Is Your Coastal Rental Really Performing Well — Or Could It Be Doing Better? Here’s How To Know.
- valleinvesting
- Nov 4
- 4 min read
By Cove + Bloom Hosting — Luxury Care, Local Insight, Lasting Returns
Running a short-term rental on the North Carolina coast can feel like a dream. Guests check in, the calendar looks decently full, and the revenue doesn’t look half bad.
But here’s the million-dollar truth (sometimes literally):
A coastal property that seems to be performing “fine” could be leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table every year.
Most homeowners don’t realize how much revenue is actually possible — because they’re used to comparing performance only to their own past numbers… not to the market around them.
At Cove + Bloom Hosting, we analyze properties across Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Surf City, Oak Island, and beyond. And again and again, we see the same story:
✨ Owners earning less than they should — despite having great homes in great locations.
The good news?
A few strategic shifts can transform an “average performer” into a top-earning coastal standout.
Let’s break down how to know if your property is underperforming — and what kind of revenue lift you could gain with the right systems in place.
✅ Why “Good Enough” Might Be Costing You
If your property is:
Consistently booked
Bringing in steady revenue
Getting decent reviews
…it’s easy to assume you’ve already tapped into its full potential.
But the coastal STR market is dynamic. Rates fluctuate. Algorithms shift. Guest preferences evolve. Local competition increases.
If your pricing, listing strategy, or operations aren’t keeping pace, your revenue is almost certainly falling behind.
In our market, we regularly see revenue swings of $15,000–$40,000+ per year between average and well-optimized listings of the same size.
That’s the difference between:
“Covering costs”
and
Actually building wealth.
🚩 Red Flags Your Rental Is Underperforming
You don’t need to be a data expert — these signs speak for themselves.
1) Your occupancy is solid, but your revenue isn’t growing
If your calendar is full, but your payouts aren’t increasing year over year, you’re likely priced too low.
Industry data point:
According to PriceLabs, underpricing is the #1 cause of revenue loss — often costing owners 15–30% of potential income.
That means:
If a coastal property could earn $60,000 a year, it may be losing $9,000–$18,000 annually simply from incorrect pricing strategy.
2) You’re still using static seasonal rates or “gut-based pricing”
The market changes daily based on:
Events
Competitor occupancy
Weather
Flight trends
Local supply
Booking windows
Without dynamic pricing, you’re almost guaranteed to underperform.
Industry benchmark:
Transparent reports that dynamic pricing improves RevPAR by up to 40%.
3) Your listing isn’t professionally built
Photos, copywriting, and data-driven amenities matter.
An Airbnb guest decides in 3–5 seconds whether to click (or keep scrolling).
Professional photos alone can increase revenue 20–40%. (That’s $12,000–$24,000 on a $60,000 property.)
4) You don’t leverage multi-platform visibility
Relying on Airbnb alone limits exposure.
Cross-listing on:
Airbnb
VRBO
Direct booking site
…can boost bookings by 15–30%.
5) You aren’t collecting guest emails or repeat stays
If guests stay once and never return, you’re missing low-cost revenue.
Repeat guests are up to 7x cheaper to acquire than new guests.
6) You’re getting “fine” reviews — not “wow” reviews
You shouldn’t settle for:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Top-performing homes consistently hit
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even a tenth-point increase in rating (4.7 → 4.8) can increase revenue by 7–15%.
7) You DIY everything
If you’re trying to:
Price
Clean
Coordinate
Guest-message
Market
Maintain
…you’re not operating efficiently — and efficiency is profit.
Operating solo almost always leads to:
✅ Lower rates
✅ Lower occupancy
✅ Lower reviews
✅ Lower lifetime revenue
💰 What Underperformance Costs You — In Real Dollars
Let’s look at a coastal example.
Two similar homes in the same community:
Home Occupancy ADR Annual Rev
Property A
(do it yourself) 68 % $195 $48,300
Property B
(co-host) 71 % $245 $63,450
Revenue gap: $15,150 — same house, same market — one year.
Over 5 years?
That’s $75,000+ lost.
If you own a larger 4–5 bedroom home, that gap can easily hit $30,000–$40,000+ every year — especially along Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Wrightsville, and Surf City.
🏄♀️ How Your Listing Could Perform With Proper Optimization
Improving only these 4 levers can dramatically increase income:
✅ Data-driven pricing
✅ Professional listing build
✅ Guest-experience and review systems
✅ Strategic multi-channel distribution
Revenue lift: 20–60% (conservatively)
Example:
A property grossing $60,000 today could realistically climb to $72,000–$96,000+ with proper care and strategy.
That’s the difference between:
A rental that pays for itself
and
A rental that becomes a wealth-building asset
🌿 The Cove + Bloom Difference
At Cove + Bloom Hosting, we balance three priorities:
Revenue
Home Preservation
Peace of Mind
We’re not a volume-based management company. We’re a boutique hospitality partner that treats each home like a luxury boutique stay — with systems designed to protect your investment while elevating your returns.
Our approach blends:
✨ AirDNA-backed revenue analysis
✨ Dynamic pricing tools
✨ Market comp research
✨ Professional listing development
✨ Coastal-specific protection + maintenance strategies
✨ Guest experience enhancements
✨ Thoughtful local partnerships
Our typical performance lift for new clients:
$12,000–$35,000+ in the first year
Many see increases without major renovations — simply through smarter positioning + pricing.
🌊 If Your Rental Could Do Better… Wouldn’t You Want It To?
You don’t have to guess.
You don’t have to DIY every detail.
You don’t have to wonder whether your home is performing at its peak.
You deserve:
✓ Clear data
✓ Personalized strategy
✓ Peace of mind
✓ Strong returns
✓ A preserved + loved home
Because a great rental doesn’t happen by accident — it happens by design.
✅ Get Your Free Coastal Homeowner Profit & Preservation Snapshot
We’ll review:
Your listing
Your pricing history
Your competition
Your market-seasonal opportunity
Your real revenue potential
✔ No pressure
✔ No obligation
✔ Just insight + solutions
Click here to schedule or share your email to receive your complimentary success guide.
Whether you continue self-managing or consider partnering with a cohost like us, you’ll understand exactly what your home could earn — and the steps to get it there.
Because your home is worth more than “good enough.”
And so are you.
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