Arizona Short-Term Rental Investment Specialist | Eric Ravenscroft | Phoenix · Scottsdale · Gilbert
Invest Smarter
in Phoenix &
Scottsdale STRs
The Ravenscroft Group helps investors acquire, optimize, and tax-position short-term rentals across the Phoenix Metro — backed by 15 years of financial planning expertise and verified $100K+ case studies.
Advisor in Phoenix
Not Just an Agent —
A Financial Strategist
Before entering real estate, Eric spent over 15 years in financial planning — building the analytical foundation that separates The Ravenscroft Group from every other agent in the Phoenix Metro. Most agents know what properties are available. Eric knows which ones make financial sense.
What that means in practice: every potential acquisition is underwritten across income projections, financing structure, tax positioning (bonus depreciation, cost segregation, REPS), and long-term equity strategy — before you ever write an offer. It's the kind of analysis that normally requires hiring a CPA, a financial planner, and a real estate agent separately.
Eric holds the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) designation — earned by fewer than 3% of REALTORS® nationally — and carries Elite status with Real Broker. He ranks in the Top 1% of REALTORS® across North America and was named among the Top 100 Real Estate Professionals in the Greater Phoenix Metro. His research and investment guides have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, MSN, and Morningstar. His published case studies — Palm Valley ($100K+, Top 1% Avg Client Airbnb Ranking), Scottsdale 85254 ($142K peak year), Gilbert E. Horseshoe ($120K+ with $200K+ bonus depreciation) — are referenced by investors, CPAs, and financial advisors across the country. Eric is licensed in Arizona (SA691304000) and a former Director of Wealth Management who oversaw hundreds of millions in client assets before transitioning to real estate.
Eric serves investors from out of state and locally across Scottsdale, Gilbert, Goodyear, Phoenix, Peoria, Chandler, Cave Creek, Litchfield Park, Tempe, Mesa, and Buckeye.
Areas of Expertise
A Different
Kind of
STR Advisor
Nearly every Phoenix agent claims to be "investor-focused." Very few can underwrite a deal across income projections, rental restrictions, and tax positioning simultaneously — before you're under contract.
Start with a Strategy CallFinancial Planning Meets Real Estate
15 years of financial planning experience means Eric underwrites STR acquisitions across income projections, cash-on-cash return, financing structures, and tax positioning — not just price per square foot. Most agents can't do this. Eric does it on every deal before you write an offer.
STR Rental-Restriction Intelligence
Finding properties that actually permit short-term rentals is increasingly difficult. Eric actively tracks neighborhoods, HOAs, and municipalities across the Phoenix Metro — saving you from the catastrophic mistake of buying in a community that bans STRs.
Revenue Projections Before You Commit
Every potential acquisition includes a detailed income estimate — occupancy ranges, average daily rate, seasonal demand curve, and net yield modeling. You make offers with data, not hope. Complimentary evaluations available on any property you're considering.
Tax Strategy at Acquisition — Not After
Bonus depreciation, cost segregation, REPS, and 1031 pathways are discussed before closing — when the structure still matters. For high-income W-2 earners, this approach can generate six-figure tax advantages in year one.
Platform Partnerships & Off-Market Access
Partnerships with Airbnb, VRBO, Awning, and AvantStay provide exclusive off-market opportunities and professional management capable of generating up to 20% more revenue than standard self-management.
Why Arizona STRs
Consistently Outperform
Arizona ranks among the top 5 vacation destinations for snowbirds nationwide. Unlike beach or ski markets, the Phoenix Metro runs year-round — 12 months of layered demand from events, business travel, and seasonal visitors that most markets simply can't match.
Best Markets to Buy
Each sub-market has a distinct investor profile, restriction landscape, and return structure. Knowing which fits your strategy is the first decision.
Scottsdale
Luxury travel, $628 ADR, world-class events.
Gilbert
Best yields under $500K, $120K+ proven.
Goodyear
$100K+ verified, Spring Training anchor.
Peoria
MLB Spring Training, stadium-adjacent spikes.
Tempe & Mesa
Highest occupancy metro-wide, accessible entry.
Chandler
Corporate travel, Intel campus, strong mid-week occupancy. Litchfield Park also covered.
Cave Creek
Boutique Western tourism, outdoor recreation, unique character-driven properties.
Paradise Valley
Highest ADR in the metro, ultra-luxury, limited inventory. Best for $1M+ acquisitions.
Buckeye
Emerging west valley, new construction, rising Airbnb demand as infrastructure expands.
Case Studies
Real properties. Real numbers.
Published and verified — not projections.
Annual gross revenue — 5-bed with basement & casita, Top 1% average client Airbnb ranking
Peak year gross — luxury 5-bed resort pool, turn-key & fully furnished at acquisition
Annual revenue — 7-room Airbnb layout with rare scale and $200K+ bonus depreciation potential
Properties Eric Has Acquired & Optimised
Real properties across the Phoenix Metro — each underwritten, structured, and launched by The Ravenscroft Group.
How to Finance
an Arizona STR Investment
Financing a short-term rental is different from financing a primary residence — and getting it wrong costs tens of thousands of dollars. Eric walks every client through the loan landscape before they start searching so they know exactly what they can acquire, at what terms, before they fall in love with a property.
Most STR investors use one of four loan structures. The right choice depends on your income documentation, how you plan to use the property, your credit profile, and whether the tax strategy requires a specific ownership structure.
Eric connects every client with STR-specialist lenders who understand how to underwrite a property based on its rental income potential — not just the borrower's W-2. This alone can qualify you for significantly more property than a conventional lender would approve.
Financing terms, availability, and qualification requirements vary. All figures are illustrative. Work with a licensed mortgage professional. Down payment requirements shown are minimums and subject to lender, property type, and borrower qualification.
Second Home / Vacation Home Loan
If you personally use the property at least 14 days per year (or 10% of rental days), it may qualify as a second home — offering rates close to primary residence terms and as low as 10% down. Best for investors who want personal use plus rental income. Airbnb income can offset mortgage payments even if it can't fully qualify you.
Lowest Rate OptionConventional Investment Property Loan
Standard conventional loan for a non-owner-occupied investment property. Requires 20–25% down, and qualification is based on your personal income. A portion of projected rental income may be counted by the lender. Best for investors with strong W-2 income and clean credit who want a straightforward loan structure.
Most CommonDSCR Loan (Debt Service Coverage Ratio)
A DSCR loan qualifies you based on the property's projected rental income — not your personal income or W-2. Ideal for self-employed investors, high-net-worth individuals, or anyone building a portfolio beyond what W-2 income supports. Typically 20–30% down with slightly higher rates than conventional. One of the most powerful tools for scaling an STR portfolio quickly.
Best for Portfolio ScalingCash-Out Refinance / HELOC
Investors with equity in a primary residence or existing investment property can access that equity to fund the down payment on a new STR acquisition — without liquidating other assets. When combined with a DSCR loan on the new property, this strategy allows qualified investors to acquire with minimal out-of-pocket cash while retaining ROI on existing assets.
Equity Leverage StrategyPhoenix Metro STR Market Data
& Research Tools
The Phoenix Metro also supports a strong mid-term rental (MTR) market — corporate housing, military relocation, and traveling healthcare professionals — which can be layered into an STR strategy to fill shoulder-season gaps without sacrificing peak-season upside.
Eric uses institutional-grade data tools to underwrite every acquisition. Here's the market intelligence stack and current benchmarks Eric uses to evaluate any new opportunity.
AirDNA
Market-level STR data: RevPAR, occupancy rates, ADR by bedroom count, seasonality curves, and new supply tracking across every Phoenix Metro sub-market. Eric uses AirDNA to validate every revenue projection before a client makes an offer.
Rabbu
Property-level STR performance estimates with comparable listing analysis. Particularly useful for establishing realistic ADR floors and identifying how a specific property would perform relative to active competitors in its zip code.
PriceLabs
Dynamic pricing engine used across Eric's managed portfolio. Sets base rates, minimum price floors, gap-fill discounts, far-future premiums, and event-driven rate spikes calibrated to the Phoenix Metro demand calendar. Average clients see 15–25% revenue uplift vs. flat pricing.
Wheelhouse
Alternative dynamic pricing platform with a strong track record in the Scottsdale and Gilbert markets. Eric evaluates both PriceLabs and Wheelhouse for each client based on their property type and target guest profile.
Hospitable (formerly Smartbnb)
Automated guest messaging, review management, and multi-channel listing sync. A core part of the operational system Eric installs for every new STR — reducing owner time investment while maintaining the response rates that drive Airbnb ranking.
2025–2026 Phoenix Metro
STR Market Benchmarks
Want a current market report for a specific sub-market or property type? Eric provides complimentary market data reports for qualified buyers.
Request a Market Report →STR vs. Long-Term
Rental: The Numbers
Short-term rentals consistently deliver 2–4x the income of a comparable long-term rental in the Phoenix Metro — when the right property is acquired in the right sub-market and managed correctly. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Based on verified case study data and metro-wide market averages. Individual results vary based on property type, location, amenities, management quality, and market conditions. Not a guarantee of returns.
Phoenix Metro — Monthly Demand Index
Estimated Revenue Ranges
Pre-calculated estimates by market and bedroom count — based on verified Phoenix Metro data. For a detailed projection on any specific property, request a free evaluation.
Arizona STR Laws & Regulations
One of the most expensive mistakes an STR investor can make is buying in the wrong community. Arizona is one of the most STR-friendly states in the country — but the rules are not uniform. Here's what you need to know.
State Preemption Law
Arizona's A.R.S. § 9-500.39 prevents cities and counties from banning short-term rentals outright. This is a critical protection that most other states don't offer — and a key reason Arizona remains one of the most investor-friendly STR markets in the US.
Investor FriendlyHOA Restrictions — The Real Risk
While cities can't ban STRs entirely, private HOAs can and many do. A significant portion of Phoenix Metro communities have CC&Rs that prohibit or restrict short-term rentals. Eric actively tracks which communities allow STRs — intelligence most agents simply don't have.
Know Before You BuyLocal Permits & Licensing
Most Arizona municipalities require a Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license and a local STR permit. Cities like Scottsdale and Phoenix have specific registration requirements. Eric guides every client through the permitting process and connects them with local compliance experts.
Eric Handles ThisDoes Your Property
Qualify as a High-Performing STR?
Not every property makes a great short-term rental. These are the criteria Eric uses to screen every potential acquisition — the same factors that separate a $40K/year STR from a $120K+ one.
Get Your Property Evaluated Free →Free STR Qualification CheckSend us any property address in the Phoenix Metro and Eric will tell you: whether STRs are allowed, his estimated revenue range, the key amenity gaps, and whether the tax structure makes it worth pursuing.
Protecting Your STR Investment
A short-term rental carries different risks than a long-term rental or primary residence. Standard homeowner's insurance will not cover STR activity — and the gap between adequate and inadequate coverage can be catastrophic. Eric ensures every client understands the full protection stack before they take their first booking.
STR-Specific Insurance
Standard homeowner's policies exclude commercial activity. You need a policy specifically designed for short-term rental use — covering property damage, loss of income, liability, and guest injury. Providers like Proper Insurance, Slice, and Aircover (supplemental only) are the primary options in the Arizona market. Eric connects clients with brokers who specialise in STR coverage.
Guest Screening
Airbnb's built-in ID verification is a baseline — not a screening strategy. Eric implements additional guest screening protocols including review history requirements, booking pattern analysis, and instant book settings calibrated to reduce risk while maintaining occupancy. For high-value properties, manual approval for all bookings is standard practice.
Noise Monitoring & Smart Home
Noise monitoring devices (Minut, NoiseAware) detect party-risk events without recording audio or violating guest privacy. Smart locks eliminate physical key management and allow remote access control. Smart thermostats reduce utility costs between stays. These technologies protect the property, maintain neighbor relations, and satisfy most HOA monitoring requirements.
Damage Protection & Security Deposits
Eric configures each listing's damage protection strategy: Aircover coverage limits, third-party damage deposit tools (Superhog, Damage Protect), and when to require a security hold vs. rely on platform coverage. For luxury properties with high-value furnishings, supplemental damage protection is essential and structured before the first booking goes live.
How Eric Takes You From Idea
to Income-Producing Asset
Strategy Call
Eric discusses your capital, goals, tax situation, risk tolerance, and timeline and tells you what's realistic — not what you want to hear.
Market + Criteria
Eric identifies the right sub-market and builds your specific acquisition criteria — bedroom count, amenities, price band, and HOA requirements.
Revenue Projection
Every candidate property gets a full revenue model: ADR, occupancy, seasonality, expenses, net yield, and tax benefit analysis.
Acquisition
Eric negotiates, structures, and closes your deal — coordinating your lender, title, CPA, and inspection team throughout.
Launch & Setup
Eric connects you with vetted property management partners and helps configure your listing for maximum visibility and conversion.
Ongoing Support
Eric stays engaged through your first season — monitoring performance, advising on pricing strategy, and planning your next acquisition.
Most investors Eric works with are out of state and have never owned a short-term rental before. Eric handles everything from market selection through your first booking — and stays accessible throughout.
Start the ConversationExit Strategy & Portfolio Scaling
The best investors think about their exit before they complete their entry. Whether you plan to hold and scale, refinance and redeploy, exchange into larger assets, or eventually sell — the strategy should be built into the acquisition from day one. Here's how Eric helps clients think through the full lifecycle.
1031 Exchange Into Larger Assets
An appreciated STR can be exchanged into a larger STR, a multi-family, or a commercial property tax-deferred under IRS Section 1031 — deferring capital gains indefinitely while compounding equity. Eric coordinates with qualified intermediaries and 1031-specialist CPAs to identify like-kind replacement properties before the 45-day identification window opens.
Eric's knowledge of the Phoenix Metro often means identifying the replacement property before the exchange is triggered — eliminating the most common cause of failed 1031s.
Portfolio Scaling Strategy
Most STR investors who succeed with one property want to scale to two, three, or five. The challenge is capital recycling — and this is where DSCR loans, cash-out refinances, and the equity built through appreciation and depreciation recapture become the engine of growth.
Eric builds a scaling roadmap with every client after their first acquisition: target equity milestones, refinance triggers, DSCR loan thresholds, and the sub-market diversification strategy that reduces concentration risk across the Phoenix Metro.
Resale Value & Exit Timing
STRs with verified revenue history, strong Airbnb rankings, and documented management systems sell at a premium to both traditional buyers and investor-buyers. Eric helps clients build the documentation and operational history that maximises resale value — and advises on optimal exit timing relative to market conditions, interest rate cycles, and personal tax situation.
A Top 1% average client Airbnb ranking, a published performance history, and a turn-key operation are the three factors that command the highest STR resale premiums in the current Arizona market.
More Than an Agent —
A Full STR Business Partner
Buying the right property is only the beginning. What separates a high-performing STR from a mediocre one — and what separates a tax-advantaged investment from a missed opportunity — is everything that happens next.
The Ravenscroft Group is one of the only real estate practices in Arizona that guides clients through all four phases: qualifying the property, structuring the tax position, building the operational business, and optimising to reach a Top 1% average client Airbnb ranking.
Not every property can legally operate as a short-term rental — and most agents don't know the difference. Eric has built one of the most comprehensive STR restriction databases in the Phoenix Metro, actively tracking what's allowed at the community level before you ever make an offer.
Bonus depreciation on a short-term rental only works if the IRS treats it as an active business — not passive rental income. That requires satisfying material participation requirements. Most investors don't know this. Most agents don't either. Eric guides clients through structuring it correctly from day one.
A high-performing STR is not a rental property — it is a hospitality business. From entity structure and licensing through furnishing, systems, and guest experience design, Eric guides clients through building an operation that runs like a business from the first booking.
Most STR investors launch a listing and hope for the best. Eric's clients build toward a specific performance target — a Top 1% average client Airbnb ranking — by executing a disciplined system across listing quality, guest experience, dynamic pricing, and review accumulation.
This is the full scope of what Eric does. Not just finding you a property — but qualifying it, structuring the tax position, building the business, and optimising it to perform at the highest level. It's why his clients' results look different from everyone else's.
Talk to Eric About Your STR Strategy →The Investor's
Research Library
The Ravenscroft Group publishes in-depth guides on STR acquisition, tax optimization, bonus depreciation, and Arizona market intelligence.
These are the resources serious investors use to make decisions — not generic real estate content repurposed for SEO.
The Complete Arizona Short-Term Rental Guide: How to Buy, Optimize & Scale Your STR in 2026
The STR market has matured. Casual hosts are losing bookings. Serious investors are quietly dominating. The complete playbook — acquisition strategy, STR-optimized design, dynamic pricing, tax advantages, and operational systems.
Read the Full GuideBonus Depreciation Real Estate 2026: 100% Write-Off, Cost Segregation & REP Strategies
Tax Strategy · March 2026Short-Term Rental Tax Loophole: How to Offset W-2 Income With Bonus Depreciation
Tax Strategy · February 2026How to Reduce Required Minimum Distribution Taxes With Real Estate
Retirement Strategy · April 2026Short-Term vs Mid-Term Rentals in Phoenix: Taxes, Risk & Strategy Explained
Market Strategy · March 2026Palm Valley STR: $100K+ Annual Revenue & Top 1% Avg Client Airbnb Ranking
Goodyear, AZ · Feb 2026 → Case StudyScottsdale 85254: Turn-Key STR With Bonus Depreciation Strategy
Scottsdale, AZ · Jan 2026 → Market AnalysisThe Year-End Advantage: Why December Is the Best Time to Buy in Phoenix
Market Timing · Dec 2025 → Investment GuideUltimate Guide to Investing in Arizona: STR vs LTR, Financing & Case Studies
Arizona STR · Evergreen →The Bonus
Depreciation Advantage
Short-term rentals with average guest stays under 7 days are classified by the IRS as an active business — not passive rental income. This opens the door to accelerated cost-segregation depreciation that can generate six-figure paper losses in year one.
The Gilbert case study produced $200K+ in bonus depreciation potential alongside $120K+ in revenue. The Palm Valley acquisition was structured around tax efficiency from day one.
Eric's 15-year financial planning background means this conversation happens at acquisition — not after closing when it's too late to structure correctly.
OBBBA · July 4, 2025
One Big Beautiful Bill Act permanently reinstated 100% bonus depreciation. Previously scheduled to phase to 20% in 2026 under the TCJA schedule — now restored at 100% indefinitely for qualifying property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025.
Note: Arizona does not fully conform to federal bonus depreciation. A Schedule CT add-back adjustment is required on your AZ state return. Model state impact with your CPA before projecting after-tax returns.
Educational information only — not tax advice. Always work with a qualified CPA familiar with STR strategy. IRS Notice 2026-11 and current bonus depreciation phase-down schedules apply.
100% Bonus Depreciation
Cost segregation reclassifies components to shorter schedules, front-loading deductions in years 1–3 for qualifying STRs.
Real Estate Professional Status
Qualifying investors use STR losses to directly offset W-2 and ordinary income — unavailable to passive long-term rental investors.
Cost Segregation Studies
A professional study can unlock $150K–$300K+ in depreciation on the right property — making the tax case as compelling as the income case.
1031 Exchange Path
Appreciated STRs can be exchanged tax-deferred into larger assets, compounding equity and deferring capital gains.
RMD Offset Strategy
Cost segregation can offset Required Minimum Distribution income for retirees — a powerful, underutilized strategy covered in Eric's published guides.
The IRS 7-Day Rule
STRs with average stays under 7 days qualify as an active trade or business — the classification hinge that unlocks all strategies above.
STR Insights & Market Updates
The Complete Arizona Short-Term Rental Guide: How to Buy, Optimize & Scale Your STR in 2026
The STR market has matured. Casual hosts are losing bookings. Serious investors are quietly dominating. The complete playbook — acquisition strategy, STR-optimized design, dynamic pricing, tax advantages, and the operational systems that separate a hobby from a high-performing asset.
Bonus Depreciation Real Estate 2026: 100% Write-Off, Cost Segregation & REP Strategies
Bonus depreciation real estate 2026 guide covering 100% write-offs, cost segregation, IRS Notice 2026-11, real estate professional status, short-term rental tax strategy, and Arizona tax considerations for investors looking to reduce taxable income.
Palm Valley STR: $100K+ Annual Revenue, Top 1% Avg Client Airbnb Ranking & Bonus Depreciation Planning
A fully remodeled 5-bedroom STR with basement and casita achieving $100K+ annual gross revenue, Top 1% average client Airbnb ranking, and significant bonus depreciation through a tax-structured acquisition. A Palm Valley case study.
Every Article Eric Has
Published on Arizona STRs
The Ravenscroft Group is one of the few real estate practices in Arizona publishing substantive, original research on short-term rental strategy, tax mechanics, and market intelligence. These articles are referenced by investors, CPAs, and financial advisors across the country.
Frequently Asked
Straight answers to what investors ask most — from income reality to tax mechanics to what working with Eric actually looks like.
Have a specific property in mind? Request a complimentary revenue projection — Eric will tell you exactly whether it qualifies as a viable STR in today's Phoenix Metro market.
What Investors
Say About Working With Eric
These results reflect real clients and real outcomes. Names have been abbreviated for privacy. Specific financial results vary by property, market conditions, and management approach.
Start Your Own Strategy Conversation →
Let's Build
the Right Strategy
Request a complimentary revenue projection on any property you're considering, or start with a strategy conversation — market selection, deal underwriting, tax positioning, and long-term portfolio planning.