q1 2025, but the labor market is still strong—jobs are growing, wages are steady, and high-income travelers are still booking. That’s good news for STR demand.

Conversely, inflation and tariffs drive up costs, and builder sentiment is falling fast. If construction slows, we could see more buying opportunities now and tighter inventory later, which supports long-term appreciation.

Key Takeaways:

Listen to the full podcast episode to hear the bigger picture from Dave Meyer. 

Hot Topics from the Short-Term Rental & Airbnb Investing Forum, presented by Hospitable 

Airbnb and Emails: A community member is concerned about recent email changes. Find out how other hosts deal with this and what you need to know. 

More sizzling discussions:
🔥 Rental arbitrage newbie
🔥 VRBO collect taxes? Is it worth listing?
🔥 STR cleaners and handymen

Join the conversation and level up your STR knowledge. Your next big strategy could be just a click away!

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