Vacation Rental Buyers Now Take Months to Vet Markets
Brokers say short-term rental investors are stretching pre-purchase research from days to months, checking permit caps and licensing rules before making an offer.
US Vacation Rental News
Host-Funded Discounts Now Drive More Than 40% of Vrbo Bookings
Supplier-funded promotions have jumped from roughly a third to more than 40% of Vrbo bookings in a single quarter, which makes the platform's growth partly a transfer from owner margin.
Las Vegas Region Moves to Make Booking Sites Block Unlicensed Rentals
A Clark County ordinance would prohibit booking platforms from taking reservations for unlicensed properties, with electronic licence verification. Roughly 13,800 active listings sit against 229 issued licences.
Vrbo's Q2 Growth Traces Back to Host-Funded Discounts
An analysis of Expedia Group's second-quarter 2026 results argues Vrbo's booking gains lean on discounts and promotional funding that hosts pay for, not the platform.
Salt Lake City Hits Unlicensed Hosts With $1,000 Weekly Fines
The city has started fining unlicensed short-term rental operators $1,000 a week and paired enforcement with a two-night minimum stay and a 200-night annual cap.
Airbnb Loses Appeal, New Orleans Rental Rules Stand
A federal appeals court has rejected a challenge to New Orleans' short-term rental ordinance, leaving the city's residency and permitting restrictions in force.
Most Short-Term Rentals in Warren, Vermont, Stay Unregistered
Warren's short-term rental registry is drawing weak sign-up from hosts, leaving the Vermont town with a thin picture of how many vacation rentals actually operate within its borders.
Airbnb Stock Hits Four-Year High on Raised Forecast
Airbnb shares climbed to their highest level since 2021 after the company lifted its revenue outlook and pointed to AI-driven bookings growth.
Georgia Judge Keeps Tybee Island's Rental Permit System Intact
A Chatham County judge has rejected a challenge to Tybee Island's short-term rental permitting and enforcement rules, leaving the beach town's system in place.
Vrbo Sponsored Listings: How the Paid Placement Auction Works for Hosts
A plain-language walkthrough of Vrbo sponsored listings - where the paid slots appear, what triggers a charge, and which numbers decide whether a campaign pays for itself.
Airbnb Lifts Full-Year Outlook as North America Bookings Accelerate
Airbnb's second-quarter results showed revenue up 17 percent and North American booking growth at its fastest pace in nearly three years, prompting a raised full-year forecast.
Vrbo Ad Slots Are Heading for Expedia.com Next
Sponsored placement bought on Vrbo is set to surface on Expedia.com as well, extending a rental host's ad reach into a marketplace dominated by hotel inventory.
Behind Airbnb's Lark Deal: Five Brands, Sub-150-Room Hotels
Lark's network of nearly 100 small independent hotels across five brands is the shape of Airbnb's boutique supply push, and only its US properties are going on the platform.
Landing Lets Landlords Turn Empty Units Into Furnished Rentals
Landing has launched Occupancy on Demand, a service that lets multifamily owners furnish and list vacant apartments through its flexible-stay network rather than leaving them empty.
Vrbo Leans on Discounts as Expedia Posts 14% Revenue Rise
Expedia's second-quarter results show room-night growth built partly on subsidised rates, with more than 40 percent of Vrbo bookings carrying partner-funded offers.
Tampa Bay County's Rental Registration Plan Dies in Tie Vote
A Tampa Bay-area county commission split 2-2 on a proposed short-term rental ordinance, leaving existing rules in place for now.
Two Founders Bet a Maine-Only Platform Beats Airbnb Reach
A pair of New England entrepreneurs have launched a booking site limited entirely to Maine properties, wagering that local curation beats platform scale.
Airbnb Adds 75 Boutique Hotels From Lark in US Push
Airbnb has struck a distribution deal with boutique operator Lark Hotels, putting more than 75 of its properties on the platform alongside individual host listings.
New Orleans Council Stalls Again, Leaving STR Hosts in Limbo
New Orleans lawmakers have once more pushed back a vote on tightening short-term rental rules, leaving permit holders unsure what compliance will look like next.
Gary, Indiana Puts Short-Term Rentals to a Council Vote
Gary's city council signed off on a single short-term rental listing this week, a reminder that operators there need a public vote, not just a permit, before they can open.