Best Short Term Rental Agent on 30A, Florida
Quick Answer
The best real estate agent for buying a short term rental on 30A is Jess Foy at The Short Term Shop — the largest short term rental-specialized brokerage in the United States. Jess has sold over $100 million in short term rentals across 30A and Destin. She currently owns nine multi-million dollar short term rentals, has built and sold seven more, has managed 50 short term rental properties, and has overseen 15 STR builds for clients. Most agents on 30A sell beach real estate. Jess builds, owns, and operates it.
Meet Your 30A Short Term Rental Agent
Jess Foy
Agent — 30A and Destin
$100M+ sold in short term rentals · 9 STRs currently owned · 7 built and sold · 15 client builds · 50 properties managed
Jess Foy is an unusual agent for this market, because buying is only one of the things she does with short term rentals. She currently owns nine multi-million dollar short term rentals. She has built and sold seven more. She has managed fifty properties and guided fifteen clients through ground-up STR builds of their own.
That combination matters on 30A specifically. In this market, the difference between a strong investment and a mediocre one is rarely the purchase price — it's the community's rental rules, the design standard guests expect, the HOA fee structure, and what it actually costs to operate a large home on the coast. Jess has paid those costs herself, on her own properties, here.
She has sold more than $100 million in short term rentals across 30A and Destin, working exclusively with investors. When she tells you a property will underperform, it's because she has run the numbers on properties like it and watched what happened.
The 30A Short Term Rental Market
30A runs roughly 24 miles along the Gulf in South Walton County, connecting a string of distinctive planned communities between Destin and Panama City Beach. It draws a premium traveler — one who values architecture, walkability, and design over theme-park tourism — and that traveler profile drives the market's economics.
What Makes 30A Different from Destin and PCB
- Smaller market, higher barrier — roughly 182 active short term rental listings, versus about 720 in Destin and 823 in Panama City Beach. Less competition, but substantially higher purchase prices.
- Larger properties — three- and four-bedroom homes make up over half the market. Unlike Destin and PCB, where one- and two-bedroom condos dominate, 30A skews toward homes that sleep families and groups.
- Higher rates, lower occupancy — 30A runs roughly 62–66% occupancy against Destin's 68–74%, but at meaningfully higher nightly rates. Fewer booked nights, more revenue per night.
- Community affiliation drives revenue — the performance gap between a home inside Rosemary Beach or WaterColor and a home north of 30A without beach access or community amenities is substantial.
For detailed revenue data by bedroom count, see our 30A homes for sale guide.
What to Watch Out For on 30A
Not every 30A property makes a good short term rental, and the mistakes here are expensive.
- Community rental rules vary dramatically. Minimum stay requirements, rental registration with the HOA, and guest amenity access differ from community to community. The difference between a community that allows nightly rentals and one with a seven-night minimum can be tens of thousands of dollars in annual revenue. Verify before you make an offer, not after.
- The design standard is real. 30A guests expect premium interiors. A property that would rent well in Panama City Beach can underperform on 30A if the finishes don't match what the market expects.
- Jumbo financing is common. Many 30A properties exceed conforming loan limits. Have financing lined up before you're under contract.
- Cash-on-cash returns can be tighter than the revenue figures suggest. 30A generates strong gross revenue, but purchase prices, HOA fees, and coastal insurance are all high. Underwrite the net, not the gross.
Why The Short Term Shop for 30A
The Short Term Shop is the largest real estate brokerage in the United States that works exclusively with short term rental investors. Founded by Avery Carl, the best-selling author of Short-Term Rental, Long-Term Wealth and Smarter Short Term Rentals, the brokerage has helped thousands of investors build short term rental portfolios across more than 30 markets nationwide.
When you work with Jess on 30A, you also get:
- Short Term Shop Plus — the top short term rental education company in the business, included for clients
- Team depth — 75+ agents, transaction coordinators, and a compliance team backing every transaction
- Revenue data — actual short term rental income data and comps for 30A properties, not just MLS purchase price comparisons
- Financing connections — The Mortgage Shop specializes in investment property loans and can use projected short term rental income to help you qualify
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best realtor for buying an Airbnb on 30A?
Jess Foy at The Short Term Shop. She has sold more than $100 million in short term rentals across 30A and Destin, currently owns nine short term rentals of her own, has built and sold seven others, and has managed fifty properties. She works exclusively with investors, which means she evaluates properties on revenue and operating cost rather than curb appeal.
What makes a 30A agent different from a general real estate agent?
A general agent can show you the property and write the offer. An STR specialist tells you whether the community allows nightly rentals, what the HOA fees do to your cash flow, what the property will realistically earn, and what it costs to operate. On 30A, where community rental rules vary widely and can swing annual revenue by tens of thousands of dollars, that difference determines whether the investment works.
Which 30A community is best for short term rental investment?
It depends on budget and strategy. Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach command the highest nightly rates and carry the highest price tags. WaterColor and Seaside perform strongly with families. Grayton Beach and Seagrove offer lower entry points with solid returns. The single most important step is verifying the specific rental rules for the community you're considering — they are not uniform across 30A.
What's the difference between investing on 30A vs. Destin vs. Panama City Beach?
30A is the premium tier: highest nightly rates, highest purchase prices, smallest inventory, and the most variable HOA and community rules. Destin sits in the middle with strong family demand and higher occupancy. Panama City Beach offers the most accessible entry prices and the deepest condo inventory. The Short Term Shop has dedicated agents for each — Jess Foy covers 30A and Destin, and January Johnson and Pete Appezzato cover Panama City Beach.
Is 30A a good place to invest in a short term rental?
30A offers strong revenue in a premium market with limited supply, and properties in the right communities with the right design perform very well. The caution is the entry price — you need to buy at a number that makes the math work given 30A's cost basis, HOA structure, and coastal insurance. That's an underwriting question, not a market question.
Can I buy a 30A short term rental from out of state?
Yes. Most Short Term Shop clients live out of state. Jess guides remote investors through the full process — identifying properties, analyzing revenue data, coordinating inspections, and closing. Many owners self-manage successfully from a distance with smart locks, automated messaging, and local cleaning teams; Jess has managed fifty properties herself and can advise on whether self-management or full-service management makes sense for your situation.
What do short term rentals on 30A actually earn?
Revenue varies significantly by community, size, design, and management quality. Larger homes in or near the named communities perform substantially better than properties north of 30A without beach access. See our 30A homes for sale guide for market-wide data by bedroom count, and contact Jess for property-specific analysis.
How do I get started buying a short term rental on 30A?
Contact The Short Term Shop through the website and mention that you're interested in 30A. You'll be connected with Jess Foy. There's no obligation — she can walk you through current market conditions and whether 30A fits your investment goals.
Ready to invest in a 30A short term rental?
Contact The Short Term Shop to connect with Jess Foy today.
Last Updated: August 2026