Seasonal pricing: how much do you adjust for high/low season?

Category: Pricing & Revenue

By: Michael Thompson

Posted: 2026-02-07T01:36:59.178Z

Working on my pricing strategy for the year ahead. I'm in a seasonal market (beach town in the Outer Banks, NC) where summer is insane and winter is pretty dead. For those in seasonal markets: - What percentage increase do you set for high season vs base rate? - How low do you go in the off-season? - Do you close the listing entirely during certain months? - Any strategies for generating revenue during slow periods?

Reply by Ingrid Svensson:

OBX host here with 2 properties. My seasonal multipliers: - **Peak (June-August):** 2.0-2.5x base rate. Yes, literally double or more. The demand is there. - **Shoulder (April-May, September-October):** 1.2-1.5x base rate - **Off-season (November-March):** 0.6-0.8x base rate - **Holiday weeks (NYE, July 4th, Memorial Day):** 2.5-3.0x base rate I never close entirely because even in winter I get some bookings — remote workers, off-season travelers, contractors in town for work. The revenue is lower but it covers carrying costs. For the off-season, I offer **monthly discounts of 40-50%** which attracts remote workers who want a cheap coastal workspace for a month. These long stays are stress-free and cover the mortgage. My pricing is managed through PriceLabs (https://pricelabs.co) which automatically adjusts based on local events, competitor rates, and seasonal demand patterns. I set the rules once and it handles the rest.

Reply by Rachel Patel:

I'm in a ski market (Park City, UT) — opposite season but same dynamics. Our high season is Dec-March and summer is actually decent too. My approach: I let PriceLabs handle the day-to-day adjustments but I manually override for major events (Sundance Film Festival = 4x normal rate, and it books instantly). One thing I've learned: **don't be afraid to price high during peak.** You can always drop prices closer to the date if you're not booking. But you can never raise them after someone books at a low rate. Use AirDNA (https://airdna.co) to see what the top performers in your area charge during peak — then price 10% below them for your first season.

Reply by Jake Anderson:

For generating off-season revenue, consider mid-term rentals on Furnished Finder for traveling nurses or corporate housing. The nightly rate is lower than STR but you get guaranteed income for 30-90 days with minimal effort. Also, some hosts in seasonal markets switch their listing to "monthly stays only" during the off-season and advertise on Craigslist and local Facebook groups. You'd be surprised how many people need temporary housing — from renovation projects to trial relocations.