I was chatting with a brand new host who found me on Instagram the other day. She has a really cute listing and was asking all kinds of questions. Out of idle curiosity I did a search on the small city she is in (we used to own a property very near to hers which was a long term rental, not through ABB.) I was shocked to see SO many listings including some which are old neighbors of our former rental. It has exploded.
Three years ago when we started, we considered turning our rental into an ABB. There were literally 5 listings and only one of the hosts was always booked. So we figured "too much work" and found a new tenant. When we were married in that same small city, we had a tough time finding enough places for relatives to stay nearby. Now there is an abundance. There are also some truly "interesting" guests, a few of whom seem to be locals rotating through these various listings without a fixed address, leaving scathing and often bizarre reviews for hosts and getting them as well (but somehow still able to book on the platform.)
So I dug in deeper and yes, the city has proposed some pretty strict regulations which have not yet been ratified. Its just a matter of time.
Our own listing is not in this city but its definitely one of the destinations our guests like to visit. I have not seen the same trend in rural spaces in our area, but suspect if people think it will make money, they will start to snap up properties.
Are you seeing an increase in ABB in your area in the last year or so?