There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a company to help manage your vacation rental. A great vacation rental property manager will act as your trusted partner and go above and beyond to care for your home and maximize your income. These five signs ensure you’re dealing with a top property management company that will prioritize you and your home’s best interests.
1. They have a good reputation
Researching vacation rental property managers online should be your first step in finding your perfect match. Read reviews on Google, Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and Trustpilot to get a sense of a company’s brand reputation and how they respond to any negative feedback.
You can even go straight to the source and ask management companies for referrals from current homeowners. Also, do some digging into Net Promoter Scores (NPS) which measure how likely customers are to recommend a brand or service. The average NPS score for the hospitality industry is 53, and AvantStay outperforms with a guest NPS of 73 and an owner NPS of 64.
2. They’re an expert in your local market
A great vacation rental manager should be an expert in all aspects of your local market. Be sure to ask about other vacation rentals they manage in your area and how they fare against competition, how they optimize for seasonal trends, and how they comply with local regulations.
With AvantStay, our team of analysts identifies the unique characteristics of your home mapped against expected performance and the overall market, and reviews pricing daily to ensure your home is priced to book.
We combine our home-specific approach based on size, location, amenities, and everything in between with a data-driven process and dynamic pricing model that leverages market intel, real-time competitive pricing, and forward-looking demand models.
In addition, our fully dedicated permitting and tax professionals maintain good relationships with local jurisdictions so your home is always compliant.
3. They offer a wide range of management services
A vacation rental property management company shouldn’t be just another platform to list your home, they should act as a partner that takes the lead on all aspects of managing and caring for your property. A great vacation rental property manager should provide all of the following services (don’t settle for anything less!):
- Revenue management: Our dynamic pricing model uses 70+ “seasons” segmented by day of the week, seasonal fluctuations, holidays, and events, and adjusts pricing daily, optimizing your revenue and occupancy.
- Listings and distribution: We professionally photograph your home and craft a listing that optimizes search and conversion, driving reach across 65+ OTAs.
- Policy and compliance support: Our Policy and Risk team handles all administrative duties related to initial permitting and renewals of short-term rental permits, home inspections, HOA and government relations, and occupancy taxes.
- Premium home care: Our local operations teams manage maintenance, upkeep, surveillance, and CDC-grade housekeeping. We also perform inspections between each guest stay to check for cleanliness and guest readiness.
- First-class guest care: AvantStay guests have access to 24/7 live support via SMS, email, or phone, and we troubleshoot every issue to ensure they are well-cared for. Guests can also take advantage of our in-app upgrades and experiences to book a private chef, request fridge stocking, schedule mid-stay cleans, and more!
4. They’re always transparent
Before you sign a contract with a vacation rental manager, you should have a complete understanding of the services included in your agreement and any owner expenses. Be sure to ask about the terms and conditions of your contract. Can you end your contract early if the company isn’t performing well or isn’t delivering on the promised services? Know your outs and any opportunities for negotiation.
When it comes to finances, you should always know what to expect in your owner statement. If you ever find a surprise or random fees, it might be time to find a new vacation rental manager.
5. They make communication easy
It should never be a struggle to get in touch with your vacation rental property manager. A great management company should be easy to communicate with during all stages of your journey, from discovery to onboarding and ongoing home management.
With AvantStay, you’ll always have three points of contact: an Owner Experience Manager, a local Area Manager, and a Regional Manager. That way, there’s always someone to go to and quick response times. Our local teams are also available 24/7 for dispatch to your home, should any issues arise.
In addition, our tech-enabled platform gives you full visibility and puts you in control. Our proprietary tech suite provides property insights, work order management visibility, and better guest management and home protection. We’re continuing to innovate with more on the way!
Partner with the premier vacation rental manager
Your search for a great vacation rental property manager stops here. Why not partner with the fastest-growing and top-rated hospitality brand in the industry?
AvantStay offers end-to-end, flexible management programs to give you peace of mind. From financials to design to maintenance, we take care of your home as if it were our own. Our proprietary tech suite powers bookings, operationalizes in-field management, and activates an elevated guest experience. We take care of all the work to maximize your home’s income so you can sit back and relax—it’s that simple.
Interested in learning more about what it means to partner with AvantStay? Our team is ready to help. Get started with our vacation rental management experts today!
