Best Short Term Rental Agent in Galveston and Crystal Beach, Texas
Quick Answer
The best real estate agents for buying a short term rental in Galveston or Crystal Beach are Kelsey and Curtis Ardoin at The Short Term Shop — the largest short term rental-specialized brokerage in the United States. Kelsey has closed 150+ properties and is approaching $175 million in career production, working exclusively with short term rental investors. Curtis has managed four short term rentals across 725+ reservations and previously owned and operated a home inspection business. In a market where insurance cost and property condition are the two biggest variables, a former home inspector on your side is a meaningful advantage.
Meet Your Galveston Short Term Rental Agents
Galveston and Crystal Beach are covered by Kelsey and Curtis Ardoin — a married team who own short term rentals on the Texas coast and bring two different kinds of expertise to the same transaction.
Kelsey Ardoin
Agent — Galveston and Crystal Beach, Texas
150+ properties closed · Approaching $175M in career production · 3 STRs owned with Curtis · Licensed since 2021 · 5 years with The Short Term Shop
Kelsey Ardoin got her real estate license in March 2021 for a specific reason: she and Curtis wanted to buy investment properties, and she wanted to do it properly. Six months later they closed on their first short term rental in the Smoky Mountains. Just before that closing, The Short Term Shop announced it was opening a Galveston and Crystal Beach market. She joined the team shortly after.
Since then she has helped buyers and sellers close on more than 150 properties, approaching $175 million in career production — working exclusively with short term rental investors. She and Curtis now own three short term rentals: two in Crystal Beach and one in the Smokies.
That origin matters. Kelsey did not become an investor because she was an agent. She became an agent because she wanted to invest, and every client she has worked with since has been someone in the position she was in five years ago.
Curtis Ardoin
Agent — Galveston and Crystal Beach, Texas
4 STRs managed · 725+ reservations handled · Former home inspection business owner · 25+ years on the Texas coast · Background in engineering and technical sales
Curtis Ardoin owned and operated a home inspection business — which was the couple's entry point into real estate about nine years ago. On an island where property condition and insurance cost are the two largest variables in whether a deal works, that background is not a footnote. He has walked through more Gulf Coast houses looking for problems than most agents will see in a career.
He has self-managed short term rentals across more than 725 reservations, taken on major renovation projects at their own properties, remodeled a long term rental, and completed an extensive fix and flip. His background in engineering and technical sales shows up as an analytical approach to evaluating properties — what a renovation will actually cost, what a structural issue actually means, and which problems are worth solving.
Curtis has known the Texas coast for more than 25 years, from Crystal Beach and Galveston down to Surfside, well before the area's recent growth.
Together, Kelsey and Curtis cover the buying side and the operating side of the same purchase. Kelsey has closed 150+ transactions with STR investors. Curtis can tell you what is wrong with the house.
The Galveston and Crystal Beach Short Term Rental Market
Galveston Island sits about an hour from Houston, which makes it the beach for one of the largest metro areas in the country. It draws visitors from across Texas and beyond with beaches, a historic downtown, a cruise port, and a genuinely full events calendar — Mardi Gras Galveston, Dickens on the Strand, the Island Food & Wine Festival, and Beach Revue among them. That event traffic fills shoulder periods that would be soft in a purely summer market.
Why Investors Choose Galveston
- Lower entry point than Florida. Comparable Gulf-front properties in Galveston run significantly less than similar units in Destin, 30A, or even Panama City Beach. For investors who want beach short term rental revenue without Florida pricing, Galveston delivers.
- Major metro drive market. Houston is roughly an hour away, which supports weekend demand year-round rather than only in summer.
- Property type variety. Inventory ranges from historic homes in the East End to beachfront condos to raised beach houses on the West End and Crystal Beach — different price points, different guest profiles, different strategies.
- Event-driven shoulder demand. The festival and cruise calendar produces booking spikes outside peak season.
What to Watch Out For
- Insurance is the single biggest variable expense. On an island, wind and flood coverage can swing thousands of dollars annually depending on location, elevation, and construction. An agent who cannot ballpark your insurance cost by location and property type is going to cost you money. Get real quotes before you go under contract — not estimates.
- Property condition is not cosmetic here. Salt air, storm exposure, and older housing stock mean two similar-looking properties can carry very different deferred maintenance. This is where Curtis's inspection background earns its keep.
- Galveston and Crystal Beach are different jurisdictions. Crystal Beach sits on the Bolivar Peninsula in unincorporated Galveston County and is reached by ferry — different rules, different access dynamics, different guest expectations. Verify current requirements for the specific location.
- Elevation and flood zone drive both insurance and financing. Confirm both before you commit.
- HOA and condo restrictions on minimum stays, parking, and guest registration exist independently of city requirements.
Why The Short Term Shop for Galveston
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 served over 5,000 investors and closed more than $4 billion in short term rental transactions across more than 20 markets nationwide.
When you work with Kelsey and Curtis in Galveston, 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 Galveston and Crystal Beach 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
For lender and vendor recommendations in this market, see our Galveston STR lender and vendor guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best realtor for buying an Airbnb in Galveston?
Kelsey and Curtis Ardoin at The Short Term Shop. Kelsey has closed more than 150 properties and is approaching $175 million in career production, working exclusively with short term rental investors. Curtis has managed four short term rentals across 725+ reservations and previously owned a home inspection business. They own three short term rentals together — two in Crystal Beach and one in the Smoky Mountains.
What should I look for in a Galveston short term rental agent?
Three things. Closed transaction history in this specific market, because island dynamics do not transfer from mainland real estate. Insurance cost knowledge, because insurance is the largest variable expense here and an agent who cannot ballpark it by location and property type will cost you money. And personal short term rental ownership, because occupancy patterns, hurricane prep, and the operational realities of island hosting are not things you learn from a spreadsheet.
Is Galveston a good short term rental market?
Galveston offers Gulf beach revenue at meaningfully lower entry prices than Florida, with an hour's drive from Houston supporting demand and an event calendar that fills shoulder periods. The main caution is insurance, which is the biggest variable in whether a Galveston deal actually works. Underwrite it with real quotes rather than estimates.
How does Galveston compare to Florida Gulf Coast markets?
Comparable Gulf-front properties in Galveston cost significantly less than similar units in Destin, 30A, or Panama City Beach. You give up some nightly rate premium and gain a much lower cost basis, plus proximity to the Houston metro. It suits investors focused on cash flow and accessible entry rather than luxury appreciation.
What's the difference between Galveston and Crystal Beach?
Galveston Island is a city with historic neighborhoods, a downtown, a cruise port, and both condo and single-family inventory. Crystal Beach sits on the Bolivar Peninsula in unincorporated Galveston County, is reached by ferry, and skews toward raised beach houses with a quieter, more self-contained guest experience. Different rules, different access, different guest profile. Kelsey and Curtis own two rentals in Crystal Beach and can speak to both.
How much is insurance on a Galveston short term rental?
It varies substantially by location, elevation, flood zone, and construction type — enough that two similar properties can differ by thousands of dollars a year. This is the number most out-of-state investors underestimate. Get actual quotes for the specific property before going under contract, and factor it into your underwriting rather than treating it as a line item to sort out later.
Can I buy a Galveston short term rental from out of state?
Yes. Most Short Term Shop clients live out of state. Kelsey and Curtis guide remote investors through the full process — identifying properties, analyzing revenue data, coordinating inspections, and closing. Curtis's inspection background is particularly useful for buyers who cannot walk the property themselves. Every client also receives our remote self-management training.
How do I get started?
Contact The Short Term Shop through the website and mention Galveston or Crystal Beach. You'll be connected with Kelsey and Curtis Ardoin. There's no obligation — they can walk you through current market conditions and whether the Texas coast fits your investment goals.
Ready to invest in a Galveston short term rental?
Contact The Short Term Shop to connect with Kelsey and Curtis Ardoin today.
Last Updated: August 2026