At the March 2025 Poconos STR Conference, attorney Eric Smith delivered a powerful session dissecting the legal complexities surrounding short-term rentals (STRs) in community associations and municipalities in Pennsylvania, and particularly the Poconos.  He emphasized that many STR restrictions enforced by HOAs, or community association boards are invalid unless explicitly grounded in a community's...

Each spring, in conjunction with the Poconos Association of Vacation Rental Owners, Chris Barrett, CEO of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) delivers a comprehensive update on the state of tourism and vacation rentals in the Poconos region.  The key takeaway? The Poconos continues to thrive as one of Pennsylvania’s top vacation destinations, with short-term rentals playing a major role in the...

Bill Faeth is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and business coach based in Nashville, Tennessee. Bill is known for his ability to inspire and motivate audiences with his compelling entrepreneurial journey and practical insights. Bill was the keynote speaker at the first ever Poconos STR Conference in 2024. In his January 2025 Bill Faeth Unfiltered podcast, in an episode called Where NOT to Invest in...

NOTE: On Monday March 17, by a 3-2 vote the Tobyhanna Township supervisors voted 3 to 2 in favor of a resolution to rescind the STR cap, a clear victory for property rights here in the Poconos. Poconos VRO co-founder Marty Nicoll spoke at the meeting, he had two key messages: Don’t interfere with the real estate market with arbitrary caps, you are hurting people. Let the market do what it does...

Finding and then starting a successful short-term rental (STR) in the Poconos involves careful planning and execution. Poconos is a nice vacation spot, conveniently located in a mountain market, three hours away from 47 million people. Poconos has year-round attractions, it a great last-minute option for those that want to get away for a weekend or longer. Our market has some unique features, like local...

As short-term rentals (“STRs”) continue to thrive in the Pocono Region and across Pennsylvania, it is important that owners, buyers and owners’ associations (HOAs/POAs) understand their rights. In several recent cases, overreaching HOAs have had their restrictive STR policies overturned and appeals have gone as high as the state's Commonwealth Court. You can read more about Short-Term Rentals Win...

There has been two significant win in Commonwealth Court in a case called Ruffled Grouse Ridge Owners Association versus Charles Hura. The second in a case called L. Chan; et al. v. The Assoc. of Property Owners of The Hideout, Inc. In both cases, HOA's were determined to have gone well beyond their founding authority and seem to be setting the groundwork for some easing of community restraints on vacation...

There has been a significant win in Commonwealth Court in a case called Ruffled Grouse Ridge Owners Association versus Charles Hura. Ruffled Grouse Ridge is a small community in the northern part of the Poconos, in Lakeville, Paupack Township, Wayne County. Homes here have a restrictive covenant tied to their deeds which includes giving an owner’s association regulatory powers. The association...

Lately I've been hearing that the STR business in the Poconos is down and that the market is oversaturated. Some of my clients are doing quite well, some not as well as they hoped. It's a good time for a deeper discussion about the potential to operate a profitable STR in the Poconos. According to the Poconos Visitor Bureau, tourism continues to grow in the region with visits up (two percent by the...

There is both an art and a science to running a STR. The Art involves design of the property and the marketing that sets expectations. The Science looks at the data generated by the AirBnB, VRBO and other directory sites as well as what is reported by other analytics tools. I believe that half of a property's earnings comes from the property itself, and half comes from operations, so data can be skewed...