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Vacation Rental Properties for Sale in Preston, Utah
Preston, Idaho's neighbor to the south, Franklin County sits at the northern tip of Utah's Cache Valley, where the Bear River winds through farmland backed by the Bear River Range. That quiet, unhurried setting is exactly what draws short-term rental investors and second-home buyers alike. Highway 91 connects Preston-area communities to Logan in roughly 30 minutes, and the region's proximity to Bear Lake — about an hour east over Strawberry Canyon — gives vacation rental owners a compelling pitch to weekend travelers who want a base camp without Bear Lake's peak-season price tags. Raspberry Days in late July, the Oneida Narrows, and low-traffic fly-fishing on the Bear River all generate the kind of repeat visitor traffic that keeps occupancy rates steady through the warmer months.
Vacation rental properties here typically come in two flavors: larger single-family homes on acreage that appeal to multi-family groups and hunting parties, and more modest in-town homes that attract couples or small families passing through Cache Valley. Because Franklin County has lighter short-term rental regulation than heavily-touristed markets like Park City or St. George, buyers often find fewer municipal hoops to jump through — though confirming current county and city ordinances before closing is still essential due diligence. Home prices in the Preston area run well below the Wasatch Front median, meaning cash-flow math can work in your favor even at modest nightly rates. Browse the active listings below to see what's currently available in this corner of northern Utah.
May 2026 · Preston market
Live from the Utah MLS — what's actually happening in Preston right now.
Median sale
$334,000
8 closed in May 2026
Median DOM
36 days
listing → contract
Sale-to-list
97.1%
of final list price
Unsold inventory
44
active + pending
2 matching · page 1 of 1
Active listings
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Common questions
About vacation rental properties in Preston.
Is Preston actually in Utah? ▾
Preston, Idaho is the well-known town just north of the Utah state line in Franklin County. There isn't a Preston, Utah, so most buyers searching this term are looking at the broader Cache Valley market — including Utah-side towns like Richmond, Lewiston, and Cornish, plus Logan to the south. Listings shown here cover that surrounding area.
What drives short-term rental demand in this area? ▾
Four main streams: Utah State University football and basketball weekends in Logan, summer overflow from Bear Lake (about 45 minutes east), hunting and fly-fishing traffic on the Cub and Bear Rivers, and visitors to the Logan LDS Temple. Demand is seasonal and event-driven rather than steady year-round like a resort town.
What are the STR rules in Cache Valley? ▾
Logan City and Cache County both regulate short-term rentals through zoning and licensing — some zones allow them outright, others require a conditional use permit. Smaller towns like Richmond and Lewiston tend to be friendlier but still require a Utah business license and transient room tax registration. Always verify current ordinances with the specific city before closing.
What price range should I expect for a viable STR here? ▾
Three- and four-bedroom single-family homes in the Cache Valley small towns generally run $325K–$525K depending on age, lot size, and proximity to Logan. Properties with a separate basement apartment or detached ADU command a premium because they can be rented as two units.
What nightly rates do vacation rentals typically pull? ▾
Standard 3-bedroom homes in the area run roughly $135–$220 per night, with USU football weekends and holidays pushing well above that. Occupancy averages 45–60% for well-managed listings, which is lower than St. George or Park City but offset by much cheaper acquisition costs.
Is this a year-round rental market? ▾
Not really. Fall (football season and hunting) and summer (Bear Lake, weddings, family reunions) are the strong stretches. Winter is quieter outside of USU basketball weekends and holiday family visits, since Cache Valley isn't a ski destination. Pro formas should assume seasonal swings rather than steady bookings.