A $799K Pool Property Looked Perfect—Until It Wasn’t
Big news in the Short Term Rental (STR) world: 100% bonus depreciation is back—permanently! 🎉 Interest rates have dipped (okay, just a smidge, but we’ll take it). Suddenly, investors everywhere are dusting off their calculators and diving headfirst into short-term rental deals, eager to squeeze every last drop out of the STR Loophole and max out those tax savings for 2025.
We’re in that same boat, scouting for our next property—and then we got ourselves a story worth sharing.
My husband and I flew out on a scouting trip to tour a few towns and tourist spots in a new market. Half a day in, and we were smitten. Easy. Done.
With our buy box filters set, we started combing through listings:
- First property: A massive, fully updated home. Gorgeous, yes. But the layout felt like a corn maze. I couldn’t picture the guest experience. Pass.
- Second property: This one had us on the edge of our seats. Six bedrooms (possibly seven), a sparkling indoor pool, listed at $799K. With over 6,000 sq ft, we can practically build a magic kingdom! Run the comps, modernize the design inside and out, load up with luxury amenities, and boom—$200K+ gross potential. It could’ve been a crown jewel of that market.
But then came the catch. The front door opened… straight into the pool area. Bedrooms wrapped around the water like satellites, with multiple pool entries. Yes, pool alarms and locks can be installed, but all I could see were liability risks and safety concerns. My husband floated the idea of a lowball offer. I slept on it and woke up with clarity: still a no.
I didn’t even crack open the spreadsheets for this one. Some decisions are simple. In my STR buy box, there’s one non-negotiable: guest safety. My whole “why” in hospitality is about creating lasting vacation memories—and that can’t happen if I’m worried about kids in the pool 24/7.
Here’s the real takeaway: every investor has their own buy box. Some chase cap rates, some fall for locations, others hunt for breathtaking views. For me, safety always comes first, and close behind is exit strategy. If I can’t picture a smooth resale down the road, I won’t touch it.
👉 So I’ll throw it back to you: What’s your non-negotiable when you evaluate an STR purchase?
Thinking about starting your STR journey or leveling up your current rental? Let’s connect—I can help you save time and avoid costly mistakes.