Christina & John McNaught: Short-Term Rental Experts

08/15/2026

Please… for the love of god can sellers stop with the candles and wall plug ins!!

Not only does it make
It seem like your covering something up, but also it gives me an instant headache!

This would also apply for short term rentals too!!

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

I don’t talk about this enough. Not every buyer of mine is looking for cash flow, some buyers want to use the property and offset the costs by renting it out while they are not here. Some just want the tax benefits. At my personal stage of life I do look for cash flow but we are all at different stages and that’s ok!

Here is a snapshot of Tim’s walk to the beach! Congratulations Tim!

What stage are you at??

07/27/2026

🚨 I'm picking a fight with the kitchen people today... 😂

Stop putting all your renovation money into the kitchen first.

Yep... I said it. 😬

Before everyone comes for me...

I LOVE an amazing kitchen.

Honestly? If the budget allows, I really do want both.

Heck... I still try to sneak a wine fridge into every house. (Mostly for when I stay there. 🍷😂)

BUT...

If I have to choose where to spend my first renovation dollar...

I'm investing in the backyard. Every. Single. Time.

Why?

Because families don't come to Florida dreaming about quartz countertops.

Sure... they'll make breakfast.

They'll throw burgers on the grill.

They'll grab a bottle out of that wine fridge. 😉

But they're not spending all day in the kitchen.

They're spending it...

☀️ Watching the kids in the pool.

🏓 Playing pickleball.

🔥 Hanging around the fire pit.

💦 Relaxing in the hot tub.

🍔 Standing around the grill.

😂 Making memories they'll talk about long after they get home.

THAT'S the vacation they pictured when they clicked "Book Now."

A beautiful kitchen absolutely matters.

But if my budget makes me choose...

I'm building the backyard first... and the dream kitchen second.

Now let's hear it...

👇 Are you Team Backyard or Team Kitchen? Defend your answer. (And no... you can't say both. 😜)

07/17/2026

⚠️ This could be the most important Facebook post we've ever made. Please take two minutes to read it.

🚨 Manatee County wants to limit vacation rentals to no more than 12 guests, no matter how large the home, and penalize owners with no real due process. It hasn't passed yet. Here's how we stop it. 👇

🛡️ CALL TO ACTION: HELP PROTECT RESPONSIBLE VACATION RENTALS IN UNINCORPORATED MANATEE COUNTY.

If you own, manage, invest in, clean, maintain, service, or earn income from a vacation rental in Unincorporated Manatee County, this directly affects you.

🎯 Our Goal: 500 personalized emails to the Manatee County Commissioners before the July 28 County Commission meeting.
As many of you know, We have been leading the effort to help shape the proposed vacation rental ordinance for Unincorporated Manatee County. While we recognize some regulation is likely to be adopted, our goal is to ensure it is fair, balanced, and focused on bad actors, not responsible homeowners and businesses.

We're asking the ENTIRE community for help.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

At a recent County Commission meeting, Commissioner Bob McCann introduced a proposed vacation rental ordinance with concerning provisions, including a 12-person occupancy limit regardless of home size and significant penalties without meaningful due process. That proposal wasn't adopted, but the Commission directed staff and the County Attorney's Office to begin developing a new ordinance. The good news: there's still time for our voices to be heard.

WHAT WE'RE DOING

We've partnered with Denis Hanks and FAVR, the Florida Alliance for Vacation Rentals, to work directly with county staff and elected officials on what fair regulation should look like. Rather than simply opposing rules, we're advocating for proven, operator-friendly policies (like those in the City of Largo) that protect neighborhoods AND respect private property rights.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Commissioners hear complaints about vacation rentals all the time. What they don't hear nearly enough are the stories from responsible homeowners, cleaners, pool companies, landscapers, contractors, Realtors, and guests whose lives have been positively impacted by responsible vacation rentals. YOUR story matters.
We've put together a free Community Action Guide with a quick overview, tips for writing an effective email, sample letters you can personalize, and contact info for every commissioner and the County Attorney.

👉 Grab the free guide. It's pinned in the FIRST COMMENT below.

Please take 5 minutes to personalize one of the sample letters and send it. The most important part is YOUR personal story, so please don't send the sample word-for-word. Tell them why responsible vacation rentals matter to you, your family, your employees, or your business.

✅ AFTER YOU'VE SENT YOUR EMAIL...

Come back and comment: DONE

Every comment keeps this post visible so more people see it and take action.

And if you're willing, please SHARE this post to help us reach more homeowners, local businesses, and neighbors before July 28.

Together, we can help ensure Manatee County adopts regulations that protect neighborhoods, respect private property rights, and support responsible vacation rentals.

Thank you for your support
John & Christina

07/10/2026

What's one thing guests don't usually search for when booking a vacation rental... but they're REALLY thankful it's there once they arrive?

In our market, I'll go first...

🛁 A bathtub.

Not every guest needs one, but for families traveling with little ones, bath time doesn't magically disappear just because you're on vacation.

It's one of those small details that can make a stay so much easier, and something we always think about when designing family-friendly vacation rentals.

Now it's your turn...

👇 What's one thing guests don't think to look for, but they're always happy it's there once they arrive?

07/09/2026

Everyone obsesses over the pool.

After owning five vacation rentals, that's not what we design around anymore. Everyone gets excited about the pool. And they should.

But one of the first things I notice, after the pool, is where everyone goes when they're NOT in it. Can I see all the children at all time, where I can sit in the shade?

Where are the parents watching the kids swim?

Where is Grandma reading her book?

Where is everyone eating lunch?

Are the pups stuck inside?

Where do you cool off after a game of pickleball (other than the pool, or the splash pad, of course)?

A great backyard isn't just about the amenities. It's about creating comfortable spaces between them.

That's why we're always thinking about shade.
Sometimes it's sail shades.
Sometimes it's a gazebo.
Sometimes it's extending the back patio roof.
Sometimes it's as simple as adding ceiling fans over your seating area.

The goal isn't just to build a beautiful backyard. It's to create guests never want to leave.

The best vacation rental backyards aren't just designed just for swimming.

They're designed for staying.

07/07/2026

Unpopular opinion: Other than a killer backyard, garages are the most overlooked opportunity in short-term rental real estate.

Everyone obsesses over the backyard. And they should.

But we think garages deserve a whole lot more attention.

Most people see a place to park a car. We see thousands of dollars in missed revenue.

We walk through underperforming vacation rentals all the time, and one of the biggest missed opportunities is sitting right behind the garage door.

An empty garage does absolutely nothing for your guests.

But a garage that's been transformed? Now we're talking.

🎮 Game room with custom murals.
🎬 Theater room.
🛏️ Epic bunk room with a slide.
🏀 Sports lounge.
🎯 Whatever fits your guest avatar.

The possibilities are endless.

You don't have to spend $75,000 either.

At a minimum, we're adding a mini split, epoxy floors, fresh paint or a mural, arcade games, a pool table, ping pong, or air hockey. Suddenly you've created another experience guests will actually remember.

This house in the photo? We sold it.

This house? We sold it. The garage went from wasted square footage to the room everyone fights over at the end of the day. That's the difference between adding a room... and creating an experience.

Here's what I've learned after owning five vacation rentals...

The best-performing properties don't just give people a place to sleep. They give them more ways to spend time together.

Backyards get the attention.

Garages might be the hidden gem.

We own. We invest. We sell. We educate.

Tell us we're wrong. What's the one upgrade you'd never spend money on?

07/06/2026

The one thing that makes me instantly scroll past a listing?
A queen bed in a room that clearly fits a king.

Airbnb lets guests filter by king bed size, and I do that every time I'm searching. This is just my opinion, but I like to cross off as many searchable filters as I can. Iron, hair dryer, pet friendly, king bed. So even if only one room has a king, that's still a win.

We switched every single queen bed in our houses for a king wherever it physically fit. No exceptions for us. Depending on room size, we do different things, some have two kings, or a king and a bunk for the kids. If I can fit a queen plus something else, that could be two queens or a queen and a twin/bunk, but I still make sure one bedroom has a king. Just putting in twins almost never works in our market unless it's part of a bunk setup along side a larger bed. Also I always am searching how many 4 bedrooms (or whatever bedroom count you have) and then searching filters, you should do that too if you aren't.

I personally would not book a house if my only option was a queen.
Are you designing for your demographic, or just filling rooms? And what's the one thing for you that makes you move on to the next listing?