Why are so many investing into Kansas City's short-term rental market? For several years, Kansas City has attracted an average of 25 million visitors annually. Since 2020, the downtown core
Short-Term Rental Market
Dated: April 14 2026
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Why are so many investing into Kansas City's short-term rental market?
For several years, Kansas City has attracted an average of 25 million visitors annually. Since 2020, the downtown core has experienced a surge in upscale hotel development, with new properties offering fine-dining restaurants and luxury amenities. As of December 2025, nine additional hotel brands moved forward with plans to add approximately 850 new hotel rooms to the market. Kansas City’s distinctive blend of history, culture, world-famous barbecue, and championship-level sports continues to set it apart as a premier Midwest destination
In 2026, our city will take center stage on the global stage as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ and its accompanying Fan Festival. An estimated 650,000 visitors are expected to descend on the region, filling roughly 35,000 hotel rooms and injecting more than $105 million into the local economy. Communities within a three-hour radius are also preparing for significant increases in hotel demand. Even with this expanded hotel capacity, tens of thousands of visitors will seek alternative lodging options, particularly short-term residential rentals (STRs). As a result, Kansas City and its surrounding metro communities have seen a dramatic surge in STR applications—rising from fewer than 2,000 active units to approximately 11,000 pending applications across the metro area. I recently purchased a property myself and am in the final stages of taking our rental live. Notably, my investment buyer activity doubled in the last quarter of 2025, and that momentum has continued into the spring of 2026.
With the first FIFA matches about 60 days out, opportunities are limited. Inventory is changing rapidly as demand accelerates ahead of the World Cup. Reguations vary widely by community and continue to evolve. City offices are backed up on application paperwork and, so for these reasons, targeting our FIFA guests may be a bit challenging but not entirely out of the picture.
If you’re exploring STR ownership or investment, I invite you to contact me today for a customized analysis of available opportunities, community-specific considerations, and realistic timelines to market entry.
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