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Why Should STR Hosts Work with Property Management Companies?
Managing a short-term rental can be exciting, but let’s be real it can also be really time-consuming. Between guest communication, cleaning schedules, maintenance, and marketing, it can start to feel like a full-time job. That’s where property management companies come in.
A good property management company can handle all the heavy lifting for you. They can optimize your listing, manage bookings, and ensure your guests have an amazing experience – all while maximizing your revenue. But before you sign a contract, it’s crucial to ask the right questions to make sure you’re choosing the best fit for your business.
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12 Essential Questions to ask a Property Management Company
1. What Services Do You Offer?
Why It’s Important: Not all property managers offer the same services. Some focus purely on bookings and guest communication, while others handle everything from marketing to maintenance.
Pro Tip: Look for a company that offers a comprehensive package, including dynamic pricing, guest vetting, housekeeping coordination, and maintenance support.
2. How Do You Handle Pricing and Revenue Management?
Why It’s Important: Pricing can make or break your short-term rental business. You want a property manager who uses data-driven strategies to maximize your revenue.
Pro Tip: Ask if they use pricing tools like AirDNA or Pricelabs to adjust rates based on demand, seasonality, and local competition.
3. What Experience Do You Have with Short-Term Rentals?
Why It’s Important: Managing short-term rentals is very different from managing long-term leases. You want someone who understands the fast-paced nature of vacation rentals.
Pro Tip: Ask for case studies or references from other Airbnb hosts they’ve worked with.
4. How Do You Handle Guest Communication?
Why It’s Important: A slow response time can lead to bad reviews. A property management company should provide 24/7 guest support to handle check-ins, troubleshooting, and general questions.
Pro Tip: Find out if they use automated messaging for quick responses and how they handle emergencies.
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5. What Cleaning and Maintenance Services Do You Provide?
Why It’s Important: Cleanliness is a top priority for guests, and regular maintenance prevents costly repairs.
Pro Tip: Look for a company that has a solid cleaning checklist and works with professional cleaners experienced in turnover cleaning for Airbnb properties.
6. What Are Your Fees, and How Do You Structure Payments?
Why It’s Important: Property managers typically charge a percentage of your revenue (10-30%), but some may have hidden fees.
Pro Tip: Get a clear breakdown of all charges, including marketing costs, maintenance fees, and any additional service costs.
7. How Do You Market Listings to Increase Bookings?
Why It’s Important: A great property manager knows how to optimize your Airbnb listing to boost occupancy rates.
Pro Tip: Ask if they offer professional photography, SEO-optimized descriptions, and paid advertising to improve visibility.
8. How Do You Handle Guest Reviews and Reputation Management?
Why It’s Important: Reviews can significantly impact your ranking and future bookings.
Pro Tip: Ensure they have a review management strategy, such as encouraging happy guests to leave positive feedback and handling negative reviews professionally.
9. What Technology or Software Do You Use?
Why It’s Important: The best property managers use channel management software to synchronize bookings across platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com.
Pro Tip: Ask if they use tools like Changeover, Guesty, Lodgify, or Hospitable to streamline operations.
10. How Do You Handle Maintenance and Emergency Repairs?
Why It’s Important: You need a property manager who can quickly resolve maintenance issues to avoid guest complaints and cancellations.
Pro Tip: Check if they have local contractors on-call 24/7 and a process for handling urgent repairs.
11. Can You Provide Performance Reports and Financial Statements?
Why It’s Important: Transparency is key. You need to know how your property is performing.
Pro Tip: Look for a company that provides monthly reports with occupancy rates, earnings, and maintenance expenses.
12. What Are the Terms of the Contract and Cancellation Policy?
Why It’s Important: You don’t want to get locked into a long-term contract with a company that isn’t delivering results.
Pro Tip: Make sure there’s a reasonable exit clause in case you’re not satisfied with their service.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right property management company can take your short-term rental business to the next level. But don’t rush into it – make sure you ask the right questions to find the best fit for your needs.
By taking the time to research and compare different companies, you can ensure your Airbnb or vacation rental is in good hands and generating the highest possible returns.
Changeover is a clever platform that shares your booking calendar with your cleaners & then fully automates the scheduling & management of changeovers. Sit back & relax as it tracks progress & sends notifications to ensure that everything is completed smoothly & on time.
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auto-schedule
STR & Airbnb cleaning
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Make changeovers simple & stress-free. In a few clicks, you can auto-schedule, share & track cleaning with ease.
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