It's a crowded market. Know the count first.
How many short-term rentals you'd compete with, where nightly and weekly stays are allowed, and the steps to get licensed.
Nearly 10,000 licensed. Many more listed.
What a new short-term rental in Sarasota or Manatee competes with today.
| Area | Licensed units |
|---|---|
| Manatee County | 5,836 |
| Sarasota County | 3,929 |
| Anna Maria Island (all three cities) | 3,526 |
| Bradenton mainland | 1,675 |
| Siesta Key | 1,628 |
| Sarasota mainland, Lido, St. Armands | 1,256 |
| Longboat Key | 705 |
| Venice | 186 |
| Lakewood Ranch | 102 |
| North Port | 81 |
State licensing data. Counts rentals under 30 days only; monthly and seasonal rentals don't need this license, so the real number is higher. Holmes Beach alone lists 1,605 active rental certificates (up from 245 in 2016).
| Market | Listings | 1-yr change | Occupancy peak · low |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota | 3,403 | +21% | 61% · 34% |
| Bradenton | 1,792 | +35% | 62% · 37% |
| Siesta Key | 1,326 | +23% | 60% · 35% |
| Holmes Beach | 961 | +12% | 53% · 33% |
| Anna Maria Island | 573 | −8% | 55% · 31% |
| North Port | 428 | +19% | 58% · 32% |
| Venice | 362 | +18% | 59% · 32% |
| Longboat Key | 278 | +9% | 53% · 31% |
| Bradenton Beach | 205 | — | 61% · 38% |
Airbnb listings, trailing 12 months. Counts across all platforms run far higher: about 15,000 in the Sarasota market alone, 1,900 on Anna Maria and 1,400 in Bradenton.
| Market | Avg nightly rate | Bottom 25% month | Median month | Top 25% month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Maria Island | $909 | $4,480 | $8,997 | $16,082 |
| Bradenton Beach | $587 | $3,135 | $6,293 | $12,501 |
| Siesta Key | $542 | $2,721 | $5,257 | $9,057 |
| Holmes Beach | $503 | $2,662 | $4,807 | $8,155 |
| Longboat Key | $396 | $2,003 | $3,930 | $6,645 |
| Bradenton | $329 | $1,892 | $3,802 | $6,811 |
| Sarasota | $330 | $1,650 | $3,232 | $5,662 |
| Venice | $260 | $1,307 | $2,586 | $4,599 |
| North Port | $184 | $954 | $2,026 | $3,597 |
Gross booking revenue per Airbnb listing per month, before cleaning, management, platform fees, taxes and your costs. Airbnb listings, trailing 12 months. Across all platforms, average yearly revenue runs about $66K in the Sarasota market, $62K in Bradenton and $115K on Anna Maria.
| Month | Sarasota | Bradenton | Siesta Key | Holmes Beach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | $318 · 44% | $312 · 44% | $553 · 38% | $478 · 31% |
| Feb | $340 · 66% | $340 · 62% | $611 · 62% | $527 · 51% |
| Mar (peak) | $393 · 68% | $398 · 70% | $699 · 64% | $631 · 56% |
| Apr | $349 · 50% | $349 · 53% | $637 · 54% | $567 · 51% |
| May | $317 · 41% | $320 · 44% | $555 · 46% | $524 · 42% |
| Jun | $328 · 42% | $342 · 49% | $580 · 45% | $567 · 40% |
| Jul | $323 · 31% | $341 · 34% | $568 · 31% | $547 · 29% |
| Aug | $273 · 40% | $280 · 44% | $455 · 40% | $419 · 37% |
| Sep (low) | $272 · 33% | $278 · 32% | $442 · 34% | $406 · 31% |
| Oct | $277 · 37% | $281 · 38% | $456 · 37% | $409 · 36% |
| Nov | $287 · 39% | $290 · 42% | $479 · 40% | $421 · 33% |
| Dec | $312 · 40% | $315 · 42% | $536 · 36% | $467 · 30% |
Airbnb listings, trailing 12 months. A typical Sarasota listing books about $8,750 in March and $2,665 in September. Monthly and seasonal rentals follow the same curve: off-season rents run about half of in-season (median across 109 local furnished listings).
- You're up against pros. 75% of licensed units, and 57–79% of island Airbnb listings, are professionally managed.
- The mainland is adding listings faster than guests. Bradenton: +35% listings, +1.9% revenue per listing.
- The season is short. February to April does the heavy lifting; summer and fall run about half as full.
- More rooms are coming. 581 hotel rooms are planned in Lakewood Ranch, on top of 11,000+ hotel rooms already licensed in the two counties.
30 days changes the license. Not the tax.
| Under 30 days | 30 days to 6 months | Over 6 months | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State vacation rental license | Yes, if rented 3+ times a year | Generally no | No |
| Local STR rules | Yes, where they exist | Generally no | No |
| Sales + tourist tax | 13% | 13% | Exempt with a written lease |
13% = 6% state sales tax + 1% county surtax + 6% county tourist tax, in both Sarasota and Manatee.
Three layers. The strictest wins.
The state
Local governments can't ban vacation rentals or limit stay length, unless their rule was on the books by June 1, 2011. Those older rules still stand.
The city or county
Can require registration, inspections, occupancy caps and parking. Both counties are moving toward registration.
The HOA or condo
Usually the strictest. Most new communities here require 30 days to 6 months or more.
Minimum stays and registration.
City and county rules only. HOA and condo documents can be stricter.
| Where | Minimum stay | Registration | Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarasota County | |||
| Unincorporated county incl. Sarasota side of Lakewood Ranch | 30 days in single-family zones | None yet; program in development | — |
| Siesta Key | 30 days for houses; nightly in multifamily zones | County rules | — |
| City of Sarasota | 7 nights | $500 first year, $350 renewal | 10–12 max |
| Longboat Key | 30 days in residential zones | Required (6 months or less) | — |
| Venice | Single-family: under 30 days, 3 times a year | No city program found | — |
| North Port | No city minimum found | No city program found | — |
| Manatee County | |||
| Unincorporated county incl. Manatee side of Lakewood Ranch, Parrish | None | None yet; a program is being drafted | 12 max (proposed) |
| City of Bradenton | None | $250 first year, $150 renewal | 2 per bedroom + 2, max 12 |
| Holmes Beach | 30 days (R-1) · 7 nights (R-2 to R-4) | $545 every 2 years | 6, or 2 per bedroom |
| Anna Maria | No city minimum found | Annual, with inspection | 8 max |
| Bradenton Beach | No city minimum found | State license | Under review |
| Palmetto | No city minimum found | No city program found | — |
Based on Florida Statutes 509 and 212 and each city's and county's rules. Rules change; confirm before you buy.
Seven steps, in order.
Steps 1 and 7 come before you sign a contract.
| 1 | Check zoning, the local rule and the HOA documents |
| 2 | State vacation rental license (DBPR) |
| 3 | Sales tax registration (Florida Department of Revenue) |
| 4 | Tourist tax account (county tax collector) |
| 5 | City registration and inspection, where required |
| 6 | Business tax receipt, if required |
| 7 | Insurance that covers short-term guests |
Tell us what you're after.
Nightly-eligible new construction is rare here. If it's what you want, tell us the area and budget.
Start the questionnaireThis guide explains rules. It isn't a forecast.
Market averages aren't a forecast for any one home and aren't guaranteed. Information is subject to change at any time. We don't manage rentals. Talk with a local property manager, and run your own numbers with a CPA, a financial advisor and your lender.