Brinn Tomes

29/04/2026

Today I joined Cape Talk Radio to discuss the proposed short-term rental regulation for Cape Town and what it could mean for hosts, residents, tourism, and the broader property industry.

The key point: regulation is coming — but the real question is whether it will be implemented in a way that is fair, practical, and scalable.

Cape Town has an opportunity to create a model that protects residents, supports responsible hosts, reduces complaints, and still preserves the economic value that short-term rentals bring to tourism and local jobs.

Have a listen here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QT7zLRjjlM

Why the City’s AirBnB policy change is full of holes

29/04/2026

Cape Town’s Airbnb Law Isn’t the Problem… The System They’re Building Is.

Everyone’s talking about short-term rental regulation right now.

But here’s what no one is saying out loud…

This isn’t just about Airbnb.

It’s about rates.
It’s about infrastructure.
It’s about fairness.
And yes… it’s about revenue.

And to be clear — regulation is needed.

Hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs operate under commercial structures. Short-term rentals do impact infrastructure, services, and communities. So contributing fairly makes sense.

But here’s where it goes wrong:

The way this is being structured is going to create a massive bottleneck.

More admin.
More delays.
More confusion.
More pressure on a system that’s already stretched.

And all of this… right before local elections.

So the real question is:

Are they building a system that actually works —
or just putting something in place to look like progress?

After 26 years in this industry — building, scaling, and selling businesses in this space, and working with international tech and AI companies — I’ve seen what works.

And this isn’t it.

If this is done wrong, it doesn’t solve the problem.

It creates a snowball for the next council to deal with.

Because short-term rentals are not just properties.

They support cleaners, maintenance teams, tourism operators, and thousands of livelihoods.

Yes — regulate.

Yes — make it fair.

But do it properly.

Because a broken system helps no one.

24/04/2026

Cape Town’s proposed short-term rental bylaw… has a massive loophole.

If you go over 50% occupancy → you pay commercial rates.

Sounds fine… until you think about it.

Cape Town already has a low season (May–September).

So what will hosts do?

👉 Close from mid-April to mid-September
👉 Drop below 50% occupancy
👉 Avoid commercial rates completely

Or switch to mid-term rentals and bypass it entirely.

Same property. Same income.
Zero alignment with what the policy is trying to achieve.

This isn’t regulation… it’s a workaround waiting to happen.

And the real problem?
This creates admin, confusion, and enforcement headaches — without solving anything.

25+ years in this industry… and this is exactly what happens when policy isn’t built with real operators.

Curious to hear what other hosts and property owners think 👇

⸻

HASHTAGS:


AirbnbTips Bookingcom VacationRentals
PropertyInvestment RentalStrategy MidTermRentals
TourismSouthAfrica RealEstateSouthAfrica
STRRegulation PropertyLaw UrbanPolicy
HostCommunity EntrepreneurSouthAfrica

09/01/2026

This is the Airbnb management truth nobody wants to admit…

Watch the video 👆

06/01/2026

Winter Is Stealing Your Airbnb Profits (Here’s How to Stop It) ❄️💸

If you don’t plan ahead, everything you earn in peak season gets swallowed during the slow months.

Here’s the fix → Mid-term stays (1–3 months).
These longer bookings keep your cash flow alive through winter — but most hosts wait too long.

👉 You need to be marketing them 3–4 months in advance.

This strategy increases your annual ROI, flattens your income curve, and gives you consistency instead of feast and famine.

📍In places like Cape Town, winter is April–August. That’s 120+ days of potential lost income if you don’t plan ahead.

✅ Start advertising now.
✅ Lock in mid-term tenants.
✅ Stop winter from killing your profits.

Want help? DM me the word WINTER and I’ll show you how we’re doing this for other hosts right now.

01/01/2026

Holiday From Hell? Watch What They Walked Into

They booked a holiday home in Cape St Francis and drove all the way from Johannesburg, excited to finally switch off.

What they walked into on arrival… was not what anyone expects at the start of a break.

Credit to this couple though — his sense of humour was incredible despite the situation. They stayed one night and handled it with real grace.

A reminder that first impressions matter more than we think.

01/01/2026

A New Year—though for me, every day is a new year.

The calendar change is a global ritual we share, often wrapped in the hope that this year things will finally get better. But the truth is, it’s less about the date and more about the mind.

Heaven and hell are shaped from within. Across all spiritual traditions, the same message appears again and again: the kingdom is within. Which means our reality is largely created through perception—through the stories we tell ourselves and the meaning we assign to what happens to us.

One of the deepest lessons I’ve learned—both through my own life and years of studying the brain—is learning to trust. To flow like water, no matter what comes your way. It’s simple in theory and incredibly difficult in practice, especially when things aren’t going well. But that’s the lesson we’re here to master: surrendering control, trusting the process, and believing that things will unfold as they should.

So this year is what you make it. What forms within you is what eventually manifests outward.

May this be a year of trust.
May it be a year of love.

Namaste 🙏

27/12/2025

Cape Town now has more Airbnbs than penguins. 🐧🏠 (Literally.)

Recent data shows that Cape Town’s short-term rental market has surpassed many of the world’s largest metros. But as "Digital Nomads" flock to the coast, locals are finding themselves pushed further and further from the city center.

Interesting conflict in the data:
* Airbnb argues: Their listings represent less than 1% of total formal housing units.
* Researchers argue: In specific high-demand pockets, that number is closer to 26%—causing a localized "supply shock" that drives up all nearby rents.

Is this a simple case of supply and demand, or does the short-term rental model need a fundamental "reset" to protect local communities?

What’s your take? Should there be a cap on how many days a property can be listed? Let’s talk in the comments.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/gcRuVd5C

25/12/2025

🎄✨ Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Wishing you peace, joy, and time well spent with the ones you love. May your heart be full, your cup overflow, and your holiday season be unforgettable.

Here’s to rest, reflection, and big things ahead. 🙌