fbpx
🎉 FREE WEBINAR - July 24th, 11am / 8pm CET - Learn Airbtics in 7 Minutes - Revenue and Market Analysis Tips and Best Practices!
Categories
Airbnb Investment All About Airbnb

Is Panama City Beach A Lucrative Investment for Airbnb?

Panama city beach airbnb property investment

Owning a beachfront property is a dream for the majority of people who want to live a peaceful life. While there are truly other coastal areas in Florida where you make this come true by earning a passive income, Panama City Beach is one of them!

Located at the Gulf of Mexico in Northwest Florida, this city will truly satisfy one’s needs to get enough sunshine throughout the year. Panama’s emerald green waters and sunny weather provides fun & exciting beach activities which have been one of the reasons why tourists prefer to visit the place.

Featuring amusement parks, family-friendly attractions, and zoological conservatories, Panama City Beach is a perfect getaway destination for all kinds of travelers.

Panama City Beach is the perfect beach town for those who want to earn a passive income by purchasing a property for Airbnb. In addition to this, it’s also best to do market research and use an Airbnb income calculator to make informed decisions.

In this article, we’ll discuss our findings about property investment for Airbnb, along with some actual beachfront homes for sale in Panama City Beach, FL. Let’s dive in!

Advantages of Buying An Airbnb Property in Panama City Beach

It’s a given fact that Panama is a favorite beach destination for tourists, but there’s more to learn as to why we recommend purchasing a property in this city. Here are some of the facts about Panama City Beach that can help you figure out if it’s a good place to invest in an Airbnb property:

1. High Appreciation Rate & Demand

To begin with, this factor is mostly being looked after by property investors to ensure that it will be an excellent long-term investment. In Panama City Beach, the property appreciation rate is extremely high and the demand is consistent.

2. Affordable Properties

One of the primary reasons why there are plenty of people flocking to Panama City Beach is because of its sustainable cost of living. This is also good news to investors who have just started their journey to investment: Panama City Beach properties will not bring all the money out of your pocket!

.

“Panama City Beach in Florida has affordable properties no matter your budget. Even with the high demand for properties, there hasn’t been a crazy increase in property prices. The cost of living is also affordable at 10.6% below the state average.

– Destin Property Expert on Panama Properties

3. Rewarding View of Sunsets

Let’s not forget the very reason why investing in a beachfront property in Panama is the best: the view of sunsets by the beach! With Panama’s clear turquoise waters and crystal white sandy beaches, it’s certainly worth every penny. Not to mention that there are also plenty of outdoor activities to do around the area.

Disadvantages of Buying An Airbnb Property in Panama City Beach

Now that we know the pros of investing in Panama City Beach, let’s discover some of the cons. It’s always better to look at the two sides of each coin in order to properly set your expectations!

1. Traffic Congestion: Tourist Population

In relation to the plenty of tourists in Panama City Beach, it will be difficult to get complete silence and the traffic congestion is bad as there are people flocking to the area. Although this is pretty common in beach towns, it’s certainly a thrill to other property investors who want to cater to more people for accommodations.

2. Frequent Storms & High Summer Heat

While it’s truly frightening to experience storms by the seaside, it is pretty common to experience them in Panama City Beach. During the summer, it’s also expected to experience high summer temperatures.

Profitable Neighborhoods for Airbnb in Panama City Beach

While Panama City Beach is undoubtedly one of the best property investment cities in the USA, let’s take a closer look at the important Airbnb key metrics. Filtered for a 1-bedroom apartment, here is a brief overview of some of the most recommended and profitable neighborhoods in Panama City Beach:

1. Open Sands
  • Annual revenue:  $61,353
  • Average daily rate: $200
  • Occupancy rate: 67%
2. Gulf Highlands
  • Annual revenue:  $52,476
  • Average daily rate: $200
  • Occupancy rate: 63%
3. Bay Point
  • Annual revenue:  $47,023
  • Average daily rate: $181
  • Occupancy rate: 51%

Is Property Investment Profitable in Panama City Beach?

Using a short-term rental income estimator, it was discovered that a 2-bedroom apartment in Panama City Beach can generate an annual revenue of $67,051 with a steady occupancy rate of 60% and a nightly rate of $231.

Panama city beach airbnb property investment

Panama city beach airbnb property investment

Properties for Sale in Panama City Beach, Florida

Buying a beach house property in Panama City Beach will not only let you have access to a delightful vacation spot, but it can also bring an excellent return on investment and become a reliable income stream. It may be difficult to find the best properties that have the potential to produce high yields and capital growth, and this article will certainly help you through! 

Here are some of the houses for sale in Panama City Beach along with the calculated gross rental yield, cash-on-cash return, and annual revenue.

Panama city beach airbnb property investment
Panama city beach airbnb property investment

116 Damon Cir UNIT B, Panama City Beach, FL 32407

1. Studio-type Property for Sale Panama City Beach
  • 1.2 miles to J.R. Arnold High School
  • Asking Price: $149,000
GROSS RENTAL YIELD 22.05%
ANNUAL REVENUE $33,058
CASH ON CASH RETURN 40.39%
Panama city beach airbnb property investment
Panama city beach airbnb property investment

6903 N Lagoon Dr APT 25, Panama City Beach, FL 32408

2. 1-Bedroom Type Property for Sale Panama City Beach
  • 4.2 miles J.R. Arnold High School
  • Asking Price: $168,000
GROSS RENTAL YIELD 22.62%
ANNUAL REVENUE $38,009
CASH ON CASH RETURN 42.11%
Panama city beach airbnb property investment
Panama city beach airbnb property investment

112 Fairway Blvd UNIT 108, Panama City Beach, FL 32407

3. 2-Bedroom Type Property for Sale Panama City Beach
  • 0.6 miles to Surfside Middle School
  • Asking Price: $197,000
GROSS RENTAL YIELD 22.34%
ANNUAL REVENUE $44,016
CASH ON CASH RETURN 41.26%
3-Bedroom Panama CityBeach
3-Bedroom Panama CityBeach

601 Cape Cod Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32407

4. 3-Bedroom Type Property for Sale Panama City Beach
  • 0.4 miles Surfside Middle School
  • Asking Price: $250,000
GROSS RENTAL YIELD 22.89%
ANNUAL REVENUE $57,227
CASH ON CASH RETURN 42.90%
4-Bedroom Panama CityBeach
4-Bedroom Panama CityBeach

6314 N Lagoon Dr, Panama City Beach, FL 32408

5. 4-Bedroom Type Property for Sale Panama City Beach
  • 4.8 miles to J.R. Arnold High School
  • Asking Price: $365,000
GROSS RENTAL YIELD 25.91%
ANNUAL REVENUE $94,588
CASH ON CASH RETURN 51.98%

Conclusion

Investing in a property is certainly a huge step that one needs to not only think about – but also conduct market research for accuracy. With the various industries & recreational activities to do in Panama City Beach, it can generate a nice cash flow for property investors as long as the right neighborhood is targeted and potential revenue is calculated using an Airbnb rental arbitrage calculator. While there are many other cities to invest in Florida aside from Panama City Beach, it’s definitely worth the time & effort to speak with a short-term rental expert to make the wisest decision for property investment.

Airbtics
Categories
Airbnb Rental Arbitrage All About Airbnb

Rental Arbitrage Florida

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    Introduction

    The beautiful state of Florida attracts millions of visitors from around the globe for its coastlines and tourist attractions. It’s deemed to be a popular vacation destination, which is why most property investors are keen to invest in Florida. In fact, Airbnb even revealed the trending summer domestic destinations in 2022. And we found out that 6 out of 10 of the most profitable Airbnb cities in the USA are all in Florida!

    But the question about profitability may still linger, which city in Florida is the best for rental arbitrage? Continue reading as we feature Airbnb rules in Florida, the process of rental arbitrage, and more.

    What is Rental Arbitrage?

    Rental Arbitrage is an expert technique where you sublease a property for the sole purpose of Airbnb. This is initially allowed with the property owner’s or landlord’s approval.  Rental arbitrage is somehow similar to house hacking, except that you don’t own the property. Instead, you convince a landlord to lease you a property that you can then furnish and sublease on Airbnb and VRBO.

    Rental Arbitrage is an efficient method for multifamily houses, duplexes, or triplexes. You can easily use the money from your short-term rental to pay off your lease and profit some more. If done right, this can be a full-fledged business!

    If you own a duplex or triplex property, then it is pretty straightforward. You can live in one part of the house and rent out the other. This process is known as house hacking. Property investors try this method after taking a loan on a property and use the rent to pay off the mortgage. The short-term rent will help you pay for your property’s long-term lease. This helps you keep the difference at the month-end after paying for the long-term lease. 

    Here’s a perfect example to understand how rental arbitrage works. Assume that you are renting a duplex in Florida for $1,800/month. You are living by yourself in the property and you decide to sublease an extra room on Airbnb. Let’s say you listed it for $100/day and got 80% occupancy. This will generate approx $2,600/month in revenue. Not only will it help you pay off your complete rent, but give you a profit of $800. This, in a nutshell, is called Rental Arbitrage.

    Is rental arbitrage allowed in Florida? 

    Yes, rental arbitrage is definitely legal in Florida! With the landlord’s approval and a legal contract with the lessee, there are no restrictions in operating rental arbitrage. And thanks to its warm & sunny climate, Florida has the most number of short-term rentals in the entire US. It’s a haven for people who are starting their STR and Rental Arbitrage journeys. As of now, the short-term market is not being regulated by the State of Florida. 

    All short-term rental owners are required to get a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), register with the Florida Department of Revenue for state taxes, and comply with building regulations and inspections. Some cities such as Miami also have city zoning regulations and requirements to obtain a certificate of use. It’s always best to visit your local city hall in Florida to learn more about their short-term rental laws!

    How to start rental arbitrage in Florida?

    1. Convince the landlord

    Let’s say you want to get into rental arbitrage. You may be wondering, how do I find rental arbitrage properties and how should I convince the landlord? Later in the blog, we’ll be explaining how to find a good property by doing proper research using short-term rental analytics. In this section, we will be focusing more on how to convince a landlord to do rental arbitrage. As you’ll begin your rental arbitrage journey, you’ll come to know that this is the hardest part of the whole process.

    You need to be prepared and well-researched about the popularity of Airbnb in your area. Having good communication skills will also come in handy! Here’s one thing that you should always keep in mind: never sublease without informing the landlord. There will be a huge number of people coming in and out when you’re sub-renting, so the landlord will most likely figure out that you are subletting and you might end up getting in trouble.

    When convincing the landlord, rule number one is to always talk about the upsides. If you can rent the property on Airbnb, so can the landlord himself. You need to make a deal with the landlord that is beneficial to them. So in return, they lease the property to you instead of renting it by themselves.

    Points To Tell An Indecisive Landlord:
    • Doing rental arbitrage is a full-time business. It doesn’t generate passive income like long-term leasing. You should try approaching older people who are looking for some sort of passive income.
      They are more likely to agree to a fixed long-term lease. You can also reach out to full-time working professionals or business owners. They will also be happy with a source of passive income until their property is well maintained. This brings us to our next point.
    • You’ll take care of the house better than a normal renter. As you are using the property for Airbnb, you will maintain it very well to make sure you get better reviews. Having a beat-up property isn’t good for business and you are more likely to monitor it often. 
      Not monitoring it will affect your revenue a lot. You may end up paying a huge sum of money for damages done by someone else. So telling this to the landlord might instill some confidence in them.
    • You can ensure timely monthly rent. You can tell the landlord that doing rental arbitrage is a full-time business with ups and downs. It doesn’t guarantee fixed income at all like long-term leasing. But if they lease it to you, you’ll make sure to pay the lease no matter what. Either from the money made after rental arbitrage or from your savings. You need to ensure timely monthly lease payments to gain the trust of the landlord.

    In conclusion, you need to take care of the property and treat it like your own. Make sure to timely pay the monthly lease and keep the situation beneficial for both parties. You can also use a free rental arbitrage email template and propose your ideas to landlords!

    2. Ensure the property and gain the landlords’ trust

    Being on the safe side is always a good idea. You need to make sure you are using the right tools to ensure that the property is safe and neighbors aren’t bothered by guests. Many landlords will have this concern when renting out their property to you. They will be worried about neighbors raising noise complaints and it’s a legitimate concern. To help you with all these problems, here are some suggestions that you can implement: 

    • SimpliSafe– These are home monitoring tools that you can install in the house to make sure no suspicious activity is happening there. Make sure to let the guests know about them and have their consent.
    • Auto host– Automatically screens problematic tenants.
    • InsuraGuest– This insurance and tech company helps you with risk analysis and gives protection beyond Airbnb and VRBO policies.
    • Airbnb Profit Calculator– Give your landlord ease of mind by providing income estimates backed by Airbnb data.

    On a side note, you can also integrate the majority of these tools with short-term rental management software such as Hostaway or Guesty.

    Pros and Cons

    What are the pros and cons of doing rental arbitrage in Florida? Here’s the part where you can set your expectations:

    • Pros
      • No need to own, invest, or purchase a property 
      • Low upfront costs
      • Higher chances to repeat and scale easily
      • Generated profit can be used for other investments or businesses.
    • Cons
      • Invest money and time in furnishing the property

    DO YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR PREFERRED CITY IN FLORIDA?

    Check out the average Airbnb occupancy rates by city now! 

    how much can you make on airbnb

    How much do Airbnb hosts make in Florida?

    Airbtics’ data confirm that an Airbnb host in Florida, particularly in Orlando, can earn an average daily rate of $177. This is by operating a 2-bedroom apartment/flat alone! Airbnb hosts are expected to generate an annual revenue of $56,513 with a steady occupancy rate of 82%.

    What are the initial costs of starting Rental Arbitrage in Florida?

    You can expect to spend anywhere between $3,000 to $5,000. This includes deposit, furnishing, amenities, legal paperwork, and LLC Incorporation.

    But doesn’t this contradict the Low upfront cost of Rental Arbitrage? Well, these estimates vary from city to city. There is a possibility to do rental arbitrage for even less than this depending upon your situation and the type of property you lease.

    Still, the amount is lesser than investing in a new property and getting a mortgage of thousands of dollars. In addition to this, you won’t be on the hook for property maintenance expenses and being stuck for years with debt.

    But this doesn’t mean that rental arbitrage can be done with zero or a very tight budget. There will be some upfront costs that you have to expect so it’s ideal to own some extra cash is also a good thing to have. This will help pay off the lease during the off-season in case bookings don’t happen right away. Check out some of the expenses that you have to prepare for:

    Expense 1: Rental Deposits

    A rental deposit is going to be one of the first major expenses. You will need money to be able to sign a long-term lease with the landlord. For that, you will need a security deposit and the first and last month’s rent. Sometimes you can negotiate with the landlord and use the first month’s rent as a security deposit.

    Expense 2: Furnishing

    Most of the time, you should always aim to lease a place that is semi-furnished. Furnishing a place from scratch can add anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to your initial capital. Not choosing the right property can make rental arbitrage not so low cost, so choose wisely.

    If the place is semi-furnished, then your best bet is to shop for cheap and affordable amenities. You can go and find cheap supplies from places like Home Depot and IKEA. Sometimes even Walmart offers hidden gems if you look closely.

    Expense 3: Photography

    It’s highly recommended to try DIY photography as a start to save money. You can even learn how to take the best Airbnb photos to highlight your listing! But if you have the budget, hiring a professional photographer is also an excellent option. 

    Expense 4: Cleaning Services

    This is not a starting cost, but you will eventually end up spending on cleaning services. The best way to save money is to do the cleaning by yourself if you have the time, skills, and experience.

    If you have no experience or don’t want to invest time in cleaning a place, then your best bet will be to hire a professional cleaner. This can cost you anywhere from $50 – $250 depending upon the size and location.

    Expense 5: Legal Consultation

    Maintaining a professional relationship with a real estate lawyer can be very helpful in the Airbnb business. Airbnb regulations are constantly changing and you will need some legal guidance to adjust your business accordingly.

    Legal guidance can also come in handy if you face any legal issues with the landlord or guests. They can help in damage claims and insurance in case of any mishappening.

    Best areas for Rental Arbitrage in Florida

    Some of the common places that you can think of in Florida are Panama City Beach and Fort Lauderdale. In general, Florida’s population and employment growth are accompanied by economic growth elastic. This promotes the growth of Florida’s real estate market.

    1. Panama City Beach 

    According to Airbtics Dashboard, Panama City Beach is the top market to start your rental arbitrage business. There are more than 4,302 Airbnb listings with 3,653 condo properties and 1,436 one-bedroom properties. The monthly revenue for most properties is more than $4,189.

    2. Fort Lauderdale
    Rental Arbitrage Florida

    Airbtics confirms that Fort Lauderdale is the second-best market to start your rental arbitrage business. There are more than 2,581 Airbnb listings with 258 private room properties and 797 one-bedroom properties. The monthly revenue for most properties is more than $4,292.

    Conclusion

    There’s no doubt that Florida offers several exciting investment opportunities in 2023. Whether you’re considering looking into properties for sale in Fort Lauderdale or waterfront properties in Cape Coral, there’s always something great for investors in this State.

    In fact, more property investors are looking for the best areas in Florida by visiting one city from another! However, in the digital era, there are more convenient options to discover profitable areas in just one click. Using an STR analytics tool like Airbtics, you can expand your opportunities with an accurate Airbnb income calculator.

    Free Webinar

    Learn Airbtics in 7 Minutes

    Revenue and market analysis Tips and Best Practices!
    Airbnb Data
    Airbnb Data

    ARE YOU IN?

    Get Access to our weekly data-driven airbnb report!