The STR market may be cooling, but savvy investors are heating up their research to find great investment opportunities. April’s data drop shows a surge in housing inventory, slipping foreign travel demand, and macro shifts reshaping the short-term rental landscape. Our latest “By the Numbers” breakdown cuts through the noise—giving you a 360° view of what’s moving markets and where to keep your eyes next.

Midweek Edition Highlights:

• 🔥 STR Classifieds – Scout this weeks trending STR Homes for Sale.

• 📊 April’s STR Scout “By the Numbers” – Key housing, travel, and STR trends you need to know

• 🌴 Maui’s STR ban impacts 7,000+ units—what it means for island investing

• 🧼 Savvy vs. Airbnb? New startup stirs the pot with bold marketing and lower fees

• 💰 Rising delinquencies, tariffs, and interest rates—how macro stress is hitting the STR bottom line

Dig into the numbers and trends shaping the summer STR season.

STR Scout

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🎿 $220K | Poconos, PA: Turnkey 2BD/1.5BA townhome in Snow Ridge Village at Jack Frost Ski Mountain. Overlooks pond, new roof & mini-split (2023), furnished, proven rental income. Free mgmt 1st year. View Post.

🌴 $234K | Fort Myers Beach, FL: Gulf-front unit at Pink Shell condotel. Ocean views, beachfront pools, and turnkey coastal living. Price improved for quick sale—own a slice of paradise! View Post.

🏡 $249K | Franklin, KY: Active Airbnb grossing ~$40K/yr. 3BD/1BA, 1661 sqft on Main St, walkable & under 1 hr to Nashville. Fully furnished, hardwoods, tile shower, .31 acre lot. Great STR or family home. View Post.

🌲 $269K | Cornish, ME: Turnkey 3BD/1BA cabin rated 4.87★ on Airbnb. Fully furnished, strong occupancy, modern-rustic charm near downtown & Pleasant Mtn. Ideal for STR investors or getaway seekers. View Post.

🌊 $295K | Rockport, TX: Turnkey 3BD/2BA STR just minutes from the beach. Fully furnished, 1160 sqft, proven income producer. Spacious yard with room to add outdoor features. Instant cash flow. View Post.

🌅 $295K | Romulus, NY: 2BD/1.5BA split-level with Seneca Lake views, hot tub & lake access. Proven STR, turnkey w/ negotiable furnishings. New floors, fresh paint, security system & more. View Post.

🌲 $450K | Sevierville, TN: 2BD/2BA cabin in Douglas Lake Resort. Fully furnished, avg ~$50K/yr revenue. Booked thru July. Custom kitchen, largest driveway in resort. Pool, boat launch, dock & more. View Post.

🌳 $490K | Chatham, VA: 5-6BD/3BA main home + 2BD guest house on 12.9 acres w/ creek. Both vacation rentals w/ strong potential. Hot tub, fireplaces, finished basement, new decks. Most furniture conveys. View Post.

🏞️ $575K | Au Sable Forks, NY: 4-unit STR riverside retreat in the Adirondacks. 8BD/4BA total. Fully renovated in 2020, $115K peak income, 549+ reviews, 15 min to Whiteface, 30 to Lake Placid. Turnkey. View Post.

🍷 $3.25M | Harbert, MI: 8000+ sqft luxury destination in Harbor Country. Multi-unit lofts near Lake Michigan, ideal for STR/events, retail or private use. Prime, high-yield location 90 min from Chicago. View Post.

STR Scout | By the Numbers – April 2025

A fast-hit rundown of the market, travel, and STR signals from the past 30 days.

🏠 Real Estate & Housing

28.5%; year-over-year surge in U.S. active housing inventory as of March 2025—supply is finally showing up. Fast Company

1.24 million; total existing-home inventory in February 2025, up 16.98% year-over-year. YCharts

3.98%; mortgage delinquency rate on 1–4 unit properties in Q4 2024—an early indicator of stress. Mortgage Bankers Association

1.77%; residential mortgage delinquency rate at U.S. commercial banks as of Q4 2024. FRED

🌍 Travel & Tourism

11.6%; decline in overseas visitors to the U.S. in March 2025 compared to March 2024. AP News

17%; decrease in European travel to the U.S. in March 2025—Germany down 29%.
Forbes

9.7%; drop in foreign air passenger arrivals to the U.S. in March 2025 year-over-year. FTN News

🏡 Short-Term Rentals

53%; increase in North American STR listings between 2022 and 2024—rapid supply growth. MyLighthouse

54.9%; projected average STR occupancy in 2025—back to pre-pandemic norms.
The Mortgage Point

Top 3; STR investment cities for 2025: Ocean City, MD; Fairbanks, AK; Akron, OH.
MyLighthouse

📈 Macro & Economic Indicators

145%; new tariff imposed on Chinese imports in April 2025—raising costs across the board. Yahoo Finance

$2 billion/day; claimed tariff revenue by Trump administration (widely debated). NY Post

$18.04 trillion; total U.S. household debt in Q4 2024—a new all-time high. New York Fed

Keeping Your Hand on the Pulse of STR, Airbnb, and Real Estate Markets

🏠 Airbnb has generated $13.5 billion in tourism taxes for communities worldwide, highlighting the platform's significant economic contribution across more than 30,000 jurisdictions globally. This milestone underscores how the short-term rental industry continues to be a major revenue source for local governments despite ongoing regulatory challenges in many markets. The company reports these funds help support essential public services in countless communities across its operating regions.

🌴 Maui's short-term rental ban aims to address housing shortages by converting vacation rentals into long-term housing. The controversial measure affects approximately 7,000 short-term rental units primarily in South and West Maui, with owners having until January 2026 to comply. While supporters see it as essential for local housing needs, opponents argue it will devastate tourism and property values across the Hawaiian destination.

📱 Vacation rental startup Savvy is taking direct aim at Airbnb with a provocative billboard campaign highlighting customer frustrations with the industry giant. The cheeky advertisements feature messages like "Tired of cleaning fees higher than your rent?" strategically placed near Airbnb's headquarters. This bold marketing approach reflects growing competition in the STR market as newer platforms attempt to capitalize on consumer dissatisfaction.

💼 Sonder announces $50 million in layoffs and spending cuts as it prepares for integration with Marriott. The company is reducing its workforce by approximately 120 employees and implementing significant operational cost reductions ahead of the hotel giant's acquisition. This restructuring highlights the ongoing consolidation within the hospitality sector.

🏙️ Experts warn of compounding insurance crises across coastal regions as climate change intensifies. Property owners in Florida, California, and other vulnerable areas face skyrocketing premiums or complete coverage denials, forcing many to self-insure or sell. This insurance market breakdown creates substantial financial pressure on STR operators in popular coastal destinations already dealing with regulatory challenges and increasing competition.

🏘️ An East Coast town's residents are rapidly selling properties amid housing market concerns. Local homeowners in this picturesque New England community are liquidating assets as mortgage rates rise and economic uncertainty grows. The trend illustrates how regional markets can experience dramatically different conditions than national averages.

🍁 Canadians are selling U.S. properties at an accelerated pace due to unfavorable exchange rates and changing cross-border regulations. Many owners who purchased during previous market lows are cashing out their American real estate holdings, particularly in traditional snowbird destinations like Florida and Arizona. This international ownership shift creates both challenges and opportunities for domestic STR investors.

📈 The 10-year Treasury yield snapped back to February's 4.5% level, causing the yield curve to re-un-invert as mortgage rates climb back to 7%. This significant bond market movement reflects persistent inflation concerns and adjusting Federal Reserve expectations. The resulting higher borrowing costs are already cooling transaction volumes in residential real estate markets that fuel the short-term rental pipeline.

🏢 Condo "blacklists" in South Florida are preventing purchases in buildings with structural issues following the Surfside collapse. Lenders are increasingly reluctant to finance units in properties with deferred maintenance or inadequate reserves. This financing challenge particularly impacts the condo-hotel sector, a significant segment of the STR market in Miami and surrounding beach communities.

💰 Major banks report $11.8 billion in delinquent loans as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs face surging sour debt. This concerning financial trend signals deteriorating credit conditions across commercial and residential lending markets. Real estate investors should monitor these warning signs of potential broader market stress that could impact property valuations and financing availability.

🏙️ Housing prices in several major U.S. cities are showing vulnerability to significant declines according to analyst forecasts. Markets with extreme affordability issues and those experiencing population outflows face particular risk of price corrections. STR investors should carefully evaluate local market fundamentals when making acquisition decisions, as national housing trends increasingly mask divergent regional conditions.

🏘️ Mortgage rates surged recently due to stronger-than-expected economic data and proposed tariff increases. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage climbed above 7% again, putting pressure on both buyers and refinancing homeowners. These higher borrowing costs directly impact investor returns and may force adjustments to pricing strategies for STR operators with leveraged properties.

⛰️ Breckenridge tourism officials report a noticeable drop in summer visitation, reflecting changing travel patterns post-pandemic. This popular Colorado mountain destination is experiencing softening demand despite strong winter seasons. The trend highlights the importance of seasonality analysis when evaluating potential STR investments, particularly in destinations with historically distinct peak and shoulder periods.

🏖️ Panama City Beach's police chief issued a strong statement declaring the Florida destination "can no longer be a spring break town" following recent incidents. This enforcement shift signals continuing evolution in how beach communities manage tourism impacts and visitor demographics. STR operators in similar destinations should stay attuned to changing local regulations and community sentiment that can significantly impact allowable uses and occupancy patterns.

💱 Binance reports cryptocurrency adoption is accelerating within travel bookings and accommodation platforms. Several emerging STR marketplaces now accept digital currencies for payment, opening new customer segments. This technology trend could provide competitive advantages for early-adopting hosts and management companies willing to navigate the technical requirements of crypto transactions.

🏠 A prominent real estate investor warns rental property owners about diminishing returns in current market conditions. High acquisition costs combined with rising interest rates and operational expenses are squeezing profit margins across many regions. Smart STR operators are responding by focusing on operational efficiency and premium guest experiences rather than portfolio expansion in this challenging environment.

⚠️ Ray Dalio cautions Americans about economic challenges "much bigger than tariffs" as he believes U.S. global dominance is waning. The influential investor sees significant structural shifts occurring in world markets that will impact domestic real estate and travel patterns. Forward-thinking STR investors are diversifying their portfolios geographically to hedge against these potential macroeconomic risks.

📉 Unemployment fears have reached their worst levels since COVID according to a recent Federal Reserve survey. Consumer concerns about job security are rising despite relatively low official unemployment numbers. This sentiment shift could impact travel spending and vacation budgets in coming months, potentially affecting occupancy rates across the STR sector.

🏡 Texas faces a growing pileup of unsold homes as inventory levels rise across major metros like Dallas, Houston, and Austin. The Lone Star State's previously red-hot markets are cooling rapidly amid higher interest rates and economic uncertainty. This shifting dynamic creates both challenges and opportunities for STR investors considering Texas markets previously known for strong appreciation and rental demand.

💎 Luxury home buyers are canceling deals at an accelerated pace according to real estate agents working in high-end markets. Economic uncertainty and stock market volatility are driving wealthy purchasers to reconsider significant property investments. This trend particularly impacts the luxury STR segment, where properties often command premium nightly rates but require substantially higher acquisition and carrying costs.

📊 The Federal Reserve appears prepared to intervene in financial markets if conditions deteriorate further according to internal communications. Officials are monitoring various stress indicators across debt and equity markets for signs of systemic risk. These potential stabilization measures could significantly impact mortgage rates and property valuations that underpin STR investment models.

💵 STR hosts report "taking economic hits" as competition increases and guest spending patterns shift. Many operators are experiencing compressed margins due to rising costs and pricing pressure from travelers seeking value. Successful hosts are responding by enhancing property features, improving guest communication processes, and optimizing their marketing strategies across multiple booking platforms.

We will keep monitoring and sharing these emerging trends as we navigate what promises to be an eventful summer travel season.

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