Stay on top of the latest Short-Term Rental trends

Short-Term Rental bookkeeping is no longer just about debits and credits... it’s about building a system that reconciles bookings with bank deposits, handles trust accounting correctly, and keeps owners informed with clean, accurate statements. In this guide, we break down a modern STR bookkeeping system step-by-step: from syncing reservations to owner payouts, from tax-ready reporting to true financial transparency.

Expense leakage in Short-Term Rental property management can quietly erode profits, break trust with owners, and disrupt clean financials. From missing receipts and misallocated vendor bills to timing gaps and unreimbursed owner charges, these issues add up fast. In this guide, we unpack the full scope of financial leakage across STR workflows, introduce a practical scorecard to identify common risks, and provide a step-by-step SOP to help managers capture, categorize, and reimburse expenses accurately. Learn how to implement best practices and leverage purpose-built tools like Clearing to automate reimbursements, maintain trust accounting compliance, and prevent costly mistakes before they snowball.

Trust accounting has become an essential part of modern financial operations for Short-Term Rental property managers—especially heading into 2026. With growing regulations across U.S. states, increasing expectations from homeowners, and the need for audit-ready books, it's never been more important to understand how trust accounting works, why it matters, and how to implement it the right way. In this article, we break down everything STR managers need to know for 2026: from compliance and reporting standards to new trends in tech-enabled accounting and best-in-class tools that make trust accounting scalable and stress-free.

As the Short-Term Rental industry grows more sophisticated, so do the financial tools powering it. In this 2026 guide, we break down the top five purpose-built fintech and accounting platforms every STR property manager should know (Clearing, QBO, Ramp, Column, and Mercury). Whether you're scaling your portfolio, optimizing your workflows, or planning for cleaner books this year, this stack will help you automate trust accounting, streamline spending, and stay audit-ready.

Year-end is one of the most stressful times for Short-Term Rental (STR) property managers... especially when it comes to preparing clean, reconciled owner statements. Owners expect clear answers around income, expenses, taxes, and deposits, and any mismatch between your statements, books, and trust account balances can lead to time-consuming questions and eroded trust. This guide walks you through how to generate year-end owner statements that actually tie out (statements that match your accounting system, trust account, and transaction records down to the last dollar).

Short‑Term Rental businesses face unique financial challenges that traditional accountants do not always understand. This article explains why STR property managers should work with accountants and bookkeepers who specialize in the industry if working with a service provider, how trust accounting differs from operational accounting and how purpose built tools like Clearing support accurate, compliant STR financial management.