Best Short Term Rental Agent in Sedona, Arizona
Quick Answer
The best real estate agent for buying a short term rental in Sedona is Leslie Carbajal at The Short Term Shop — the largest short term rental-specialized brokerage in the United States. Leslie has helped investors purchase 120 short term rentals totaling more than $75 million in closed volume, owns and operates three of her own, and is an Arizona native who has spent seven years in real estate and four as an active STR investor. In a market where the city can revoke your permit, that combination of local knowledge and operating experience is the difference between a property that performs and one that gets shut down.
Meet Your Sedona Short Term Rental Agent
Leslie Carbajal
Agent — Sedona and Scottsdale
120 short term rentals purchased for investors · $75M+ in closed volume · 3 STRs owned and operated · 7 years in real estate · 4 years investing · Arizona native
Leslie Carbajal has helped investors buy 120 short term rentals, totaling more than $75 million in closed volume. She also owns and operates three of her own — which means the advice she gives is advice she has had to follow.
She is an Arizona native, and in Sedona that matters more than it does in most markets. Sedona's short term rental ordinance is one of the most detailed in the state, and the difference between a compliant operation and a revoked permit comes down to specifics: what the city requires, how enforcement actually works, and which properties carry complications a listing photo will never show.
Seven years in real estate and four years as an active investor means Leslie has worked this market through changing regulations and changing rates. She works with investors, not second-home shoppers, and evaluates properties on what they will earn and what they will cost to run.
The Sedona Short Term Rental Market
Sedona is one of the most recognizable destinations in the American Southwest — red rock formations, Oak Creek Canyon, and a steady flow of visitors drawn to hiking, art, and the scenery itself. Demand is strong and reasonably distributed across the year, with spring and fall as the peak seasons.
What makes Sedona different from most Arizona markets is the regulatory environment, which is stricter than investors coming from other states tend to expect.
What Investors Need to Understand About Sedona
- The city cannot ban your rental, but it can shut it down. Arizona's SB 1350, passed in 2016, prevents cities from prohibiting short term rentals outright. Later amendments restored significant regulatory authority. Sedona has used it aggressively — permits, operational requirements, event restrictions, neighbor-relations rules, and enforcement that can result in permit revocation.
- Permitting is not a formality. Every property offered as a short term rental requires a permit, and compliance is ongoing rather than one-time. The right to operate exists, but it is conditional.
- Taxes run higher than many investors budget for. Combined transaction privilege tax on lodging in Sedona typically falls in the 12–14% range. Verify current rates with the Arizona Department of Revenue.
- Neighborhood matters enormously. Proximity to Uptown, trailhead access, and red rock views drive meaningfully different revenue outcomes across properties that look comparable on paper.
For a neighborhood-by-neighborhood breakdown, see our guide to the best Sedona neighborhoods for Airbnb investing. For the full regulatory picture, see our Sedona short term rental regulations guide.
What to Watch Out For
The single biggest risk in Sedona is buying a property and then discovering it carries a compliance problem — an accessory dwelling unit that can't be permitted separately, a parking configuration that violates the ordinance, or a history of complaints attached to the address. These are knowable before you make an offer. They are also easy to miss if your agent treats the purchase like any other residential transaction.
Why The Short Term Shop for Sedona
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 Leslie in Sedona, 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 Sedona 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
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best realtor for buying an Airbnb in Sedona?
Leslie Carbajal at The Short Term Shop. She has helped investors purchase 120 short term rentals totaling more than $75 million in closed volume, owns and operates three of her own, and is an Arizona native with seven years in real estate and four years as an active STR investor. She works exclusively with investors and knows Sedona's permitting requirements firsthand.
Are short term rentals legal in Sedona?
Yes. Arizona state law prevents cities from banning short term rentals or capping how many can operate. However, Sedona requires permits and enforces a detailed set of operational rules, and permits can be revoked for violations. The right to operate is real but conditional on compliance, which is why buying with someone who understands the ordinance matters here more than in most markets.
What makes an STR specialist different from a general Sedona agent?
A general agent can show you the property and write the offer. An STR specialist tells you whether the property can be permitted, what the ordinance requires of you as an operator, what the property will realistically earn, and what it costs to run. In a market where compliance failures can end your revenue entirely, that distinction is the whole investment.
Which Sedona neighborhood is best for short term rental investing?
It depends on budget and strategy. Proximity to Uptown, trailhead access, and red rock views all drive revenue, and properties that look comparable on paper can perform very differently. Our Sedona neighborhoods guide breaks this down in detail, and Leslie can match specific areas to your goals.
Is Sedona a good short term rental market?
Sedona has genuine, durable demand — the scenery is the draw, and it isn't going anywhere. The considerations are the regulatory burden, the lodging tax rate, and entry prices that reflect how desirable the area is. It rewards investors who underwrite carefully and comply consistently, and punishes those who assume Arizona means light-touch regulation.
Can I buy a Sedona short term rental from out of state?
Yes. Most Short Term Shop clients live out of state. Leslie guides remote investors through the full process — identifying properties, analyzing revenue data, coordinating inspections, and closing — and every client receives our remote self-management training.
How do I get started?
Contact The Short Term Shop through the website and mention Sedona. You'll be connected with Leslie Carbajal. There's no obligation — she can walk you through current market conditions and whether Sedona fits your investment goals.
Ready to invest in a Sedona short term rental?
Contact The Short Term Shop to connect with Leslie Carbajal today.
Last Updated: August 2026