FAQ: What is a Short Term Rental (STR)?

What is a SSTR? A Homeowners Starter Guide.

  If you traveled recently, specifically anywhere across Central Florida, you've probably heard the term "short term rental" thrown around — but what does it actually mean, and why are more homeowners who have a second, third or additional home in Florida choosing this path over a traditional lease? We created this page as a guide that breaks down what a short term rental is, how it compares to hotels and long-term leases, and why local, hands-on property management makes all the difference.

What Counts as a Short Term Rental in Florida?

  In Florida, a short term rental — sometimes called a vacation rental — is a home, condo, or townhome rented to guests for stays of less than 30 days, more than three times a year. Once a property meets that threshold, it's classified by the state as a "public lodging establishment" and requires a license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).

This is different from a traditional long-term lease, where a tenant signs on for six months, a year, or longer, and different again from a hotel, which is a commercially built and operated lodging facility from the ground up. A short term rental is simply a private home — your home — opened up to travelers for days or weeks at a time.

Short Term Rental vs. Hotel: What's the Difference?

Travelers to Central Florida increasingly choose vacation rentals over hotels, and the reasons matter for owners too:

  • More      space, more privacy. A short term rental typically offers multiple      bedrooms, a full kitchen, and living areas — appealing to families and      groups who don't want to be crammed into a single hotel room. All of the      rentals managed by Sunshine Short Term Rentals include Wi-Fi and are fully      stocked with linen, dishes and welcome amenities from soap and shampoo, to      dish detergent, sponges and more.
  • A      more local, authentic stay. Guests get a real neighborhood, not a      chain hotel corridor. All Sunshine Short Term Rental homes have free      parking and keyless entry for a more convenient experience. 
  • Better      value for groups. Splitting the cost of a home across a family or      group of friends often beats paying for multiple hotel rooms. Sunshine      Short Term Rentals has catered to professional travelers, corporate guests      who come in for conferences or guests who just want a great space for a      great price. The single standard hotel room is often smaller than a single      bedroom at any one of the homes SSTR manages.

For owners, this demand translates into nightly rates and revenue — especially in a market like Central Florida. Even though there are low volume months, Florida draws visitors throughout the year to its theme parks, golf courses, and year-round sunshine.

Short Term Rental vs. Traditional Long-Term Lease

  A long-term lease locks a property into a single tenant relationship for months or years, with income that's steady but capped, and virtually no flexibility for the owner to use the home themselves. A short term rental flips that model:

· Owners can reserve personal-use time.A short term rental lets you block weeks or months for yourself, unlike a long-term tenant arrangement.

· Home care.SSTR provides housekeeping, routine checks, prompt repairs, and regular oversight to catch small issues early.

· Damage protection. SSTR partners with an insurance-backed program covering guest-caused accidental, intentional, and pet-related damage, with no added cost to owners.

· More control and flexibility.Owners can adjust availability, use the home, or sell without ending a long-term lease.

In Florida, short term rental management and long-term tenant placement are legally separate. DBPR-licensed vacation rental managers operate under Chapter 509 for transient stays, while long-term tenant placement falls under real estate broker licensing in Chapter 475. That distinction is one reason short term rentals work well for owners who want income while still using their home during the year.

Which Home Owners Choose Short Term Rentals?

Short term rental management tends to make the most sense for:

  • Second-home   and vacation-home owners who want personal use of the property but      need it to earn income the rest of the year
  • Investors     looking for another option other than what a traditional 12-month lease      can offer in high-demand Central Florida markets
  • Snowbirds     who split time between Central Florida and another home base
  • New      or first-time landlords who want the flexibility to test the market or      eventually sell without being tied to a long-term lease
  • Owners      near major attractions — think Disney Area, Kissimmee, and the      surrounding theme park corridor — where short-stay travel demand is      highest

Why Sunshine Short Term Rentals (SSTR) Is the Local Expert Owners Trust

 Running a successful short term rental in Central Florida takes more than just listing a property online. It takes local market knowledge, licensing compliance, guest communication, and a system that keeps quality consistent in an uncertain market with strong reviews — and that's exactly where Sunshine Short Term Rentals (SSTR) comes in.

As a boutique, locally based vacation rental property management company, SSTR isn't a faceless national platform, and they are not totally dependent on Ai — Sunshine Short Term Rentals is a hands-on Central Florida team that understands the nuances of DBPR licensing, county-level short term rental regulations, and what guests booking near Central Florida are actually looking for. From 24/7 support to housekeeping, maintenance, and dynamic pricing, SSTR handles the details so owners don't have to.

For homeowners who want the income potential of a short term rental without giving up the ability to enjoy their own home throughout the year, SSTR offers exactly that balance: professional, full-service management paired with the flexibility and local expertise that only a boutique Central Florida property manager can provide.

Ready to see what a partnership with SSTR as your Central Florida property manager could look like? Contact Sunshine Short Term Rentals today to learn how a local, boutique management approach can turn your home into a great vacation rental and be cared for for years to come.