
Short Term Rental Secrets Podcast How to Build an STR Business That Survives, Scales & Actually Sells | The STR Scale Show with Mike Reilly | Ep 33
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Nov 20, 2025 Discover the hidden value in your short-term rental business and how to build it for success. Learn from the mishaps of companies like Sonder and Vacasa, and avoid their pitfalls. Uncover what private equity firms look for when investing in STRs, as well as tips for scaling your business effectively. Find out why local operators can stand out with the right systems in place. Lastly, explore key strategies to position your business for a lucrative exit.
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Sonder Bankruptcy Highlight
- Mike Reilly describes Sonder's bankruptcy and guests being left at hotels after the announcement.
- He uses the example to show risks when big, tech-first hospitality models fail in practice.
Vacasa's Centralization Failure
- Mike Reilly recounts Vacasa's rapid growth to ~60,000 properties and calls it a disaster operationally.
- He uses Vacasa to illustrate risks of centralizing local property management from corporate.
Private Equity Is Aggressively Entering STRs
- Private equity began serious short-term rental investing around 2021–2022 and keeps expanding.
- That shift creates demand for scalable, investable STR businesses with clean operations.


