Managing a short-term rental property is a lot of work to do on your own. From booking to cleaning to troubleshooting issues with guests, it’s nice to have some help along the way. Many homeowners are now deciding to partner with a rental management company.
But the decisions don’t end there—when choosing between rental companies, you have a lot of options. It’s important to look at each company’s strategy and consider what that means for you, your property, and your guests. We’ve outlined the three main rental management strategies below.
FIXED
Best for: homeowners who want consistent monthly income.
The fixed strategy allows the rental company to promise the homeowner a certain amount of revenue per month, no matter the number of bookings that month. The rental company pays you this set amount, then takes the rest. This means that you’ll make the same amount in the slower off-season as you will during more popular months. Overall, homeowners don’t maximize their monthly revenue with this strategy because they don’t receive the benefits of major spikes during the on-season. The scope of services provided by rental companies using the fixed strategy varies, but in general it is not comprehensive. The homeowner is often required to take care of services like guest correspondence and solving problems during a guest’s stay.
COMMISSION
Best for: homeowners who want their monthly revenue to reflect booking trends.
The commission-based strategy involves the rental company taking a certain percentage of every booking. This amount depends on the company and location, but typically falls between 20-50%. Using this strategy, the rental company and the homeowner experience highs and lows as a team. When there are more bookings for a certain month, everyone benefits. If you decide to go with a rental company that utilizes this strategy, it’s likely that a greater range of services will be covered than with the fixed strategy. However, you may still be expected to coordinate services such as cleaning, maintenance, and restocking the property between bookings.
TURNKEY
Best for: homeowners who want to maximize their revenue and minimize their workload.
The turnkey strategy is for homeowners who want their rental company to handle all of the tasks that come with maintaining a short-term rental property. Sometimes used in conjunction with the commission-based strategy, the turnkey approach covers all aspects of a booking, from answering initial inquiries to check-in to troubleshooting to turnover. Many homeowners who live out of state or frequently travel abroad choose this method while they’re away. Others live down the street and want a more hands-off approach to hosting. Although this strategy can be more expensive, the additional monthly revenue gained and the peace of mind that everything is covered makes it well worth it.
