Category: Smoky Mountain Vacation Rental Forum

Matthew Shadle of Cabins for You joins Tom Goodwin for week two of the operator series, covering 25 years as a family business, rising expectations, professionalism, and why competitors should support one another. ...

Jack Zoppa of Haven Vacation Rentals and Stayd joins Tom Goodwin to open a series of conversations between Smokies operators, covering investor education, AI that frees teams for hospitality, and why there is room for everyone. ...

Most owners don't leave a management company over the numbers. They leave when they stop trusting what they're told. In this open letter, Tom Goodwin names four warning signs and offers five questions to ask your current manager before you decide. ...

A California couple was about to close on a nearly million dollar Smokies spec home sight unseen, based on a $140,000 revenue promise. Tom Goodwin breaks down what that number leaves out and what every out-of-state buyer should ask first. ...

Brooke Pfautz, founder of Vintory and Comparent, explains why purpose-built design worked in Orlando, why commission is the wrong first question for owners, and how his team built an AI product designed to replace its own company. ...

Travers Xanthos built a Nashville short-term rental business from a Craigslist cold call list, survived the pandemic with flyers and construction crews, and eventually walked away. He shares what it taught him and what the Smokies can learn from it. ...

Revenue, property care, trust, communication, or pride of ownership: which one matters most to you? Tom Goodwin gives homeowners the questions to ask any manager or co-host before signing, plus how to check reviews and why you should never rush the decision. ...

Every homeowner has a "love language" — revenue, property care, trust, communication, or pride of ownership. Jodi Cleer of Away Day joins Tom Goodwin to explain how understanding it changes everything about how you serve them. ...

Annie Holcombehas co-hosted 300 episodes of Alex & Annie. She joins Tom Goodwin to share what she's learned about mentorship, the real dangers of remote co-hosting, and why hospitality — not technology — is where this industry is headed. ...

Four community voices — a homeowners association president, a 49-year attraction GM, an STR educator, and a former management company owner — tackle what's changed, what's at risk, and why stewardship beats extraction in this market. ...