In this 2026 short-term rental update, I’m taking a neutral, grounded look at what’s actually happening right now—what’s working, what’s getting harder, and how I’d think about STRs if I were buying (or re-evaluating) today. I’m not here to do the “STRs are dead” doom loop or the “it’s passive income” fantasy. I’m pulling in current housing and travel data, then translating it into practical decisions: pricing power, demand pockets, seasonality, and the very real impact of costs, regulations, and competition. I also talk through the pros/cons I’m seeing in the market and how I’d underwrite deals in 2026: stress-testing occupancy, being honest about expenses, and choosing markets with a reason people travel there (not just because a random TikTok said so). If you’re building toward FIRE, the point isn’t to win at vibes—it’s to buy cash-flowing assets with systems that don’t require you to become a full-time hospitality manager. I share the tools I use to run numbers and the setup/system approach that keeps STRs from turning into chaos.