Why most STR analysis takes too long

A proper short-term rental investment analysis requires pulling data from at least four sources: the listing itself (purchase price, taxes, HOA), an Airbnb market data tool (comparable revenue), a regulatory database (local STR rules), and a financial model (cap rate, cash-on-cash). Doing this manually for a single property takes 30–60 minutes. Most investors either skip it or only look at the most promising deals.

The problem is that you don't know which deals are promising until you've run the numbers. When analysis is expensive, investors rely on gut feel — and that's how you end up buying in a market that was banned from Airbnb six months after closing.

What STRInvest shows you

STRInvest is a Chrome extension that injects a full investment analysis panel directly onto any Zillow, Redfin, or Realtor.com listing. When you install it and open a property page, you'll see:

  • Projected Airbnb revenue — monthly and annual estimates based on comparable active listings in the same market
  • Cap rate — net operating income divided by purchase price, expressed as a percentage
  • Cash-on-cash return — annual pre-tax cash flow divided by total cash invested (including down payment and closing costs)
  • Local STR regulations — whether short-term rentals are permitted, restricted, or banned in that jurisdiction
  • Comparable Airbnb listings — nearby active STRs used as the basis for the revenue estimate
  • HOA and restriction flags — warnings if the HOA or building rules prohibit short-term rentals

Step-by-step: your first analysis

1

Install the extension

Add STRInvest to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store. The extension is free with 3 analyses per month — no credit card required. After installing, you'll see the STRInvest icon in your Chrome toolbar.

2

Open any listing on Zillow, Redfin, or Realtor.com

Navigate to a property listing on any of the three supported platforms. The extension activates automatically on listing pages — you don't need to click anything to trigger it.

3

Read the analysis panel

Scroll down on the listing page. The STRInvest analysis panel appears inline with the listing content. It shows the full investment scorecard — revenue projection, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, and regulation status — without opening a separate tab or window.

4

Adjust assumptions to match your deal

The panel includes editable inputs for down payment percentage, mortgage rate, and occupancy rate. Change these to match your financing terms and the analysis updates in real time. A 20% down at 7.5% reads very differently than a 30% down at 6.8%.

Reading the numbers: what's a good deal?

There's no universal threshold, but here are the benchmarks most experienced STR investors use:

  • Cap rate: 6%+ is considered good for STR. Below 5% is tough to justify unless the market has strong appreciation upside.
  • Cash-on-cash return: 8–10%+ is the target range for most investors. Anything above 12% is exceptional. Below 6% means your capital is better deployed elsewhere.
  • Projected monthly revenue: Should comfortably cover your mortgage, property management, and operating costs with margin left over.
Key check: Always verify the STR regulation status before spending more time on a deal. A 12% cash-on-cash return means nothing in a city that banned Airbnb last year.

How accurate are the projections?

STRInvest pulls data from actual Airbnb comparable listings in the same market — properties with similar bedroom count, location, and amenities. The revenue estimate is based on what comparable listings are actually earning, not theoretical market averages.

Like any projection, it's an estimate. Actual performance depends on your listing quality, pricing strategy, amenities, and how you manage the property. Use the projection as a benchmark, not a guarantee — and verify it by checking the comparable listings the extension surfaces directly in Airbnb's search results.

When to go pro

The free plan gives you 3 analyses per month — enough to evaluate deals you're already seriously considering. If you're actively screening markets or running through MLS listings at volume, the Pro plan gives you unlimited analyses for $49/month. At that price, one good deal more than pays for a year of the subscription.