When setting off on your short-term rental hosting journey, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of online resources. There are a ton to wade through, and for every solid online course, there are about 10 not so great short-term rental courses.
If you are going to take the time to learn good hospitality practices and industry knowledge, you want to make sure it is from the right teacher! We have compiled a list of 10 of the best short-term rental courses on the market.
This blog post will familiarize you with short-term rental courses that other hosts have tried and approved and save you from wasting valuable time and energy on poorly designed classes. When you pair the knowledge you learn from one of these courses with Host Tools powerful automation tools, your short-term rental business will boom!
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
STR Certification
Real estate authority Julie Davies developed the STR Certification course. This course is more than a webinar. The certification course is taught in official college-level classrooms alongside a textbook.
Students have the option to take this class in person over two days or as a two-week self-study class online. This course covers laws applicable to STR hosts, best practices and Industry innovations.
Davies created this course to counteract the courses and webinars sold by unreliable “experts” looking to scam new short-term rental hosts. The STR Certification program has earned overwhelmingly positive reviews and is one of the favorite courses available to new hosts. The cost is set by the university or college administering the course.
Generally costs are between $275-$500. Learn more.
Vacation Rental Management Certificate Program (VRMA )
This certification program aims to provide its graduates with exceptional industry knowledge and a competitive edge. The program is split into five sections: Business Operations, Business Planning & Organization, Marketing and Promotion, Guest Relations, and Owner Relations. To earn the official certificate, students must complete a comprehensive exam.
The course costs $450 for VRMO members and $750 for non-members. Learn more.
Short Term Rental University
Short Term Rental University, known as STRU for short, was founded by successful short-term rental host and real estate expert Richard Fertig. Using his expertise in buying, renovating, or selling properties, he created a short-term rental empire using platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.
He now makes over $500,000 a year by being a host. Enrollment in Short Term Rental University will teach students the tips, tricks, and techniques he used and how to apply them to their own short-term rental business.
The 4-6 week course costs around $1,500. Learn more.
Cleaning Certification
Maintaining a spotless rental property has always been a vital part of hosting. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased guests’ expectations that their rental is thoroughly and safely cleaned.
Therefore, both hosts and cleaners should complete this 30-40 minute online course that teaches World Health Organization approved cleaning techniques, best practices, and guidelines. Upon completion, hosts are rewarded with a unique badge that can be put on your property’s website and listing.
The course is available for $20 in both English and Spanish. Learn more.
Vacation Rental University
Vacation Rental University (VRU) offers five paths of study to choose from, the first of which is free. For a free membership, students gain access to nearly 350 educational videos and ongoing updates and lessons. For additional fees, Vacation Rental University students can choose courses that include one-on-one training, coaching, analytics reporting, and custom tools.
Students can pay $49 per month or $495 annually for the full package. Learn more.
BNB Mastery Program
BNB Mastery is for the short-term rental host who is looking to turn their business into a form of passive income. Founder, James Svetec, is also a master of training property managers and is in the top 1% of Airbnb hosts. He offers great tips about minimizing risk and maximizing your profits from day one.
The primary (and free!) course takes students through a six-week online module that will cover topics like foundation skills, client conversion, automation, and more. If you are looking to hand your management tasks to a property manager and reap the benefits of your automated rental, BNB Mastery could work well for you.
For advanced courses, the cost varies between $2,000-$5,000. However, financing options are available. Learn more.
Mastering Airbnb
For just about $85, students can purchase the successful San Francisco-based Evan Kimbrell’s short-term rental master class. Kimbrell has been the #1 host in San Francisco on Airbnb for multiple years.
Out of 5,000 other properties, his has remained the most successful listing in the area. His online course includes 9 hours of video lessons, 46 helpful articles, lifetime access to the system, and a certification of completion. These study materials will cover topics like securing 5-star guest reviews, optimizing your listing’s SEO rank, and techniques for becoming a superhost. Learn more.
Vacation Rental Secrets
Vacation Rental Secrets is another leading educational course in the short-term rental industry. The course was founded by Antonio Bortolotti, the creator of the Vacation Rental World Summit.
The online program is titled the “Fully Booked Formula,” which offers three modules priced at $197 each. First, however, students can sign up for a 30-day free trial, allowing them to complete Module One. Module
One’s primary outcome is increasing booking conversion skills. The following courses cover building a positive reputation and creating an eye-catching website for your property. Learn more.
Alterschool
Alterschool is an incredible resource for hosts whose primary language is Spanish. The goal of the course is to provide short-term rental property managers with the skills they need to deliver exceptional customer service to their guests.
First, free video resources cover revenue management and short-term rental growth. After that, for about $670, students gain access to 15-minute daily online classes. Learn more.
VR Mastered Boot Camp
If you’re up for traveling, the VR Mastered Boot Camp is an in-person event for both property managers and owners. The primary focus of these boot camps is learning to market your short-term rental in the digital space effectively.
In addition, the camp will teach you skills related to keyword search, storytelling techniques, social media, branding, organic search, Google AdWords, and a whole lot more. While digital marketing is the primary focus, students will also learn best practices and general hospitality skills.
The boot camp takes place in a different location each year. Past areas have included Nashville, St. Louis, Santa Cruz, and Mexico. Travel to these boot camps can even count as an expense for your short-term rental taxes!
Final Thoughts
In summary, there are many short-term rental host resources on the internet. Some courses are incredible, and some are scams.
Save yourself time and money by choosing to improve your skills with a pre-approved class from this list. Many other hosts have tried and loved the ten short-term rental courses recommended here.
Investing in your education as a host is a great way to improve your skills and guarantee superhost status. When you take this education and automate the daily tasks of your property with Host Tools, you will easily keep a booked calendar!
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!