Scaling a Vacation Rental Business in a Competitive Market with Natalie Painter of Preserve Property Co

In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we’re joined by Natalie Painter, Broker at Preserve Realty Co. and Owner of Preserve Property Co., a boutique vacation rental management company in the Outer Banks—one of the most competitive and well-established vacation rental markets in the U.S.

Natalie has built a thriving business by leveraging technology, automation, and AI while maintaining a high-touch, personalized guest experience. In this episode, we’ll explore how she’s scaling her business efficiently, why software like Hospitable is crucial for hosts looking to grow while staying lean, and her best advice for homeowners who want to self-manage successfully.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:29 Starting with short-term rentals
• 4:15 Navigating a competitive real estate market
• 6:25 AI and automation for short-term rental management
• 8:40 Personalizing automated communication
• 10:20 Challenges of growing an STR business
• 12:49 Getting started in a competitive STR market
• 15:10 Starting as a property manager in a competitive market
• 17:29 Future STR trends
• 20:12 Goals for 2025