The Journal

Market notes, gently considered.

A considered running record of what we're seeing across the Western Australian coastal property market — written for owners who want signal, not noise.

Written by the Special Stays team — eight years managing premium coastal homes across Western Australia

Recent

Latest writing.

Will Your Holiday Home Still Earn Its Tax Deductions After 1 July 2026? — Special Stays journal

Owner Guides

Will Your Holiday Home Still Earn Its Tax Deductions After 1 July 2026?

From 1 July 2026, the ATO will start fully applying new compliance rules that can strip tax deductions from holiday homes mainly used for personal holidays. Here's what's changing, how the ATO decides, and how to find out where you stand.

23 June 20267 min read
Why Waterfront Homes Perform Differently in Mandurah — Special Stays journal

Coastal Locations

Why Waterfront Homes Perform Differently in Mandurah

Waterfront homes in Mandurah behave very differently to standard suburban holiday accommodation. Here is what owners should understand about pricing, positioning and guest targeting in one of Western Australia's strongest coastal markets.

6 June 20263 min read
What Property Owners Need to Know About Fremantle Guest Demand — Special Stays journal

Perth & Fremantle Insights

What Property Owners Need to Know About Fremantle Guest Demand

Fremantle attracts a broader mix of guests than most coastal markets — and that creates both opportunity and complexity for property owners. Here is what informed owners should understand about demand patterns, presentation and pricing in one of Western Australia's most distinctive short-term rental markets.

6 June 20263 min read
The Real Cost of Self-Managing a Short-Term Rental — Special Stays journal

Owner Guides

The Real Cost of Self-Managing a Short-Term Rental

Self-managing a short-term rental can look simple from the outside. In reality, the true cost is operational, emotional and time-related — and often far greater than owners expect.

6 June 20264 min read
Reading the Western Australian Coastal Market — Special Stays journal

Market Insights

Reading the Western Australian Coastal Market

How seasonal rhythms, regional demand and guest expectations shape returns across Perth, Fremantle and Mandurah's premium coastline.

18 May 20263 min read
What Premium Property Presentation Really Means — Special Stays journal

Property Presentation

What Premium Property Presentation Really Means

Presentation is not decoration. It is the quiet language that tells a guest they have chosen well before they ever arrive.

22 April 20262 min read
A Calmer Approach to Pricing Your Coastal Home — Special Stays journal

Owner Guides

A Calmer Approach to Pricing Your Coastal Home

Dynamic pricing is a tool, not a strategy. The strongest returns come from clarity, consistency and respect for the property's position.

30 March 20262 min read
Managing a Short-Term Rental in Fremantle: What Owners Really Need to Know — Special Stays journal

Perth & Fremantle Insights

Managing a Short-Term Rental in Fremantle: What Owners Really Need to Know

Fremantle rewards owners who treat short-term rental as a managed operation, not a listing. A grounded look at demand, pricing, compliance and guest experience along Western Australia's most characterful port.

18 February 20263 min read
Choosing a Short-Term Rental Manager: Ten Questions Worth Asking — Special Stays journal

Owner Guides

Choosing a Short-Term Rental Manager: Ten Questions Worth Asking

The right manager protects your home, looks after your guests and quietly improves your return. Ten grounded questions that reveal whether a manager has a real system behind the promises.

8 January 20262 min read
A Dog-Friendly Christmas in Pemberton: Planning a Calm Summer Escape — Special Stays journal

Hospitality & Guest Experience

A Dog-Friendly Christmas in Pemberton: Planning a Calm Summer Escape

A relaxed guide to spending the festive season in Pemberton with your dog — shade, water, routine and a home that genuinely welcomes pets, among Western Australia's karri forests.

10 December 20253 min read
The Essentials Checklist: What Every Well-Prepared Rental Provides — Special Stays journal

Property Presentation

The Essentials Checklist: What Every Well-Prepared Rental Provides

The essentials rarely earn praise on their own, but their absence is felt immediately. A considered checklist of what a well-prepared short-term rental quietly covers — from the everyday to the memorable.

20 November 20252 min read
Preparing Your Home for Short-Term Rental: A Considered Approach — Special Stays journal

Property Presentation

Preparing Your Home for Short-Term Rental: A Considered Approach

Preparing a home for short-term rental is rarely about grand renovation — it is a series of small, deliberate decisions, room by room, that make a home easier to live in, easier to maintain and more compelling in photographs.

15 October 20253 min read
Is Short-Term Rental Right for Your Home? An Honest Look — Special Stays journal

Owner Guides

Is Short-Term Rental Right for Your Home? An Honest Look

Short-term rental can lift returns and keep a home in better condition than a long lease — but it is not right for every home or owner. An even-handed look at both sides for WA property owners.

22 September 20252 min read