Quentin West Shortcut to Superhost Review: What Is the Golden Triangle Airbnb Strategy?

Shortcut to Superhost is Quentin West’s Airbnb short-term rental arbitrage training platform. It teaches you how to start and scale an STR business without owning property. The training focuses on Quentin’s Golden Triangle Airbnb strategy. It offers a course, private community, coaching calls, support, and other resources. There are 3 levels offered based on your needs and goals.

There are no reviews for Shortcut to Superhost. There are some testimonials for Quentin, but none mention the course or their businesses. Some of the testimonials are for Quentin’s real estate conference, The Capital Connection.

I’ve invested in several ventures, from e-commerce to real estate, since 2014. I’ve learned all about the advantages and risks of different types of investments. This article will review Shortcut to Superhost and the Golden Triangle Airbnb strategy. It covers the 3 levels and what comes with each, such as the strategy calls and brand consultations. The article also investigates who Quentin West is and what his claims on Airbnb arbitrage are.

Shortcut to Superhost Pros and Cons

Pros

• Lifetime access to all the resources
• Quentin West is an active speaker in the real estate investment industry

Cons

• The level 1 package is expensive compared to other beginner courses with no coaching
• There is a lack of student reviews or case studies
• The marketing does not set realistic expectation with the business model

Price: Shortcut to Superhost costs $2,500 for the Level 1 package. The price of the Level 2 and are not disclosed but are in the 5-figures.

Refund policy: Shortcut to Superhost does not offer any refunds.

Origin: Shortcut to Superhost was created in December, 2022.

Reputation: Quentin West enjoys a good reputation. He is featured in several publications and podcast interviews.

What Is the Golden Triangle Airbnb Strategy?

Quentin West’s Golden Triangle strategy is a market selection and listing optimization blueprint. It focuses on the identification of high-demand, low-competition areas for Airbnb rental arbitrage. Avoid tourist hotspots like Miami, NYC, or Dallas. Target smaller niche cities between multiple high-traffic destinations.

1. Identify three major demand drivers: Look for a location that is 30 minutes away from at least three major sources of traveler demand. These can include:
   • International airports or major transportation hubs. These ensure a steady flow of travelers.
   • Large employers, hospitals, or universities. These attract traveling health workers, corporate employees, academic professionals, and students.
   • Tourist attractions, convention centers, or landmarks. These create vacation rental demands from tourists, conference attendees, and event-goers.
2. Find a central location between these three points: Look for a smaller city or suburban area within a 30-minute radius of the points. This ensures high occupancy rates without the strict regulations of big cities. For example:
   • Winston-Salem, NC, is located between 3 major demand driver points:
     • Charlotte Douglas International Airport
     • Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
     • The Blue Ridge Parkway
3. Optimize listings to maximize bookings: To maximize profitability, you need to make your listings visible.
   • List your properties on multiple platforms, like Airbnb, VRBO, and direct booking.
   • Use SEO strategies like keyword targeting and high-quality photos to boost your listings.
   • Target mid-term renters, such as traveling professionals, corporate renters, and medical travelers.

What Do You Get With Shortcut to Superhost?

• Level 1
  • Lifetime access to the full online course
  • 30 min strategy call
  • 1-hour tax strategy call
  • Access to the private community
  • Brand design consultation
  • Additional resources
• Level 2
  • Includes Level 1 package
  • Access to the high-level community
  • Weekly group coaching calls
  • 2 done-for-you listing optimizations
  • Help with software setup
  • Weekly performance reviews
  • Additional support based on your needs
• Level 3
  • Includes Level 2 package
  • Virtual assistant placement
  • A Direct booking site
  • An upsell store buildout
  • 6 months of personalized support
  • Additional ongoing support options

Who Is Shortcut to Superhost For?

• Digital entrepreneurs who want to start an STR business. They can choose between 3 levels depending on their needs.
• Beginners who want to learn about STR arbitrage. The Level 1 package is enough to master the fundamentals.
• STR business owners who want to create listings on platforms like Airbnb and VRBO.
• Current STR hosts who want to learn new strategies and improve their business.

Who Is Quentin West?

Quentin West is a real estate investor from Kernersville, North Carolina. He is also an Airbnb Superhost and a short-term rental business coach. He started his STR investment company, the Cozy Cosmo, in 2021. With 40 units, 3 of which are personally owned, Quentin makes $100K to $300K per month at a 38% profit margin. He has made over $3 million and continues to scale. He also hosts mastermind retreats and business networking events for real estate investors.

Quentin learned about short-term rentals when he was looking to invest in real estate. He started by co-hosting properties on Airbnb. He used the profits and experience gained to start his own Airbnb business. Today, he has taught over 1,000 short-term rental hosts. He also has a weekly podcast called The Wealthy Host Show. Quentin continues to scale and has a goal of owning 10,000 multifamily units.

What Are Quentin West’s Airbnb Arbitrage Claims?

Quentin West claims that the Golden Triangle strategy leads to high occupancy rates and profits. He highlights several points:

• Using the Golden Triangle strategy in an STR arbitrage business will be profitable within 4 months.
• STR arbitrage has low financial risks and is less affected by real estate market fluctuations.
• STR arbitrage is highly scalable. You can easily automate it to the point where you only need to spend 5–20 minutes a day.

Does the Golden Triangle Strategy Ensure High Occupancy Rates and Profitability?

The Golden Triangle strategy does not guarantee occupancy or profitability. Success will depend on a mix of market conditions, location, and management strategies. Low occupancy rates do happen and are often caused by off-peak seasons and world events. We saw this during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was a huge drop in travel demand. Here are the facts:

• STR arbitrage investors take about 12 months to recoup their initial investment. Then another 4-6 months to become profitable. Quentin’s 4-month profit claim does not cover the recovery of the initial investment.
• Contrary to Quentin’s claims, STR arbitrage involves a lot of financial risk. There are financial commitments and upfront costs. This includes long-term lease agreements and the costs of furnishing and operations.
• Touch Stay says that additional property increases operational complexity. Automation tools and virtual assistants reduce your time burden but increase operational costs. If you want to maximize your profits, spending just 5-20 minutes a day is not enough.

Is Short-Term Rental Arbitrage Legal?

Short-term rental arbitrage is legal in almost every city in the world. However, local laws may vary from city to city. STR arbitrage is heavily restricted in many cities, especially the populated ones. Below are some examples of the restrictions:

• Local regulations: In NYC, it is illegal to rent for less than 30 days unless the host is present during the stay. In San Francisco, you need an OSTR permit, pay a 14% tax for stays of less than 30 days, and stay at the property for at least 275 nights a year.
• Lease agreements: Standard lease agreements prohibit subleasing. You must ensure that the landlord allows STR arbitrage in writing. Violations of lease agreements can lead to eviction or legal action.
• Insurance and liability: Standard renter’s insurance doesn’t cover damage from STR guests. You need to get additional insurance coverage specific to STR arbitrage.

Many consider STRs to contribute to housing shortages and increased rents. This has led many cities to tighten their restrictions on rental arbitrage. This reality presents a risk of losing your business and makes scaling difficult.

What Are the Best Cities for Airbnb Arbitrage?

The best cities for Airbnb arbitrage attract visitors all year round. They are accessible to places of interest and businesses. Below is a list based on profitability:

• Nashville, TN – $96/day profit
• Charleston, SC – $77/day profit
• Boston, MA – $66/day profit
• Savannah, GA – $65/day profit
• Kissimmee, FL – $54/day profit

Why I Prefer Investing in Digital Real Estate

I prefer investing in digital real estate because of the lower costs, fewer risks, and high profit margins. STR arbitrage has high upfront and ongoing costs, such as rent and furnishing. It also carries market and legal risks, like seasonal demands and tightening restrictions. The average profit margin for STR arbitrage is 15% to 35%.

My top digital real estate business model, local lead generation, only requires an initial investment of as little as $500. A single local lead gen asset earns $500 to $3,000 a month and has a profit margin of up to 95%. As the landlord, I have full control of my business and keep all the profits. My business is not affected by local restrictions or occupancy rates.

Local lead generation uses the rank-and-rent method. You rank a site on Google using SEO and rent it out to local businesses. They will pay you each month for the traffic sent their way. As long as your site is ranking and generating leads, you earn passively. Compared with rental arbitrage, Business Insider reported that an STR business takes up to 50 hours of work per week.

Scaling an STR arbitrage business means listing more properties and outsourcing work. This adds risks and costs. Scaling a local lead generation business means repeating the rank-and-rent process without additional costs or risks. I have dozens of sites that earn me over $52K a month in passive income. This is why local lead generation is my number 1 scalable and low-risk investment.