This seminar is offered on different dates and times. The available dates are shown on a calendar during registration and on the www.strcertification.com STR Course Dates page. The Vacation Home Design and Maintenance Seminar can be a stand-alone seminar, or it can be Part 2 of 4 seminars for students who want to earn the STR Certification. Depending on class discussions and questions, the seminar usually lasts 2-3 hours.

Registration is limited, so please reserve your place as soon as possible.

Hosting guests for short stays in a home requires much more than a listing on a popular reservation website (like Vrbo or Airbnb). This seminar explains best practices for design features, housekeeping routines, maintenance protocols, policies, security concerns, differences between LTC versus vacation home/short-term rental (STR), amenities, and other practices that create top-rated guest experiences and STR profitability.

The Vacation Home Design and Maintenance Seminar reviews:

• STR-friendly design features versus LTR or residential use, to create a safer, comfortable, and maintenance-friendly STR environment.
• Building code and permit requirements for STR construction, history, additions, and renovations.
• Furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF and E) features for an STR lodging environment.
• Planning for capital improvements.
• Community procedures, resources, and communication channels for emergency and disaster preparedness.
• ADA, FHA, OSHA, FEMA, and local health, fire, and building regulations and resources that apply or do not apply to STR.
• Devices and systems that aid in STR monitoring while securing guest privacy.
• Prevention protocols and devices that support the security and safety of guests and the STR unit.
• Permits, insurance, and design features are involved with providing amenities like experiences, food and beverage (F&B), supplies, and contract services.
• Housekeeping management procedures, regulatory considerations, resources, and systems, including turnaround and deep cleaning.
• Procedures for guest check-in, check-out, inspections, trash control, damage, and incidents.
• Documentation procedures for maintenance work orders and the condition of the unit between guest stays.
• Preventative and routine maintenance protocols.
• And more!

This seminar is part of the approved education requirement for applicants seeking an STR/STVR/VH business license, registration, or permit in several cities. Some states may also allow for real estate CE. The curriculum contains the core information officials want STR owners, hosts, property managers, realtors, and vendors to know. A student who provides a certificate of seminar completion within an application process tells the officials that the student understands core STR practices.

Students who pass the Vacation Home Design and Maintenance Seminar will receive a Certificate of Seminar Completion. It can be a stand-alone seminar (2-3 hours) or the second segment (Part 2) of the more comprehensive STR Certification Course (similar to the live, in-person class, which normally lasts 12 hours in total, with this seminar as Part 2 of 4 seminars). This highly rated and popular course is ranked among national and international "Top Ten" training lists for STR and property management. The seminar curriculum is part of a longer course that has been reviewed and approved by Higher Education Divisions and Real Estate Commissions in several states. The content is free from commercial influence. No sponsorships, endorsements, or advertisements are accepted or allowed. Certain brands or locations may be mentioned in discussions or used as examples for instructional purposes. Students must complete their own research before making business decisions.

For many people, Vacation Home/Short-Term Rental (STR) management seems as simple as listing a home for rent to guests for short stays on a reservation site like Airbnb or Vrbo. But STR is much more complicated. It isn't "passive income" or a business that can be remotely managed. STR owners and managers are responsible for guest safety. And poorly managed STRs are negatively affecting other STR hosts, sister industries, and local communities. STR requires planning, sound business management, regulatory compliance, clear communication, and appropriate monitoring of each guest's stay. In this seminar, we review resources, laws, practical tools, systems, and best practices to help hosts manage STR businesses that are code-compliant, safe, enjoyable, and profitable.