Category: Getting Started
By: Jake Anderson
Reply by Chris Nakamura:
Books that actually helped me: 1. **"Profit First" by Mike Michalowicz** — Not STR-specific but THE book for managing rental income. The framework of setting aside profit first before expenses changed my business. Every STR host should read this. 2. **"The Book on Short-Term Rentals" by Luke Carl** — Good BiggerPockets book covering the basics end-to-end. 3. **"Hosting with Heart" by Evelyn Badia** — Focuses on the guest experience side. Great for understanding what makes a 5-star stay. 4. **"Set for Life" by Scott Trench** — Real estate financial independence. Broader than STR but the frameworks apply. As for courses — I'd skip the expensive ones. Everything in those courses is available for free on YouTube, podcasts, and communities like this one. The STR Specialist blog at https://strspecialist.com has really solid practical guides on everything from pricing to operations to legal compliance. The best education is doing. List your property, make mistakes, learn from reviews, iterate. No course replaces hands-on experience.
Reply by Rachel Patel:
Unpopular opinion: the best "course" is joining a local host meetup and buying an experienced host coffee. I learned more from a 2-hour dinner with a Superhost who manages 10 properties than any book or course. Real hosts will share specific local knowledge — which cleaners to use, which neighborhoods work, what the regulatory landscape looks like. That's infinitely more valuable than generic national advice. Also +1 to "Profit First" — it genuinely changed how I manage my STR finances.