It started with a winter at grandma's.
In 2017 I moved back to Colorado and spent the winter living at my grandmother's vacation home in Grand Lake. I worked at a ski resort, fell in love with the area, and got to know the house inside out. Airbnb was just starting to take off. Her costs of ownership kept going up. The idea of the house sitting empty most of the year didn't sit right with either of us, so she let me list it.
Years later, in March 2024, I bought Antler Ridge in Branson, a new build that was ready to open the day we closed. Revenue was $80,000 in the first year and $120,000 in the second. The third year is on pace for $140,000. Friends with other rentals were stuck with property managers and VAs who couldn't keep up with the daily work. They were always putting out fires. I built STRop the way I'd want someone to run my own homes because that was the only way the work got done.
STR Ops, sharpened.
STR Ops
Short-term rental operations means the unglamorous work behind a good stay. We price the homes, coordinate cleaning and vendors, answer guests, and handle financial reporting.
The strop
A strop is a blade-sharpening tool you return to before each cut to keep the edge true. We treat our processes the same way, checking and refining them regularly so they stay ahead of the market.
Last year I read through one of our owners' annual HVAC inspection report and pushed back on the root cause of a $1,500 repair the original technician had quoted. The second opinion fixed the actual underlying issue for free. That's the kind of work that doesn't show up on any management dashboard. Multiply $1,500 across a portfolio across a year and it's not a small number.
We also work to keep each property near the top of its market. Reshooting Jack's Lake Place's listing photos last year moved it to the first page of search in its category. A sauna goes into Sundowner in fall 2026. Every quarter, we review pricing and photos along with the amenities and small upgrades that can improve a stay. We do not wait for someone to complain.
A guide in the kitchen with your name on it.
A digital picture frame sits on the kitchen counter at every property. It greets you by name and shows the dates you're with us, then cycles through suggestions that fit your trip. It might point you to a seasonal hike worth the drive or the diner we'd send our own family to. When children are in the group, the frame includes kid-friendly spots too. We want you to discover those details at the house. The basics still come first: a clean house and a fast reply when you need one.
Have a question or a property you'd like to talk through?
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