340. Airbnb Cheap vs. Expensive Furniture: Where to Splurge and Where to Save
Release Date: 05/19/2026
351. What a Direct-Booking Website Builder Wishes Every Host Knew
Short Term Rental Riches
We sit down with Gil Chan, founder of CraftedStays, about what it takes to build a direct booking website for a STR. We cover the gap between a generic template and an expensive agency build, the new AI tool Aria, and why owning a few direct bookings changes a host's leverage across platforms: What a direct booking site actually replaces for an Airbnb-only host? The 2 options hosts face for a website, and why neither worked? How Aria reads a portfolio and reviews before writing a single word? What OTA fees really add up to over a year of bookings? Why this isn't about...
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350. Security Deposits vs Damage Waivers: Which Protects Your Short-Term Rental Better?
Short Term Rental Riches
Security deposits come up in almost every hosting conversation, but a lot of what hosts believe about them is wrong. We break down the difference between a deposit and an authorization hold, and why refunding deposits drains money from every stay. We cover damage waivers, when to charge a guest for damage, and how to build one full protection strategy. How a security deposit and an authorization hold are actually different Why hotels never really "hold" your cash, and what they do instead The nine-day window a lot of hosts don't know they're racing against How to decide between an...
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349. How to Build a Hotel-Quality Bed Setup for Under $1,000
Short Term Rental Riches
Mattresses seem like a small decision, but they shape almost every guest review a short-term rental gets, and getting it wrong is the kind of mistake guests always mention. In this episode, we share the exact mattress and bed frame we use, why the premium option rarely earns its price tag, and how to prioritize spending when budget is tight. The exact mattress our team buys for every rental Why a $5,000 mattress didn't make the cut The bed frame mistake that ruins a great mattress The right way to respond to a mattress complaint Where to spend first when the budget is tight Mattresses are...
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348. From 1 Property to 100+: Inside the PMS Powering 62,000 Rentals
Short Term Rental Riches
Running more than one short-term rental often means answering the same guest questions, jumping between platforms, and hoping nothing slips through the cracks. In this episode, we sit down with Frank Bosi from Hostfully. We break down what a property management system automates, who it is built for, and one mistake that slows new users down before it pays off. The one automation that gives hosts back two or more hours every single day Why syncing every booking channel might matter more than any single guest message The setup mistake almost every new PMS user makes in week one What actually...
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347. Should You Leave a Bad Review for a Bad Airbnb Guest?
Short Term Rental Riches
Every host eventually faces a difficult guest. When they check out, the question hits: should we leave a bad review? More hosts get this wrong than you might expect. In this episode, we break down Airbnb's blind review system, make the case on both sides, and share a practical framework for writing a negative review the right way. How Airbnb's blind review system works and why it changes everything about the risk of leaving a critical review The strongest argument for leaving an honest review and why the host community depends on it The underrated downside most hosts never consider before...
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346. Before You Invest in Airbnb Amenities, Use This Framework!
Short Term Rental Riches
Not every amenity pays for itself, and the ones that look great on a competitor's listing might do nothing for yours. This isn't about trends or gut instinct. It's about data and real ROI. In this episode, we share the exact framework he uses to evaluate any amenity before spending a dollar, so you can stop guessing. How to use AirDNA to compare listings with and without a feature: the data reveals your actual revenue opportunity before any money changes hands. Why a 25% revenue lift from a pool might still be the wrong move. Not every amenity shows up cleanly in the numbers, but photo...
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345. 5 Things Your STR Software Should Be Doing (But Probably Isn't)
Short Term Rental Riches
Most STR hosts have a pricing tool, a cleaning checklist, and a messaging app. The gaps between those systems are where money quietly disappears. Today I'm walking through five things we've built at Corzly that most STR software doesn't do — from routing guest notes to your housekeeper to automatically adjusting your base price. Use Corzly or not, these gaps matter. Why your dynamic pricing tool might be working off a base price set months ago, and why that single error compounds into every daily rate adjustment you make How routing guest messages, private feedback, and review mentions...
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344. They Have 87 STR Deals Under Contract: Here's What They're Seeing
Short Term Rental Riches
Most STR investors spend months researching markets, then hire the first agent they find. That gap between your research and your representation is costing more than you think. Tyler from Savvy STR Agents works across 25 markets and sees the same investor mistakes repeatedly. What he shares today could change how you buy your next short-term rental property. Why the agent you hire for your STR purchase might be your biggest blind spot, and what to look for in someone who actually understands the business The permit research, zoning checks, and revenue projections most generalist agents never...
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343. 10 Ways to Collect Airbnb Guest Contact Info (Without Getting Flagged)
Short Term Rental Riches
Your Airbnb account can change overnight. Algorithm shifts, fee increases, a sudden suspension, and if your entire guest relationship lives inside the platform, you have nothing. In this episode, Tim walks through 10 platform-compliant ways to collect your guests' real contact info, legally, automatically, and without sending a single message that could put your listing at risk. The in-property QR code strategy that converts at the highest-intent moment of any guest stay — and why the offer matters more than the placement How WiFi login tools like Stayfi turn a giveaway you're already...
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342. Airbnb's AirCover: What It Actually Covers (And What It Doesn't)
Short Term Rental Riches
If you're an Airbnb host, you've heard the pitch: three million dollars in AirCover protection. Sounds bulletproof. But after managing over 50,000 guests, Tim has seen why the gap between the promise and the payout catches so many hosts off guard. The claims process is more specific than Airbnb lets on, and knowing it before something goes wrong changes everything. How AirCover actually works: it is a goodwill program, not contractual insurance, and that distinction matters the moment you file a claim The 14-day filing window most hosts have never heard of, and why the old "60 days" advice is...
info_outlineDownload the Furniture Checklist 👉 https://corzly.com/furniture-checklist/
Most hosts guess their furniture budget and hope for the best.
In this episode, Tim shares his full real Orlando property breakdown — $40,983 in costs, by category — plus the framework he uses on every new property. From knowing where to always splurge to building your annual refresh cycle, this is the furniture episode every STR host needs.
- Find out why more expensive furniture does not always mean better returns — and what the difference actually comes down to when you look at the numbers
- Discover the $10-20 per square foot formula Tim uses to estimate any property’s furniture budget before he spends a dollar
- Learn exactly where to always splurge (the items tied directly to your review scores) and where you can safely save without guests ever noticing
- Get Tim’s full real Orlando property cost breakdown — $40,983 in total startup costs, category by category, including the numbers most hosts never talk about
- Understand how to plan your annual refresh cycle so you are never caught off guard by replacements, and how to use AI to track costs for tax purposes
Smart furnishing is one of the highest-ROI decisions any STR host can make. Budget well, prioritize the right items, and your review scores and revenue will follow. Subscribe so you never miss an episode of Short-Term Rental Richest, and pass this one along to a host who needs it.
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