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THE EVERGREEN ESCAPES
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Material Participation for Short-Term Rentals: What Actually Counts
This article is educational and is not tax or legal advice. Evergreen Escapes is a short-term rental co-hosting company, not a CPA firm. Work with a real estate CPA on your specific facts. The short-term rental tax strategy has two conditions. The first one, an average guest stay of seven days or fewer, is easy in a Colorado mountain market. It happens on its own. The second one is where people lose. Material participation is the test that determines whether your rental losse
evergreenescapesco
Sep 159 min read


Teller County Passes Ordinance 23: Permits Begin December 1.
On September 10, 2026, Teller County commissioners adopted Ordinance 23, the first county-level short-term rental ordinance in the county's history.
Three things matter most:
Permitting begins December 1, 2026.
Existing short-term rental operators are grandfathered.
Owners who start operating after December 1 have 60 days to obtain a license.
evergreenescapesco
Sep 117 min read


Best Places to Buy a Short-Term Rental in Colorado: A County-by-County Guide
Regulations verified September 2026 and subject to change. Always confirm current requirements with the county before you buy. This is not legal or tax advice. Most people research a Colorado short-term rental in the wrong order. They find a property they love, run the revenue numbers, get excited, and only then ask whether they are allowed to rent it. That order gets expensive. In Colorado there is no statewide short-term rental law. State statute simply defines any rental u
evergreenescapesco
Sep 910 min read


Why Colorado Is the Best State to Buy a Short-Term Rental and Use the STR Tax Loophole
Learn how to leverage the short-term rental tax loophole and 100% bonus depreciation in Colorado high country. Discover top markets like Woodland Park, Divide, and Bailey, and see how co-hosting with The Evergreen Escapes helps protect your deduction.
evergreenescapesco
Sep 810 min read


Why Bailey, Colorado Is the Next Gold Mine for Airbnb Owners and Short-Term Rental Managers
Bailey, Colorado is emerging as one of the strongest short-term rental markets on the Front Range. Here is what owners and investors need to know in 2026.
evergreenescapesco
Aug 197 min read


Game Room + Hot Tub + Hiking: The Perfect Colorado Family Getaway
When families search for a mountain vacation in Colorado, they're usually torn between two options: book a hotel and miss the whole point, or rent a cabin and hope it actually lives up to the photos. At Evergreen Escapes, we've managed dozens of short-term rentals across Colorado's best mountain towns. We've learned what families actually want versus what vacation rental listings claim they want. The difference matters. And Evermore Cabin, our newest property in Evergreen, wa
evergreenescapesco
Jul 305 min read


Evergreen Escapes: Premium Short-Term Rental Management for Colorado Mountain Homes
Why Colorado Mountain Property Owners Choose Professional Management Owning a vacation home in the Colorado mountains is a dream for many. The stunning views, outdoor recreation, and destination appeal make these properties highly sought-after by travelers. But transforming your mountain home into a profitable short-term rental requires more than just listing it on Airbnb or VRBO. Successful vacation rental management demands constant attention: responding to guest inquiries
evergreenescapesco
Jul 2721 min read


From One Property to a Portfolio: Scaling Your Colorado Short Term Rental Business
"Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still." - Proverb You've got one Colorado mountain property. It's generating $4,000 to $5,000 per month. It's stable. It's working. Now you're thinking: What's next? How do you grow from one property to three? Five? A full portfolio? Here's the roadmap. The One-Property Ceiling A single property generates $48,000 to $60,000 annually in gross revenue. After management costs (30%), maintenance, insurance, and mortgage o
evergreenescapesco
May 294 min read


Building Your First Short Term Rental: Should You Start with a Property You Own or Buy New?
"The secret to getting ahead is getting started."- Mark Twain You're committed. You're buying a short term rental property in Colorado. Now you need to decide: Do you convert a property you already own into a short term rental, or buy a property specifically built for short term rental? This decision affects your capital investment, your timeline, and your revenue potential. The Case for Converting an Existing Property You own a cabin near Divide or a mountain home in Idaho S
evergreenescapesco
May 263 min read


Hideaway At Pikes Peak: Your Mountain Gathering Place
Mountain Life is the Best Life: Discover Your Perfect Getaway When a family of ten reaches out, asking for a space big enough to enjoy each other without tripping over belongings, we listen. That’s what led to opening Hideaway At Pikes Peak. This four-bedroom mountain home is designed for groups who want to spread out, gather around a fire pit, and truly relax. The Ideal Location Nestled at 7,426 feet on Pikes Peak Highway, this home is perfectly situated. You're close enough
evergreenescapesco
May 222 min read


Airbnb Superhost Status: What It Means and How to Get It for Your Colorado Property
"We are making memories one stay at a time." - Tony Doland You've seen the "Superhost" badge on some Airbnb listings. It's not just aesthetic. It signals to potential guests that your property is excellent, professional, and worth booking. Superhosts get: Higher visibility in search results Higher booking rates Ability to charge 10-15% premium pricing Priority customer support from Airbnb First access to new features and programs For a Colorado mountain property generating $5
evergreenescapesco
May 193 min read


A Colorado A-Frame Built for Two: Hot Tub, Cedar Sauna, & Room for the Dog
If you're looking for a quiet mountain getaway just outside Colorado Springs, this new A-frame in Florissant is built for exactly that. Two guests max, one queen bed, a private hot tub, a cedar sauna, and up to two dogs welcome. No nonsense. No crowds. Just pines, mountain air, and the kind of slow weekend you actually came here for. The space Classic A-frame layout: vaulted ceilings, big windows looking into the trees, and the deep peace you only get at elevation. One bedroo
evergreenescapesco
May 152 min read


How to Prepare Your Colorado Short Term Rental for Peak Season (Summer Weekends)
"Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about" - John Mayer Peak season in Colorado is coming. Summer weekends. Families. Friend groups. Back-to-back bookings. If you're unprepared, peak season turns into peak chaos. Here's how to prepare your mountain property for maximum revenue and minimum stress. April-May: The Preparation Window You have 4 to 6 weeks before peak season hits. Use them wisely. Deep Clean and Inspect Professional deep clean: carpet clea
evergreenescapesco
May 153 min read


Off-Grid at 10,000 Feet: Our Newest Idaho Springs Cabin
Some places exist to be convenient. This isn't one of them.
evergreenescapesco
May 142 min read


Colorado Mountain Properties: Why Location and Altitude Matter More Than You Think
"Im talking about a little place called Aspen" - Loyd Christmas You're considering buying a short term rental property in Colorado. Two properties are on your radar: Property A: A nice cabin near Divide at 9,000 feet, 30 minutes from Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak. Property B: A rental property outside Denver at 5,000 feet, an hour from downtown. Which one makes more money as a short term rental? The answer is the one that understands Colorado's geography. How Altitude Affec
evergreenescapesco
May 123 min read


The Airbnb Cohost Model: Is It Right For Your Colorado Mountain Property?
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." — African Proverb You own a Colorado mountain property. You know it has rental potential. But you also know that managing it yourself means 25 or more hours per week dealing with guests, contractors, and emergencies. That's where the Airbnb cohost model comes in. A cohost is a professional property manager who takes over the day-to-day operations of your rental. You keep ownership. They handle everything
evergreenescapesco
May 74 min read


Why Professional Property Management (Hospitable and Beyond) Is Worth the Cost
You own a mountain property in Colorado Springs or Divide. You listed it on Airbnb yourself. You're handling the bookings, messages, cleaning coordination, guest problems, maintenance requests, and reviews. It's a job. A full-time job. And you're probably not making nearly as much money as you think. Let's talk about why hiring professional property management, whether through a property management system like Hospitable or a cohost operator, is actually a financial win, not
evergreenescapesco
May 53 min read


The Best Pricing Tools for Colorado Short Term Rentals (And How to Use Them Right)
You're looking at your Airbnb calendar for your Colorado mountain property. Same nightly rate for the whole year: $200. But demand fluctuates wildly. Summer weekends? You could charge $300 or more. Tuesday nights in February? $120 is realistic. Static pricing is leaving money on the table. Dynamic pricing tools fix that, but only if you're using them correctly. Why Dynamic Pricing Matters A Colorado mountain property near Pikes Peak or in Divide has wildly different demand ac
evergreenescapesco
May 13 min read


Should You Allow Dogs at Your Colorado Mountain Short Term Rental? The Financial Reality
"Be the person your dog thinks you are" — C.J. Frick You're listing your mountain property in Divide or Idaho Springs on Airbnb. One of the first questions you'll face: Do you allow dogs? It's not a small decision. It affects your booking frequency, your damage risk, your cleaning costs, and your guest reviews. Here's the actual data and the decision framework you need. The Financial Argument For Allowing Dogs Pet-friendly rentals book 20-30% more frequently than non-pet-frie
evergreenescapesco
Apr 293 min read


The Short Term Rental Tax Deduction You're Probably Missing (And How to Claim It Legally)
"The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." — Albert Einstein. If you own a short term rental property in Colorado, you're likely leaving money on the table every single year. Not because you're doing something wrong. But because you're not capturing deductions that are specifically designed for short term rental owners. Let's talk about bonus depreciation and why it matters for your taxes. Bonus Depreciation: What It Is (And Why It Exists) Bonus depreci
evergreenescapesco
Apr 283 min read
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