From Rental Arbitrage to Airbnb Empire: Nicole Rutherford’s Expert Tips Revealed

Join me as I chat with the incredible Nicole Rutherford, a full-time nomad and real estate agent who’s taken the Airbnb world by storm. Nicole started with rental arbitrage and now manages multiple Airbnb properties remotely across the US.

In this episode, Nicole reveals how she and her partner have built a reliable team of cleaners and maintenance pros, emphasizing the importance of communication and shared values. We’ll also dive into the tech tools and strategies she uses to manage her short-term rentals from afar, including co-hosting, client acquisition, and collaborating with real estate agents.

Nicole shares her approach to building strong relationships with property owners and guests, as well as her plans to expand her portfolio and travel plans.

If you’re looking for inspiration and practical tips from someone who’s truly living the dream, this episode is for you!

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[01:48] A short introduction about our guest Nicole Rutherford

[02:45] How Nicole started in the short-term rental industry and living in an RV

[04:05] Nicole as a real estate agent and how she got started with her real estate license

[05:42] How Nicole and her partner structured their business for managing business remotely

[07:54] Nicole’s property portfolio and how she sources her teams across different locations

[10:37] Nicole’s vetting process for hiring Airbnb cleaners to find the right fit

[15:27] How Nicole manages the logistics of team communication across multiple locations 

[17:01] The biggest challenges with remote management and how Nicole overcame them

[20:15] What are the technologies that Nicole uses to manage her day to day

[21:23] Nicole’s co-hosting model structure and how she found success growing it

[28:23] How Nicole manages the guest side of her business and the guest communications

[34:22] Nicole’s future plans in expanding her portfolio and her next RC adventures

[37:47] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “Your cleaners are your eyes, your ears, your front line of defense, your greatest asset in this industry.”
• “You have to think about the fact that your cleaners you're going to be engaging with on a regular basis and making sure that you know they fit within your core values, how you operate as a person and how you want the culture of your business to be.”
• “I think just not being scared to get started into this and jumping before you are ready, though, you need to do your due diligence.”

Enjoyed the show? Subscribe, Rate, Review, Like, and Share!

Let’s Connect!

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_nicolerutherford_/