MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Tucked in the back of Sarah Street in Stroudsburg, there's a cute little house fit for a family.
The home is used for short-term rentals. Jenny Radick is the host.
"I started my very first one with my home, and I actually rented it out on weekends because I felt like I was spinning my wheels in the mud with my mortgage payments, insurance payments, and everything. I needed something," said Jenny Radick, Airbnb Host.
Jenny has found success in short-term rentals, and she's not alone.
According to Airbnb, a company that specializes in short-term rentals, hosts in Monroe County made a pretty penny last year: about $19 million while welcoming more than 150,000 guests to the Poconos.
Radick says she isn't surprised.
"We don't have enough hotels. Penn Stroud is closed down, and there's the Hampton Inn. There is really nowhere else to stay in town except for all these beautiful old charming homes. We came in and put a lot of money and a lot of effort into making this house better and to welcome in tourism that this downtown is always screaming for," said Radick.
Managers at the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau tell Newswatch 16, while there are lots of hotels and resorts all throughout the Pocono Region, this is a popular tourist destination with high demands for lodging.
"We think it's a great thing for the economy. It's bringing more people to the Poconos, and they get to come and spend more time in our shops, dining and all those good things," said Brian Bossuyt, Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.