Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in Charleston — one of the most desirable and tightly regulated STR markets in the Southeast.

Charleston is a heavyweight market:

• Over 8 million annual visitors
• More than $14 billion in tourism impact
• Strong ADRs and occupancy
• And some of the strictest STR regulations in the country

In this episode, Mark dives into:

• Why Charleston continues to attract massive tourism demand
• Where travelers are coming from and why they visit
• The importance of weddings, bachelorette groups, and food tourism
• Why Charleston’s strict regulations actually create opportunity
• What investors need to know before buying in the market

The data shows that Charleston isn’t just another beach destination — it’s a premium travel market with strong demand, limited supply, and travelers willing to spend.

If you can secure the right property in the right zoning area, Charleston can be an incredibly powerful STR market.

Smart locks are no longer optional in short-term rentals.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Amber Baron from Dormakaba to talk about why access control is one of the most overlooked parts of the guest experience — and how bad systems can completely ruin a stay.

They break down:

• Why check-in is one of the most important moments in hospitality
• The biggest mistakes hosts still make with property access
• Why physical keys are creating massive operational headaches
• How smart lock systems integrate with PMS software and automation
• The importance of backup systems and emergency access plans
• How remote operators can manage properties more securely
• Where AI and smart access technology are headed next
• Real stories from the field — including a property manager literally Kool-Aid-manning through a door to save a guest stay

If you own, manage, or plan to scale short-term rentals, this episode is packed with practical insights on security, operations, and creating a smoother guest experience.

Listen now and learn why access is the new front desk in hospitality.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

Chattanooga might be one of the biggest STR opportunities flying under the radar.

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down why Chattanooga is still in the early innings of the amenity arms race — and how investors can create a true “unicorn” property with surprisingly little competition.

The numbers are eye-opening:

• Only 18% of listings have hot tubs
• Only 3.8% have swimming pools
• Less than 1% have movie theaters, saunas, mini golf, or pickleball courts

Translation?

Most properties in Chattanooga still look basic.

That creates massive opportunity for investors willing to buy the right property, add strategic amenities, and stand out in a market that hasn’t fully matured yet.

In this episode, Mark breaks down:

• Why Chattanooga’s tourism market keeps growing
• The events and attractions driving travel demand
• Which amenities are becoming mandatory
• Which amenities almost nobody has yet
• How to create a top-performing STR without competing against thousands of heavily amenitized properties

If you’ve been looking for a market where you can still get ahead of the curve instead of fighting oversaturation, this episode is worth your attention.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

AI is changing business faster than ever — and short-term rentals are no exception.

Mark Lumpkin sits down with Nick Korwin to talk about building a luxury micro resort from the ground up while working full-time in the AI and autonomous vehicle industry.

Nick shares:

• How he transitioned from traditional rentals into short-term rentals
• Why he chose to build a micro resort instead of buying more houses
• The lessons learned developing raw land into luxury cabins
• How he’s using AI to automate parts of his STR business
• Why unique stays continue to outperform average rentals
• The realities of scaling while still working a W2 job
• How technology is reshaping hospitality and operations
• The biggest mistakes investors make when developing properties

They also dive deep into the future of AI, automation, hospitality, and what STR operators should be paying attention to over the next few years.

If you’ve ever thought about building something bigger than a traditional Airbnb — or wondered how AI could give you an edge in business — this episode is packed with insights.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

STR software is evolving fast - but the best operators know the real edge isn’t just automation.

In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Amber Knight from bookingcloud.com to break down where the industry is headed—and what most hosts are still getting wrong.

Amber shares her journey from helping scale early-stage operations at Vacasa to building new technology that drives visibility, bookings, and revenue for short-term rental operators.

They dive into:

• How automation is reshaping the STR industry
• Why most hosts are still behind on direct booking strategy
• The real role of AI in your business (and what it can’t replace)
• How top operators are driving more visibility and bookings
• Why guest experience is still the ultimate differentiator

As Amber puts it: you can automate processes—but you can’t automate how a guest feels.

If you’re managing properties, building a brand, or trying to scale your STR business, this episode will challenge how you think about tech, marketing, and hospitality.

Listen now and start building a more profitable, experience-driven STR business.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental data for Scottsdale and the greater Phoenix market — and answers the big question:

Is it actually oversaturated?

Using real data and strategy from STR Search, this episode shows why Scottsdale is still one of the most opportunity-rich STR markets in the country — if you know how to play it.

Inside the episode:

• Why Scottsdale continues to see massive travel growth and demand
• What average properties earn vs. top-performing listings
• The key drivers bringing millions of visitors into the market
• How to filter from 23,000 listings down to ~450 real competitors
• The exact amenity + property strategy top performers are using to win

The takeaway is simple:

You’re not competing with 20,000 listings.
You’re competing with a small, highly filtered group — if you buy and build the right way.

If you’re considering Scottsdale, this episode gives you a clear, data-backed blueprint to stand out and win.

What if your next investment wasn’t a house… but something on wheels?

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Gar Russell, founder of Fireside RV Rental, to break down an entirely different angle on hospitality investing.

Gar shares how he went from building and losing a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio… to creating the largest RV rental management franchise in the country.

They dive into:

• Why RVs are NOT traditional investments (and what most people get wrong)
• How unused RVs can turn into cash-flowing assets
• The biggest mistakes Gar made that nearly cost him everything
• What scaling to 70+ locations actually looks like
• Where the future of travel, AI, and hospitality is headed

This episode is a raw look at entrepreneurship, failure, and finding opportunity in unexpected places.

If you're thinking beyond traditional STRs or just want to sharpen your investing mindset, this one hits different.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental data for Big Bear Lake — including a full market snapshot + amenity performance breakdown.

This episode introduces a new format, giving you a clearer picture of:

• Overall market supply and demand
• Where guests are coming from
• Seasonality and booking patterns
• And which amenities actually drive revenue

Here’s what the data shows in Big Bear:

• Hot Tubs (59%) → +$14,000/year
• Fire Pits (48%) → +$3,600/year
• Game Rooms (29%) → +$14,752/year
• Saunas (2%) → +$38,000/year
• Waterfront (<1%) → +$25,000/year

With over 4,000 listings and steady growth, Big Bear is competitive — but still offers opportunity for investors who differentiate with the right amenities.

Most guests are coming from Southern California for short, weekend stays — making design, amenities, and guest experience critical to standing out.

If you’re investing in Big Bear or analyzing mountain markets, this episode gives you the data you need to compete.