@Lora Burney That’s a really smart move you’re considering, converting a long-term rental into a short term rental (STR) can open up a lot more income potential if done right, especially since the property is currently unoccupied. To answer your question: ✅ Yes, in most cases, you can deduct startup expenses, including the BNB Academy course, furnishings, décor, and setup costs, as long as the property is placed in service before the end of the year (meaning it’s available for rent and listed, even if it only books once before 2025 ends). That one rental would generally qualify you to treat the expenses as legitimate business startup and operating costs. A few things I’d recommend you do before you launch: 1. Track every expense clearly, keep receipts for the course, furniture, supplies, and any travel or setup costs related to the rental. 2. Set up a business structure (LLC or sole prop) tied to a dedicated bank account so you can separate personal and business finances, it makes tax filing much smoother. 3. Document when your listing goes live m, a screenshot of the live listing or first booking confirmation helps show that the property was “in service.” 4. Start building your digital footprint early, even before guests arrive, create a presence (Airbnb listing, social proof, or small website) so your STR looks credible from day one. You’re definitely on the right track, and the timing is perfect. If you’d like, I can share a simple breakdown of the exact system I recommend for new hosts, from setup to managing guests and automating follow-ups, so you can focus more on scaling instead of the day-to-day work. Would you like me to send you that guide?