How to Find the Best Vacation Rental Management Company

When you have owned a vacation rental property for some time, you may eventually feel overburdened by the never-ending responsibilities involved in managing your rental and think about hiring a vacation rental firm to help you run your business.

You are not alone. Many homeowners feel they need assistance running their holiday rental and hire a seasoned firm or property manager to keep things under control. Your situation and your budget will determine how much work you want the firm to do for you and how to pick the best vacation rental company.

Additionally, picking the best one might be difficult because there are so many different vacation property management firms available, many of which claim that they are superior to the others in various ways.

Let's look at what a vacation rental property manager performs and how you should go about choosing the best for your vacation rental business to make this decision easier.

What does vacation rental management involve?

So, which is better managing the property yourself or hiring a property manager? How can you tell if you require vacation rental management services? What does this kind of service entail specifically? Everything is dependent upon your spending limit and the time available for your business (daily, monthly, or annually).

Many first-time owners of vacation rentals misjudge the amount of time required to make sure everything operates well. From cleaning to communicating with guests, the list of duties gradually grows into a full-time job.

Mentioned below are some typical duties that owners of holiday rentals frequently delegate to vacation home rental management companies:

• Property maintenance.
• Cleaning, replacing linens, towels, and other amenities.
• Invoices, taxes, and insurance.
• Legal counsel on matters pertaining to holiday rental management.
• Keeping track of bookings, reservations, guest inquiries, tenant payments, and administrative chores.
• Using listing websites and social media to advertise and market your home.
• Check-in and check-out.
• Responding to the needs of the visitor before, during, and after the stay, serving as a point of contact in case of an emergency.

There are always other things to complete, such as curating a welcome basket, offering suggestions to enhance visitors' overall experience, and responding to reviews. Given the overwhelming workload, it may make sense to give a portion of your earnings to a vacation rental management firm that assists you with this lengthy list of duties.

Pros and cons of hiring a vacation rental management company

The number of properties in the vacation rental market has grown quickly, and so have the number of vacation home rental management organizations. Property management firms have become more specialized as a result of the industry's recent growth, and many now provide a variety of services, including a concierge service. Some property management businesses offer marketing services as well and can advise you on the best vacation rental management software.

The pros:

There are many advantages to hiring property management businesses' services for the owners of the properties listed below are a few key advantages.

1. Better engagement with guests

Being a point of contact for any issues, queries, or complaints from guests.

2. Saves time

When someone is able to handle the vacation management services for you, it cuts down on the time, effort, and pain that comes with managing many properties at once.

3. Outsourced property management

using a service team to handle problems with property maintenance.

4. Increased occupancy rates

They aid in attracting more visitors to increase occupancy rates.

The cons:

However, a few disadvantages to using a vacation rental management company are listed below.

The cost

Even while hiring a vacation rental manager is a terrific choice, not all vacation rental owners should go that route. The expense of employing a vacation home manager may simply be too high at a time when you may not be making much money, especially if you have just begun renting out a property to earn an additional income.

Less personal contact

Another problem is that dealing with an impersonal vacation rental management firm may put off travelers looking for a genuine experience involving direct interaction with the host.

When do you need vacation rental management services?

As we said before, everything relies on your budget and how much time you can or want to commit to your business. Determine if you can do all your tasks in the number of hours you have available each week.

If you want to manage everything yourself but need assistance marketing the rental, you can work with companies that are experts in the hospitality industry to promote your business. If you have trouble getting bookings during the off-season, they can help rent out your space all year round, ensuring that it is never empty.

Of course, you need to pay someone to handle your property if it is located far from where you reside. However, if you have close friends or family members who reside in the neighborhood where your rental is situated, they might be prepared to care for your home in exchange for a small fee. Managing many properties will make it difficult for you to handle everything on your own, making a vacation rental agency essential to the efficient operation of your business.

How do you locate the top rental management company for holiday rentals?

How can you pick the best organization for you if you decide to work with a vacation rental management firm? Here are some things to consider:

Determine the specific services you require.

The first step should always be determining what you need. How much free time do you have? What do you want to do? What would you rather avoid doing frequently? Which of your tasks takes the longest, and which of your tasks can be outsourced most affordably? Focus on getting guests through the door rather than dealing with guest inquiries and check-in and check-out procedures if you are an expert at promoting your vacation rental but dislike dealing with visitors. Or perhaps you want a vacation rental management company to take care of everything for you.

Find out exactly what services the property management businesses in your area provide, such as whether they specialize in certain OTAs like Airbnb or VRBO. These businesses might occasionally vary based on the state they are in so we advise choosing one in your neighborhood.

Research your options.

The best place to begin is through online research. Check out each company's level of experience, regardless of how big or small it is, and read reviews on Yelp and other review websites. Request references from previous employers if possible.

Check local vacation rental manager fees.

Set a price limit or a budget for the amount you wish to spend. Make sure to complete your research and choose the cost structure that is most appropriate for the services you require because vacation rental property management fees may fluctuate in different states and regions.

Different vacation rental companies may charge a fixed rate, a guaranteed income, or a commission-based structure, for example. Make sure you understand precisely which services are included in each arrangement and anticipate additional costs. Then, make a decision after comparing.

What are the best vacation home rental management companies in the U.S.?

Keep in mind that what's best for your business may not be ideal for others. The option that is appropriate for your business will rely on your requirements and the services that are close by.

However, the companies listed below are some of the top-rated ones in the United States.

Vacasa

Vacasa maintains over 25,000 properties throughout the US and provides full-service vacation rental management, including dedicated local teams, 24-7 assistance, and superior cleaning.

Evolve Vacation Rental management

Based in Denver, this vacation rental company offers to promote your property and fill your calendar for a reasonable property management charge.

SkyRun

The SkyRun team offers a stress-free rental procedure for the owners of over 950 vacation rental homes in the US, Mexico, and Canada. They have a combined 50 years of property management experience.

Casago

With locations in 17 cities around the US and Mexico, Casago is a full-service management firm with a focus on short-term property and rental management.

In Conclusion

Managing a vacation rental is not everyone’s cup of tea and takes a lot of time and effort. It is no wonder that most short-term rentals are run by vacation rental management companies. If you are looking to expand your short-term rental business look no further than Hostaway. Hostaway is the leading vacation rental software. To find out how we help property managers all over the world expand their business simply request a free demo.