A Seattle short-term rental owner sees declines in international visitors

Four years ago, Bonnie Rough purchased her next-door neighbor’s house and turned it into an Airbnb. Since then, she said she’s “learned a lot” about the ups and downs of running a short-term rental business. 

“We bought the property by the skin of our teeth, and we knew we had to start making money right away as hosts in order to pay the mortgage that very first month,” she said. 

She’s proud to have kept the guest house occupied pretty much year-round. This year, however, she said she has seen a decline in international visitors. 

Click the audio player above to hear Rough’s update.