Why 3rd Party Apps are Killing Your Short Term Rental

When you start renting out a new space, it's common to lean toward 3rd-party apps. These are AirBnB, Booking.com, VRBO, any app that allows you to list a property and rent it out to guests. These platforms make it easy to get your foot in the door and eliminate the preliminary stress of marketing your business by more heavily pushing new listings.

That being said, what most people don't recognize is how these 3rd party platforms can harm your business and brand over time.

Using 3rd-party apps can jeopardize your business if things change. Any policy changes means you could get caught in the weeds. If the platform or app goes down, you go down with it.

External applications often require hefty fees, often from both the owner and the renter. Using your own direct booking system easily lowers these costs. If you have a website to market your rental, there’s less need to pay the fees on every single 3rd party site.

As a property owner, operating on your own terms is key for many reasons, but using an external booking system strips you of control. If you want to operate on your own terms, it may be time to ditch 3rd-party apps.