The Stay Ledger Blog
Practical articles for independent hosts with 1–5 properties. Every guide connects back to a calculator, so you can replace the examples with your own numbers.
GETTING STARTED · OCTOBER 24, 2026
How to Start a Short-Term Rental: A Beginner's Checklist
Permission first, then the numbers: local rules, HOA and landlord checks, a worked setup budget, insurance and safety, pricing from break-even, and how to prepare for the first booking.
SOFTWARE · OCTOBER 24, 2026
Channel Manager & PMS for 1–5 Properties: How to Choose
Lodgify, Hospitable, OwnerRez, Guesty Lite and Hostaway compared by price, booking website, trial and fit for small portfolios.
FEES & PAYOUTS · OCTOBER 24, 2026
Host-Only Fee vs Split Fee, With Numbers
The same $810 Airbnb booking under both fee structures — what changes for the host payout and for the price a guest sees.
DIRECT BOOKINGS · OCTOBER 24, 2026
Direct Booking Break-Even: When Does Your Own Website Pay for Itself?
A simple formula for working out how many direct bookings a booking website and channel manager need to generate each month.
TAXES & COMPLIANCE · OCTOBER 24, 2026
US Occupancy Tax: Who Collects It, Who Files It
When Airbnb or Vrbo handles lodging tax, when part of the tax stack remains yours, and how to check the settings for your address.
Prefer tools to articles?
Start with the platform fee comparison calculator, the Airbnb income calculator, or the operating cost calculator.