Hearth & Host — A Couple Renovating Austin Apartments Into Short-Term Rentals

Renovations · June 8, 2026

Our First Austin Apartment Flip: The Full Before & After

Our first flip was a dated little Austin one-bed. Here's the honest before-and-after, the budget, and the changes that actually moved the needle.

Renovations · June 1, 2026

Small Apartment Renovation on a Rental Budget

You don't need a big budget to transform a small apartment. Here's the low-cost, high-impact renovation playbook we use on every flip.

Renovations · May 25, 2026

The Studio Apartment We Turned Into a Top Earner

Our smallest unit is our best earner. Here's how we turned a single-room studio into a booked-out short-term rental.

Renovations · May 18, 2026

Renovating a Dated '90s Condo for Short-Term Rental

Honey-oak trim, builder brass, and beige tile — the '90s condo special. Here's how we modernized one into a booked-out rental.

Renovations · May 11, 2026

The Kitchen Refresh That Paid for Itself

We never replace a rental kitchen — we refresh it. Here's the under-$1,500 kitchen refresh that pays for itself in bookings.

Renovations · May 4, 2026

A Bathroom Made Over Without Touching the Plumbing

You can transform a rental bathroom in a weekend without a plumber. Here's the no-plumbing bathroom makeover we use on every flip.

Renovations · April 27, 2026

Rental-Friendly Lighting: How to Light a Rental Without Rewiring

The single best upgrade for any rental is warm lighting — and you can add it all without an electrician. Here's the no-rewiring playbook.

Renovations · April 20, 2026

Flooring That Survives Guests

Rental floors take a beating. Here's the durable, photogenic flooring we use so a flip survives hundreds of guests.

Renovations · April 13, 2026

Paint Colors That Photograph Well in a Rental

Paint is the cheapest change you can make, and the wrong colour kills a listing photo. Here are the colours that photograph well.

Renovations · April 6, 2026

The Murphy Bed That Doubled a Studio's Nightly Rate

One Murphy bed turned our tiniest studio into a flexible, higher-earning rental. Here's why it worked and how we lit it.

Renovations · March 30, 2026

What We'd Never Renovate Again

Every flip taught us something the hard way. Here are the renovation choices we'd never make again in a rental.

Styling · March 23, 2026

How to Furnish an Airbnb From Scratch

Furnishing a short-term rental from an empty apartment is daunting. Here's our room-by-room playbook for doing it well, and on budget.

Styling · March 16, 2026

Airbnb Living Room Ideas That Photograph Beautifully

The living room is usually a listing's hero photo. Here are the Airbnb living room ideas that make it sell — and survive guests.

Styling · March 9, 2026

Airbnb Bedroom Ideas Guests Actually Sleep Well In

Guests review the bedroom more than any room. Here are the Airbnb bedroom ideas that earn five stars — starting with sleep.

Styling · March 2, 2026

Styling a Studio Apartment to Feel Bigger

A studio has to feel like a complete home in one room. Here's how we style and light a studio to feel bigger than it is.

Styling · February 23, 2026

Airbnb Photography Tips for Better Bookings

Your listing photos do more for bookings than almost anything. Here are the Airbnb photography tips we use to make a unit sell itself.

Styling · February 16, 2026

Lighting an Airbnb for Cozy Listing Photos

Warm lighting is the difference between a listing photo that converts and one that doesn't. Here's how we light an Airbnb for cozy photos.

Styling · February 9, 2026

Airbnb Kitchen Essentials Guests Expect

Even guests who don't cook judge the kitchen. Here are the Airbnb kitchen essentials that earn good reviews — and the lighting that sells it.

Styling · February 2, 2026

Durable but Beautiful: Materials That Last in a Rental

Rentals are hard on everything. Here are the materials that survive guests while still looking beautiful in the photos.

Styling · January 26, 2026

The Welcome Details That Earn Five Stars

Five-star reviews come from the small things. Here are the welcome details that turn a good rental into a memorable stay.

Styling · January 19, 2026

Statement Lighting That Sells a Listing

One great light fixture can make a listing memorable. Here's how we use statement lighting to make a rental stand out and sell.

Hosting · January 12, 2026

Airbnb Host Tips From Our First Year

Our first year hosting taught us more than any guide. Here are the Airbnb host tips that actually moved the needle.

Hosting · January 5, 2026

What We Learned From Our First 100 Guests

A hundred guests is a lot of feedback. Here's what they taught us about what actually matters in a short-term rental.

Hosting · December 22, 2025

Pricing, Turnover, and the Numbers Nobody Talks About

Everyone shows the nightly rate. Here are the real short-term rental numbers — turnover, occupancy, and the costs nobody mentions.

Hosting · December 15, 2025

Building a Short-Term Rental on a Budget

You don't need deep pockets to launch a great short-term rental. Here's how we build one on a budget that still earns five stars.

Hosting · December 8, 2025

The Tech Stack That Runs Our Rentals

A few well-chosen tools turn hosting from a scramble into a system. Here's the simple tech stack that runs our rentals.

Hosting · December 1, 2025

Cleaning and Turnover Without Losing Your Mind

Turnover is where hosting gets hard. Here's the system that keeps our cleaning and changeovers fast, consistent, and sane.

Hosting · November 24, 2025

Designing for Reviews, Not Just Photos

A rental can photograph beautifully and still earn mediocre reviews. Here's how we design for the stay, not just the listing.

Hosting · November 17, 2025

How We Choose Which Apartments to Flip

Not every apartment makes a good rental. Here's how we choose which ones to buy and flip — and which to walk away from.

Hosting · November 10, 2025

Small Swaps That Lifted Our Nightly Rate

We raised our nightly rate without a renovation — just a series of small, cheap swaps. Here's exactly what we changed.