BNB Hot / STR course
Course
Start a profitable short-term rental in Hot Springs
A practical, Hot Springs-specific course on launching a short-term rental, built around the licensing cap that decides whether you can host at all.
Course · launching soon
Start a profitable short-term rental in Hot Springs
A practical, start-to-finish course on launching a short-term rental here, built for the thing that trips up almost everyone: Hot Springs closed new residential STR licenses in 2025, so where you buy decides whether you can even host. Learn to read that before you spend a dollar.
Most STR courses are generic. They teach you Airbnb in the abstract and leave you to figure out your own town. This one is about Hot Springs specifically: the city's licensing cap, the county and POA lines, the lakes, Oaklawn season, the lodging taxes, and the way all of it decides whether a given address is a business or a dead end. If you are going to put real money into a rental here, learn the local rules first.
Who it's for
This is for people putting their own money on the line, not tire-kickers. It helps most if you see yourself in one of these.
- First-time investors. You want one well-chosen rental in Hot Springs and you do not want to learn the licensing cap the hard way after you have already closed.
- Out-of-town buyers. You like the market from afar and need to understand the city-county-POA map before you fly in to look.
- Current owners considering a switch. You own a home or a long-term rental and want to know whether it can legally become a short-term rental, and whether the math is worth it.
- Second-home owners. You have a lake place or a cabin and want to cover costs with part-time hosting, done right.
It is not for people chasing a get-rich promise. We do not sell returns. We teach you to build your own numbers so you can decide with your eyes open.
What's inside
Eight modules, in the order you actually need them. Each one ends with a concrete action, not just a video.
1. Licensing & the 400-cap
How the city's short-term rental license works, why new residential licenses closed at a cap of 400 on July 1, 2025, and what that means for anyone shopping today. Where a license is still available, and how to confirm it with the city before you commit.
2. City vs county vs POA
The single most important skill: reading which jurisdiction an address is in. The city of Hot Springs, unincorporated Garland County and private communities like Hot Springs Village each have their own rules. We show you how to check it in minutes.
3. Choosing a property
Matching the property to the goal. Zoning that still qualifies for a new license, the Lake Hamilton corridor, Oaklawn-area demand, historic registry properties, and the condos-recorded-before-2022 angle. What to rule in and what to walk away from.
4. The numbers
Building a projection you can trust: purchase and furnishing costs, realistic occupancy, platform fees, cleaning, management, and the lodging taxes near 14.5% in the city. We build the model with you rather than hand you a fantasy spreadsheet.
5. Setup & furnishing
Turning a house into a listing guests book: layout, sleeping capacity against the occupancy cap, the amenities that move the needle in this market, parking, and the photos that make the whole thing work.
6. Pricing & platforms
Where to list and how to price. Airbnb, Vrbo, Furnished Finder and the rest, their fee structures, and how to ride the seasonal swings around Oaklawn live racing and summer on the lakes.
7. Operations & management
Running it day to day: turnovers, the 60-minute local-manager rule, guest communication, maintenance, and deciding whether to self-manage or hire a property manager.
8. Taxes
The lodging taxes your guests pay and who collects them, monthly city filing, and the federal income-tax basics every host should raise with a CPA. Grounded in our full tax guide.
What you get
The value is simple: you avoid the expensive mistake of buying a property you cannot license, and you launch with numbers that hold up.
Local, not generic
Every lesson is about Hot Springs: the cap, the lakes, Oaklawn, the county line. You can act on it the day you finish.
Tools you can keep using
The course points you to our free eligibility checker, licensed-STR registry and revenue calculator, so your work continues after the last module.
Checklists and worksheets
The buy checklist, the numbers model and the launch checklist, so you are not starting from a blank page.
A clear path to buy
When you are ready to act, you know how to vet an address and who to call. Our buyer's guide and The Bergeron Group pick up from there.
Illustrative figures throughout are examples, not promises. We will never claim a specific return.
Join the waitlist
Checkout opens at launch. Add your email and we will send the launch notice first, with early-access pricing for people on the list. No spam, and we will not sell your address.
Want to get moving now? Test any address in the STR eligibility checker, run the revenue calculator, read the tax guide, or start the buyer's guide.
Keep exploring while you wait
STR eligibility checker
Type an address, see city or county status, zoning, and whether a new license is possible.
Revenue calculator
Rough out income and costs for a Hot Springs rental before you commit.
Tax guide
Lodging taxes, who collects them, and the federal rules hosts should know.
Buyer's guide
How to buy well in Hot Springs, read through an investor's lens.
More across the network: property search on realhotsprings.com, waterfront homes on lakehamiltonhomesforsale.com.
Common questions
When does the course launch?
Soon. We are finishing the material now. Join the waitlist and you will be first to know when it opens, with early-access pricing for people on the list.
Does the course guarantee I can get a short-term rental license?
No, and be wary of anyone who promises that. The city of Hot Springs closed new residential STR licenses at a cap of 400 on July 1, 2025. The course teaches you how to find a property that can still be licensed, such as one in unincorporated Garland County or a non-residential zone, and how to confirm it before you buy. Test any address with our free eligibility checker.
Is this only for people buying in the city?
No. A big part of the course is reading the jurisdiction line: the city of Hot Springs, unincorporated Garland County, and private POA communities like Hot Springs Village each have different rules. Knowing which one an address falls under is the first thing we teach.
Will the course tell me exactly what I will earn?
No honest course can. We teach you to build your own numbers from real inputs, including the lodging taxes near 14.5% in the city and platform fees, so your projection is grounded rather than a sales pitch. Every figure in the course is illustrative, not a promise of returns. Start with the revenue calculator.
Ready to buy before the course opens?
If you already have a property in mind, Nancy Bergeron and The Bergeron Group (Keller Williams) can help you vet it, licensing and all. Call or text 501-463-6328, or send a note.