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Researching STR markets in SummerOS

Before investing in or managing a short-term rental, it pays to understand the local market. SummerOS gives you a complete research toolkit—from performance benchmarks to active listings to granular STR data—so you can make data-backed decisions with confidence.

Use the Market Search tab to explore both listing and rental data, compare submarkets, and uncover what drives revenue in a given area.

To begin, go to the Market Search tab in the sidebar. You can search by:

  • City
  • ZIP/postal code
  • Neighborhood

For example, searching “Phoenix, Arizona” will load a full overview of STR activity and listings in that region.

View homes for sale and STR activity

At the top of the page, use the toggle to switch between:

  • Properties for sale (MLS listings)
  • Active rentals (short-term rental performance data)

Each section has its own filters, so you can control what you're analyzing—whether you're evaluating purchase opportunities or understanding operational comps.

Listings tab (MLS properties):

  • Average list price, days on market, and Zestimate from Zillow
  • Bedroom/bathroom counts, square footage, and neighborhood zoning
  • Filters for listing price, property type, and more

Rentals tab (STR performance):

  • Booking revenue
  • Occupancy rate
  • Average daily rate (ADR)
  • RevPAR
  • Days listed
  • Bedroom count, rental type, and amenities like pool, hot tub, or waterfront

Filter by performance or property traits

To narrow your focus, use the powerful filter panel:

  • Rental filters: Set min/max revenue, reviews, nights available, etc.
  • Listing filters: Focus on homes with certain list prices, features, or types
  • Amenity filters: Highlight homes with hot tubs, grills, or waterfront access

You can control these filters independently for listings and rentals, so you always get the most relevant dataset for your goals.

Explore host and ownership insights

SummerOS also surfaces insights on local hosts and their portfolios. See:

  • How many units an individual host manages
  • Whether they're local or remote
  • Average occupancy across their portfolio
  • Property types and amenity trends

This can help you understand market saturation, professional management presence, and where there's opportunity to differentiate.

Drill into submarkets

Zoom into neighborhoods or zip codes to explore submarket-level detail. For example, in Phoenix you can analyze areas like Arcadia, Osborne, and Sierra Adobe individually.

See stats like:

  • Population and density
  • Number of active rentals
  • Average booking revenue and ADR
  • Year-over-year growth
  • Amenity trends and saturation

Use the summary tab for quick insights

The Summary tab provides a rollup of the data, with:

  • Rental performance by quartile
  • Seasonality charts to understand demand shifts
  • Bedroom count comparisons (e.g., how 3BR vs. 4BR homes perform)
  • Amenity breakdowns by revenue
  • Market growth year over year

It’s a quick, visual way to answer questions like:

  • Is a hot tub worth the upgrade?
  • Do 4-bedroom homes outperform 3-bedrooms in my target market?
  • Is demand growing or shrinking year over year?

Why market research matters

Understanding your market isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

Whether you're evaluating a property to buy, pitching owners, or optimizing a listing you already manage, market research helps you make smarter, faster, and more confident decisions.

With SummerOS, you can:

  • Identify top-performing submarkets and invest where demand is growing
  • Compare revenue drivers like bedrooms, amenities, or availability
  • Avoid underperforming segments by understanding what’s not working
  • Back up your pricing and investment strategy with real-world data

Instead of relying on guesswork or outdated comps, SummerOS puts the full market in your hands—so every move you make is informed by clear, current insights.