Not financial advice: This is not financial advice. It is strictly our opinion, for general information only. Talk to a licensed financial adviser, accountant or attorney before making investment decisions.
If you’re thinking about buying a condo on Clearwater Beach to rent to visitors, the first thing to understand is that income here moves with the seasons. Looking at a single month, or a single year’s total, can give the wrong idea. So we pulled a full year of booking data from PriceLabs, which tracks short-term rental listings near Clearwater Beach, to show how the calendar really plays out.
The year month by month
The table covers October 2024 to September 2025 for all listing sizes combined. Booked nights are the share of available nights that guests booked, and the rate is booked revenue divided by booked nights.
| Month | Nights booked | Average nightly rate |
|---|---|---|
| October 2024 | 81% | $226 |
| November 2024 | 84% | $240 |
| December 2024 | 78% | $264 |
| January 2025 | 74% | $265 |
| February 2025 | 88% | $366 |
| March 2025 | 90% | $425 |
| April 2025 | 81% | $336 |
| May 2025 | 73% | $285 |
| June 2025 | 75% | $310 |
| July 2025 | 74% | $306 |
| August 2025 | 62% | $246 |
| September 2025 | 50% | $226 |
March was the high point, with 90% of available nights booked at an average of about $425 a night. September was the quietest month, at 50% booked and about $226 a night. February to April stood out on both measures, covering the late winter and spring travel season.
How size changes the picture
| Size | Nights booked (12 months) | Average nightly rate | Booked revenue per available night |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 77% | $217 | $167 |
| 2 bedrooms | 72% | $360 | $259 |
| 3 bedrooms | 72% | $487 | $351 |
Booked revenue per available night is simply the share of nights booked multiplied by the average rate, which makes it easier to compare sizes. Larger units charged far more per night, while 1 bedroom units booked a slightly higher share of their nights. Studios are left out because PriceLabs tracks only a small number of them here.
The seasonal swing affects every size. In March 2025, 1 bedroom units booked 91% of nights at about $308, 2 bedroom units 87% at about $498, and 3 bedroom units 91% at about $714. By September 2025 those figures had fallen to 51% at $172, 49% at $274, and 46% at $344.
How to read booked nights
A booked nights figure is the share of nights that listings made available and guests then booked. It doesn’t count nights an owner blocked for personal use or maintenance, so it describes how well available nights sold rather than how many nights a unit was occupied in total. A unit that is open to guests all year will usually book a lower share than one that only opens its calendar in peak months.
The nightly rate is an average across every booked night, so it blends weekends with weekdays and holidays with quiet weeks. Two units with the same average can have very different calendars, which is why we like to look at a full year month by month.
What we take from this
In our opinion, a few practical lessons follow from a year like this:
- Plan the budget around the quiet months. Expenses such as association dues, insurance and utilities arrive every month, while bookings cluster in late winter and spring. A cash cushion for late summer and fall makes ownership far less stressful.
- Pricing matters as much as location. The gap between peak and quiet months is wide, so owners who adjust rates and minimum stays through the year usually make better use of the calendar than those who set one price.
- Check the rules before the numbers. Nightly and weekly rentals are only possible in certain buildings and zones. Our short-term rental rules guide explains the limits, and our condo building guides cover individual buildings.
- Past performance is only a guide. These figures describe one year of market-wide bookings, not what any particular unit will earn.
Questions to ask before you buy a rental
- Does the building and its zoning allow the stay length you’re planning, in writing?
- What did the unit actually earn in the past, and can the seller show booking records or tax filings?
- How many weeks a year do you want for yourself, and when? Peak months are also your best earning months.
- Who will clean, check in guests, handle problems at night and look after the unit after a storm?
- What are the association dues, insurance and any planned assessments, and how do they fit a quiet month?
For a figure based on a specific property, ask for a free rental income estimate, or read about our property management service. Our October 2025 market report also has the latest monthly sales figures.
Not financial advice: This is not financial advice. It is strictly our opinion, for general information only. Talk to a licensed financial adviser, accountant or attorney before making investment decisions.
Sources
- PriceLabs market data for short-term rental listings near Clearwater Beach, October 2024 to September 2025. Rates are booked revenue divided by booked nights. PriceLabs recalculates past months over its current listing sample, so figures can change slightly over time. Studios are excluded because the sample is small.