Buying an Airbnb in The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

In this episode of the series, Luke Carl chats with Natalie from The Short Term Shop about the Smokies market. They discuss why “saturation” is misunderstood, how 15–20 million annual visitors support demand, and where to buy. They cover shifting momentum in the market, pricing realities for sellers, what amenities actually matter and two live examples of current listings.   Connect with us: The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ www.strquestions.com Follow Avery Carl on Instagram Follow Avery Carl on TikTok Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube   For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books: Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon Chapters (00:00:01) - Market Targets: The Smokies(00:01:05) - Real Estate in the Smokies: Back to Business(00:03:43) - Taylor Swift on the Haters(00:04:25) - Does Smokey Mountains Tourism Have Reached Saturation?(00:10:08) - Tourism in North Georgia(00:13:07) - How to Find a Hot Rental in Gatlinburg(00:16:13) - Exploring Townsend: The Smokies Resort(00:18:34) - The state of new construction in the Smokies(00:21:39) - Have buyers shifted gears?(00:27:17) - The Seattle home market's pick up(00:31:56) - Want a Smokey's Cabin?(00:36:41) - Cabin in the Smokies for $650(00:39:03) - Short Term Sales Advice

In this episode of the series, Luke Carl sits down with Reagan from The Short Term Shop to break down what’s happening in the Smokies market this fall. They cover how recent rate cuts and shifting inventory are shaping buyer leverage, strategies for writing strong offers in today’s environment, and what to watch for with new construction quality. Reagan also shares how she uses AirDNA to evaluate realistic revenue ranges for two-bedroom cabins and why grounding your numbers in data matters when deciding on a purchase.     Connect with us: The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ www.strquestions.com Follow Avery Carl on Instagram Follow Avery Carl on TikTok Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube   For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books: Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon Chapters (00:00:01) - Exploring the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee(00:01:16) - Real Estate Interview(00:06:42) - Should You Offer a Million-Dollar Home?(00:08:43) - Smokies New Construction Market(00:14:27) - How To Build a Sheetrock House(00:14:50) - How To Analyze Vacation Deals in the Smokies(00:17:04) - Air DNA: The Smokies Real Estate(00:18:52) - How to Compare Your Property with Others on Airbnb and VRBO(00:24:55) - Property Assessment: 88,000 vs Buying a House(00:27:41) - The Smoky Mountains: Guest Experience

On this week's episode, Avery is joined by Wayde Hall from the Short Term Shop for a hands-on walkthrough of how he uses Price Labs Market Dashboards to analyze properties in detail. Wayde demonstrates step-by-step how to filter for specific property types, review counts, and amenities, then sort by revenue to identify top performers and pinpoint areas for improvement. He shows how to spot seasonality trends, set realistic pricing expectations, and understand which amenities or policies impact booking rates. The episode is packed with actionable tips for both beginner and seasoned investors who want to get beyond surface-level data and make smarter STR decisions.      How to connect with Avery: The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ www.strquestions.com Follow Avery Carl on Instagram Follow Avery Carl on TikTok Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube   For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books: Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week's episode of Short Term Rental Management, Luke interviews Ryan Ferguson, an electrician-turned-hot tub repair expert serving East Tennessee's Smoky Mountains. They dive into common hot tub issues in vacation rentals—like economy mode, airlocks, and water damage from improper draining—while sharing maintenance tips, regulatory insights, and hilarious stories involving bears, raccoons, and overloaded tubs. Ryan also emphasizes the importance of simplicity, proper electrical installation, and regular inspection to keep STR hot tubs guest-ready and code-compliant.   How to connect with Ryan: Website Phone #: (865) 635-9383 Email: FergusonPM865@gmail.com   How to connect with Luke: The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ Follow us on Instagram  Follow us on TikTok Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube   For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books: Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

On this week's episode of Short Term Rental Management, Luke Carl talks with photographer Mike Sutton about what makes great short-term rental photos, especially in the competitive Smoky Mountains market. They discuss the evolution of the vacation rental photography space, how to vet and select a photographer, what types of shots matter most (like twilight, drone, and 3D floor plans), and why authenticity in staging is more important than over-styling. Mike also shares personal insights into raising eight kids, his journey from IT to photography, and how hosts can prepare for seasonal and update sessions the right way.   Check out Mike's portfolio: https://mikesuttonjr.com/   How to connect with Luke: The Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ Follow us on Instagram  Follow us on TikTok Join the Short Term Shop Facebook group Check out the Short Term Shop on YouTube   For more information on how to get into short term rentals, read Avery’s books: Smarter Short Term Rentals - Buy it on Amazon Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth: Your Guide to Analyzing, Buying, and Managing Vacation Properties – Buy it on Amazon

 In this episode of the series we'll be talking about all things calendars! We'll go over the seasonality of the Smoky Mountains, how to set up custom calendars, how far in advance to open your calendar, some pricing mistakes to avoid and more!   Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be going over everything you should expect to happen (and prepare for) owning a home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We'll go over how to deal with a variety of unfortunate situations; snow, ice, dead bugs, bears, and more!    Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the serie's we'll be going over the setup process once you've purchased your short term rental in the Smoky Mountains! We'll discuss what to buy and what to replace if your home comes furnished, must have amenities, as well as some tips and tricks for optimizing your setup as you buy more properties!     Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be going over the contract process for short term rentals in the Smoky Mountains! We'll discuss inspections/inspection periods, financing contingencies, finding deals behind horrible photos and more!   Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be doing a deep dive on financing your property in the Smoky Mountains! We'll go over the various loan options (conventional, jumbo, 2nd home, etc), true log cabins and how they effect lending, banks that won't lend on cabins and more.     Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be discussing how to build your buying team in the Smoky Mountains! We'll go over who to hire first, how to find the right agents, the importance of building relationships and more!   Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be discussing what expenses you should be expecting to pay in the Smoky Mountains market. We'll go through utilities, ammenities, internet and cable, as well as water vs. sewer, propane vs. gas and more.    Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be discussing all things numbers! We'll discuss cash on cash returns, cap rates, using the data to make the right decisions for your investment and more.    Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow www.strinsights.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

In this episode of the series we'll be covering what types of properties you should be buying the Smoky Mountains. We'll discuss condos vs. cabins, the sweet spot for square footage, choosing an area based on who your target guest is and much more.    Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/

 In the first episode of this series we'll be covering all the reasons why you should consider buying a short term rental in the Smoky Mountains! From kid friendly attractions and Dollywood to the national parks, Tennessee has something to offer everyone.   Connect with Avery and the Short Term Shop: www.theshorttermshop.com www.strquestions.com Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth Book - https://amzn.to/3Adg6PA Short Term Show and Short Term Rental Management Show - https://linktr.ee/strmshow The Short Term Show - https://linktr.ee/theshorttermshow https://www.facebook.com/groups/shorttermshop https://theshorttermshop.com/cash-flow-calculator/ https://theshorttermshop.com/estimated-returns/ https://theshorttermshop.com/lp/smokymountains/