Owning a short-term rental is exciting - but are you legally protected?

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Katie Johnson, Founder of STR Law, to discuss the legal side of owning and operating vacation rentals. From LLCs and rental agreements to insurance, guest safety, and changing regulations, Katie shares the steps every STR owner should take to protect their investment before a problem ever happens.

You'll learn:

• How to legally protect your short-term rental business
• The four pillars every host should have in place
• Why LLCs and rental agreements matter
• Common legal mistakes investors make before buying a property
• How to reduce liability around pools, hot tubs, and guest safety
• What the future of STR regulation could look like

Whether you're buying your first Airbnb or managing a growing portfolio, this episode will help you protect your business, your guests, and your peace of mind.

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Episode Sponsored By:
STR Search

STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

In this week's Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in College Station, Texas—home of Texas A&M University and one of the country's most seasonal STR markets.

Football weekends, graduation, and major sporting events create huge demand, making pricing strategy just as important as the property itself.

In this episode, Mark covers:
* Revenue potential by bedroom count
* Why 4 and 5-bedroom homes outperform the rest
* The unique seasonality of a college-town STR market
* Which amenities help properties stand out

The data shows:
• 1–2 Bedrooms → ~$35K/year average
• 3 Bedrooms → ~$41K/year average
• 4 Bedrooms → ~$53K/year average
• 5+ Bedrooms → ~$70K/year average

Amenity penetration:
* Fire Pits → 42%
* Game Rooms → 16%
* Pools → 9%
* Pool Tables → 8%
* Hot Tubs → 8%
* Pickleball Courts → 2.5%
* Mini Golf → 3%
* Movie Theaters → 4%

The takeaway?

In College Station, your biggest advantage isn't just amenities—it's owning the right-sized property and maximizing revenue during peak football and graduation weekends.

Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with George Salas, Founder of Empress Capital, to discuss what it really takes to build a scalable short-term rental business.

George shares his incredible journey from immigrating to the United States with almost nothing, to starting with rental arbitrage, surviving the challenges of COVID, and building a vertically integrated hospitality company focused on experiential short-term rentals, boutique hotels, and institutional-quality operations.

You'll learn:

• How to think beyond buying individual Airbnbs
• Why unit-level economics are critical for long-term success
• The systems and financial tracking every STR investor should have
• How George evaluates deals, manages seasonality, and scales operations
• Why execution—not just acquisitions—is the key to building enterprise value
• The mindset shifts that helped him grow from operator to CEO

Whether you're buying your first STR or building a large portfolio, this conversation is packed with practical insights on scaling smarter, operating more efficiently, and creating a business built to last.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another STR investor looking to take their business to the next level.