Case Study: Matt Krueger finds a profitable short-term rental niche with AirDNA

Unlocking success with AirDNA

Matt Krueger, a short-term rental investor and host from Des Moines, Iowa, was managing nine long-term rental properties in 2021 but wasn’t generating enough income to reach his goal of leaving his 9–5 job. He turned to AirDNA and its market data tools to explore whether short-term rentals in his hometown could offer a better opportunity.

Using AirDNA’s insights, Matt compared demand and competition by bedroom count and realized that larger homes were undersupplied in the Des Moines market. He bought a 4-bedroom property downtown, renovated it, and launched it on Airbnb, then repeated the strategy with a second 4-bedroom in 2022. The result was strong enough that Matt was able to leave his day job and focus on short-term rentals full-time, and he continues using AirDNA to find his next investment.

Matt Krueger

Matt Krueger

Rental Investor