Twenty-six years ago, I built my first short-term rental – and I’ve never looked back.

I’d dreamed since childhood of owning a seaside cottage on the shores of Acadia National Park, but I knew we couldn’t afford it without extra income. Since then, I’ve expanded into multi-home short-term rentals, balanced assets with medium- and long-term rentals, and sold two short-term rentals to fund private mortgages for young people just starting out. I enjoy the design and build process, the renovation process, and re-swizzling furnishings and décor to refresh and rejuvenate interiors. But:

It’s the people who make it all worthwhile.

It’s the couple who return year after year to our quiet cove in Acadia, raising grandkids from crayon-colorers on the back porch to young adult environmentalists; the Locum Tenens nurse who backstops a months-long gap in medical support during a hospital shortage; the recent college grad who’s gained independence through access to reasonable rent.

I’ve learned what guests want.

And I’ve learned what they don’t want. I understand how to prioritize presentation, how to enable success with support staff, and what our communities care about. You can, too.