Unlock Short-Term Rental Income in Denver Metro
December 20, 2025

By Rogelio Rodriguez

Realtor® Vida Properties | eXp Realty
📞 720-724-8187 | 📧 rogelio@vidabroker.com

 You don’t need a ski condo in Vail or a cabin in Breck to make short-term rentals work for you. Right here in the Denver Metro area, we get tens of millions of visitors every year for work, play, and everything in between. Denver welcomed about 37 million visitors recently, including over 17–20 million overnight guests, visit Denver. Add in statewide travel (over 95 million trips in Colorado in a recent year per the Colorado Tourism Office, and you can see the opportunity. Get ready to unlock your short-term rental income in the Denver Metro.

People come here for:

  • Conventions at the Colorado Convention Center

  • The National Western Stock Show (around 650k–700k people each year)

  • The Great American Beer Festival

  • Concerts at Red Rocks, Rockies games at Coors Field, Nuggets/Avs games at Ball Arena, of course the Broncos, and just to visit friends and family

All of that means one thing for a flexible homeowner: your regular house might be more of an income tool than you think.

Denver Metro Area STR Guide

Short-Term vs Long-Term Rental: Which one?

Short-Term Rentals (STRs)

Airbnb / Vrbo style, stays under 30 days.

  • Guests: tourists, business travelers, concert goers, family visits, people between homes

  • Money: higher nightly rates, but depends on occupancy and seasonality

  • Work: you’re running a tiny hotel

    • Messaging, check-ins, cleaners, restocking, reviews, pricing

  • Setup: fully furnished, stocked kitchen, good Wi-Fi, smart lock, clear rules

Long-Term Rentals

Traditional leases are month-to-month or 6+ months

  • Guests: tenants who treat it as home

  • Money: lower “per-night” on paper, but very steady

  • Work: fewer turnovers; more about screening tenants and maintaining the property

  • Setup: usually unfurnished or lightly furnished

Both can be excellent. STRs can squeeze more income out of the same square footage, while long-term rentals trade peak income for simplicity and predictability.

Denver Metro Area STR Guide

Before you list: what you have to know

In Denver Metro, the city line matters. A lot. (Make sure see the details in the Denver Metro Short-Term Rental Rules & Licensing Guide:

  • Some cities (like Denver, Lakewood, Littleton, Golden, Aurora, Commerce City) lean toward “primary residence only” for STRs.

  • Others (like Arvada, Westminster, and Thornton) are more open to non-owner-occupied STRs, but may cap nights per year or how many STRs you can run.

On top of that, almost everyone requires some combo of:

  • Short-term rental license

  • Business license

  • Lodging + sales tax collection

  • Safety gear (smoke/CO detectors, fire extinguisher)

  • Clear occupancy and parking rules

And remember: your HOA or condo board can be stricter than the city and ban STRs altogether.

So step one is always:

    • Check your city rules.
    • Check your HOA/condo rules.
    • Check in with insurance + tax pros so there are no nasty surprises.

Which Denver-Area cities are better for STRs?

Here’s a quick taste of what I cover in detail in my guide:

  • Arvada & Westminster

    • More investor-friendly in many situations

    • Great if you want a non-owner-occupied STR (subject to specific limits)

  • Lakewood, Littleton, Denver, Golden

    • Often primary-residence only, but STR numbers can be strong

    • Perfect for “live here now, host on the side” or house hacking

  • Aurora, Thornton, Commerce City

    • More mixed: some primary-res rules, some night caps, but pockets of strong demand near DIA, Anschutz, Buckley, and major corridors

Bottom line: where your home is (and whether it’s your primary) can matter just as much as the home itself.

📞 Ready to Explore Your Options?

If you’re curious about investing or any other real estate matter, let’s set up a time to talk.  Visit my 🗓️ online calendar to meet in person, by phone, or virtually — whatever works best for you.

You can also just call me at (720) 724-8187 or send me a message to rogelio@vidabroker.com. Let’s get your homeownership journey started with the right tools and the right guidance.

Rogelio Rodriguez

About the Author
Rogelio Rodriguez is a real estate advisor with over 20 years of experience in Colorado. He helps families and investors find smart real estate solutions with integrity and expert knowledge.

Sources & References:

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