STR Data Lab™ by AirDNA

What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas this time. Jamie Lane and Scott Sage are back from the VRMA conference with powerful insights shaping the future of short-term rentals—from the rise of AI tools to why “national is dead and local is king.” They unpack the data behind what’s really driving property manager success today—and what’s holding others back. In this episode, Jamie reveals new Ai...

What if scaling your vacation rental business could actually hurt your bottom line? This week, Jamie Lane sits down with Ashley Ching , founder and CEO of Inhaven , to unpack her research on why national hospitality management companies—from Vacasa to Ambridge—have repeatedly failed to scale successfully. Together, they dive into the structural challenges of the short-term rental industry and unco...

The vacation rental landscape is evolving fast — and Vrbo’s taking bold steps to redefine what “success” means in this new era. In this episode, Jamie Lane sits down with Tim Rosolio, VP of Vacation Rental Partnerships at Expedia Group , to explore how Vrbo is prioritizing quality over quantity , building stronger demand through Expedia’s massive network, and integrating cutting-edge AI tools to i...

Every host dreams of more direct bookings—but few have cracked the code like Brittany Magsig of Mountain Mama Cabins . In this episode, Jamie Lane dives into Brittany’s journey from buying her first Smoky Mountain cabin during COVID to becoming a social media powerhouse who now drives the majority of her reservations directly through her own channels. Brittany shares how she turned TikTok and Inst...

The short-term rental world is shifting fast—and this week’s episode breaks down what hosts and property managers need to know to stay ahead. Fresh from the Expedia + VRBO product launch in Austin, Jamie Lane and Scott Sage share the latest innovations rolling out to help drive bookings, improve guest experience, and reward quality operators. From AI-powered guest review summaries to new distribut...

Is moving from short-term rentals into boutique hotels the natural next step for savvy investors? In this episode, Jamie Lane sits down with James Savier, SVP at CBRE Hotels, to explore why more STR operators are eyeing boutique hotel ownership—and what it really takes to succeed. Hotels may seem like an entirely different ballgame, but as James explains, the leap isn’t as far as you might think....

Former Vacasa founder and now Fairly CEO, Eric Breon, joins Jamie Lane to unpack what’s actually driving bookings today—and why reviews now beat everything but rock-bottom pricing. Eric explains how the playing field shifted: pro photos, yield tools, and channel distribution are table stakes; sustained growth comes from a flywheel of 5-star guest experiences that boost ranking, conversion, and Rev...

France is the world’s most-visited country—and one of the hottest STR markets. In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane sits down with Louis Andrews, Director and President of OVO Network, to unpack how the French market works today and where it’s headed next. Louis explains OVO’s software-first model (their own PMS + direct booking platform) and why 75–80% of their bookings come direct. We...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, host Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, interviews Will Risbourg, owner of Two Casitas, a vacation rental company in Santa Fe. Two Casitas, founded in 1998, is a family business that started with two guesthouses and has grown to over 100 listings, maintaining a 4.93 rating with thousands of reviews.  Will discusses the company’s history, their focus on cust...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane and Scott Sage discuss a variety of topics related to the short-term rental market and broader economic indicators. Jamie shares insights from his recent summer experiences, including a trip to Maine and observations on his rental property’s operations. The hosts then delve into Airbnb’s recent Q2 earnings, highlighting revenue growth and challenges...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane interviews Hailie Anderson, founder of Airbnb Takeoff, about her journey in the short-term rental (STR) industry. Hailie, joining live from the Philippines, shares how she began her entrepreneurial journey at 19 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She graduated early from school and initially ran a content creation agency. Influenced by TikTok videos about...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane sits down with Joe and Max, founders and operators of Bach Brothers in Fredericksburg, Texas. The Bachmeiers discuss winning the AirDNA 2025 Top Property Manager Award. They share their journey into short-term rentals, starting from their first property purchase in Fredericksburg and growing to manage over a hundred listings with an impressive averag...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane and Bram Gallagher discuss the midyear outlook for the economy and short-term rentals. They explore the updated forecast through 2026, addressing uncertainties surrounding recent economic events, inflation trends, and stock market fluctuations. Despite mixed signals, including recent inflation data and policy disagreements, the economy remains robust...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane interviews Henry Corell, the founder of RevUp Rental, a revenue management consultancy company. Henry shares his journey from real estate interest in college to starting his own business focused on revenue management. He discusses his early experiences with short-term rental vacation businesses and the niche opportunities in revenue management within...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane hosts a discussion with Ryan Bakke about recent changes in tax law from the Big Beautiful Bill and their implications for short-term rental investors. Ryan, who has extensive experience helping investors save on taxes, explains his journey into the short-term rental and real estate tax niche.  The conversation highlights recent tax law changes and th...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane interviews Patryk Swietek, owner of The Cohost Company. Patryk shares his journey into the short-term rental industry, starting as a tech employee at Aon Stay, where he observed operations scaling from 200 to over 1000 units. Post-COVID layoffs led him to start his own business, initially as a host and eventually acquiring three property management c...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane and co-host Scott Sage discuss short-term rental trends and market performance for the month of May. Jamie shares insights from his personal experiences managing his short-term rental property in the North Georgia Mountains.  The discussion highlights a 6% year-over-year increase in STR listings, a 1% dip in occupancy, a 6% rise in ADR, and a 4.8% gr...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane welcomes Michael O’Connell, founder of Happy Guest. Michael shares insights into the purpose and functionality of Happy Guest, a guest management system designed to streamline the check-in process for short-term rental properties while enhancing the overall guest experience.  Happy Guest provides an all-in-one, web-based check-in solution that integr...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane welcomes Alex Alioto, Head of Growth at Whimstay. They discuss the inception and growth of Whimstay, an OTA specializing in last-minute bookings for short-term rentals. Alex shares insights on how they fill unsold gap nights and create a win-win situation for both hosts and spontaneous travelers.  The conversation delves into the challenges and strat...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane sits down with Jodi Odlin, founder of Hospitable Hosts, a book series celebrating stories from the short-term rental industry. Jodi recently won the Rentalpreneur Award at the Shorty's and shares her journey from a hospitality background to becoming a successful short-term rental host. Hospitable Hosts is a trilogy featuring 40 authors in each book....

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane and Scott Sage discuss travel trends and the latest insights from the Airbnb summer release. Jamie shares his exciting Memorial Day plans, heading to North Carolina for his grandfather's 95th birthday and then to Litchfield Beach in South Carolina for a large family reunion. They discuss Memorial Day travel data, noting that occupancy rates are almos...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, is joined by Justin Ford, Director of Short-Term Rental Safety and Certifications Program at Breezeway. Justin shares insights into his role and the importance of safety in short-term rentals. Breezeway, a property care and operations platform, supports professionalism and safety in the industry. Ford explains the primary...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, speaks with Julie Marks, founder and executive director of the Vermont Short-Term Rental Alliance (VTSTRA). They delve into the significance of short-term rental regulations and advocacy. Julie shares her journey into short-term rental management and advocacy, which began when her local government considered shutting down...

Join  Jamie Lane , Chief Economist of  AirDNA , and  Ellie Mertz , CFO of Airbnb, as they discuss the latest announcements from the Airbnb 2025 Summer Release. This episode introduces new Airbnb services and experiences, a redesigned app, and future growth opportunities for hosts. Learn how Airbnb aims to increase travel wallet share and enhance user engagement through improved affordability, qual...

In this episode of the STR Data Lab, Jamie Lane, Chief Economist at AirDNA, is joined by Kerri Gibson, the CEO and co-founder of Chalets Hygge. Carrie shares the story behind the unique name of her company, which is inspired by the Danish concept of 'hygge,' emphasizing joy and contentment in life's simple moments.  Kerri discusses the accidental start of her short-term rental business in 2017 and...