This week’s Monday Market Data Report heads to Asheville, North Carolina—a market packed with charm, hype, and more than a few misconceptions. Is it oversaturated, or still full of opportunity? Mark breaks down the real numbers by bedroom count to find out where the smart money wins.

What you’ll learn:
• How 3-bedrooms stack up—why the top 10% outperform the average by nearly $30K a year
• The massive jump from 3 to 4 bedrooms, and what it takes to earn six figures in Asheville
• Why 5-bedrooms only pay off if you’re a top performer
• The surprising “sweet spot” for investors—6+ bedrooms nearly double revenue over smaller homes
• How ADR, occupancy, and design decisions shift the math in one of the Southeast’s hottest STR markets

If you’re eyeing the Blue Ridge Mountains, this data drop will show you where to buy, what to build, and how to stand out.

Fail forward, buy smarter.

In this solo deep-dive, Taylor breaks down real-world STR underwriting—no hype, just numbers. If you’ve ever “made a spreadsheet sing” to justify a deal, this one’s for you. Learn the exact framework he’s used to evaluate hundreds of thousands of properties over the past four years and how to stay disciplined when emotion wants the win.

What you’ll learn

• The anatomy of a winning pro forma: purchase price, debt structure, closing costs, and true Total OOP (down payment, reno, amenities, furniture, vendors).
• Building an optimization list that actually moves RevPAR (from paint to pickleball).
• Revenue the right way: comping like-for-like, using data tools (AirDNA/Rabbu), and modeling Low / Mid / High scenarios.
• Expense reality check: utilities, supplies, PM software, cleaning fees in vs. invoices out, HOA, taxes, insurance, CapEx & reserves.
• NOI vs. Free Cash Flow: what lives “above the fold,” why debt service ≠ mortgage, and how to compare deals apples-to-apples.
• Return stack 101: cash-on-cash, principal paydown, long-view appreciation (why you should zoom out 20–25 years), and a primer on the STR tax play.
• The baseball mindset: why looking at hundreds of deals to land a few great ones is normal—and healthy.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 265+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Monday Market Data
Boise, ID

Airbnb Performance Data
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3 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $32,343
75th Percentile: $40,762
90th Percentile: $53,556

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $139
75th Percentile: $171
90th Percentile: $220

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 56%
75th Percentile: 66%
90th Percentile: 77%
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4 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $42,915
75th Percentile: $53,988
90th Percentile: $67,302

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $191
75th Percentile: $242
90th Percentile: $308

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 54%
75th Percentile: 63%
90th Percentile: 72%
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5 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $48,954
75th Percentile: $58,966
90th Percentile: $65,074

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $235
75th Percentile: $268
90th Percentile: $305

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 48%
75th Percentile: 57%
90th Percentile: 69%
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6+ Bedrooms

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $79,853
75th Percentile: $92,830
90th Percentile: $100,616

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $296
75th Percentile: $508
90th Percentile: $635

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 45%
75th Percentile: 57%
90th Percentile: 64%
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Which market do you want to see next?

In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Nick Swanson and Alex from Chetu, a technology firm that has spent 25 years helping hotels, operators, and brands navigate digital transformation. Together, they unpack how AI is changing hospitality and what short term rental operators can do right now to stay ahead.

Nick and Alex break down what agentic AI actually is, how it is already being used behind the scenes in hotels and restaurants, and why the next wave of tools will feel more like talking to a real person than fighting a phone tree. They also explain how STR hosts can use AI to refresh listings, improve Airbnb ranking, mine historic guest data, streamline pricing, and elevate guest communication without hiring a huge team.

They share the story of Chetu's journey from tiny startup to a global company, and why AI is exposing digital weak spots that were papered over by old “transformation” slides. The conversation also tackles the big question on everyone’s mind: AI versus virtual assistants. Will AI replace VAs, or work alongside them

In this episode, you will learn:

• What agentic AI is and how it fits into hospitality
• Practical ways AI can increase bookings and guest satisfaction in STRs
• How to use AI to automate repetitive workflows and free your team to do higher value work
• Why historic guest data is a goldmine that humans will never fully unlock on their own
• How to think about cost, data security, and using off the shelf tools versus custom builds

If you are serious about using AI to grow your short term rental business, this episode will give you a clear, grounded starting point.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 265+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Monday Market Data
Telluride, CO

Airbnb Performance Data
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3 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $75,283
75th Percentile: $109,626
90th Percentile: $141,127

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $720
75th Percentile: $889
90th Percentile: $1,040

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 29%
75th Percentile: 41%
90th Percentile: 53%
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4 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $114,905
75th Percentile: $169,343
90th Percentile: $201,856

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $1,090
75th Percentile: $1,340
90th Percentile: $1,642

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 27%
75th Percentile: 42%
90th Percentile: 50%
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5 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $211,635
75th Percentile: $283,946
90th Percentile: $329,846

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $1,548
75th Percentile: $1,848
90th Percentile: $2,816

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 33%
75th Percentile: 50%
90th Percentile: 72%
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6+ Bedrooms

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $279,316
75th Percentile: $386,925
90th Percentile: $416,455

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $2,332
75th Percentile: $2,624
90th Percentile: $2,729

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 37%
75th Percentile: 57%
90th Percentile: 61%

Mark sits down with Siddhi Mittal, the founder of yhangry—a fast-growing platform that connects guests with private chefs at shockingly affordable prices. Think three-course meals starting around $60 per person… cooked in your vacation rental, cleaned up afterward, and delivered by vetted professional chefs.

What started as a simple idea in London has now become a global movement—one that’s reshaping guest experience inside short-term rentals. And here’s the wild part: Siddhi didn’t even realize STRs were half their market until the data smacked her in the face. Since then, yhangry has partnered with over 130,000+ vacation rental units, doubled the number of chefs Airbnb has in the U.S., and is rapidly expanding across the U.S., Europe, and Dubai.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why private chefs are becoming one of the most requested STR add-ons
• How property managers are using yhangry to increase conversions and boost guest reviews
• The surprising ways travel habits differ between U.S. and UK guests
• What a partnership looks like—affiliate links, dashboards, payouts, and ease of setup
• How user-generated content (UGC) from chef experiences drives direct bookings
• The story behind yhangrys first-ever booking… featuring eight influencers and an explosion of overnight virality

Siddhi also breaks down the myths around private chefs (spoiler: it’s NOT bougie), the psychology of “vacation mode” spending, and why curated in-home dining is becoming the next major amenity in hospitality.

If you're looking for new revenue streams, higher guest satisfaction, and a true differentiator in your market—this episode is a must-listen.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 265+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Monday Market Data
Bend, OR

Airbnb Performance Data
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3 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $41,642
75th Percentile: $55,346
90th Percentile: $70,594

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $233
75th Percentile: $281
90th Percentile: $329

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 41%
75th Percentile: 56%
90th Percentile: 69%
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4 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $46,172
75th Percentile: $68,350
90th Percentile: $86,397

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $319
75th Percentile: $379
90th Percentile: $475

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 35%
75th Percentile: 49%
90th Percentile: 59%
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5 Bedroom

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $70,771
75th Percentile: $94,775
90th Percentile: $109,959

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $456
75th Percentile: $542
90th Percentile: $647

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 38%
75th Percentile: 50%
90th Percentile: 58%
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6+ Bedrooms

Annual Revenue
50th Percentile: $102,525
75th Percentile: $112,214
90th Percentile: $162,525

Average Daily Rate
50th Percentile: $600
75th Percentile: $787
90th Percentile: $1,158

Occupancy
50th Percentile: 38%
75th Percentile: 45%
90th Percentile: 54%
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From pharmaceutical sales to $150 million in short-term rental transactions—this week’s episode dives deep with Chantal, a Colorado-based STR investor and brokerage owner redefining what it means to scale smart.

Chantal shares how knocking on doors in pre-foreclosures led her to her first “honeymoon basement” Airbnb, how she built a thriving portfolio in one of the most regulated states, and what she’s learned helping hundreds of clients buy and sell STRs across Colorado.

You’ll learn:
• How she turned one underdog listing into a multi-million-dollar brokerage
• Why most “turnkey” STRs for sale are actually underperforming assets—and how to spot opportunity fast
• The insider playbook for selling an STR at a premium (clean books, strong revenue, and transparency)
• How to navigate Colorado’s metro, resort, and mountain STR markets for long-term growth

Whether you’re an agent eyeing the STR niche, an investor chasing appreciation, or just curious how to make a short-term rental business scale, this episode delivers a masterclass in combining passion with precision.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 265+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com