Buying an Airbnb or Short-Term Rental in Adams County, PA? Check the Zoning Before You Buy

Short-term rentals can look like an attractive real estate investment, especially in areas with strong tourism and visitor demand like Gettysburg and Adams County.

But before you start calculating nightly rates, occupancy and potential returns, there is a more basic question to answer:

Can you legally use the property as a short-term rental?

Jeff recently represented a buyer purchasing a property in the Fairfield area with plans to operate it as a short-term rental. It was a good reminder that when you're buying real estate for a specific investment purpose, finding the right property is only part of the job.

You also need to make sure the property can actually be used the way you intend.

Short-Term Rental Rules Are Local

One of the biggest mistakes an investor can make is assuming that because short-term rentals exist in an area, another property can automatically be used the same way.

That's not necessarily true.

In Pennsylvania, zoning and land-use regulations are largely handled at the municipal level. That means two properties only a few miles apart can fall under different municipalities with different zoning ordinances, permitting requirements and short-term-rental rules.

That's particularly important around Adams County, where a property with a Gettysburg or Fairfield mailing address may not necessarily be located within the borough itself.

The mailing address doesn't determine the zoning jurisdiction. The municipality does.

Verify the Use Before You Remove Your Contingencies

If you're purchasing specifically to operate an Airbnb, VRBO or other short-term rental, don't wait until after settlement to start asking questions.

Before committing to the investment, determine the property's municipality and zoning district and investigate whether short-term rentals are permitted there.

Depending on the municipality and property, questions may include whether the use is permitted by right or requires additional approval, whether a permit or registration is required, and whether there are rules involving parking, occupancy, signage, safety or other operational issues.

The requirements aren't necessarily the same from one municipality to another — and regulations can change.

For that reason, Jeff encourages buyers to verify the current requirements directly with the municipality and appropriate professionals rather than relying solely on what a seller, prior owner, neighbor or online listing says.

Existing Airbnb Use Doesn't Automatically Answer the Question

This deserves special attention.

Seeing that a property has previously been advertised or operated as a short-term rental doesn't necessarily establish that a new owner can continue operating it under exactly the same conditions.

An investor should still investigate the property's current approvals and applicable regulations and determine whether a change in ownership affects anything.

That's due diligence — not pessimism.

Run the Investment Numbers After You Understand the Rules

Once you've established that the intended use is viable, then the traditional investment analysis becomes much more meaningful.

Purchase price, financing, expected nightly rates, realistic occupancy, management expenses, cleaning costs, utilities, insurance, maintenance, taxes and reserves all matter.

But a beautiful spreadsheet projecting excellent returns isn't particularly useful if the underlying use doesn't comply with local requirements.

Use comes before yield.

Buying an Investment Property in Adams or York County?

One of the things Jeff enjoys about working with investment and unusual properties is that the real estate itself is often only part of the equation.

Whether you're considering a short-term rental, commercial property, mixed-use building, acreage or another property with a specific intended use, it's important to identify the questions that need answered before you're committed to the purchase.

If you're considering an investment property in Gettysburg, Fairfield, Hanover or elsewhere in Adams or York County, Jeff is happy to talk through what you're trying to accomplish and help you evaluate the real estate side of the opportunity.