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VrTech Startup Competition reveals trio of finalists
Reading Time: 2 minutesBarcelona: Now in its third consecutive year, the VrTech Startup Competition has announced this year’s three finalists as it moves on to the final round at the Vacation Rental World Summit on 5 October in Lake Como, Italy. The contest, sponsored by Rentals United and Howzat Partners, aims to bring the most innovative young startups […]
‘The rental ecosystem is rapidly changing; and it’s only just getting started’
Reading Time: 4 minutesWorldwide: STAA (Short-Term Accommodation Association) chair Merilee Karr, has shared her six takeaway views from Skift’s recently-published ‘The Short-Term Rental Ecosystem’ report in a blog post with ShortTermRentalz. The Skift report published this week on ‘The Short-Term Rental Ecosystem’ was long overdue. The short-term rental sector in the UK, and around the world, is changing […]
Vacasa publishes annual vacation home market report
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Vacation rental management platform Vacasa has published its second annual Top 25 Best Places to Buy a Vacation Home report, highlighting the best U.S. destinations to invest in a rental property. According to a 2019 study conducted by Vacasa, 65 per cent of people actively in the market to purchase a vacation home have […]
Latin American investors heading for Madrid’s residential market
Reading Time: 2 minutesSpain: According to a report in The Financial Times, overseas investors from Latin America are increasingly snapping up properties in Madrid’s prime residential market, following a period of economic instability in the city following Spain’s financial crisis. The report, which gathered research from independent real estate consultancy firm Knight Frank Madrid, states that buyers from […]
Scottish Building Society launches holiday let mortgage product
Reading Time: < 1 minuteScotland: The Scottish Building Society has launched its own mortgage product for borrowers looking to buy or re-mortgage a property that is operated as a holiday let. The mortgage is available on a three-year discounted variable, with a current rate of 3.75 per cent, and it comes with a fee of £995. The deal is […]
Airbnb reports 31 per cent increase in booking revenue
Reading Time: < 1 minuteUS: Airbnb has announced that it posted a record $9.4 billion in bookings during the first quarter of the year, marking a significant 31 per cent increase in booking revenue compared to the same period last year. The news was reportedly revealed by an anonymous source close to the matter, according to Reuters. The source […]
Calls for stricter short-term let licensing in Edinburgh
Reading Time: 3 minutesScotland: A report by The Scotsman has revealed thousands of Airbnb properties may be operating unlawfully in Edinburgh with the council struggling to enforce regulations to counter the expansion of short-term lets in the city. According to the national newspaper, although 7,000+ properties in the city are listed on Airbnb (as opposed to spare rooms), […]
Smart City Policy Group hosts inaugural regulations summit
Reading Time: 2 minutesUS: Smart City Policy Group (SCPG) has hosted its inaugural Smart City Policy Summit short-term rental regulations conference in Austin, Texas. The summit featured attendees from across the short-term rental industry spectrum, including city regulators, travel industry professionals and vacation rental managers. SCPG CEO Matt Curtis said: “Communities are desperate for help on this issue. […]