Along with the growth of the vacation rental industry, there has come an abundance of resources that aspiring rentalpreneurs can refer back to time and time again.
Whether that’s subscribing to the best industry blogs, listening to the top professional podcasts, or joining in discussions across various LinkedIn groups, owners are never short of material to keep improving their businesses.
We’ve compiled this list of some of our favorite vacation rental books that will help your business to flourish. Read on to see our top 15 titles!
1. Profitable Properties: Airbnb Insider Secrets to Find, Optimize, Price, & Book Direct any Short-Term Rental for Year-Round Occupancy
Profitable Properties provides expert insights from a former Airbnb employee turned Superhost, real estate investor, and guest of over 2,000 nights. The book is packed with invaluable tips and tricks that will help you optimize your rental properties and offer a superior experience to your guests, helping you to outshine your competitors and maximize your earnings.
2. Get Paid For Your Pad: How to Maximize Profit From Your Airbnb Listing
For any hosts starting out, or even those already established in the industry, Jasper Ribbers’ step-by-step guide breaks down creating the ultimate Airbnb listing into bitesize chunks. With special extras such as examples from real listings, stories from other hosts, and easy-to-implement tips and tricks, this book will have you guest-ready in no time.
If you want to know just how to earn big bucks converting your residential home into a vacation rental, look no further than Vacation Rental Success by Joel Rasmussen. A successful owner himself and president of one of North America’s biggest VR owner associations, Rasmussen has experienced the best (and worst) practices directly. This book is bursting full of guidelines and suggestions by some well-known industry players.
4. Make Money on Airbnb: How to Quickly and Easily Earn $2,500 a Month From Your Home
For anyone who wants to earn an extra side income, from home and without giving up all your free time – Sally Miller’s book is for you. Her smart ideas will have you creating a great listing on Airbnb in no time, helping you to make money from your spare room immediately! Not only that, Miller reveals tips on how to price to beat competitors, what you need to do to perfect the guest experience, and advice for managing your bookings for just a few minutes per day.
A bestseller since 2004, this updated (third edition) version of How To Rent Vacation Properties by Owner: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment covers just about all bases when it comes to second properties. If you want practical advice for your business and to learn how to keep 100% of your profits from day one, this book from Christine Hrib-Karpinski will be sure to help you.
Buy How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner here.
6. The Vacation Rental Goldmine: How to Maximize Your Rental Income with Great Guest Experiences
It’s no secret that creating a knockout guest experience is hugely important for anyone trying to make it in the vacation rental industry – that’s why this book is super useful for startup hosts. Chris Debusk goes into detail about different strategies for creating memorable guest experiences that will hugely impact your home’s potential profitability. Including everything from marketing plans to communicating with guests, it’s all covered in this paperback.
Grab your copy of The Vacation Rental Goldmine here.
7. Build a Rental Property Empire: The No-Nonsense Book on Finding Deals, Financing the Right Way, and Managing Wisely
Mark Ferguson has been investing in real estate for more than 15 years and shows no signs of stopping yet. His book, Build a Rental Property Empire, has all the details of how to actually make good money in the real estate industry. Obstacles such as financing your venture and where to buy are overcome with ease using Ferguson’s own experience. What’s more, plenty of case studies and real-life examples will help you determine what a good rental property is and how you can make the most income possible.
Not only is Beth Carson an experienced and successful vacation rental owner, but she is also editor of the digital magazine, Vacation Rental Travels. In this book, Carson spills her secrets for a profitable rental business. From finding guests to furnishing your home the right way, building your website to staging your property for professional photographs, Money Making Vacation Rentals leaves no stones unturned.
9. The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate & Live Well
Through charming watercolor illustrations and explanations on interior design, Deborah Needleman shares her knowledge of styling tips and techniques with witty humor. If decorating your vacation rental seems like a daunting task, Needleman’s inspiration and practical ideas are exactly what you need.
Jeff Pierce, an Airbnb Superhost, lays out 10 easy steps to vacation rental hosting success on Airbnb and other OTAs in his book Master of Vacation Rentals. A perfect guide for anyone just starting in the industry or seasoned hosts looking to improve their services, this book teaches readers how to transform their properties through design, pricing, promotions, and calendar tips.
11. Optimize YOUR Bnb: The Definitive Guide to Ranking #1 in Airbnb Search
Even when you think you’ve reached your maximum potential or you’re comfortable with where you’re at, there’s always a lot more to learn! Former Airbnb employee and current Airbnb Superhost Daniel Rusteen is well-known in the industry for helping fellow hosts transform their vacation rental businesses through Airbnb. Known as a game-changer for many hosts, his best-seller Optimize YOUR Bnb outlines ways to improve both online and offline.
12. The Book on Managing Rental Properties: A Proven System for Finding, Screening, and Managing Tenants with Fewer Headaches and Maximum Profits
Top-selling authors Brandon Turner and Heather Turner have a theory that property management doesn’t have to be exhausting or boring – and they’re right! Instead, you can use low-cost strategies and practical tips to efficiently drive your vacation rental business to success. Filled with resources that you can start using today, The Book on Managing Rental Properties uses personal anecdotes of mistakes (and wins) of other vacation rental owners to give more perspective on what decisions to make when a problem arises.
Start reading The Book on Managing Rental Propertieshere.
13. Myths, Management & Mastery of Vacation Rentals
Jeramie L. Worley, real estate broker at Worley & Associates, has put together the perfect beginner-friendly introduction into the vacation rental industry. Whether you’re interested in buying a property or marketing and managing one, you’ll find an abundance of information to lead you through the process.
Grab your copy of Myths, Management & Mastery of Vacation Rentals here.
14. Vacation Rental Management 411: A Comprehensive Overview of Best Practices for Renting a Room or Home to Guests for Profitable Short-Term Stays
While considered a more basic book, Vacation Rental Management 411 is worth looking into if you’re just getting started. Julie Davies and Breanne Ellis lay out the foundations of the industry, giving an overview of vacation rental regulations, maintenance, housekeeping, and technology.
15. Airbnb Listing Hacks: The Complete Guide To Maximizing Your Bookings And Profits
If you’re looking to make your Airbnb listing stand out but you don’t know where to start, Airbnb Listing Hacks is for you! Written by Alex Wong, this book focuses on helping readers position their brand and create compelling Airbnb listings through well-written descriptions, titles, and photo captions.
These are just 15 of the best vacation rental books we’ve come across so far. If there are any other titles that should appear on the list, please let us know in the comments!
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