STR Law

Airbnb just changed its policy on host-imposed contracts, and it’s a big one. In this solo episode, I break down what’s changing for hosts who use rental agreements, why it matters for your legal protection, and what I’m doing about it. I walk through the four exceptions that still allow a rental agreement: contracts required by law or community association rules, optional amenities, stays of 28 d...

Could someone else trademark your Airbnb's name before you do? I sat down with Matt Schneller, trademark lawyer and founder of TM TKO, to break down what short-term rental owners actually need to know about trademarks. We cover what qualifies as a trademark in the first place, why rental properties are a strange case in trademark law since your guests come from everywhere, not just your neighb...

What if the biggest risk to your short-term rental business isn't a bad review, but depending on just one booking platform? I sat down with Mark Simpson, founder of Boostly and host of The Boostly Podcast, to talk about building a direct booking strategy that actually works in 2026. We get into why Airbnb's new lower-commission "direct booking link" still isn't a real direct...

Most short-term rental hosts think about taxes once a year. Ted Lanzaro says that's the mistake. In this episode, Katie Johnson sits down with Ted Lanzaro, CPA and founder of Landmark CPA Group, a national tax strategy practice built specifically for real estate investors. Ted has spent 36 tax seasons helping STR hosts turn their properties into a real tax strategy instead of a once-a-year scr...

"My kid went to U of A, so I bought a rental. Now I'm left with 7,000 sq ft of dirt and a cactus." Sound familiar? Many investors have rentals near universities but face underutilized backyards. In this episode of STR Law, Katie Johnson chats with Brad Jones from Tiny Homes of Tucson. After 30 years in tech sales, he transitioned to ADU (accessory dwelling units) construction two yea...

Is your short-term rental actually covered or are you one claim away from discovering a costly gap in your insurance? In this episode, Katie Johnson sits down with Darren Pettyjohn, co-founder of Proper Insurance and Wister Insurance, to discuss the insurance risks facing short-term rental owners, property managers, and co-hosts. They break down why traditional homeowner and landlord policies may...

In this episode of the STR Law Podcast, Katie Johnson is joined by tax attorney Anthony Brister to discuss short-term rental tax strategy, asset protection, LLCs, insurance, and entity structuring. Anthony explains why STR owners should think beyond tax savings and make sure their properties are properly protected through the right insurance, business structure, corporate formalities, and long-ter...

Pets, service animals, and emotional support animals can create a lot of confusion for short-term rental hosts, especially when guests fail to disclose animals or hosts are unsure what rules apply. In this episode, Katie is joined by John Bradford, founder and CEO of PetScreening, to discuss how STR owners and property managers can better manage pet policies, service animal requests, emotional sup...

California probate can be slow, expensive, and messy, especially when you own rentals or run a business. In this episode, I am joined by Mark Abel, a Southern California trusts-and-estates attorney, to explain how estate planning and LLCs work together for STR owners and real estate investors. We cover why a living revocable trust is a go-to tool for avoiding probate, how a pour-over will “catch”...

Asset protection doesn’t have to be confusing, especially when you own short-term rentals.  In this episode, Katie is joined by attorney Kevin Snyder of Snyder Law to break down “layers of protection” for STR owners: insurance, LLC structuring, and when trusts may (or may not) make sense. They cover why separating properties into different LLCs can reduce risk, the real problem with “pooling” rent...

I sat down with Brett Swartz to unpack tax-smart exit planning for real estate investors and business owners—especially how a Deferred Sales Trust can help defer capital gains with more flexibility than a traditional 1031 exchange . If you’re thinking about selling, this episode is for you. Hit play, follow the show on Spotify, and share it with a friend who’s planning an exit.🎙️ #ExitPlanning #Ca...

In this episode of STR Law , attorney and real estate developer Ari Rastigar explains how zoning and entitlements shape real estate value long before construction begins. The conversation covers entitlement risk, rezoning strategies, large-scale development, 3D-printed housing, and how institutional investors approach housing in high-growth cities like Austin and Dallas. A practical discussion on...

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 fac...

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 clari...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 h...

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 ev...

In this episode of STR Law, Attorney Katie Johnson sits down with Arizona realtor and attorney Mike Stone to explore his journey to real estate, property management, and short-term rental entrepreneurship. We dig into: How Mike transitioned from litigation and insurance defense to Airbnb investing The lessons learned (and money lost) from arbitrage deals — and why he now champions co-hosting Smart...

Short-term rentals are booming, but one wrong insurance move can sink your business. In this episode of STR Law , I sit down with Nick Massey from Proper Insurance—the “Lamborghini of STR insurance”—to unpack how hosts can avoid costly mistakes. We cover: Why most homeowners and landlord policies won’t protect you as a host The #1 pool and hot tub requirements you can’t ignore What really happens...

In this eye-opening episode of STR Law, attorney and Airbnb investor Katie Johnson sits down with short-term rental safety expert Justin Ford of Breezeway to break down what may be the largest jury verdict ever involving a short-term rental — a staggering $11.6 million. We dig deep into the case details: The incident that led to a guest’s life-changing injury The safety oversights and legal misste...

Are you confident about your lake access rights? Do you really know where your property line ends? In this episode of STR Law , real estate attorney Adam Toosley of Thompson Coburn LLP joins us to demystify some of the most misunderstood—and litigated—aspects of property ownership. With over 20 years of real estate litigation experience, Adam explains key legal concepts like adverse possession, ea...

Thinking about buying a short-term rental in a neighborhood with a Homeowners Association (HOA)? You need to listen to this first. In this episode of STR Law , we sit down with one of the nation’s top HOA attorneys, Kevin Hirzel of Hirzel Law, PLC, to break down everything short-term rental (STR) investors must know before purchasing property in an HOA-governed community. We dive deep into: ✔️ The...