Congratulations! You’ve just purchased a beautiful vacation home in Lake Tahoe and are trying to figure out next steps. The first thing to figure out is who will be taking care of your vacation home? You’ve heard about Airbnb managers, or co-hosts, who take care of Airbnb properties for homeowners. On the other hand, you also know there are professional companies who can provide care and services for vacation rental owners. So the question is: which way should you go? To figure out what the best choice is for you, you’ll need to find out what the key differences are between Airbnb co-hosts and professional vacation rental management companies.
Airbnb Managers or Co-Hosts
The term, co-host, started being used by Airbnb to describe someone who manages a property on someone else’s behalf.
In this arrangement, the co-host is usually responsible for communicating with guests, answering questions, providing instructions and helping to troubleshoot issues as they arise. Often, it is also the co-host’s responsibility to schedule cleanings, maintenance and organize necessary vendors. Normally, the co-host works remotely, which means that they aren’t necessarily local or within easy travel distance to your property in case of emergency.
In this scenario, property owners are usually heavily involved in the operations of the vacation rental and are responsible for all the marketing, reservation management and financial administration. Depending on your co-host’s ability and availability, property owners may find themselves also taking on some of the tasks normally performed by the co-host, making this option potentially very time consuming.
Professional Management
A professional Property Management Company is a dedicated individual or company that specializes in managing rental properties on behalf of property owners.
Management companies handle all aspects of property management, including marketing, guest communication, reservations, cleaning, maintenance, and financial administration. Property management companies typically have expertise in optimizing occupancy rates, maximizing rental income, and ensuring properties comply with regulations and industry standards. Additionally, you’ll typically find that most property management companies operate in the area where your property is located so they are better prepared to help guests, take care of your home more thoroughly and are on hand in the case of emergencies.
Because management companies take care of every aspect of your vacation rental, working with a professional management company means that the property owner can relax and enjoy passive income!
How Does Having a Local Property Management Company Benefit You?
Thorough Inspections
Before each guest arrival and after each departure, your home is inspected by a professional inspector or quality control specialist. These team members go through intensive training and safety courses to ensure your home is both fully supplied for a comfortable stay, and safe for your guests. When a property is inspected on a regular basis, we can be proactive with maintenance and are better able to care for your property.
Professional Relationships
Local professional management companies have deep ties in their communities, and have built solid working relationships with trusted vendors. That means when issues arise, our vendors will prioritize us!
Dedicated Web Presence
While a co-host might be able to list and manage a couple of platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, a professional company will be able to offer their clients a dedicated web presence where guests can book direct.
What are the benefits of booking direct?
- Guests and hosts save on service fees that VRBO and Airbnb charge.
- All guests have to abide by your house rules, rental agreements, and cancellation policies rather than the agreements set by third party sites.
- Professional companies take advantage of advertising to previous guests in the form of e-mail marketing, social media, google ads and more!
There’s no doubt that there are many benefits to listing with a professional management company like Tahoe Signature Properties! If you’d like to learn more or if you have any questions, feel free to reach out and find out what sets us apart!
