Short-Term Rentals

Model the Revenue.
Before You List.

Short-term rental revenue modeling — occupancy rates, mortgage, operating expenses, and cash-on-cash return. Know if your property actually pencils as an Airbnb.

From the Field Notes
Field Notes
🏡 Hospitality
Is My Airbnb Actually Profitable?
March 2026·7 min read
Hospitality
Is My Airbnb Actually Profitable?
Most Airbnb hosts forget to subtract: platform fees (12-16%), cleaning costs, property tax, maintenance, and vacancy. True profit is 30-40% of booking revenue.
Read the Guide →
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Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Profit Calculator
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STR Profit Calculator
Airbnb · VRBO · Short-Term Rental Analysis
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01Property & Financing
Purchase Price
$
Down Payment
20%
$70,000 down · $280,000 financed
Interest Rate
%
Loan Term
Closing Costs
$
Furnishing & Setup
$
Mortgage: $1,910/mo · Total cash in: $93,000
02Revenue & Bookings
Nightly Rate
$
Occupancy Rate
68%
231 nights · 77 stays/yr
Avg Stay (nights)
Days Available / Yr
365 minus blocked / owner use
Cleaning Fee (guest pays)
$
Platform Host Fee %
%
Airbnb split-fee model ≈ 3%
03Fixed Monthly Expenses
Property Taxes /mo
$
STR Insurance /mo
$
STR insurance > standard HO
HOA Fees /mo
$
Utilities /mo
$
Host pays electric, water, gas
Internet /mo
$
Subscriptions /mo
$
Streaming, smart home, etc.
04Variable & Annual Costs
Your Cleaning Cost /stay
$
What you pay the cleaner
Supplies /stay
$
Toiletries, paper goods
Maintenance Reserve
1%
$3,500/yr · % of property value
Property Mgmt Fee
0%
% of revenue if using manager
05LTR Comparison Inputs
Monthly LTR Rent
$
LTR Vacancy Rate
5%
LTR Mgmt & Extra Costs /mo
$
Mgmt fees, maintenance — not incl. mortgage / tax / ins
Net Cash Flow
$397
/mo after all costs
Net Revenue
$3,925
/mo after platform fee
Total Expenses
$3,528
/mo all-in
Income & Expense Detail
REVENUE
Nightly rate (gross)$3,564
Cleaning fee revenue (gross)$482
Platform fee (3%)−$121
Net Revenue$3,925
FIXED EXPENSES
Mortgage payment−$1,910
Property taxes−$320
STR insurance−$175
Utilities−$220
Internet & subscriptions−$110
VARIABLE EXPENSES
Cleaning costs (77 stays/yr)−$385
Supplies & consumables−$116
Maintenance reserve (1%)−$292
Net Cash Flow+$397
Annual Snapshot
Gross Revenue
$48,552
Net Revenue
$47,095
Total Expenses
$42,332
Net Cash Flow
$4,763
Break-Even Occ
60%
Investment Metrics
Cap Rate
7.9%
NOI (pre-debt) ÷ property value · 5–8% target
Cash-on-Cash Return
5.1%
Annual cash flow ÷ cash in ($93,000)
Gross Rent Multiplier
7.2×
Property value ÷ gross revenue · lower = better
RevPAN
$138.52
Net revenue per available night
Break-Even Occupancy
60.1%
Min. occupancy to cover all fixed costs
Effective ADR
$210.00
Avg nightly rate incl. cleaning fee spread
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STR vs Long-Term Rental
Short-Term Rental (STR)
$397
net /mo
▲ Better by $1,280
Long-Term Rental (LTR)
$883
net /mo
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Powered by emorgan.net · STR Profit Calculator
What you get
🏡
Occupancy Modeling
Set your expected occupancy rate and average nightly rate. Revenue projections update instantly for any scenario.
💵
Mortgage & Carrying Costs
Factor in your PITI, HOA, and utilities. See what's left after the house is paid for each month.
🧹
Operating Expense Tracking
Cleaning fees, supplies, platform fees, property management, and maintenance — all configurable line items.
📈
Cash-on-Cash Return
Your annual net cash flow divided by total cash invested. The number that tells you if this deal is worth your money.
🔄
Seasonal Scenario Modeling
Model high-season vs. low-season occupancy separately. See your annual average and worst-case cash flow.
📊
Platform Fee Comparison
Compare Airbnb, VRBO, and direct booking fee structures to see which channel maximizes your net.
What people are saying
★★★★★
I almost bought a condo that would have lost money every month. This showed me the real numbers at 65% occupancy and I walked away. Saved me from a bad deal.
🏡
Becca O.
STR Host · Nashville, TN
★★★★★
I run every STR opportunity through this before I even schedule a showing. The occupancy model and expense tracker are dialed in exactly how I think about deals.
📊
James R.
Real Estate Investor · Scottsdale, AZ
★★★★★
My clients ask me all the time if a property will work as a short-term rental. I walk through this with them. It builds trust and speeds up the decision.
💵
Tanisha W.
Property Manager · Gulf Coast
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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is the STR profit calculator?+

The calculator uses the inputs you provide — occupancy rate, nightly rate, expenses — to model your cash flow. Accuracy depends on realistic inputs. We recommend running a conservative (55% occupancy) and optimistic (75%) scenario to bracket your real-world range.

Does it account for Airbnb and VRBO platform fees?+

Yes. The operating expense section includes configurable platform fee percentages for Airbnb, VRBO, and direct booking channels so you can compare net revenue across platforms.

What is cash-on-cash return and why does it matter for STRs?+

Cash-on-cash return is your annual net cash flow divided by your total cash invested (down payment, closing costs, initial furnishing). It's the most useful number for comparing STR deals because it accounts for your actual money at risk, not just the property value.

Can I model seasonal occupancy variation?+

Yes. The seasonal scenario section lets you model high-season and low-season occupancy rates separately and calculates your annual average — so you see your worst-case monthly cash flow, not just the annual average.