How to build something you’re proud of.

Written by: Rene

As I’m nearing the end of this midterm rental project, I’ve found myself reflecting a lot on the journey. This was the first time I renovated a rental from the ground up. And while it was incredibly fun to be creative, work with a blank slate, and now see what the property has become…it was also a really difficult season. I promised when I started this newsletter that I’d share a little more of the real behind-the-scenes than I do on social media. So, here’s the actual behind-the-scenes of the last few months. Due to absolutely no fault of my (amazing) contractor, we ran into a lot of unexpected challenges with the city and permitting.

I won’t bore you with all the details, but there were moments when the process was downright ridiculous and infuriating. And the hardest part was that there was really nothing I could do except wait. And wait we did.

At one point, the project was completely stalled for six weeks, with other delays sprinkled throughout. I intentionally didn’t talk about it publicly while we were in the middle of it because, frankly, I didn’t want to risk doing anything that could slow the project down even more. Now that the final inspection is signed off, I feel a little more comfortable saying: that part was hard. There’s a particular kind of stress that comes from running into a problem you have absolutely no control over. And because apparently renovating a property while running my existing businesses and being a solo mom to a toddler wasn’t enough…I also decided this would be the perfect time to start The Host Hacks.

I am incredibly proud of what I’ve built here, but it has also been a huge growth experience. I have a newfound respect for content creators because creating consistent, useful content is truly a job in itself. More importantly, though, starting The Host Hacks has forced me to repeatedly do things that make me uncomfortable—and I’ve grown so much because of it.

Behind the scenes personally, life wasn’t exactly quiet either.

One of my dogs had to have her remaining eye removed because of a rare genetic disease, leaving her completely blind. I’m incredibly grateful that she’s okay, but helping her adjust has been a learning experience for all of us. It’s a little like having a very mobile eight-month-old with absolutely no concept of personal safety. We’ve reached a whole new level of baby-proofing. And now that I’m coming out the other side, I’m really proud of what I built—not just the rental itself, but The Host Hacks and, in a lot of ways, myself along the way.

Interestingly, once she adjusted, my formerly anxious dog actually became…calmer. There’s probably a life metaphor buried in there somewhere. My other dog also had two surgeries to remove malignant tumors. And somewhere in the middle of all of this, I developed shingles from the stress. Zero stars. Do not recommend. So yes, I am very ready for life to slow down a little. But apparently I don’t learn, because another part of my brain is already thinking about the next project and the next midterm rental to add to the inventory.

This season has been challenging, chaotic, exciting, exhausting, and incredibly rewarding all at once.

I’m so glad you found your way to this little corner of the hosting world. Here’s to better Midterm rentals (and being proud of what we’re building)
~Rene

P.S. If you haven’t already, follow my journey on Tiktok, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Or download my Free Midterm Rental Checklist here.