What happens when a 90-acre Property collides with small-town politics and zoning boards?

In this episode of STR Law, real estate attorney and Airbnb investor Katie Johnson sits down with Ali Haney—short-term rental owner, branding expert, and host of The Branded Market Podcast. Ali shares how she bought a 90-acre property in rural Kentucky to build a wedding venue with on-site stays, only to face neighbor backlash, packed hearings, and a conditional use permit loaded with 18 conditions.

You’ll learn:

• How informal “zoning green lights” can fall apart at the hearing

• What conditional/special use permits really look like in practice

• How neighbor opposition can reshape (or kill) your business model

• How Allie pivoted from wedding venue plans to a successful STR

If you’re an STR host, investor, or aspiring venue owner, this real-life zoning story is a must-listen before your next deal. 🎙️

For this episode, our guest, Steph Weber—owner of The Weber Co, co-host at Hosted by the Webers, and partner in Cabins on the Cumberland—shares what it takes to build a sustainable short-term rental co-hosting business.

Steph breaks down how branding and organic marketing helped her scale quickly, plus the lessons she learned the hard way about contracts, onboarding, client boundaries, scope clarity. Hosts, co-hosts, STR operators will gain practical insights to tighten systems, reduce friction, and protect the business.

🎧 Tap play now, then follow STR Law so you don’t miss the next episode—plus leave a quick rating/review if this helped you.

#STRLaw #ShortTermRentals #TheWeberCo #AirbnbHost #VacationRental #CoHosting #AirbnbBusiness #HospitalityBusiness #RealEstateInvesting #BrandStrategy #MarketingTips #SmallBusinessOwner #EntrepreneurLife #PropertyManagement

When you win a lawsuit, the judgment is only as valuable as your ability to collect. In this episode of STR Law, real estate attorney Katie Johnson sits down with business litigators Mark Rossman and Noah Matthews of Rossman PC to break down what commercial collections really look like—especially when a debtor tries to dodge payment.

They discuss the difference between cases where a client already has a judgment versus situations where you still need to sue, why acting quickly can dramatically improve recovery, and what enforcement strategies may be available—from post-judgment discovery and emergency motions to pursuing personal guarantors, challenging fraudulent transfers, and (in certain cases) piercing the corporate veil.

If you’re a business owner, investor, or professional who’s ever thought, “We won…now how do we actually get paid?”—this episode is for you.

This episode is for general educational purposes and is not legal advice.#STRLaw #BusinessLaw #CommercialLitigation #Collections #JudgmentEnforcement #RealEstateInvesting #Entrepreneurship

Renovations can make—or break—your short-term rental. In this episode, real estate attorney and host Katie Johnson sits down with Minnesota investor Tanya Rooney to share a practical playbook for managing construction on STR properties.

They explain how vague scopes create chaotic bids and walk through what to include in a detailed scope (counts, locations, specs, exclusions) so proposals reflect the same work. You’ll hear the real differences between commercial and residential contractors, how contracts with timelines and payment milestones prevent surprises, and why licenses, insurance, permits, and final inspections are non-negotiable.

Tap the 🔔 for new episodes, leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating, and share this with a host planning a renovation—then save it for your next contractor meeting.

#STRLaw #ShortTermRental #AirbnbHostTips #RealEstateInvesting #Renovation #ContractorVetting #Permits #Inspections #CodeCompliance #ConstructionLaw #ProjectManagement #PropertyManagement #TanyaRooney

Short-term rentals are booming, but financing them is where a lot of hosts get tripped up. In this episode, Katie talks with Parker, a lender licensed in 45+ states, about how STR buyers can actually qualify using traditional QM (Qualified Mortgage) loans, more flexible non-QM products (bank-statement, 1099, full-doc non-QM), and DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio) loans that rely on projected STR income or AirDNA data.

This episode also explains when you can safely buy in your own name and deed it into an LLC, how to tell if a seller-credit or rate-buydown is actually helping you or just “lipstick on a pig,” and the exact point where lenders treat occupancy as non-negotiable so you don’t drift into mortgage-fraud territory.

#STRLaw #ShortTermRentals #AirbnbInvesting #RealEstateInvesting #DSCR #NonQM #QualifiedMortgage #InvestorLoans #SellerCredits #LLC #MortgageCompliance

Get in touch with Parker Borofsky:

• Here is her website!

Short-term rental operators can find the deals — the tricky part is bringing in investors without creating legal or partnership headaches. The questions start fast: How long is the hold? Who manages? What if someone wants out early?

In this episode of STR Law, Katie Johnson sits down with Natalie Palmer (No Vacancy Podcast, Level Up Your Listing Summit) to break down a real deal she raised for an upstate New York STR. They walk through why they chose a 7-year exit, how they kept terms the same for every investor, using a manager-managed LLC, DSCR loans, and how to say “no” to non-ideal partners — without losing momentum.

If you’re moving from “I own a couple of Airbnbs” to “I raise capital and partner,” this will help you set it up cleanly. #STRLaw #ShortTermRentals #AirbnbInvesting #CapitalRaising #RealEstatePartnerships #LLCStructure #RealEstateAttorney #NataliePalmer

• Natalie Palmer’s website: hostwithnatalie.com

• The conference Level Up Your Listing Summit: levelupyourlistingsummit.com

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What if your Airbnb guest won’t leave?

An overstaying guest can quickly create legal and financial headaches if you don’t know your rights.

In this episode of STR Law, I’m joined by John Voss, with over 30 years representing property management companies and landlords in both residential and commercial cases. He explains the legal challenges that arise when short-term rental guests overstay, and how hosts can protect themselves from being pulled into landlord–tenant disputes.

What you’ll take away:

• Eviction vs. ejection: why the distinction matters for STRs

• What really happens when guests refuse to leave

• How landlord–tenant laws can affect short-term rentals

• The contract language that helps safeguard your property

• Practical steps hosts can take to stay compliant and reduce risk

🎙️ Stay ahead of the risks—discover how the right legal steps can protect your rental business.

#ShortTermRental #AirbnbHost #STRLaw #VacationRental #RentalProperty #PropertyManagement #RealEstateLaw #LandlordTenant

katiejohnsonplc.com

Taxes can make or break your short-term rental business, and most hosts are leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

In this episode, licensed CPA, Ryan Bakke, explains how Airbnb and vacation rental investors can use smart tax planning to keep more of what they earn. From bonus depreciation and cost segregation to entity structuring and the STR loophole, Ryan breaks down strategies in a way every host can understand:

• How the 2025 return of 100% bonus depreciation could unlock huge upfront tax savings

• The short-term rental loophole that allows you to offset W-2 income with STR losses

• Why most hosts should use LLCs (not S corps) to protect assets and avoid tax traps

• The truth about partnership deals and guaranteed loans—and who really gets the tax benefits

• What new tax law changes mean for STR hosts, from personal deductions to business planning

Want to learn more with Ryan with his real estate investment and tax-saving tips? Check out his podcast channel at The Ryan Bakke Show 🎙️

Get in touch with Katie through her website: katiejohnsonplc.com

#ShortTermRental #AirbnbHosting #TaxStrategy #VacationRentalInvesting #RealEstateTaxes #AirbnbTips #RentalIncomeProtection #TheRyanBakkeShow #STRLaw