Christies Client Newsletter – June 2026

June 2026

Hurricane Season

Climatologists and hurricane researchers are currently predicting a slightly below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season due largely to developing worldwide weather patterns associated with El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean. These patterns can increase upper-level wind shear across the Atlantic, making it more difficult for hurricanes to organize and strengthen. This is encouraging news for residents and property owners along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. 

Colorado State University’s widely followed forecast currently projects:

• 13 named storms
• 6 hurricanes
• 2 major hurricanes

Those numbers are slightly below the historical average for the Atlantic basin. 

Of course, Gulf Coast residents know that it only takes one storm affecting our area to make a season memorable, so preparation remains important even during quieter forecast years.

Gulf Coast Reminder

Now is still an excellent time to:

• review insurance coverage
• inspect roofs and drainage
• trim trees
• evacuation plans are included in Guest Binders

Events Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast – June 2026

Summer activity is beginning to accelerate along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and two of the largest coast-wide visitor events occur during this period. These events bring thousands of visitors to the area — and many of them need places to stay. Several Christies properties are already booked during these weekends.

🚙 Jeepin The Coast

Dates: May 27 – May 31, 2026
Primary Location: Long Beach, Mississippi with activities across the Coast

One of the largest Jeep events in the country, Jeepin The Coast attracts thousands of Jeep owners and spectators for beach crawls, parades, vendor events, and coastal gatherings stretching from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula. (Jeepin The Coast)

🚗 Scrapin The Coast

Dates: June 26 – June 28, 2026
Location: Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Biloxi, Mississippi

Known as “The Wildest Show on the Coast,” this nationally known custom truck and car show brings large crowds, custom vehicles, vendors, live entertainment, and automotive enthusiasts from across the South. (KG1 FORGED WHEELS)

🎣 Mississippi Deep Sea Fishing Rodeos & Summer Fishing Events

Throughout June
Locations: Gulfport, Biloxi, Long Beach, Pass Christian

June is one of the most active months for offshore and charter fishing along the Coast, with local marinas and fishing organizations hosting tournaments and rodeos throughout the month.

🎶 Summer Live Music & Casino Entertainment

Throughout June
Locations: Biloxi, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis

Coast casinos including Beau Rivage, Hard Rock, Island View, Scarlet Pearl, and others continue their busy summer entertainment schedules with concerts, tribute bands, comedy acts, and beachside events.

🏖️ Peak Beach & Vacation Season Begins

June marks the beginning of the major family vacation season along the Mississippi Gulf Coast:

• beach traffic increases
• restaurants become busier
• fishing charters book quickly
• condo and vacation rental demand rises significantly

For property owners, June often represents the beginning of the strongest occupancy period of the year.

Event Planning Reminder

If you are planning personal stays at your property this summer, early scheduling is highly recommended due to:

• event demand
• peak family travel season
• weekend occupancy increases
• festival and entertainment traffic

For official event schedules and updates:

• Jeepin The Coast
• Coastal Mississippi Events Calendar
• Scrapin The Coast Information

Cleaning Fees for Personal Stays

Good news for property owners using their vacation homes personally — cleaning fees associated with your own stay are generally not subject to Mississippi sales tax when there is no rental transaction involved.

This means:

• you only pay the cleaning fee itself
• the additional lodging and sales taxes do not apply
• taxes are only charged when the cleaning fee is connected to a paid guest reservation

Vacation Rental Management Tools

Through its partnership with RetireCoast.com, Christies has developed several financial and operational tools designed specifically for vacation rental property owners.

These tools are available at no cost to Christies owners and can be accessed directly from the owner client spreadsheet using the links located in the upper-right corner.

Currently Available Owner Tools

• STR Income & Expense Review Tool
  Review annual property income and expenses in a simplified format designed for vacation rental owners.
• Profitability Analysis Tool
  Evaluate whether your property is meeting financial expectations after expenses, taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
• Refinance Readiness Tool
  Analyze whether refinancing opportunities may improve cash flow or long-term property performance.
• Performance Scorecard Tool
  Compare occupancy, revenue trends, expenses, and overall property performance indicators.

These tools are intended to help owners better understand:

• operating costs
• seasonal trends
• profitability
• refinancing opportunities
• long-term property performance
• vacation rental financial planning

Access the Full Client Tool Suite

Owners can explore the full Christies client tool system here:

👉 Christies Client Rental Property Tool Suite

Additional tools and enhancements are planned as the system continues to expand.

July 4th Celebrations — America’s 250th Anniversary

This year’s Independence Day celebrations along the Mississippi Gulf Coast are expected to be especially significant as the nation commemorates the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

As of the time this newsletter was written, many Christies vacation rental properties are already booked for the July 4 holiday period. Traditionally, this is already one of the strongest rental periods of the summer season, but demand appears even stronger this year due to the historic nature of the celebration.

Because of the increased visitor demand:

• occupancy levels are higher than typical years
• rates for the holiday period have increased
• many guests are booking earlier than usual
• coastal events are expected to draw substantial crowds

Gulf Coast Communities Planning Major Celebrations

The State of Mississippi and the federal government have provided funding and grants to communities across the Coast to help support activities, festivals, fireworks displays, historical programming, concerts, and tourism events tied to America’s 250th anniversary observance.

Cities along the Coast are planning:

• fireworks celebrations
• patriotic concerts
• family activities
• parades
• historical exhibits
• waterfront festivals
• veterans and military tributes

Explore the RetireCoast 250th Anniversary Series

Consider reading some or all of the extensive RetireCoast America’s 250th Anniversary Series which explores life in 1776, the American Revolution, colonial business, military history, and the founding period of the United States.

The series includes multiple articles directly connected to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Gulf region during the Revolutionary War era, including:

• Spanish involvement under Bernardo de Gálvez
• Gulf Coast military operations
• early naval conflicts
• colonial trade and shipping
• weapons and daily life in 1776 America

All articles in the series are organized through the 250th Anniversary Hub and continue to expand as the anniversary approaches.

Christies Event Information

To help guests and property owners follow the upcoming celebrations, Christies has added a large America’s 250th Anniversary banner on the home page featuring links to events and activities taking place all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Owners and guests can explore events, fireworks, celebrations, and historical activities here:

👉 Christies Gulf Beach Rentals

The 250th anniversary celebration is expected to create one of the most active summer tourism seasons the Coast has experienced in years.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Growth Continues

Growth and investment continue accelerating across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, bringing new businesses, attractions, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment options to the region.

Several major projects and openings are either underway or recently completed, including:

• Costco and Bass Pro Shops are expected to open in D’Iberville next year.
• New Chipotle and Chick-fil-A locations recently opened in Ocean Springs.
• Mississippi Aquarium expanded last year and continues planning additional exhibits and future growth.
• New hotels are currently under construction in both Gulfport and Biloxi.
• Buc-ee’s opened this year in Long Beach along Interstate 10, drawing significant regional traffic and tourism interest.
• Several new restaurants have opened across the Coast with additional projects already planned.
• The group of restaurants located near Veterans Avenue and Highway 90 in Biloxi are undergoing major remodeling, with two expected to reopen soon as entirely new restaurant concepts.
• Additional gas stations and convenience centers along Highway 90 are either newly opened or currently under construction.

Growth Is in the Air

The Mississippi Gulf Coast continues evolving into a larger regional tourism, entertainment, retirement, and lifestyle destination.

For vacation rental owners, this growth is important because:

• more attractions create more reasons to visit
• additional restaurants and entertainment extend guest stays
• expanded retail development increases regional visibility
• tourism infrastructure improvements support long-term occupancy growth

What This Means for Your Property

Simply put:

More things for visitors to do and experience means more visitors — and more visitors often translate into stronger occupancy rates and increased long-term demand for vacation rentals.

The Coast continues to expand beyond seasonal tourism into a year-round destination market driven by:

• entertainment
• beach tourism
• casinos
• fishing and boating
• retirement relocation
• sporting events
• festivals
• historical tourism
• family travel
• food and restaurant culture

For many owners, these continuing investments are encouraging signs for the future of the Mississippi Gulf Coast vacation rental market.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast real estate market continues transitioning from the unusually rapid growth period experienced during and immediately after COVID into what many brokers now consider a more balanced and sustainable market.

Market Highlights

• Inventory levels have improved in most areas, creating a more balanced environment where buyers and sellers are generally on more equal footing.
• Appreciation rates have moderated to a healthier long-term pace, averaging approximately +2.4% annually across many Coast markets.
• Homes are remaining on the market longer compared to the fast-moving COVID years, with sellers currently receiving approximately 96%–98% of asking price in many transactions.
• Long-term residential rents continue trending upward, increasing approximately 4.1% in many areas.
• Some of the strongest appreciation activity continues occurring in:
  • Ocean Springs
  • Bay St. Louis
• New home construction remains active both north and south of Interstate 10, particularly in areas offering easier access to employment centers, shopping, and coastal amenities.

Vacation & Short-Term Rental Market Trends

The vacation rental market is also continuing to evolve.

During the COVID travel boom, many investors purchased vacation rentals expecting exceptionally high occupancy and revenue levels to continue indefinitely. As the market normalized, some owners discovered that current rental income alone may not fully cover:

• mortgages
• insurance
• taxes
• utilities
• maintenance
• management fees
• furnishings and reserves

As a result, some investor-owned vacation rentals are now being sold.

At the same time, a new category of buyers is entering the market:

• second-home owners
• lifestyle buyers
• retirement-focused purchasers
• families seeking personal-use vacation properties

Many of these new buyers are purchasing fully furnished vacation rentals for a combination of:

• personal use
• family vacations
• retirement planning
• supplemental rental income

These owners often place their properties on platforms such as:

• Christies Gulf Beach Rentals
• Airbnb
• VRBO
• other vacation rental systems

when they are not personally occupying the property.

Fewer Available Room Nights May Help Owners

Interestingly, increased personal use by owners may actually benefit the broader vacation rental market.

As more owners:

• use properties themselves
• hold properties longer-term
• prioritize lifestyle over maximum occupancy

…the total number of available rental room nights across the Coast may gradually shrink.

In many markets, reduced supply combined with steady tourism demand can help support:

• occupancy levels
• seasonal rates
• long-term property desirability
• overall market stability

For many owners, the current market is beginning to resemble a healthier and more sustainable long-term vacation rental environment compared to the unusually volatile conditions seen during the COVID-era boom.

Activities Central

Christies continues expanding our Activities section to help guests and property owners better explore everything available along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

We encourage you to take a few minutes to visit the page by going to the main menu on Christies Gulf Beach Rentals and clicking on Activities.

Inside you will find information about:

• local attractions
• casinos
• restaurants
• beaches
• boating
• fishing
• festivals
• family activities
• museums
• historical sites
• nightlife
• outdoor recreation
• seasonal events

We will continue expanding this section so guests and owners can better understand the full scope of entertainment, tourism, and activities available while visiting the Coast.

Have You Experienced These Gulf Coast Favorites?

Many visitors return year after year and still discover new things to do.

Have you:

• visited Ship Island to tour historic Fort Massachusetts?
• taken an airboat ride through the marshes to see alligators and coastal wildlife?
• explored the Mississippi barrier islands?
• visited the Mississippi Aquarium?
• gone deep sea fishing or shrimping?
• spent an evening at one of the Coast casinos or waterfront restaurants?

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Thank You for Reading

This newsletter is provided exclusively for clients of Christies Gulf Beach Rentals and Christies Gulf Coast Property Management.

We encourage all readers to independently verify:

• event schedules
• restaurant hours and operating days
• attraction availability
• ticket requirements
• local regulations
• weather conditions
• seasonal operating changes

Details can change frequently, particularly during peak tourism periods, holidays, festivals, and hurricane season.

Please plan accordingly and use the information contained in this newsletter at your own discretion and risk.

Christies, its affiliates, partners, advertisers, contributors, and associated websites including RetireCoast.com are not responsible for:

• errors or omissions
• schedule changes
• cancellations
• pricing changes
• business closures
• travel interruptions
• weather-related impacts
• third-party information inaccuracies

We appreciate the opportunity to serve our owners and guests and look forward to another exciting season along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.