STR Investing, The Podcast

Unlock financial freedom through short-term rental investing with hosts Mark Lumpkin and Taylor Jones . Each week, they sit down with the biggest names in the STR industry to uncover what’s working right now — from acquisitions and design to operations, marketing, and scaling portfolios. Taylor has helped acquire and manage over 500+ STRs, while Mark brings years of hands-on experience transforming properties into high-performing investments. Together, they break down real strategies, real numbers, and real stories that help investors grow smarter and faster. Whether you’re buying your first Airbnb or expanding a multi-market portfolio, this show is your roadmap to building wealth and freedom through short-term rentals. Subscribe and start turning your STR goals into results.

STR Investing, The Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Mark Lumpkin & Taylor Jones, with 139 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Mark Lumpkin & Taylor Jones hosts STR Investing, The Podcast, a business show with 139 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #46

  Monday Market Data: Breakdown of San Diego, CA Market

  Aug 10, 20268 minS2

  San Diego has some of the strongest STR revenue numbers we’ve seen—but getting into the market comes with a major hurdle. In this Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the San Diego, California short-term rental market, including tourism, regulations, revenue by bedroom count, and the amenities investors need to compete. The numbers get interesting fast: 1 Bedroom → ~$81K/year average 2 Bedrooms → ~$92K/year 3 Bedrooms → ~$102K/year 4 Bedrooms → ~$115K/year 5 Bedrooms → ~$161K/year 7 Bedrooms → ~$200K/year average The biggest jump? Going from four to five bedrooms adds roughly $45K+ in average annual revenue, while some top-performing larger properties are reaching $300K–$500K in revenue. Mark also breaks down San Diego’s amenity stack, where fire pits and hot tubs are common—but movie theaters, saunas, mini golf, and pickleball courts remain rare. The opportunity is there. The challenge is navigating San Diego’s strict STR permitting environment and finding a property that can actually operate. Tune in for the complete breakdown.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  STR Investing, The Podcast

  How To Master Your 4 Hour Window From Check Out to Check In

  Aug 7, 202648 min

  What does it actually take to keep a short-term rental guest-ready - not just clean? In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Jonathan Wicks, Founder of Well & Good, one of the largest vacation rental cleaning and servicing companies in the industry. Jonathan breaks down the systems behind operating STRs at scale, from cleaning and off-site laundry to restocking, inspections, maintenance issues, and the tight turnover window between guests. They cover: Why “clean” doesn’t always mean guest-ready The biggest mistakes STR owners make with cleaners Why cleaning, laundry, and restocking should be separate processes How Well & Good handles hundreds of turnovers during peak season What owners should expect from their boots-on-the-ground team How to build operating systems that scale Whether you own one STR or manage hundreds, this episode is packed with practical ways to improve your operations and deliver a better guest experience. __ Episode Sponsored By: STR Search STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #45

  Monday Market Data: Breakdown of Indianapolis, IN Market

  Aug 3, 20267 minS2

  Is Indianapolis a good market for short-term rentals? In this week's Market Monday, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the numbers behind one of the Midwest's most event-driven STR markets. From the Indianapolis 500 and NFL games to NCAA tournaments and major conventions, Indianapolis offers strong revenue potential—but only if you understand the seasonality, pricing strategy, and what it takes to stand out. Mark covers the latest market data, revenue by bedroom count, and the amenity stack that's helping top-performing properties generate well into six figures. In this episode, you'll learn: Why Indianapolis is a strong event-driven STR market Revenue potential by bedroom count Which property sizes generate the highest returns The amenities that separate average listings from top performers Why dynamic pricing is critical in this market How to build a "super property" with minimal competition Whether you're considering your first investment in Indianapolis or looking to optimize an existing property, this episode gives you the data you need to make smarter decisions.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #90

  STR Law

  Jul 31, 202636 min

  Owning a short-term rental is exciting - but are you legally protected? In this episode, Mark Lumpkin sits down with Katie Johnson, Founder of STR Law, to discuss the legal side of owning and operating vacation rentals. From LLCs and rental agreements to insurance, guest safety, and changing regulations, Katie shares the steps every STR owner should take to protect their investment before a problem ever happens. You'll learn: How to legally protect your short-term rental business The four pillars every host should have in place Why LLCs and rental agreements matter Common legal mistakes investors make before buying a property How to reduce liability around pools, hot tubs, and guest safety What the future of STR regulation could look like Whether you're buying your first Airbnb or managing a growing portfolio, this episode will help you protect your business, your guests, and your peace of mind. __ Episode Sponsored By: STR Search STR Search is the industry leading property finder service. They've helped investors acquire over 215 profitable STRs across the US. If you'd like the data professionals to help you find your next STR, reach out to STRsearch.com

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #44

  Monday Market Data: Breakdown of College Station, TX Amenities Market

  Jul 27, 20267 minS2

  In this week's Monday Market Data Report, Mark Lumpkin breaks down the short-term rental market in College Station, Texas—home of Texas A&M University and one of the country's most seasonal STR markets. Football weekends, graduation, and major sporting events create huge demand, making pricing strategy just as important as the property itself. In this episode, Mark covers: * Revenue potential by bedroom count * Why 4 and 5-bedroom homes outperform the rest * The unique seasonality of a college-town STR market * Which amenities help properties stand out The data shows: • 1–2 Bedrooms → ~$35K/year average • 3 Bedrooms → ~$41K/year average • 4 Bedrooms → ~$53K/year average • 5+ Bedrooms → ~$70K/year average Amenity penetration: * Fire Pits → 42% * Game Rooms → 16% * Pools → 9% * Pool Tables → 8% * Hot Tubs → 8% * Pickleball Courts → 2.5% * Mini Golf → 3% * Movie Theaters → 4% The takeaway? In College Station, your biggest advantage isn't just amenities—it's owning the right-sized property and maximizing revenue during peak football and graduation weekends. Subscribe for new Market Data Reports every Monday and expert guest interviews every Friday.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on STR Investing, The Podcast. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.