Today’s expert guest is Ellyn Vollmer. She’s got a wild pain-to-purpose story that many hosts will find eerily familiar. She and her husband Devin live in Pittsburgh, PA and recently launched their first STR property in Oceanside, CA after a long and winding road filled with false starts and regulatory red tape.

We talk all about how their six-month plan turned into a two-year (and more!) ordeal that involved almost every possible hurdle, spending the first year creating a rental experience they could be proud of and another year dealing with city politics in order to get their permit approved.

This one will make you frustrated, it will make you sad, it will remind you that this business is based in emotion and fueled by thoughtfully presented data. We hope you find her story as inspiring as we do, and urge you to check out her new listing any time you’re in California.

(00:01:23) #STRShareSunday: @sea.sun.maui

(00:03:26) Early STR Trials & Tribulations of Ellyn Vollmer

(00:14:04) STR Shed Permits? STR Shed Permits!

(00:22:22) Fighting for Her Right to Host a Vacation Rental

(00:37:58) Making Her Case to Oceanside (with Money)

(00:41:19) Finally Hosting Their First STR Guests

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Direct booking at stayblueskies.com

• Instagram: @stayblueskies

• #STRShareSunday: @sea.sun.maui

• Video: 20+ Years of Business & Airbnb Hosting Lessons

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!

Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.

Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!

Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!

Welcome back to the Hosting Hotline! This is an Ask Me Anything where each week we’ll answer your questions on Airbnb, STRs, real estate, and everything in between.

Brandy asks:

We host on a 10-acre property. We also live on this 10-acre property. But we continue to have guests that will break our terms and conditions, even though it is stated very plainly that we do not allow parties or gatherings of larger than six people. The last one, I walked in on their vows and was like… What's going on here?

What do you recommend we do when this happens? Is it for me to physically go down there and stop the party or stop the gathering? Or should I just message it, take photographs, and then send it in? I do allow small gatherings, but it's at a different price rate because the way they use the property is different. What do you recommend here?

(00:01:29) Brandy Asks About Disrupting Vacation Rental Parties

(00:03:29) Wield the Power of a Well-Timed Phone Call

(00:06:13) Using Neutral Phrasing & Framing with STR Guests

(00:07:24) Thanks For Visiting Tech Recommendation: Minut

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions. To hear your voice on the show and send a question to Sarah and Annette, submit your burning hosting questions at: hostinghotline.com.

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Check out Minut crowd control tech

• Get the Hosting Handbook: thanksforvisiting.com/handbook

• Video: New to Airbnb Don't Make These 3 Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands!

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Host Checklist | Grab our Airbnb Essentials Checklist and make stocking your Airbnb a breeze – we've got all your hosting needs covered!

Quiz | Take our quiz to reveal your hosting personality style!

Today’s expert guest is Lisa Roads, a seasoned short-term rental professional, whose journey began as a property investor in her early twenties.

As Lisa continued to grow her property portfolio, she recognised the potential for early adoption in an emerging market in Cyprus. This investment move created the opportunity to start her second business venture, providing a fully managed service for hands-off investors like herself.

Focusing on high-quality coastal properties and leveraging her partnership and marketing experience, with her team in Cyprus, the business scaled to 175 properties in five years. We learn all about how she made it happen – remotely! – including emergency communications after a massive earthquake and a six-week power outage on the island.

After transitioning her hosting business to a new owner in 2021, Lisa has now shifted her focus to providing industry education and strategy support to business owners who are looking to scale in a dynamic short-term rental market – a mission we wholeheartedly support!

(00:01:16) #STRShareSunday: @littlecottageonthefarm

(00:03:25) Meeting the Dynamic & Driven Lisa Roads

(00:08:03) Growing the STR Market on a Mediterranean Island Nation

(00:21:24) Lisa Shares Insights on Business Building & Balance

(00:31:21) Managing Owner Expectations as a Remote STR Co-Host

(00:42:19) What’s Next? Leaving Her Vacation Rental Listings in Cyprus

(00:47:15) Amplifying Women’s Voices in the Short-Term Rental Space

Resources:

• Click here for full show notes

• Website: theholidaypropertycoach.wordpress.com

• #STRShareSunday: @littlecottageonthefarm

• Video: Airbnb Co-Host: Best Practices - Handling Guest Inquiries and Bookings

• Airbnb Essentials Checklist: hostchecklist.com

Thanks for Visiting is produced by Crate Media.

Mentioned in this episode:

Superhog | Visit superhog.com/thanks-for-visiting and book your FREE demo today!

Hosting Business Mastery Method | Join us for our live, free, host masterclass and learn how to OWN your digital real estate!

HBMM | Sign up today at hostmasterclass.com.

Minoan | Visit MinoanExperience.com and tell them TFV sent you!

Hostfully | Go to https://www.hostfully.com/influencers/thanks-for-visiting/ and use TFV100 to get $100 off your subscription.