Small vs Large Markets: Where Opportunity Lies

Are we seeing a short-term rental resurgence? Since Airbnb’s big boom in 2021, many investors have shied away from the “oversaturated” short-term rental industry. But is now actually the ideal time for you to buy vacation rentals? Today’s guests believe there’s more opportunity than you might think!

Welcome back to the Real Estate Rookie podcast! Today, we’re joined by Jamie Lane of AirDNA and John Bianchi of STR Search, who are harnessing the power of real estate data to find cash-flow-rich properties and areas across the U.S. The best part? All of these figures, tools, and strategies are available to rookies, who have an edge in smaller markets where the big players don’t want to go.

Whether you’re buying your first rental property or pivoting to short-term rentals, this episode is chock-full of insights for building a profitable Airbnb business. Jamie and John get into the “20-percent rule” for picking profitable short-term rental markets, the biggest investing mistakes to avoid at all costs, and the huge advantage rookies have in the hospitality space!

In This Episode We Cover

Why short-term rentals are still a profitable investing strategy in 2025

How to identify high-cash-flow markets using the “20-percent rule”

The Airbnb amenities that deliver the greatest return on investment (ROI)

The biggest mistakes rookie investors make when analyzing short-term rentals

Small versus large markets (and the dangers of going too small)

Why “conservative” analysis is needed to find a profitable property

And So Much More!

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