San Mateo, California Short Term Rental Analytics
You should consider various analytics when evaluating the potential for investing in a short-term rental, such as a vacation rental or Airbnb, in a particular city. Factoring in the local tourist demand, competition, pricing, and seasonality can help you evaluate the opportunity. Review our rental analytics to begin your journey.
Reviewed by Derick Hargrave
Last updated August 23, 2023
Analyze the Short Term Rental Market in San Mateo, California
If you're considering investing in a short-term rental property, there are a few things you'll need to consider. One of the most important factors in achieving this is understanding the data and analytics associated with short-term rentals. Of course, it's not all about price. You also need to ensure your property is well-maintained and clean, so guests have a positive experience. Paying attention to the details, you can ensure that your vacation rental is a successful investment.
Pricing: When pricing your rental, it's important to consider the going rates in your area. This will give you a good starting point for setting a competitive price. In San Mateo, properties rent for about the same as the national average, at $223 per night for a 2 bedroom. Weekends rent for about 6% more than the week, so adjust pricing to maximize revenue.
Seasons: Generally, the summer months are the most expensive, while the winter months are the least expensive. However, this can also depend on the location of the rental property. For this city, July has the highest average nightly rent, while March has the lowest.
Regulations: Each city have their own rules regarding what types of properties are allowed to rent for periods less than 30 days. Review our San Mateo short-term rental regulations guide to learn more about the local property market.
Is something not quite right? Registered users can suggest changes to this guide.
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Short Term City Rating5.0
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Competition
6.6 -
Real Estate Cost
2.2 -
STR Regulations
4.0 -
Seasonality
6.6 -
Rental Rates
5.7
Listed Short-Term Properties
What is the average short-term property size in San Mateo?
A host can list the entire home/apartment, a private room, a shared room, and, more recently, a hotel room on Airbnb. VRBO, however, only allows entire properties to be listed. San Mateo has more shared and private rooms available to rent than other cities. Most short-term rentals have between 1 and 3 bedrooms, although some have more or less. In this city, roughly 85% of properties are this size.
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Number of Bedrooms
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Property Types
Average Rates
How much do short-term rentals in San Mateo rent for?
The average rent for a 2 bedroom short-term rental in San Mateo is $223 per night. However, prices can vary greatly depending on the specific property and location. For example, a luxury home in a prime location will likely cost more than a basic apartment in a less desirable area. Also, peak times such as summer and holiday weekends may increase prices. Use the chart below to see rates based on the number of bedrooms and the time of the year to gauge the market rate.
Note: Pricing based on public and private pricing data for some cities and bedroom combinations data is less accurate, so compare to other sources.
Other Listing Fees in San Mateo
Find out what the average amounts for cleaning, guest, and pet fees that hosts charge on listing platforms.
Pet Fees
Hosts typically charge a fee if guests want to bring a pet on their vacation. In San Mateo, this averages $70 per stay. The fee varies by property size and can reach as high as $125. Some hosts prefer to charge a nightly fee instead, averaging $20 in this city.
Additional Guest Fees
Guest fees are charged by a rental host to bring an additional guest. The price may depend on the length of stay and the number of people in the house. The average fee is $38 per stay and can reach as high as $50. Some hosts prefer to charge a nightly fee instead, averaging $15 in this city.
Cleaning Fees
Depending on the property, the cleaning fee charged by short-term rental hosts can range significantly. We break down the average cleaning fee based on property size below to help guide what a reasonable rate is for your city.
Bedrooms | Low Fee | Average Fee | High Fee |
---|---|---|---|
0 | $40 | $65 | $85 |
1 | $40 | $65 | $100 |
2 | $87 | $120 | $150 |
3 | $150 | $170 | $200 |
4 | $175 | $225 | $300 |
5 | $200 | $250 | $329 |
Interested in other California cities?
Check out the California short term rental regulations directory
Property Amenities
What are the most common amenities in San Mateo short-term rental properties?
To help short-term rental property owners know what they are getting into by surveying the amenities they provided to guests. We've compiled a list of the most common amenities that hosts provide in San Mateo and included rankings to help you decipher the most popular items.
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Check-in
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Self check-in
Keypad
Luggage dropoff allowed
Smart lock
Lockbox
Cleaning before checkout
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Entertainment
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TV
Indoor fireplace
Books and reading material
Board games
Exercise equipment
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Essentials
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Wifi
Heating
Towels, sheets, soap and toilet paper
Shampoo
Hair dryer
Hot water
Bed linens
Extra pillows and blankets
Shower gel
Body soap
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Kids
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Pack and play/Travel crib
Children books and toys
High chair
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Kitchen
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Kitchen
Refrigerator
Dishes and silverware - Bowls
Microwave
Coffee maker
Cooking basics - Pots and pans
Stove
Oven
Dishwasher
Hot water kettle
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Laundry
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Hangers
Iron
Washer
Dryer
Laundromat nearby
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Location
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Private entrance
Garden view
Elevator
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Misc
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Long term stays allowed
Dedicated workspace
Clothing storage
Dining table
Single level home - No stairs in home
Pets allowed
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Outdoor
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Backyard
Patio or balcony
Outdoor furniture
Outdoor dining area
BBQ grill
Pool
Barbecue utensils - Grill
Fire pit
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Parking
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Free parking on premises
Free street parking
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Safety
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Smoke alarm
Carbon monoxide alarm
Fire extinguisher
First aid kit
Security cameras on property
San Mateo Listing Statistics
- Listings by SuperHosts This is more than other cities. A higher superhost number means experienced hosts run many properties.
- 47%
- Reviews per Listing This is more than other cities. The more reviews a property has attained usually means it has been renting for an extended period of time.
- 46
- Photos per Listing This is about the same as other cities. Additional photos help potential guests get a better perspective of your property.
- 19
How do guests rate properties in San Mateo?
The stars on an Airbnb or Vrbo listing indicate the overall rating given by previous guests. This is a helpful metric to provide a general sense of what to expect from a property, but it's important to remember that everyone has different standards. A five-star rating doesn't necessarily mean that a property is perfect. It just means that most guests who have stayed there have had a positive experience. San Mateo has an overall rating of 4.75. This is about the same as other cities, with opportunities for new hosts to make a mark with a well-run short-term rental.
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Average Property Ratings
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Listing Accuracy
4.80 -
Checkin / Checkout
4.86 -
Cleanliness
4.77 -
Communication
4.85 -
Location
4.79 -
Value
4.71 -
Overall Rating
4.75
Rental Cancellation Types
When you list your rental on Airbnb, you can choose from 3 different cancellation policies for your guests: Flexible, Moderate, or Strict. Each policy has different rules and implications for you and your guests, so choosing the one that makes the most sense for your property and the rental situation is important. Guests prefer to book rentals with more lenient cancellation policies, so you can choose the appropriate policy by reviewing your market and risk tolerance.
Short-Term Listings per Host
There are plenty of short-term rental hosts with multiple listings. A host may list different rooms in the same apartment or multiple apartments or homes listed in their entirety. Hosts with multiple listings are more likely to be running a business or using a property management company and are unlikely to live in the property themselves. Roughly 23% of listings in San Mateo are owned by hosts with 5 or more properties. This is lower than in other cities and means fewer large businesses are running short-term rentals in the city.
Cities Near San Mateo
San Mateo, California, is located in San Mateo County. Some cities that are located nearby include: