by Paris Achen | Feb 5, 2026 | Guest Communications, Hosting and Management, Property Care, Safety
For nearly a week after Hurricane Michael tore through Panama City in the Florida Panhandle in October 2018, Annie Holcombe couldn’t make a phone call. The Category 5 hurricane wiped out power and cellphone towers, disabled water systems, destroyed 1,500 buildings,...
by Rent Responsibly Team | Dec 10, 2025 | Hosting and Management, Professional Development, Responsible Renting, STR Advocacy 101
This year, hosts started preparing for global guests, adjusted to shifting regulations, and adapted to the fast-paced world of artificial intelligence. Through it all, many of the top articles of 2025 were there to help hosts stay grounded in times of change and...
by Paris Achen | Nov 19, 2025 | Guest Communications, Hosting and Management, Property Care
If you manage your own direct bookings, the answer is simple: yes, you need a rental agreement for every stay. The debate begins when a booking comes through Airbnb, Vrbo, or another online travel agency (OTA). Should you still ask guests to sign a separate agreement...
by Paris Achen | Oct 29, 2025 | Guest Communications, Hosting and Management, Property Care
Mid-stay cleans are a service that can either elevate or complicate a short-term stay, depending on how they are handled. They can offer an extra layer of hospitality and a chance to check on your property, but they also can be a logistical headache for guests and...
by Paris Achen | Oct 20, 2025 | Guest Communications, Hosting and Management, Marketing
2026 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for event-related travel, with the FIFA World Cup, global concert tours, and major cultural festivals expected to draw millions of visitors to U.S. cities. Big events like these fuel bookings, appeal to new demographics,...
by Paris Achen | Oct 13, 2025 | Guest Communications, Hosting and Management
Many short-term rental hosts are natural nurturers and people-pleasers, driven by a genuine desire to make others feel comfortable and cared for. But that same empathy can turn into overthinking and anxiety, especially in an industry where success depends on public...
by Paris Achen | Jun 24, 2025 | Hosting and Management, Property Care, Short-Term Rental Regulation, STR Advocacy 101
When Merilee Karr co-founded the Short Term Accommodation Association (STAA) in the UK in 2017, she kept hearing the same frustrating refrain from government leaders and traditional hospitality groups: short-term rentals had no standards. Never mind the growing ranks...
by Paris Achen | Jun 9, 2025 | Accessibility, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Marketing, Responsible Renting
When LGBTQ+ travel advocate Rachel Covello bought a vacation rental in Mount Dora, Florida, she wasn’t just investing in real estate. She was deepening her mission to promote welcoming spaces for marginalized travelers. A longtime storyteller and community...
by Paris Achen | Apr 2, 2025 | Hosting and Management, Property Care, Safety
If you own a short-term rental, you may have noticed an alarming trend: STR insurance coverage is harder to get, more expensive, or disappearing altogether. From California to Florida and everywhere in between, homeowners are receiving policy nonrenewal notices just...
by Paris Achen | Mar 29, 2025 | Hosting and Management, Marketing
Many Canadian travelers are pressing pause on U.S. vacations in 2025 – and the effects are starting to show. According to a new report from Key Data, bookings from Canada for U.S. vacation rental properties are down 21% compared with the same period last year. That’s...
