Short-Term Rental Glossary
Key terms and concepts to help you understand short-term rental activity, neighborhood quality, and what to look for when choosing where to live.
Short-Term Rental
A furnished property rented for short stays, typically less than 30 days, through platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com.
BnBIndex
BnBDetector's proprietary 0-100 score that measures the concentration of short-term rental activity near a given address.
STR Density
The concentration of short-term rental listings within a specific area, typically measured relative to the total number of residential units.
Vacation Rental
A property rented to guests for holiday or leisure stays, often furnished and available through online booking platforms.
Superhost
A distinction awarded by Airbnb to experienced hosts who meet high standards for ratings, response rates, and guest satisfaction.
Guest Turnover
The frequency at which short-term rental guests check in and out of a property, indicating how often new strangers occupy the unit.
Party Risk
An assessment of the likelihood that short-term rental guests in an area will host parties or create excessive noise disturbances.
Noise Ordinance
A local law or regulation that sets limits on acceptable noise levels, often specifying quiet hours and penalties for violations.
Noise Complaint
A formal or informal report made by a resident about excessive noise, often triggered by short-term rental guest behavior.
STR Regulation
Laws and rules governing how short-term rentals can operate in a city or region, including licensing, zoning, and occupancy limits.
Entire Home vs Private Room
The two main listing types on short-term rental platforms: renting an entire property versus a single room within a host's home.
STR Saturation
The point at which short-term rental concentration in an area becomes so high that it fundamentally changes the neighborhood's character.
Host Quality
A measure of how well short-term rental hosts manage their properties and guests, based on ratings, reviews, and response patterns.
Guest Volume
The estimated number of guests staying in short-term rentals within an area over a given time period.
Occupancy Rate
The percentage of available nights that a short-term rental property is actually booked and occupied by guests.
Residential Zoning
Land-use designation that restricts an area to residential purposes, which may limit or prohibit commercial activities like short-term rentals.
STR Licensing
A permit or license required by local authorities for a property to legally operate as a short-term rental.
Co-Living
A modern housing arrangement where residents share common spaces and amenities, popular among remote workers and young professionals.
Property Management Company
A business that manages short-term rental properties on behalf of owners, handling guest bookings, cleaning, and maintenance.
Digital Nomad Hub
A city or neighborhood that has become popular with remote workers who live and work from different locations around the world.
Guest Favorite
A badge given by Airbnb to listings that receive consistently high ratings and positive reviews from guests.
Listing Density
The number of active short-term rental listings within a specific radius or geographic area.
Annual Guest Nights
The estimated total number of guest-nights generated by short-term rental activity in an area over the course of a year.
Rental Type Mix
The proportion of different listing types (entire homes, private rooms, shared rooms) in a given area's short-term rental market.
Price Tier
The pricing level of short-term rental listings in an area, which can indicate the type of guests and level of activity to expect.
Turnover Signal
An indicator of how frequently guests rotate through short-term rental listings in an area, categorized as low, moderate, or high.
Risk Assessment
A multi-factor evaluation of the potential negative impacts of short-term rental activity on long-term residents in a specific area.
STR Compliance
The degree to which short-term rental operators in an area follow local regulations, licensing requirements, and tax obligations.
Long-Term Rental
A residential lease typically lasting six months or more, offering stability and tenant protections not available in short-term arrangements.
Neighborhood Character
The distinctive atmosphere and identity of a neighborhood, shaped by its residents, businesses, architecture, and daily rhythms.
Transient Occupancy
Temporary occupation of a property by guests or visitors, as opposed to permanent or long-term residency.
Rental Arbitrage
The practice of leasing a property on a long-term basis and then subletting it as a short-term rental for profit.
STR Ban
A prohibition on short-term rental activity, either citywide, in specific zones, or within individual buildings through HOA or lease restrictions.
Quiet Enjoyment
A tenant's legal right to peacefully occupy and use their rented property without unreasonable disturbance from others.
Building Management
The organization or individuals responsible for maintaining and operating a residential building, including enforcing rules about short-term rentals.
Airbnb Arbitrage
The practice of renting a property on a long-term lease and subletting it as a short-term rental to earn a profit on the price difference.
90-Day Rule
A common regulatory cap that limits short-term rental activity to 90 nights per calendar year, enforced in cities like London, Amsterdam, and Paris.
Ghost Hotel
A residential building where so many units operate as short-term rentals that it effectively functions as an unlicensed hotel.
HOA Short-Term Rental Rules
Rules set by homeowners associations that restrict, regulate, or ban short-term rental activity within a residential building or community.
Tourist Tax
A tax levied on short-term rental guests, typically collected by platforms or hosts on behalf of local governments.
STR Permit
A government-issued authorization required to legally operate a short-term rental property in many jurisdictions.
Minimum Stay Requirement
A regulation that mandates a minimum rental duration for short-term rentals, typically to reduce high-turnover tourist activity in residential areas.
Multi-Listing Host
A host who operates multiple short-term rental properties, often indicating a commercial operation rather than casual home-sharing.
Nuisance Complaint
A formal complaint filed by residents against disruptive short-term rental activity, such as excessive noise, parties, or antisocial behavior.
STR Moratorium
A temporary government freeze on issuing new short-term rental permits or licenses, usually enacted to study or address the impact of STR growth.
Platform Accountability
Laws and policies that hold booking platforms like Airbnb legally responsible for ensuring hosts comply with local short-term rental regulations.
Key Lockbox
A secure box mounted near a property entrance that holds keys for self-check-in, commonly used for short-term rentals and a visible indicator of STR operations.
Alojamento Local
Portugal's official licensing framework for short-term rental properties, one of Europe's most well-known STR regulatory systems.
Guest Screening
The process of vetting short-term rental guests before confirming a booking, used by hosts to reduce security, noise, and property damage risks.
Instant Book
A platform feature allowing guests to book a short-term rental immediately without host approval, increasing booking volume but reducing host control over guest selection.
Ready to check the short-term rental activity near your next home?
Detect Now