Guides for vacation home owners

Free, plain-English guides for owners of a second home, cabin, condo or villa who want rental income to cover the costs while keeping time for themselves.

• Start hereLet Others Pay for Your Vacation HomeHow vacation home owners use rental income to cover the mortgage, taxes and upkeep: listing, pricing, calendars, software, and the rules to know.
• Step 1How to List Your Vacation Home on Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.comCompare Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com fees for 2026, decide where to list, and write a title and photo set that gets your vacation home booked.
• Step 2Vacation Rental Pricing: Estimate Revenue and Set RatesLearn ADR, occupancy and RevPAR, estimate your vacation home's income with comps, find your break-even rate, and compare dynamic pricing tools.
• Step 3Vacation Rental Calendar Strategy: Owner Weeks vs. Rental NightsBalance owner use and rental nights: minimum stays, gap and orphan nights, seasonal and event pricing, lead time, and which peak weeks to keep.
• Step 4Vacation Rental Software and Management: What You NeedCompare channel managers and PMS tools (Hostaway, Guesty, OwnerRez, Lodgify, Hospitable), smart locks, Turno, and what property managers charge.
• Step 5Vacation Rental Rules, Taxes and Insurance: U.S. BasicsBefore you rent your vacation home: STR permits, HOA rules, lodging taxes, the IRS 14-day rule, personal-use limits, and short-term rental insurance.