In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Mark Lumpkin sits down with Lance Morgan, founder of College Funding Secrets, to break down a different way to think about short-term rentals—using them to help pay for college and reduce taxes.

Lance explains how high-income families can reposition college savings, lower “financial aid income” on paper, and use STR tax benefits (bonus depreciation) as what he calls “tax scholarships.” The goal: stop writing big checks for tuition and instead buy an asset that can help cover college costs while continuing to generate long-term wealth.

We also talk about:

• Why the “secret cost of college” can be over $1M when you factor in opportunity cost
• How STR cash flow can cover student loan payments after graduation
• Why income matters more than assets when qualifying for aid
• Creative alternatives like “box houses” and other tax strategy rabbit holes
• Lance’s STR portfolio growth and what he’s building next: Scholarship Houses + Scholarship Vacations

Connect with Lance:

• CollegeFundingSecrets.com
• ScholarshipHouse.com (and ScholarshipVacations.com coming soon)

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this week’s Monday Market Data Report, we continue our amenity-focused series — breaking down which upgrades actually drive revenue — and this time we’re diving into Flagstaff.

Flagstaff isn’t overly saturated like some major Arizona markets, which makes strategic amenities even more powerful.

In this episode, Mark breaks down:

• How much fire pits increase annual revenue
• Why hot tubs are one of the highest ROI upgrades in this market
• The surprising revenue boost from game rooms
• Whether saunas and home gyms are worth it
• Why pickleball courts are producing massive revenue gains with almost no competition

The data reveals that several top-performing amenities exist in less than 5% of listings, yet generate tens of thousands of dollars in additional annual revenue.

If you’re investing in Flagstaff, upgrading an existing STR, or underwriting a new deal, this episode gives you a tactical advantage.

Have a market you want us to analyze next? DM Mark and we’ll bring the data.

⭐ This is a featured encore of one of our most downloaded STR Investing episodes. Originally released on June 6th 2024, this episode continues to inspire investors to think bigger and execute smarter.

In this episode of the STR Investing Podcast, co-host Taylor Jones welcomes Tyann Marcink, the "Queen of Guest Experience," to share how she transformed a $55,000 drug house into a $1.5 million short-term rental success story.

Tyann walks through:
• How she identified hidden potential others overlooked
• The renovation strategy that unlocked massive value
• The guest experience upgrades that drive revenue
• Lessons learned from turning a distressed property into a high-performing asset

This episode proves that creative vision, execution, and guest-focused design can completely change the trajectory of a deal.

If you’re serious about scaling your short-term rental portfolio, this is one to study.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this Monday Market Data Report, co-host Mark Lumpkin kicks off a brand-new series focused on amenity-driven revenue — and we’re starting in Austin.

Instead of just bedroom count, this episode breaks down which amenities actually move the revenue needle in Austin, how rare they are among top performers, and what kind of annual income boost they deliver.

Inside the data, you’ll learn:

• Why pickleball courts are one of the highest-ROI amenities in Austin
• How much hot tubs, pools, and game rooms increase annual revenue
• Which luxury amenities are still extremely underutilized
• Why some amenities pay for themselves in months, not years
• How to combine bedroom count + amenities to maximize performance

The data shows that Austin is not heavily amenitized, which creates massive upside for operators who do it right. Some of the highest-performing amenities appear in less than 5% of top listings, yet deliver tens of thousands of dollars in additional annual revenue.

If you’re investing in Austin, planning a renovation, or trying to outcompete similar listings, this episode gives you the blueprint.

Want us to break down amenities in another market? DM Mark and we’ll bring the data.

AI is reshaping short-term rentals fast.

In this episode, Mark sits down with Shahar, founder of Boom, to break down how operators can use AI + automation to scale without adding chaos.

Shahar shares how he went from broker/investor to building a tech-enabled property management company (managing roughly $150M of property)—then spinning the technology out into Boom as a standalone platform built for operators running at scale.

What you’ll learn:

• How Shahar validated his first Airbnb using staged “virtual design” photos before furnishing
• Why “market fit” matters more than building a great product—and how his first tech product struggled to monetize
• The real operational pain that forces software creation: owner statements, task management, approvals, vendor payments, reconciliation
• Why scaling STRs breaks from operations, not demand—and how “one system” reduces errors and labor
• The shift from SaaS tools everywhere to one operating system + AI agents (guest messaging, reporting, workflows)
• How AI can reduce guest-message volume so teams can focus on real problems and higher-touch hospitality
• Where the industry is heading: AI travel planning, agent-driven bookings, direct booking disruption, and even the long-term impact of robotics
• Why companies that don’t adopt AI won’t survive—and how top operators will scale from 100 doors to 500–1,000 with the same team

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 325+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this Monday Market Data Report, co-host Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental numbers for Blue Ridge, one of the most popular mountain cabin destinations in the Southeast.

This episode highlights just how wide the performance gap is in Blue Ridge — where top-performing properties can earn more than double what average listings make in the same bedroom category.

Inside the data, you’ll learn:

• What 3-bedroom cabins earn at average vs. top-tier performance
• Why occupancy swings in Blue Ridge are some of the largest we’ve seen
• Why adding a 4th bedroom doesn’t always move the needle — unless you’re a top performer
• How 5-bedroom properties unlock a massive revenue jump when executed correctly
• Why 6+ bedroom homes can exceed $250K per year in the top tier

The takeaway is clear: Blue Ridge strongly rewards great locations, views, amenities, and execution, while average properties leave a lot of money on the table.

Whether you already own in Blue Ridge or are underwriting a potential cabin investment, this episode gives you the real numbers to understand where the upside truly lives.

Have a market you want us to break down next? DM Mark and we’ll bring the data.

Short-term rental guest expectations are rising fast — and “manual everything” breaks the moment you try to scale.

This week, Mark is joined by Frank from Hostfully to talk systems, PMS strategy, and what it really takes to run a professional operation as you grow from 1–2 properties to 10+.

Frank shares how his luxury hotel background (Ritz, W, Westin) shaped his view of STR operations — and why structure, branding, and professionalism are now non-negotiable if you want to win your market.

We cover:

• The biggest differences between luxury hotels and mom-and-pop short-term rentals
• Why guest expectations keep moving toward “hotel-level” standards (and won’t go back)
• When it becomes impossible to manage without a PMS
• How a PMS helps reduce operational friction and scale without chaos
• Why “growth at all costs” is dead — and sustainable growth is the new edge
• What to look for when choosing a PMS (and why there’s no one-size-fits-all)

If you’re serious about scaling your STR portfolio, this episode is a must-listen.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 325+ profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this Monday Market Data Report, co-host Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental numbers for Park City, one of the most in-demand ski towns in the country.

This episode reveals some of the largest performance gaps we’ve seen in any market — where top-performing properties earn more than double what average listings make in the same bedroom category.

Inside the data, you’ll learn:

• What 3-bedroom homes earn at average vs. top-tier performance levels
• Why performance matters more than bedroom count in Park City
• How 4- and 5-bedroom homes can push well into six figures annually
• Why 6+ bedroom properties are producing $300K+ per year
• How nightly rates and occupancy combine to create massive revenue swings

The takeaway is clear: in Park City, average properties get crushed, while well-designed, well-executed homes dominate the market.

If you’re investing in ski towns, underwriting luxury STRs, or deciding whether Park City is worth the premium buy-in, this episode gives you the real numbers behind the hype.

Have a market you want us to break down next? DM Mark and we’ll bring the data.