Fort Worth Airbnb (Dallas, Arlington: apartment, leasing, hotel)

[PhinneyWalker]

Does Fort Worth permit short term rentals aka Airbnb?

I never heard of this term until very recently. I do recall hearing about property owners giving short term leases on houses in Dallas a couple of years or so ago, and I recall neighbours were very upset about it, and I do not blame them one bit.

[jbb303]

They do with registration, but enforcement is spotty at best, if not non-existent.

[PhinneyWalker]

Originally Posted by jbb303

They do with registration, but enforcement is spotty at best, if not non-existent.

I am not surprised at all. We have so many Code violations in my neighbourhood it is unreal. They make very little effort to curb any of the problems here.

[Roadking2003]

I've probably rented 50 VRBO houses all over the world during the past ten years and we never caused any problems.

Ft Worth (and some other cities) are taking the wrong action. They shouldn't ban short-term rentals. They should just enforce the laws we already have that protect homeowners from loud parties.

[PhinneyWalker]

Originally Posted by Roadking2003

I've probably rented 50 VRBO houses all over the world during the past ten years and we never caused any problems.

Ft Worth (and some other cities) are taking the wrong action. They shouldn't ban short-term rentals. They should just enforce the laws we already have that protect homeowners from loud parties.

\

Well, I am glad to hear you have not had any problems. As for your suggestion, Fort Worth has not been enforcing most basic Code violations, at least not in my neighbourhood, so my expectation that they will do any better with these short term rentals is nil.

I am a renter now and probably will remain a renter for what is left of my life, but I have been a home owner, and as homeowner, and even now as a renter, I am not in favour of these Airbnb things. You really do not know who is living amongst you. This is true of long term renters and homeowners, too, but a never ending steam of short term renters only would increase the uncertainty. I have a house on my block right now that has seen a fair bit of turnover these last several years. The people that come and go there is unreal, although I do not think they are short term renters. I think they are simply the usual low rent locals that owner allows to lease the property, and they make me very uncomfortable. Whether I am a renter or an owner, but especially if I were an owner, I would be vehemently opposed to this type of rental situation. I think a lot of people agree with me on this, too.

[TeamLynn]

Fort Worth allows STR only in commercial areas, not in any residential area, unless you live in the house. City Council is in process of considering a change to the ban, but seems like they will continue with what is in place.

Dallas seems to have no regulation, but is considering ban....discussion again going on probably for the next couple of months before the vote.

Arlington allows only for specific small area near the stadium.

Some cities allow, some don't....you just have to check rules for each city and get a sense from investors which way the wind is blowing on regulation.

While as others have said regulation seems to be lax and it seems that way, when they flag you it can be very painful. Make sure to pay your hotel occupancy taxes. Some cities will Red Tag you and stop your business when the neighbors complain.

Also you may be too late to the party. Look at the booking calendars for the places that catch your eye and see how full they are over the next month or two. Also look at the rates. What I have seen lately for the summer does not look pretty for almost everyone I've looked at in the city. Rates super low, occupancy low. Then think your expenses are higher like for utilities, lawn care, etc and as much as 40% management fee if you turn over to 3rd party...and the returns don't look so good.

Dallas VCB says it will probably be a year before the big giant conventions come back strong and that could help.

[Roadking2003]

It's quite likely that the huge hotel chains are behind this push to outlaw short-term rentals.

[PhinneyWalker]

As an example, if market rate for a 2/1 is $1400 per month with a regular 12 month lease, could the same property lease for significantly more than $1400 per month if it were a short term rental? It seems to me that market rate is market rate, and one would be hard pressed to get much more than market rate by leasing short term, e.g. 1-3 month terms.

[TeamLynn]

Interesting I've never really seen hotel lobby show up at the meetings. They certainly could be lobbying behind the scene.
Of course they don't like AirBnB as they feel it is unregulated. They have to go to many expenses required by law and pay big taxes for occupancy, while the AirBnb people often skirt many of these requirements. While there are some AirBnB operators who pay the hotel occupancy tax, plenty don't.

Who I see most at the info meetings that don't like AirBnB are the neighbors. So many feel like they moved into a single family owner occupied neighborhood and they feel invaded by tourist or people who don't live in the neighborhood. They find trash and passed out people and lots of cars and noise. Obviously that's not every AirBnB or even every stay, but I guess enough that people complain. Some of this is tough to avoid. One guy at the Ft. Worth meeting a couple of weeks ago said he lives at the lake. The airBnB mostly rents on the weekends. So trash goes out on Sunday when they leave, but doesn't get picked up until Tuesday. In the meantime vultures and varmits get into it and spread it all over the neighborhood. Owners are not around to understand it is a problem. Also the guests in the AirBnB tend to use his private dock. He's tried of having to police the dock every weekend, whereas if it was one permanent neighbor, he could probably tell them once. You could tell he was just tired.

A minority of people who also seem not to like it, are housing advocates that feel like homes are being taken off market in a time where housing is hard to find...and therefore denying families housing.

[PhinneyWalker]

[quote=TeamLynn;63796364]Interesting I've never really seen hotel lobby show up at the meetings. They certainly could be lobbying behind the scene.
Of course they don't like AirBnB as they feel it is unregulated. They have to go to many expenses required by law and pay big taxes for occupancy, while the AirBnb people often skirt many of these requirements. While there are some AirBnB operators who pay the hotel occupancy tax, plenty don't.

Who I see most at the info meetings that don't like AirBnB are the neighbors. So many feel like they moved into a single family owner occupied neighborhood and they feel invaded by tourist or people who don't live in the neighborhood. They find trash and passed out people and lots of cars and noise. Obviously that's not every AirBnB or even every stay, but I guess enough that people complain. Some of this is tough to avoid. One guy at the Ft. Worth meeting a couple of weeks ago said he lives at the lake. The airBnB mostly rents on the weekends. So trash goes out on Sunday when they leave, but doesn't get picked up until Tuesday. In the meantime vultures and varmits get into it and spread it all over the neighborhood. Owners are not around to understand it is a problem. Also the guests in the AirBnB tend to use his private dock. He's tried of having to police the dock every weekend, whereas if it was one permanent neighbor, he could probably tell them once. You could tell he was just tired.

A minority of people who also seem not to like it, are housing advocates that feel like homes are being taken off market in a time where housing is hard to find...and therefore denying families housing.[/QUOTE]

Yes, this is exactly right, Lynn. In fact, my neighbour and I are in this situation right now, and I promise you housing is very difficult to find. He has lived in his unit for roughly 30 years. I have lived in my unit for 7. The owners decided they want to turn this property into a short term rental (1-3 month terms) for visiting professionals, but I suppose anyone who would pay the rate would be accepted. The upshot is both my neighbour and I are being forced to move. We are both seniors. He is 79, and his SS is not enough to qualify him for another apartment, so he has been looking for just a room to lease. He has not found anything decent. I have not found anything either. Neither of us can remain here for more than another month, two months tops. It is no exaggeration to say that we both may be homeless in a matter of a few weeks.

All I see in this situation is two good, long term seniors being forced out of their homes in the name of greater profits.