Washington STR Insights
Field notes on Washington vacation rentals
Occasional analysis and practical guidance for buying, permitting and launching short-term rentals in Washington State.
Published Articles
Operations · Operating ModelsCan an STR Fit Your Career and Your Tax Plan?
The same 400 to 800 hours of operating work, split three ways. How full-service, hybrid and DIY models compare on cost, time and material participation.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · Acquisition TimingSummer 2027 Revenue Starts With the Purchase: Why Now Is the Time to Look on the Long Beach Peninsula
Summer carries the year on the Long Beach Peninsula. Why buying conditions, the permit runway and the market’s wide revenue spread make now the time to look.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Guide · PermittingHow Do I Know If a Particular Property Can Be Permitted as a Short-Term Rental?
Revenue estimates and nearby Airbnbs do not show that an address can be permitted. A Pacific County case study and a six-step first-pass screen.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Guide · Due DiligenceHow to Research a Short-Term Rental Purchase: Build Optionality Before You Buy
A buyer-first process for moving from a broad idea to a property you can responsibly underwrite: budget, goals, operating model, markets, local rules and full acquisition and ops planning.
Read the Full Article → Perspective · Investor FitAre Short-Term Rentals Still a Defensible Investment in 2026?
The easy conditions are disappearing. What comes next depends as much on the investor and operating model as it does on the house.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · Cash Flow AnalysisCan a Short-Term Rental Still Pay for Itself in 2026?
A real Washington coast case study in revenue, operating costs, planned owner contributions and the ten-year ownership outcome.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · Deal AnalysisHow I Help You Filter for the Right Market
Picking a market is only the first filter. Here's how I work through it, along with the buyer goals, legal checks and downside cases that come next.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · Acquisition SupportBuying Your First STR: Go It Alone, Piece It Together or Bring In an Operator
Most first-time buyers either do the work alone or piece it together from providers who are each paid for one step. Here is what each path costs and what an operator working across acquisition and launch adds.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · Acquisition TimingWhen Is the Best Time to Buy a Short-Term Rental in Washington?
The financially ideal purchase window and the best housing selection rarely land in the same season. Here's how to weigh the six clocks that actually matter.
Read the Full Article → Buyer Strategy · FinancingWhich Loan Is Right for Buying a Short-Term Rental?
Conventional, DSCR and all-in-one financing put cost, risk and optionality in different places. The cheapest loan isn't always the right strategic fit.
Read the Full Article → Case Study · Ocean ParkTurnkey or Value-Add: Which Vacation Rental Should You Buy?
A turnkey buyer usually pays more up front and carries more debt. A value-add buyer spends more before the first guest, but can lower monthly carrying costs. Here's the real math.
Read the Full Article → Perspective · AI EconomyShort-Term Rentals Are a Defensible Asset in the AI Economy
Jobs and tasks are exposed to AI disruption. Physical assets and the demand for real human experiences, for now, are not. That gap is a moat.
Read the Full Article → Market Data · Long Beach PeninsulaThe Long Beach Peninsula's 1.8× STR Advantage
Peninsula homes cost less than the Washington average while local STRs generate higher average revenue. The combination produces an unusual 1.8× market-wide edge.
Read the Full Article → Regulations · Pacific CountyThe Pacific County STR Paradox: Regulation Raised the Barrier and Strengthened the Moat
Pacific County permits vacation rentals, but zoning, septic, safety and approval requirements raise the barrier to entry, and may strengthen compliant operators.
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Occasional field notes on Washington STR markets, acquisitions, permitting and operations.
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