What Your Stratton-Area Property Actually Earns

Real Numbers. Real Deductions. No Inflated Estimates.

Awning will show you a gross annual revenue estimate for your address. AirDNA will show you what similar properties average per night. Your neighbor will tell you what they made last ski season.

None of those numbers tell you what you actually keep.

This guide does. It covers what Stratton-area short-term rentals realistically generate, what comes out before you see a dollar, and how to think about the net number that matters for your decision. We manage properties near Stratton Mountain. These are our numbers — not projections designed to win your business.

Part 1: What Stratton-Area Properties Actually Earn (Gross)

Southern Vermont is a genuine four-season market. That changes the income math significantly compared to pure ski destinations that go quiet in summer.

Seasonal Revenue Breakdown

Peak: Ski Season (Dec 15 – Mar 31)

This is where properties earn their keep. Stratton drives the highest nightly rates and near-full occupancy on weekends. Holiday periods (Christmas, MLK, Presidents Day) run 40–80% above normal weekend rates.

• Weekend nightly rates (Fri–Sun): $500–$1,200+
• Midweek: $250–$600
• Occupancy: 65–85% of available nights

Strong: Fall Foliage (Sept 15 – Oct 31)

Underrated. Leaf peeping drives real demand with shorter stays at solid rates.

• Nightly rates: $300–$700  ·  Occupancy: 55–70%

Moderate: Summer (June 15 – Sept 14)

Stratton's golf, hiking, and music programming has grown steadily. Guests who want Vermont without ski-season prices.

• Nightly rates: $250–$550  ·  Occupancy: 50–65%

Slow: Shoulder Seasons (April–June 14, Nov–Dec 14)

Mud season and the pre-ski lull are real. Well-priced, well-listed properties still book. Others don't.

• Nightly rates: $175–$350  ·  Occupancy: 20–40%

Realistic Annual Gross by Property Type

What moves you toward the top: Hot tub / sauna / pool, professional photography, dynamic pricing, Superhost status.
What moves you toward the bottom: Poor photography, flat nightly pricing, slow guest response, dated furnishings.

Part 2: What Actually Comes Out

This is where most income presentations stop being honest.

1. Platform Fees

Airbnb's standard host fee: ~3% of gross. VRBO: ~8%. Most properties list on both.
Deduct: 3–5% of gross.

2. Professional Management Fee

Southern Vermont management fees range from 15–35% of gross. National companies (formerly Vacasa) typically charge 25–35% plus add-on fees. Always ask for the all-in number.
Deduct: 15–35% of gross.

3. Vermont Meals & Rooms Tax

Vermont requires a 9% M&R Tax on all short-term rental stays. Airbnb collects and remits on your behalf for Vermont stays. VRBO may not — verify your setup. Direct bookings require you to handle this yourself.
Note: It passes through your account but isn't income.

4. Cleaning Costs

• 2–3 bedroom: $150–$250 per turnover
• 4–5 bedroom: $250–$400 per turnover
• 6+ bedroom / pool: $350–$600 per turnover

At 90–120 turnovers per year: $15,000–$45,000 annually.
Deduct based on your turn volume.

5. Maintenance Reserve

Hot tub servicing, plowing, landscaping, guest-caused damage, normal wear. 5–10% of gross is realistic.
Deduct: 5–10% of gross.

6. Supplies & Consumables

Toiletries, paper products, coffee, cleaning supplies. At 90+ turnovers: $2,000–$5,000/year.

7. Insurance

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover STR use. Expect $2,500–$6,000/year for proper STR coverage in the Stratton area.

What You Actually Keep: A Worked Example

3-bedroom ski chalet, hot tub and sauna, $120,000 gross annually:

46% net margin on gross — before income tax. Not the number the calculator showed you.

This isn't meant to discourage you. $55,500 in real, recurring, largely passive income on an appreciating asset is genuinely worthwhile for the right property. But it's the honest number, not the gross figure most income pitches lead with.

What improves this math: Lower management fee, better photography driving higher gross, efficient cleaning systems, direct bookings that avoid repeat platform fees.

Part 3: Vermont-Specific Factors Nobody Mentions

The Winhall STR Permit

If your property is in Winhall — which includes much of the Stratton Mountain area — you are required to register your short-term rental with the town. Winhall has specific requirements around occupancy limits, parking, and proof of primary residence in some cases. Failure to register creates liability. National management companies miss this. Local operators don't.

Mud Season Is Real

April and early May are slow. Properties aggressive about marketing summer programming (Stratton golf, hiking, bike events) fill these gaps. Properties that go quiet lose 6–8 weeks of potential revenue. This is a management quality differentiator — not a market problem.

The Photography Problem

The biggest predictor of top-quartile performance in any Vermont STR market isn't location or amenities — it's listing quality. A property with professional photos and a strong headline outperforms a better property with bad photos in the same market. This is visible in the booking data.

Part 4: 6 Questions to Ask Any Management Company

Far & Away Homes manages short-term rentals near Stratton Mountain, Vermont. In-house accounting advisor, professional photography on every property, local team. We don't inflate income projections to win contracts.