The Tech Stack Setup
The five or six tools that turn STR from a chaotic side hustle into something that runs while you sleep. The right stack costs $100–$300/month per property and saves 10+ hours per week. The wrong stack costs the same and creates more problems than it solves.
The Checklist
Work through these in order. Each item is one decision or one task.
Step 1
Choose your PMS based on portfolio size
Step 2
Set up dynamic pricing within your first 30 days
Step 3
Install a smart lock and a noise monitor
Step 4
Add guest screening for stays in your home market
Step 5
Set up cleaning coordination through Turno or Properly
Step 6
Layer in accounting from day one, not later
Step 7
Connect everything through your PMS as the hub
Tools & Stack
See guide content.
Operator's Notes
Setup budget: $300–$600 in one-time hardware (smart lock, possibly noise monitor) plus first-month software costs of $100–$200 per property. The full stack pays back within 30–60 days through pricing optimization alone.; The temptation to over-stack: New hosts often try to run 8–10 tools and end up using none well. Start with PMS + pricing + smart lock + cleaning coordination — four tools, cleanly integrated. Add noise monitoring and screening once you've stabilized those. Add specialty tools (review automation, upsell platforms, direct booking sites) only when you've outgrown the basics.; The
Use this with
Apply this guide alongside any property recipe in Sections 1–5. The unsexy operational layer is what turns a one-off project into a real business.
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