If you’re planning to buy a vacation home in the Poconos and rent it out on Airbnb or VRBO, you’ll need to understand the short-term rental (STR) license process. Pennsylvania is a Commonwealth, which means much of the regulatory power rests with local municipalities. That’s why the rules for STRs vary depending on whether your property is in a township, borough, or city — and why it’s so...
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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...
Short-term Vacation Rentals Matter in the Poconos For as long as there have been vacation homes in the Poconos, there have been vacation rentals and the vacation rental business is a big part of the ongoing prosperity of the region. With the rise of AirBNB, VRBO and other Online Travel Agencies, the visibility of the Poconos has grown beyond visitors and tourists, it has drawn the attention of people...
I am a realtor who specializes on helping people find vacation homes that they can use as a short-term rental. My clients range from young first-time real-estate buyers all the way to sophisticated investors who have large portfolios of income properties and support staff to guide their decisions. Often, I am asked to provide my opinions as to the state of the market and where I see things headed. With...
Many of the inquires I get ask is there are service providers to help with getting a STR started and then keeping it going. Since Tourism is the main business in the Poconos, the answer is yes. Below is a list of firms that have been mentioned by clients, other realtors or that I have met in my work. This is not an endorsement, it merely a list of companies and professionals that can...
Revised February 2023 There has recently been a rise in properties for sale that are described as “Turnkey STR,” a term that has come to mean a property that is fully operational as a short-term rental and being sold as a complete package. These are often properties that have recently been upgraded, are very tastefully designed and furnished, are licensed as STR, and that have been generating...
As a realtor who specializes in helping folks find vacation homes, I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the business of vacation home rentals. Here are some thoughts about the business of vacation home rentals. Are vacation home rentals in the Poconos a new thing? First, some history: much of what is referred to the as the Poconos was started in the 1960s and 70s when families started getting second...
It’s an age-old debate about investing, it is an art, or is it a science? When it comes to the science, good investors have data. One way to get data is to go to Airbnb, VRBO and others, search for properties, look for ones similar to what you are seeking and gather rate information firsthand. There you can read reviews and get some additional insight as to the property and its setting. With a strong...
I spend a lot of time with customers who have big visions of success in the short-term rental business and they often ask me questions about a property’s ability to generate profit. Many have use data tools like PriceLabs or AirDNA to help them understand the market and the opportunities that currently exist there. They tell me they’ve run the numbers and then ask me what I think. My...
If you found your way to this page, you are likely looking to build a Short-term Rental business in the Poconos. If you don’t live in the area or haven’t work here, you might be worried that you’ll have to go it alone. That is not the case, there is a whole industry built around vacation properties and vacation rentals. I’ve put together some partners that you might want to...