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FYI, Marriot says my biz doesn't meet their inventory requirements, but it doesn't say what those are.

Episode Twenty-One of Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals podcast is live!

Hosted by OwnerRez co-founders Paul Waldschmidt and Chris Hynes, the Walk ’n Talk podcast was inspired by a ritual they’ve had for years: weekly walks where they debate ideas, talk through the business, and unpack problems. Whether you’re a host, manager, entrepreneur, or simply curious how vacation rental software is built, listen in for an honest, behind-the-scenes look at the conversations that shape OwnerRez.

🎙️ Episode 21 Now Live

EP21 - Building the Capacity to Execute

In Episode Twenty-One, Paul and Chris discuss execution and what it takes to keep pushing until you’ve hit good. They talk about building the base that allows you to go the extra mile, developing a tolerance for discomfort, and why the final five to ten percent often makes the biggest difference. They also share their thinking behind an upcoming price increase, how their approach to pricing has evolved over the years, and why they aim to align pricing with value rather than booking revenue.

You’ll hear about:

• Going the extra mile to hit good
• Building a base and knowing when to reach
• Developing a tolerance for discomfort
• How OwnerRez has approached pricing over the years

It’s an honest conversation about execution, pricing, and the capacity needed to keep improving.

Listen Now

Watch Now

Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals is available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

New episodes are already in the works, and we can’t wait for you to join us on the walk.

I would love to see this article revised for today's marketplace.

This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s $1 million commitment to environmental protection, Casago’s sale of former Vacasa markets, fresh data from AirDNA on college football, and new STR regulations in Riverside County, CA. Let’s dive in.

Airbnb announced $1 million in funding on Monday to support environmental protection efforts across Washington state. The funding will go to Washington’s National Park Fund, Trout Unlimited, Leave No Trace, Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, and EFM for projects focused on protecting national parks, restoring waterways, promoting responsible recreation, and more. Airbnb is also working with Leave No Trace and Washington-based hosts to include Leave No Trace educational content in their listings, helping guests better understand how to protect natural areas.

Casago announced that it has officially completed the sale of all former Vacasa markets following its $130 million acquisition of Vacasa in 2025, previously covered in Industry News on May 2nd, 2025. The acquisition created a combined portfolio of more than 40,000 vacation rental properties and brought together Vacasa’s centralized operating model with Casago’s local franchise model. From the beginning, Casago planned to transition the former Vacasa markets to local ownership. All of those markets are now managed by local franchise owners, destination-based operators, and large regional property managers.

AirDNA released an interesting article this week examining the impact of college football home games on short-term rental revenue. AirDNA analyzed data from 32 SEC and Big Ten markets and found that average occupancy exceeded 80% during home-game weekends in 22 of them in 2025, and in smaller college towns, such as Tuscaloosa, AL, and Oxford, MS, those weekends accounted for as much as 25% of annual short-term rental revenue. Looking ahead to the 2026 season, several markets have already reached 60% occupancy for the majority of their home-game weekends, and rates in 21 of the 32 markets are currently at least 20% higher than non-game weekends. For vacation rental operators in college football markets, now is a great time to evaluate pricing and make adjustments for the season.

In short-term rental regulation news, Riverside County, California’s fourth-most populous county, passed a new set of short-term rental regulations on Tuesday following a 5-0 vote. The changes affect roughly 1,100 vacation rentals in the county’s unincorporated areas. Under the new rules, three citations will now result in the suspension of a short-term rental certificate, and five will trigger the revocation process. The county also removed the 60-minute correction period previously given to operators to address a complaint and extended enforcement hours.

As the college football season gets underway, and local governments continue to refine short-term rental rules, the vacation rental market continues to take shape in 2026. Check back next week for the latest news!

OwnerRez is now an official partner of Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, allowing you to distribute your properties directly to their platform.

With this new channel integration, eligible OwnerRez users can now distribute their existing property content, rates, rules, and availability directly to Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy and automatically receive booking and guest information, all within OwnerRez.

About Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy

Launched in May 2019, Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is a curated and growing collection of premium and luxury home rental offerings in the most sought-after destinations around the world.

The collection is backed by Marriott International, a leading global hospitality company with decades of exceptional service. Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy is part of the award-winning travel program, Marriott Bonvoy, enabling millions of members to earn and redeem points for home rental and hotel bookings, hotel upgrades, VIP experiences and more.

Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy works with carefully vetted property management companies, to ensure every home listed is professionally-managed and meets the high standards expected of Marriott International. Before being added to the platform, each property is reviewed and meets the company’s design, cleanliness, safety and amenity standards.

What This Means for OwnerRez Users

As a Connectivity Partner of Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, OwnerRez can now distribute your listings on homesandvillasbymarriott.com, helping you reach more than 220 million Marriott Bonvoy members around the world.

Who Can Connect?

This channel integration is currently limited to property managers or owners with 10 or more properties in varied locations.

OwnerRez users interested in distributing their properties to Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy will first need to complete the Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy onboarding process and meet their property and portfolio requirements.

Once approved, you can connect your OwnerRez account and begin distributing eligible properties to the channel.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy by filling out the partner interest form here, and check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy.

This week, we are featuring Ryan Martin, founder of Kare Management and an OwnerRez user for over five years. More than 20 years after knocking on doors to earn his first clients, Ryan and his wife now manage 18 vacation rentals across Puerto Rico alongside their trusted team.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history?

I was born and raised in New Jersey. Growing up, I played every sport I could. I have great parents and a loving, supportive (also crazy) family. I went to college in South Carolina and graduated with a BA in business. I’m an artist at heart. I'm married to a strong, beautiful woman, and we have two amazing boys!

What is your background?

Italian roots, born and raised in the USA.

Were you always in vacation rentals or property management, or is this a second career?

I’ve had many jobs throughout high school and college, but this was my first career. My parents had a little rental property over 25 years ago, and I watched over it for them. After doing that for 2 years or so, I figured I could manage properties for others as well. There was no Airbnb yet. I went door to door, pitched the idea to owners, and slowly built Kare Management. 20 years later, my wife and I run the business with our long-time, trusted, and amazing team.

If a later career, what did you do before?

I’ve had various jobs, from paving driveways to short-order chef to photographer, etc., but property management was my first career.

Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located?

I am not originally from Puerto Rico; I moved here after college.

What drew you to the area?

I love to surf and love the ocean in general. I would say that was the biggest initial draw. But as I spent more time here, I fell in love with the Puerto Rican people and culture. I will always consider myself a guest to this beautiful island, but have felt overwhelming warmth and acceptance in my years here.

What do you love most about the vacation rental business?

I love that no two days are the same, and it keeps me on my toes. I love being my own boss and making my own schedule, and having time for my family while still working hard. I also enjoy helping people have a great vacation and experience the enchantment of Puerto Rico.

What do you dislike the most about it?

I’d say the most challenging part is navigating guests’ (sometimes unrealistic) expectations. Also, getting out of bed in the middle of the night to address an issue at a house is the worst!

How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?

I use OwnerRez to update listings in one place, keeping calendars synced in real time. I use it to allow owners and staff access to the calendars, schedule cleaning, maintenance, etc. For direct bookings, I use it to make and send quotes. I also use it to generate owner statements at the end of each month.

What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?

OwnerRez has improved my business and therefore personal life so much it’s hard to pick one. I’d say just having everything integrated, automated, and updated is priceless. Also, the ease with which you can create owner statements has saved me tons of time at the end of each month. I love a good formula, putting work in the preparation to save time in the long run has always been rewarding to me. Thanks, OwnerRez!

Ryan and his wife have done an incredible job building Kare Management over the past 20 years. We look forward to continuing to support their business while finding new ways to save them time, so they can spend more time with their family and doing what they love.

We are happy to share our new channel integration with Inhaven Stay, a platform that works with local property management companies to provide added certainty and confidence for guests.

About Inhaven Stay

Inhaven Stay is a distribution platform that provides travelers with added certainty and confidence when booking a vacation rental. They curate homes and organize them into three quality tiers: Signature, Premium, and Lifestyle, backed by clearly defined service and comfort standards. Inhaven homes are all managed by local professional property management companies and are located in traditional destination markets, such as beaches, lakes, ski mountains, nature preserves, and historic towns. All bookings are completed on the property manager's direct booking website, providing a direct relationship with the guest and guest deposits.

Pricing

Pricing is based on a monthly subscription fee that varies with the number of homes listed on the platform. Please reach out to host_support@inhavenstay.com for pricing details.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Inhaven Stay by visiting here, and check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Inhaven Stay.

The Mohave County Tax Assessor (Arizona) has started assessing short term rentals as “Commercial Property”. The reason.. she feels they are a business. We will see how this goes. 

Excited about more from VRBO! We have been so disappointed with Airbnb over the last couple years.

They did it in Sevier County, TN (Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area) back in 2023. Classified as commercial. Raised taxes. We have already been paying commercial electric rates. 

This September, as we step out of summer and head into fall, we’ve got a stacked lineup of webinars and in-person events to help you learn new tips and tricks in OwnerRez, discover new features, and more! 🍂

This month’s webinar schedule includes live demos, an OwnerRez Live - New Features, Tips & Q&A webinar, and two Focus Sessions covering Field Codes and our brand-new Snippets feature.

We’ll also be attending several industry events, including STRive to Thrive in Bali, the 2026 STR Advocacy Summit in Pennsylvania, and the 2026 FAVR Xtravaganza in Orlando, Florida.

Webinars:

 9/3/2026 OwnerRez Demo

Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.

Register now!

 9/8/2026 OwnerRez Demo

Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.

Register now!

 9/11/2026 OwnerRez Live - New Features, Tips & Q&A

Join us for OwnerRez Live - New Features, Tips & Q&A, a new webinar series created to keep you up to date on everything happening at OwnerRez. During each session, we’ll walk through newly released features, share sneak peeks at what’s coming next, give practical STR tips, and answer your questions live.

Register now!

 9/16/2026 Focus Session - How to Use & Create Field Codes

Join us for a live webinar on field codes. In this Focus Session, we’ll share how field codes work, where they are used throughout OwnerRez, and how they can help personalize your guest communication. We’ll also share practical STR examples for using field codes in messages, rental agreements, guest forms, and more.

Register now!

 9/17/2026 OwnerRez Demo

Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.

Register now!

 9/22/2026 OwnerRez Demo

Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.

Register now!

 9/30/2026 Focus Session - Snippets

Join us for a live webinar on the brand-new Snippets feature inside OwnerRez. In this Focus Session, we’ll show how to create, edit, and use Snippets in the Unified Inbox. We’ll also share practical tips for putting this new feature to work and show how you can incorporate field codes.

Register now!

In-Person Events:

STRive to Thrive

Join us for STRive to Thrive, the most anticipated gathering for accommodation owners and short-term rental proprietors, owners, and managers. This special one-day edition will take place on September 10th, 2026, in the heart of Bali. Experience an extraordinary day dedicated to inspiring, educating, and elevating your business. STRive to Thrive is more than a conference; it’s a dynamic, high-energy event that blends industry insights, innovation, and meaningful connections, all in one unforgettable day. Register here!

When: September 10, 2026

Where: Bali

2026 Poconos VRO STR Advocacy Summit

This Summit is about education, communication, leadership, and facts. Attendees will learn how to speak effectively at public meetings, understand the data behind the STR economy, communicate with boards and municipalities, and explore ways to get more involved locally, including serving on HOA committees & boards, municipal committees & boards, advisory groups, and other community leadership roles. Register here!

When: September 17, 2026

Where: Tannersville, PA

2026 FAVR Xtravaganza

FAVR Xtravaganza brings together engaged vacation rental owners, operators, property managers, and decision-makers from across Florida and beyond. This is where partnerships are formed and purchasing decisions are made for the year ahead. Register here!

When: September 24-26, 2026

Where: Orlando, FL

The Mohave County Tax Assessor (Arizona) has started assessing short term rentals as “Commercial Property”. The reason.. she feels they are a business. We will see how this goes. 

Excited about more from VRBO! We have been so disappointed with Airbnb over the last couple years.

Is this available for my listings in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands or does it have to be USA?

What is the typical stay length - are we talking about typical short-term or medium-term stays?

On their website, they appear to have separate categories for 'short term', 'long term' (monthly leases), and real estate for sale.

https://stayfoxhole.com/page/hosting-on-foxhole

Are they API integrated?

Yes. As soon as I say this, I'll be reminded of an exception, but when we mention an 'integration,' that means API integration. Foxhole is an API integrated listing channel. They are also the merchant of record.

https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/foxhole

https://stayfoxhole.com/page/hosting-on-foxhole

We are happy to roll out our new integration with Book With Haven, giving OwnerRez users a new way to grow their brand and drive more direct bookings while keeping everything connected to OwnerRez.

About Book With Haven

Book With Haven connects with OwnerRez to give hosts and property managers a polished direct booking experience without replacing the tools they already use. Create a customizable website for each property, add a free multi-unit portfolio site, and keep your rates, availability, and reservations connected to OwnerRez. Haven also includes automated advertising, a built-in CRM, high-quality analytics, digital guest guidebooks with upsells, and tools for generating owner leads, all designed to help you build your brand and grow direct bookings.

Features

• Website Builder: Turn imported listing data into a polished multi-property landing page and individual listing pages with rich media, narrative, booking tools, and your domain.
• Guest Experience Platform: Give guests a single place to access everything they need before and during their stay.
• AI Guest Chat with Built-in Observability: One AI assistant across your property sites, multi-unit site, and guidebooks.
• Digital Guidebook: Haven’s guest-facing portal works on its own, no Haven booking website required. One link for arrival instructions, house norms, local tips, guest ID verification, rental agreements, and upsells.
• Local Guide: Automatically draft restaurants, boutiques, hikes, errands, rainy-day outings, and other neighborhood vignettes keyed to each stay.
• Paid Ads add on: Managed Google, Meta, and ChatGPT campaigns plus guest retargeting, run from the same dashboard that shows what the traffic did.
• Bring your Own Domain: Or get a year free if you purchase a domain through Book With Haven.
• Email Marketing: Capture guest relationships from bookings through your site, sync stay-aware segments, and send timely offers that pull travelers off OTAs and back to your Haven site when you enable marketing automations.
• Pricing Automation: Describe a pricing, availability, or rule change for a single property or your whole portfolio in plain language.
• Welcome Book & Printables: Ship physical touchpoints: house manuals, tent cards, QR posters, counter signs, and branded collateral; synced to the same listing data powering your digital guidebook.
• Guest Screening: Collect identity signals, automate fraud checks where supported, and gate high-value stays behind host approval before confirmations fire.
• Smart Locks & Automated Access Codes: Connect your smart lock provider and let Haven issue, share, and revoke a unique guest code for every reservation.
• Multi-jurisdiction Taxes & Accounting: Configure state, county, city, and district lodging taxes per listing.

Example Site

https://www.anchorandisles.com/

Pricing

Free to build and preview. Hosts only pay when they publish.

• Starter: $12/mo or $9/mo billed yearly, 1 property included
• Growth: $29/mo or $24/mo billed yearly, 10 properties included
• Pro: $79/mo or $64/mo billed yearly, 50 properties included

Extra published listings are $2.99/month on any paid plan. Haven takes 0% commission on bookings. Guests pay through Stripe, so standard processing fees apply.

View full pricing info here.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Book With Haven by visiting here, and check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Book With Haven.

What is the typical stay length - are we talking about typical short-term or medium-term stays?

Are they API integrated?

I’m a Vietnam vet and a super host and I never heard of you before. But I But I think on a risk for bringing i Foxhole to my attention, definitely going to Check you out.

Meet Jason Mitchell and his wife, Katherine, owners of Mitchell's Beach Condos and OwnerRez users for over eight years. What began as a way to afford a beachfront condo in Panama City Beach has grown into a family business built around strong guest relationships and direct bookings.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history?

I’m originally from Nashville, Tennessee, but I’ve lived in the Atlanta area for more than 40 years, so Atlanta is definitely home. I’m married to Katherine, who grew up in the Atlanta area, and we’ve been together for 31 years. We have a 23-year-old son, Jacob, who recently graduated from college and moved out on his own, which, depending on the day, we’re either very proud of or still trying to adjust to!

What is your background?

Neither of us started out with a grand plan to become real estate investors or vacation rental operators. I started working in the fast-food business when I was 15 and went on to build a career in the restaurant industry, working with globally recognized brands. Katherine spent more than 20 years in the food manufacturing industry.

Today, Katherine manages our vacation and residential rental portfolio and our real estate investment business. She also leads the operational side of another family business, Naz Tree Service, where she is a partner. So, somewhere along the way, two people from the food business became real estate investors, vacation rental operators, and entrepreneurs. Life has a funny way of changing the plan!

Were you always in vacation rentals or property management, or is this a second or third career?

Vacation rentals definitely weren’t the original career plan. We got into the business because we were trying to figure out how we could afford a little condo at the beach. In 2012, we found one in Panama City Beach, Florida, scraped together just about every dollar we could find, and bought a unit with an incredible view. We immediately fell in love with it.

Then came the small detail of figuring out how to pay for it. That’s how the vacation rental business entered our lives. Since then, we’ve bought several properties, sold a few, learned a tremendous amount along the way, and today we own three beachfront vacation rental units in Panama City Beach.

Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located?

We don’t live in Panama City Beach full-time. Our primary home is in the Atlanta area, about 300 miles away, but we spend several weeks in Panama City Beach throughout the year. One of the great benefits of being in the vacation rental business is having a legitimate business reason to visit the beach frequently. At least that’s the excuse I use!

What drew you to the area?

Panama City Beach has been a special place for both of us since we were kids. There’s just something about the area that has always drawn us back: the beach, the water, the memories, and now all of the experiences we’ve had there as a family. Over the years, it has become much more than a vacation destination for us. It’s part of our family story.

What do you love most about the vacation rental business?

It allows us to spend time in one of our favorite places in the world while also running a business and, hopefully, making a little money along the way. There aren’t many businesses where you can occasionally conduct a “property inspection” while looking at the beautiful Gulf! I also really enjoy the relationships we’ve developed with our guests. A large percentage of our business now comes from repeat guests and direct bookings, which is incredibly rewarding.

What do you dislike the most about it?

Probably my biggest frustration is dealing with some of the large booking platforms. At times, their rules and communications can make an owner feel less like the owner of the property and more like a participant in someone else’s system. That experience is actually one of the reasons we’ve worked hard to build relationships directly with our guests. Today, many of our guests are repeat visitors or book directly with us, which gives us much more control over the guest experience and the business.

How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?

At this point, I really can’t imagine operating our vacation rentals without OwnerRez. There are a lot of moving parts in this business: reservations, guest communications, payments, properties, channels, calendars, reporting, and all the little details that have to happen correctly every single time.

OwnerRez brings those pieces together in a way that is organized, intuitive, and easy to manage. When we first moved to OwnerRez years ago, being able to see and manage everything across our properties in one place was a game-changer for us. As our business has matured and our direct bookings have grown, it has become even more important.

What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?

It’s difficult for me to pick just one feature because the real value is how everything works together. If I had to choose, though, I’d probably say the automation combined with having one central place to manage the guest journey. The system handles so many repetitive steps consistently: communications, booking information, payments, agreements, and all the other details that are easy to miss when you’re managing multiple properties.

That lets us spend less time administering reservations and more time actually running the business and taking care of our guests. And perhaps most importantly, it gives us the ability to operate much more independently rather than having our entire business dependent on one of the large booking platforms.

By focusing on strong guest relationships and direct bookings, the Mitchells have built a business that's set up for long-term success. We look forward to seeing Mitchell's Beach Condos continue to grow!

Really appreciate the post, insights, and market updates. One thing that really stood out to me was the opening discussion about how many bookings are using Airbnb’s Pay Later option. It’s becoming increasingly popular and, from a guest’s perspective, seems like a great option.

So much so that I’m going to encourage OwnerRez to strongly consider revisiting my request to offer a similar option for our direct bookings.

I use OwnerRez to power my direct-booking website, and I’d love to offer guests a Buy Now, Pay Later option such as Klarna directly during checkout. I’m already set up with Klarna through Stripe, so I’m curious whether this could be surfaced on the OwnerRez booking/payment page.

It seems like the capability is already there on the Stripe side; the missing piece is having OwnerRez make that payment option available within the direct-booking checkout. I think this could be a meaningful benefit for both owners and guests, especially as Pay Later options continue to grow in popularity.

Would love to see OwnerRez revisit this!

As always, thank you for the support and consideration. 

Jeremy 

This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s fall travel data, Vrbo’s rollout of Sponsored Listings, AirDNA’s European market review, and new short-term rental enforcement stories in Salt Lake City and Clark County. Let’s dive in.

Airbnb released new survey and search data on Tuesday, showing strong demand for weekend getaways this fall. According to Airbnb’s internal data, more weekend trips took place during the fall than any other season in 2025, and a recent survey found that 60% of travelers are planning a weekend getaway this upcoming season. Based on Airbnb search data, the top trending U.S. destinations include Tannersville, NY; Jim Thorpe, PA; and Blue Ridge, GA, as travelers look for fall foliage, apple picking, and leaf peeping. Airbnb also reports that 90% of Gen Z travelers surveyed are interested in smaller, lesser-known destinations this fall, driven by affordability and the desire for authentic local experiences. For vacation rental operators, now is a great time to highlight nearby fall activities in listings and optimize pricing around peak fall weekends.

Vrbo is officially rolling out Sponsored Listings, giving vacation rental operators the option to pay for premium placement at the top of search results. The new feature uses a pay-per-booked-night model, meaning operators only pay when a traveler clicks the sponsored listing and completes a reservation. Bids start at $5 per booked night, and campaigns can be created and managed through the Expedia Group Advertising Portal. Vrbo says properties that participated in its pilot program saw bookings increase 49%, revenue grow 39%, and booked nights rise 30%. It will be interesting to see whether those results continue as Sponsored Listings are more widely adopted and more operators compete for paid placement in search results.

AirDNA released its July 2026 European market review this week, showing continued revenue growth as higher nightly rates helped offset a slight decline in occupancy. Available listings increased by 1.9% year-over-year, while demand grew by 0.8%, resulting in a slight drop in occupancy to 69.2%. Average Daily Rate (ADR) rose 8.2%, helping push Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) up 7.7% despite the decline in occupancy. Looking ahead, demand for September and October is coming in around 6.9% and 6% above last year, with occupancy expected to increase this fall.

Airbnb sent Salt Lake City a cease-and-desist letter this week, accusing city officials of using fake guest accounts to contact hosts and investigate potential violations of the city’s new short-term rental rules. The new regulations, which took effect on July 1st and were covered in Industry News on June 26th, require vacation rental operators to obtain a business license, limit rentals to 200 nights per year, and prohibit short-term rentals in residential areas. Airbnb argues that the city’s enforcement method violates its terms of service and could violate Utah law. Salt Lake City says it is reviewing the letter but will continue enforcing the ordinance.

Previously covered in Industry News on July 31st, Clark County Commissioners voted 5-0 on Tuesday to approve a new ordinance that will prohibit booking platforms from processing payments for unlicensed short-term rentals. Beginning September 2nd, platforms such as Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com must verify that each property listed on their sites holds a valid county license and displays the required licensing information. The requirements apply to properties in unincorporated areas of Clark County, with platforms facing a $500 fine for a first violation and $1,000 for each additional violation. The ordinance comes amid an ongoing federal lawsuit that has temporarily blocked parts of the county’s licensing and enforcement system.

As fall approaches and local governments continue to look for new ways to regulate short-term rentals, expect continued changes across the vacation rental industry this year. Check back next week for the latest news!

We are excited to announce that the full Powertranz integration, including 3D Secure (3DS) support, is now available in OwnerRez! 🎉

This has been a highly requested improvement, and we’re excited to finally bring these expanded Powertranz payment capabilities to OwnerRez.

What the new Powertranz upgrade offers

With 3DS support, Powertranz can now serve as a payment processing option for more OwnerRez users throughout the Caribbean and Central America, particularly in markets where 3DS requirements previously presented a limitation.

Powertranz currently works with banking partners across dozens of jurisdictions, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, and many more.

Already using Powertranz?

You can now take advantage of the new 3DS capabilities available through the OwnerRez integration.

Important: Make sure your account is ready for 3DS

Before using 3DS with OwnerRez, email support@powertranz.bm and ask Powertranz to confirm the following:

• Does [insert bank name] support 3DS?
• If so, please enable 3DS on my account.

Previously considered Powertranz, but couldn’t use it?

Now is a great time to take another look. Contact Powertranz to confirm availability and establish an account with a supported banking partner for your location. You can learn more about this here.

We’re thrilled to get this long-awaited improvement into your hands!

We’re excited to announce our new channel integration with Branson Premier, the first OTA built just for vacation rentals in Branson, Missouri.

About Branson Premier

Branson Premier is the very first online travel agency (OTA) built just for Branson vacation rentals. No big national websites where your place gets lost in the shuffle; they are all about Branson, all the time. They know what makes Branson special and connect your properties directly with travelers who are itching for an authentic Branson experience. 

• Get Noticed: Guests who visit their site are looking for a Branson stay.
• They Know Branson: Their team lives in Branson and knows what makes visitors tick.
• Partners Not Competitors: Property managers are their customers, not competition.
• Seamless Tech: Multiple properties, no worries, full integration with OwnerRez.
• Personal Support: Real humans in Branson, a friendly team always ready to help.
• More Bookings: They attract highly targeted visitors, meaning more bookings for you.
• Community Connection: They are all about connecting guests with Branson’s best.

Pricing

They believe in being totally upfront, which is why they charge a simple 13% commission. That 13% only applies to the accommodation fare. Your cleaning fees and any other typical guest fees are all yours, 100% of them. This way, you get to keep a significantly bigger chunk of your income compared to what you'd find with other platforms.

Ready to Connect?

To get started with Branson Premier, visit here and schedule a quick call. Also, check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Branson Premier.

We’re happy to share our latest channel integration with Foxhole, giving OwnerRez users a new way to reach verified military guests while keeping 96% of every booking.

About Foxhole

Foxhole was built by veterans who understand the realities of military life, supporting Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and Temporary Duty (TDY). Foxhole is a trusted lodging platform for active-duty service members, veterans, and their families. Whether traveling for official orders, training, PCS moves, or well-earned time off, Foxhole connects the military community with reliable, vetted places to stay around the country.

Pricing

Foxhole charges a 4% platform fee on bookings, with no subscription or listing fees. View full pricing info here.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Foxhole by visiting here, and check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Foxhole.

Barry Diller wants to own the world. Monopolizing airline and hotel and vacation rental bookings isn't enough for him. 

This week, we are excited to feature Alan Agoado, founder of Clearwater Beach Vacation Homes and an OwnerRez user for over five years. After getting his start in vacation rentals in 2009, Alan has built a successful vacation rental business along Florida's Gulf Coast, where he focuses on building strong relationships with both his guests and owners.

Can you tell us a little bit about your history and background?

I fell into the short-term rental business back in January 2009 after being laid off from my previous job. At the time, I wasn’t working, and a friend of mine owned a cleaning business, so I started helping her find cleaning jobs. Around the same time, my cousin (who is in the picture and is now my partner) told me that a company he did maintenance work for was looking for cleaners and also needed help with reservations.

For the first year, I worked with my friend on the cleaning side while doing reservations part-time. After about a year, I decided to step away from cleaning and focus on reservations. About a year later, the person I was working with left, and I became the only person handling reservations. Over the years, I built a lot of great relationships with both guests and owners. Eventually, I felt like I had built enough experience and relationships to go out on my own. In 2021, I took that leap and started my own company, Clearwater Beach Vacation Homes. It has been an amazing journey ever since, and I’m incredibly grateful for all the relationships, experiences, and opportunities that have come along the way.

Were you always in vacation rentals or property management? If not, what did you do before?

This was the first real career that I had. Prior to getting into short-term rentals, I was just working basic jobs in retail to get by.

Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later?

Yes, I was born and raised in Dunedin, and I focus on rentals from Indian Rocks Beach to Hernando Beach.

What do you love most about the vacation rental business?

Meeting all kinds of people from around the world. I have built great relationships with guests who will now only rent with me.

What do you dislike the most about it?

The entitlement of some people.

How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?

OwnerRez is used to keep everything organized. When I change something on my listings, it syncs super fast, and I don’t have to keep checking to make sure it synced. My owners also like the new owner statements.

What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?

I like the automated emails and the ease of use. The company I used previously was very confusing. I also love the reports and how quickly everything works. It's very easy to keep track of the total rents for the year, occupancy, and where my bookings are coming from. I also never have any double bookings, like I see with other softwares.

Alan has built a successful vacation rental business by focusing on great service and lasting relationships. We look forward to seeing Clearwater Beach Vacation Homes continue to grow!

We’re excited to announce our latest integration with Flow Web Designs, offering fast, custom-built websites that sync directly with OwnerRez listing content, availability, and rates.

About Flow Web Designs

Flow Web Designs builds fast, custom websites for vacation rental brands, property managers, and service businesses that want to convert more of the traffic they earn. Every Flow site is designed around your brand, engineered on Cloudflare for speed and reliability, and structured for search and direct bookings. Flow then connects your website directly to OwnerRez, syncing your listings, availability, and rates in real time.

Features

• Custom, brand-first website design
• Live sync from OwnerRez (listings, photos, availability, rates, rules)
• Real-time direct booking powered by OwnerRez
• Clear conversion paths for guests and owner-prospects
• Destination SEO (location, guides, category pages)

Example Site

https://coastal.flowwebdesigner.com/

Pricing

Contact Flow Web Designs for a custom quote.

Ready to Connect?

Get started with Flow Web Designs by visiting here, and check out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Flow Web Designs.

Episode Twenty of Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals podcast is live!

Welcome to the Walk ’n Talk podcast, hosted by OwnerRez CEO Paul Waldschmidt and CTO Chris Hynes. Born from conversations during their weekly walks, the podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions and ideas that have shaped OwnerRez over the years. Whether you’ve been building a business for several years or are just getting started, listen in for lessons from their experience building OwnerRez in the ever-changing vacation rental industry.

🎙️ Episode 20 Now Live

EP20 - The Work Behind Creating Happiness

In Episode Twenty, Paul and Chris discuss the work behind one of OwnerRez’s core principles: Create Happiness. They talk about how creating happiness has changed as the company has grown, from solving problems for individual customers to building processes that keep feedback and solutions connected across several teams. Paul Hall, Head of Partnerships & Marketing, also joins the conversation to recap the first-ever OwnerRez Roadshow and share how it brought users together to learn, collaborate, and connect in their local markets.

You’ll hear about:

• The work behind creating happiness
• Keeping the company culture alive as things grow
• Connecting customer feedback to solutions
• The value of working and connecting in person
• Takeaways from the first OwnerRez Roadshow
• Upcoming OwnerRez events

Listen Now

Watch Now

Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals is available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

New episodes are already in the works, and we can’t wait for you to join us on the walk.

This week’s roundup covers strong Q2 results from Airbnb and Expedia Group, Airbnb’s new partnership with Tripadvisor, and vacation rental policy changes in Pacifica, California. Let’s dive in.

Airbnb released its second-quarter 2026 financial results this week, reporting 17% year-over-year revenue growth to $3.6 billion. During the earnings call, Airbnb shared that Reserve Now, Pay Later now accounts for more than 20% of total bookings by value, first-time bookers grew 11% to reach their highest growth in four years, and nights booked through the Airbnb app increased 23% and now account for 64% of all nights booked. Hotels also saw strong growth in Q2, growing approximately three times faster than homes while still representing only a single-digit share of total nights. Looking ahead, Airbnb says food delivery is coming through a partner that has not yet been announced, AI-powered search remains in testing, and the company is developing its own AI pricing model for hosts.

In more financial news, Expedia Group, the parent company of Vrbo, announced its Q2 2026 results this week, reporting 12% year-over-year growth in gross bookings to $33.9 billion and 14% revenue growth to $4.3 billion. Consumer bookings, which include Vrbo, Expedia.com, and Hotels.com, increased 8% as the company recorded its strongest U.S. growth in 15 quarters. During the earnings call, Expedia also shared that more than 40% of Vrbo bookings were made on properties offering discounts funded by hosts or property managers. Expedia also became the first online travel agency to distribute Allegiant flights, giving it full coverage of U.S. commercial airlines. Looking ahead, the company plans to acquire car rental and insurance platform CarTrawler and says social media and Answer Engine Optimization are among its fastest-growing channels for reaching travelers.

Airbnb announced a new partnership with Tripadvisor on Tuesday that will bring a selection of Tripadvisor "experiences" to the Airbnb platform later this year. Tripadvisor currently offers approximately 425,000 experiences through its tours and activities business, though the company has not disclosed how many will be added to Airbnb. The announcement comes as Airbnb continues to expand its Experiences business, adding 1,000 new options across its most popular categories in Q2 and increasing supply by nearly 80% year-over-year. Airbnb says it is taking a gradual, long-term approach to growth, focusing on building a successful Experiences model in one market before expanding it to additional markets.

In short-term rental regulation news, the California Coastal Commission voted 6-4 on Wednesday to approve a modified version of Pacifica’s vacation rental ordinance following a nearly seven-month delay. The decision removed the city’s proposed primary residence requirement and doubled the annual cap for unhosted rentals from 60 to 120 days. The changes would divide Pacifica into two zones of vacation rental rules, with Highway 1 separating the Coastal and non-Coastal zones. If accepted, the new rules would create additional opportunities for vacation rental operators within the Coastal Zone. The Pacifica Planning Commission and City Council will now review the revisions and decide whether to accept them by October.

As major booking platforms continue to show strong growth and announce upcoming plans, the vacation rental industry continues to evolve. Check back next week for the latest news!

Episode Nineteen of Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals podcast is now live!

Welcome to the Walk ’n Talk podcast, hosted by Paul Waldschmidt and Chris Hynes, CEO and CTO of OwnerRez. Inspired by their weekly walks, the podcast gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions, challenges, and lessons that have shaped OwnerRez over the years. Whether you’re an experienced business owner or just getting started, listen in and take away ideas from their journey building an elite vacation rental software company.

🎙️ Episode 19 Now Live

EP19 - Leading With Persistence

In Episode Nineteen, Paul and Chris discuss what it means to lead with persistence and humility. Drawing from their years of experience building OwnerRez, they talk about focusing on what can be done now, taking big, painful steps forward even when it means stepping back, and learning once the rubber meets the road. They also discuss the unique human ability to push past setbacks, the humility needed to undo or rebuild, and the maturity to know when to push through or hit the brakes.

You’ll hear about:

• Doing the best you can with what you know now
• Learning what can be improved once the rubber meets the road
• Taking big, painful steps forward without being afraid of taking two steps back
• Having the humility to undo, refactor, or build again
• Knowing when to push through and when to put the brakes on

It’s a real conversation about leading with persistence and staying humble enough to change course when needed.

Watch Now

Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals is available on:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

New episodes are already in the works, and we can’t wait for you to join us on the walk.

This week’s roundup covers Booking Holdings’ strong Q2 performance, Airbnb’s latest push into hotels, and proposed short-term rental regulations in Pittsburgh and Carson City. Let’s dive in.

Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com, released its second-quarter 2026 financial results this week, reporting continued growth. Room nights booked reached 325 million, up 5% year-over-year, while gross bookings increased 9% to $51 billion, driven in part by strong domestic travel in the U.S. Booking.com reported continued growth in its Connected Trip transactions, where travelers book multiple parts of the same trip, such as a flight, stay, and rental car, through the platform. The company also highlighted its Genius loyalty program, with higher-tier members accounting for nearly 60% of nights booked. Despite growing interest in AI-powered travel search, Booking says traffic from large language models remains significantly below 1% of total nights booked through the platform.

Airbnb took another step into the hotel space this week by announcing a new partnership with boutique hotel operator Lark Hotels. The distribution agreement will add more than 75 properties across the U.S. to Airbnb, including Lark’s full portfolio of brands such as AWOL, Blind Tiger, and Bluebird. Lark says the partnership will give its hotel owners a more diverse mix of booking channels and direct access to Airbnb travelers seeking distinctive stays. This is the latest move by Airbnb to expand into boutique and independent hotels, previously covered in Industry News on September 19th.

Previously covered in Industry News on February 13th, Pittsburgh’s long-running effort to regulate short-term rentals is moving forward, with two proposals expected to receive further consideration this fall. If passed, the zoning proposal would prevent new non-owner-occupied vacation rentals from opening in residential areas zoned for single-family homes, duplexes, or triplexes, but would allow existing operators to apply to be grandfathered in. A separate licensing bill would require operators to obtain a license, designate a local contact, and comply with new guest and operating requirements. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a hearing on the zoning proposal on September 8th, and the City Council expects to hold a tentative committee vote on the licensing bill on October 21st. For vacation rental operators in Pittsburgh, now is a great time to get involved and make your voice heard on these proposals.

Carson City, Nevada, is considering new vacation rental regulations following more than a year of community outreach. If approved, operators would pay a $25 application fee, a $500 annual business license fee, and the city’s increased transient lodging tax. The rules would also require annual safety inspections, limit occupancy to two guests per bedroom, establish quiet hours, and require a local contact. Vacation rentals would be allowed in most residential zones but remain prohibited in apartment buildings, industrial zones, and public districts. City leaders say the goal is to preserve neighborhood character while supporting business and tourism.

As the top booking platforms continue to show signs of growth and local governments consider new vacation rental regulations, the industry continues to take shape this summer. Check back next week for the latest news!