August 2026 STR Market Update: 16% Growth While the Market Declined 2.5%

The August 2026 STR Market Update is here. Every month, Jasper shares exactly what we are seeing across 70+ client portfolios: which markets are up, which are down, what has changed on the platforms, and what we are doing about it. Real numbers, real portfolios, no fluff. Think of it as the monthly briefing you did not know you needed.

Want to outperform the market? Freewyld Foundry's Revenue and Pricing Management service is driving an average 19% performance lift for $1M+ STR operators, even in down markets. If you are managing 15+ listings and want a free pricing audit, apply here: https://freewyldfoundry.com/get-started/

August was the highest-impact month to date for Freewyld Foundry. Comparable client listings, meaning properties that were active in both August 2025 and August 2026, were up 16.3% year over year while the broader market averaged a 2.5% decline. Combined, that produced a 19.3% impact and just over $2.1 million in additional revenue for clients. One number worth noting: Labor Day weekend fell in August last year and in September this year. If your own August numbers are down 5-10%, that shift is likely the primary explanation. The flip side is that September is already pacing well ahead.

You will learn:

Why Freewyld Foundry clients grew 16.3% in August while the broader market declined 2.5%, and how comparable-unit tracking gives you a clear picture of true performanceThe OTA discount stacking problem that is quietly eroding effective rates across Airbnb and VRBO, and how to calculate the right channel markup to protect your floorHow to position your low season pricing right now to capture midterm rental demand before snowbird bookings dry upWhy Airbnb's new AI pricing model should be treated with skepticism, and what the 15.5% host-only fee rollout means if you are not on a PMSWhat VRBO's new sponsored listings feature is, how the bidding works, and why early movers may get the cheapest visibility

We also talk about:

The markets that declined the most in August: Branson MO (-25%), Chattanooga TN (-25%), Myrtle Beach SC (-20%), Fredericksburg TX (-20%), Kansas City MO (-16%)Markets that grew: San Antonio TX (+13%), Columbus OH (+12%), Milwaukee WI (+11%), Canada and select European markets (+15%)Airbnb's record Q2 earnings (revenue up 17%, hotel bookings growing 3x faster than homes) and what it signals about where the platform is headingHow VRBO discounts stack differently than Airbnb discounts, and why Booking.com is in a category