Short-Term Rentals in Utah

Park City

The crown jewel — and the most expensive entry. Two world-class ski resorts, Sundance, and a year-round outdoor scene drive demand. Winter ADRs hit $400–$900+ for well-appointed condos and cabins; summer settles to $200–$400.

• Seasonality: Dec–Mar peak, June–Sept solid, shoulder months soft
• Occupancy: 55–70% annual on a well-run listing
• Regulations: Allowed only in designated nightly-rental overlay zones — confirm BEFORE you offer

Moab

Gateway to Arches and Canyonlands. ADRs run $200–$450 in shoulder season (March–May, Sept–Oct), brutal heat dampens July–August, and winter can be quiet. Inventory is tight because the city has effectively capped new STR permits.

• Seasonality: Spring + fall peaks, summer mid, winter slow
• Occupancy: 50–65%, heavily front-loaded into 6 months
• Regulations: New STR permits effectively frozen; existing permits transfer with sale — buy a property that already has one

St. George & Springdale

Springdale sits at Zion's mouth — premium ADRs ($250–$500), strict permitting. St. George itself is more flexible: large pool homes, golf-resort condos, and pickleball travel drive solid year-round demand. Winter snowbird season is a real second peak.

• Seasonality: Mar–May + Oct–Nov peak, Jan–Feb steady (snowbirds)
• Occupancy: 60–75% in well-located resort communities
• Regulations: Allowed in specific zones & resort communities only — many subdivisions ban via HOA

Salt Lake City

Steadier demand than the resorts — corporate travel, conferences at the Salt Palace, Sundance overflow, ski-base access, and weekend tourism. ADRs $150–$300 for condos and homes near downtown or the ski canyons. The big asterisk: the city restricts whole-home STRs in most residential zones.

• Seasonality: Year-round, with Sundance + ski-season bumps
• Occupancy: 65–80% on well-run listings
• Regulations: Whole-home STRs banned in most residential zones; owner-occupied STRs have a path with a permit. Read the code, don't guess.

Heber & Midway

The Park City alternative — 20 minutes east, often half the price per square foot. Demand spills over from Park City during peak weeks; resort-zoned communities like Red Ledges and Soldier Hollow drive most of the rentable inventory. Wasatch County is more permissive than Summit, but zoning still rules.

• Seasonality: Mirrors Park City — winter + summer peaks
• Occupancy: 50–65% depending on community
• Regulations: Allowed in specific resort zones; outside those zones, treat as off-limits

Ogden Valley (Eden, Huntsville)

Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, and Nordic Valley — three ski resorts, far less crowded than Park City, and entry prices that still make sense. Ogden Valley has been one of the fastest-appreciating STR markets in the state. The trade-off: smaller demand pool and shorter peak windows.

• Seasonality: Dec–Mar primary, summer growing
• Occupancy: 45–60% for the typical listing
• Regulations: Weber County zones allow STR in valley resort areas — verify each parcel

Pick Your Market

Match your capital and risk tolerance to the right market. Park City buys cash flow + appreciation but needs $700K+. Ogden Valley and Heber are accessible alternatives. St. George works for snowbirds; Moab works if you can find a permit.

Verify Regulations

Before writing a single offer: confirm zoning, pull HOA CC&Rs, check permit availability, and verify any caps. This single step prevents the most expensive mistake in STR investing.

Underwrite Conservatively

Pull comps from AirDNA, Rabbu, or similar. Use the bottom third of comparable listings, not the average. Stress-test at 50% occupancy and 80% of ADR — if it still works, it's a real deal.

Get Pre-Approved

STRs are typically purchased as second homes (10% down) or investment properties (20–25% down). DSCR loans are an option for investors with multiple properties. Find a lender who actually understands STR underwriting.

Source the Property

In capped markets like Moab, look specifically for properties with transferable STR permits. In overlay-zone markets, work with an agent who knows the parcel-by-parcel rules. Inventory turns over fast in resort markets.

Furnish & List

Budget $15K–$40K and don't cut corners on beds, mattresses, kitchen, and photography. Pro photos pay for themselves in 2–3 bookings. List on Airbnb AND VRBO at minimum; consider direct-booking once you have reviews.

Build Review Pipeline

Your first 10 reviews determine the next 12 months of revenue. Discount aggressively early, over-deliver on cleanliness and communication, and ask every happy guest to leave a review. Five-star average is the goal.

Self-Manage or Hire Out

Self-management with tools like Hospitable or Hostfully can be a 5–10 hr/week job and saves the 20–30% management fee. Full-service management buys back your time but eats most of your cash flow. Honest math: which trade do you actually want?