At the end of last year, VRBO sent a warning that we needed to register our San Francisco condo as a short-term rental. We knew our condo didn’t meet the city’s definition of a “short-term rental” because we have a minimum stay of 30 days, so I ignored the message. Then I got one that said VRBO had made our listing inactive. Ah, I thought. That’s why we haven’t been getting inquiries.
It took several emails, a phone call, and some paperwork before VRBO finally reinstated the listing. Now we’re finally hearing from potential guests again.
San Francisco, where Airbnb was born, is no outlier. Cities, counties, towns, and even states all across the country (and elsewhere in the world) now tax, regulate, limit, or even ban short-term rentals. In some places, hosts who fail to comply risk racking up huge fines, along with losing their right to rent out their home to travelers.
But doing the right thing can be tricky. The rules, laws, and regulations vary from place to place. Worse, they’re changing rapidly as local and state governments confront what are often very controversial issues. To be safe, learn what you need to do to make sure your short-term rental is in compliance. [Read more…] about Short-Term Rental Compliance: What You Need to Know
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a second home? A little casita in Santa Fe or a small apartment in Manhattan? A cottage on the lake? You’d have a place of your own in a favorite destination, and you could rent it to short-term guests when you weren’t using it.
