The Black Cat Blog
Practical guides on Airbnb profit tracking, tax deductions, and running a smarter rental business.
Airbnb's New 15.5% Host Fee: The Exact Math on Repricing, Profit, and Taxes
Mandatory September 15. Break-even is +14.8%, not the +18% going around — plus the do-nothing cost in dollars and the 1099-K change nobody is covering.
Read article →Airbnb Tax Prep Checklist: What Your CPA Actually Needs From You
CPAs bill by time — a clean handoff costs less and finds more deductions. The exact documents, totals, and property facts to bring, plus the handoff mistakes that trigger IRS notices.
Read article →Airbnb Depreciation Calculator: How Much Can You Actually Deduct?
Depreciation is the biggest deduction most hosts never claim. Run your numbers in the free calculator, then learn the 27.5-vs-39-year question every STR host should ask their CPA.
Read article →How to Track Airbnb Expenses Without a Spreadsheet
Spreadsheets fail the same way every time: silently. The capture-at-source workflow that replaces manual entry — bank feeds, receipt snaps, and Schedule E categories as you go.
Read article →Stessa vs HostBook vs Black Cat: Which Should Airbnb Hosts Use?
An honest three-way comparison — who each tool is really built for, where each wins, and when a plain spreadsheet beats all three. Bias disclosed up front.
Read article →How to Calculate Your Real Airbnb Profit (Not Just Revenue)
Most hosts confuse revenue with profit. Learn the hidden expenses eating your margins and the formula to calculate what you actually keep.
Read article →Every Airbnb Tax Deduction You Can Claim in 2026
The complete Schedule E guide for short-term rental hosts. Depreciation, operating expenses, and deductions most hosts miss entirely.
Read article →Airbnb vs VRBO: Which Is More Profitable for Hosts?
A side-by-side breakdown of fees, guest behavior, occupancy rates, and net profit — so you can decide where your property actually belongs.
Read article →Airbnb Spreadsheets vs. Profit Tracking Software
Spreadsheets got you started. Here's why they'll hold you back — and when it's time to switch to dedicated tracking.
Read article →Airbnb Expense Categories: The Complete List for Hosts
Every cost you should be tracking — organized by category with typical dollar ranges and how they map to Schedule E.
Read article →How to Track Airbnb Cleaning Costs (And Stop Overpaying)
Cleaning is your biggest variable expense. Learn to track per-turnover costs, spot overcharges, and cut your biggest recurring cost.
Read article →Is Your Airbnb Actually Profitable? 5 Warning Signs
Revenue looks great — but are you actually making money? Here are 5 signs your Airbnb is less profitable than you think.
Read article →Airbnb Schedule E: How to File Rental Income on Your Tax Return
Step-by-step walkthrough of IRS Schedule E — which lines to fill in, what expenses to deduct, and the mistakes that trigger audits.
Read article →Bookkeeping for Airbnb Hosts: A Simple System That Takes Minutes
Separate your finances, track income the right way, categorize expenses, reconcile payouts, and stay tax-ready all year — in minutes a week.
Read article →How to Set Airbnb Nightly Rates: A Data-Driven Pricing Guide
Find the rate that maximizes profit, not just bookings. Covers comp analysis, seasonal adjustments, and the one metric that actually matters.
Read article →AI-Powered Airbnb Profit Tracking: How Smart Hosts Maximize Returns
Revenue dashboards show what came in. AI shows where the money went, what's coming next, and how you compare to every host in your market.
Read article →Airbnb Profit Calculator
Enter your nightly rate, occupancy, and expenses to see your real profit margin — not just revenue.
Airbnb Profit Tracker Spreadsheet
Track revenue, expenses, per-property profit, cleaning costs, and auto-generate your Schedule E tax report. Works in Excel & Google Sheets.