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Finding the best Airbnb management company can be difficult, while cost, value, and services matter it’s often difficult to analyze the operational ability of the company. We went out and did the leg work, looking at owner reviews, guest reviews, Airbnb reviews, operational ability, cost, terms and services for each of the 6 best vacation rental management companies.
Summer, the top ranked vacation rental management company, is doing something different in the vacation rental management industry. The company is selective about the properties it signs based on its ability to operate a specific home. This results in a smaller portfolio of very valuable homes that consistently outperform both host and guest expectations.
The 6 best Airbnb management companies are:
- Summer: Best overall
- Vacasa: Best for hosts in urban markets
- Evolve: Best for local hosts that self-operate
- Casago: Best for investors with mixed property portfolios
- Air Concierge: Best for hosts with mid-term rentals
- SkyRun Vacation Rentals: Best for low-cost management
How We Selected the Best Airbnb Property Managers
When choosing the top vacation rental management companies, we focused on the following criteria:
- Operational excellence: The most important factor in this ranking is operational excellence. How well a property manager manages your short-term rental is key to guest experience, host experience, asset value and bottom line revenue.
- Services: We ranked both full-service and half-service managers to accommodate the needs and preferences of passive and DIY Airbnb hosts.
- Fees and costs: We looked for companies that charge clear, transparent fees that are in line with market trends.
- Terms and conditions: We searched for Airbnb managers that offer flexible terms so hosts can cancel if they are not happy with the results.
- Markets: We chose companies that cover different locations across the US, with focus on the best short term rental markets.
- Customer reviews: We selected Airbnb management companies with strong online presence, good average ratings, and many positive reviews by customers.
- Value for money: We focused on the Airbnb property managers that provide the highest value for money to owners.
1. Summer: Best overall
Summer is the best Airbnb management company in the US market because the team at Summer turns down homes if they don’t believe they can operate them. The company is competitive on pricing, but offers significantly more value than any other Airbnb manager that operates on a nationwide scale. This combination allows Summer to maintain a 4.98 Airbnb rating and Superhost status nationwide.
Summer Services
Summer offers a mix of unique services that add significant value for rental hosts, in addition to all of the standard vacation rental management services. Furthermore hosts and members get access to professional design, furnishing, renovations and even property underwriting to grow their short-term rental portfolios.
Unique Summer property management services includes:
- Smart lock: Summer covers the cost of the purchase and installation of the property smart lock.
- Professional photography: Summer covers the cost of professional photography and spends significant time vetting photographers for skill and experience.
- Guest and host communication: 24/7 coverage for guests and hosts.
- Proactive maintenance: Every home has a detailed and individual proactive maintenance plan to ensure everything runs smoothly.
- In-person, onboarding inspection: Every home that’s on boarded by the company is individually inspected and inventoried by the Summer team.
- Local presence: In addition to the staff cleaning and maintaining the homes, Summer has an individual in every new market, opting to sign multiple properties at a time to ensure operational density.
In addition to these unique services, Summer also offers rental property marketing, listing promotion, instant superhost status, dynamic pricing with daily human review, revenue optimization, 24/7 communications, and reservation management.
Included home services cover hot tubs, pools, amenities, cleaning, lawn work, snow removal, regular inspections, and repair and replacement coordination.
Finally, owners get access to detailed monthly reporting.
Summer also offers additional services, independent of its property management division:
- Home design
- Home furnishing
- Home renovations
- And, property underwriting for potential purchase
Moreover, property owners - as members of the Summer Network - can stay at other Summer homes nationwide by using their management account balance.
Summer Pricing and Terms
Summer charges a single, universal property management fee, starting at 20% of monthly rental income. The final pricing offer depends on the market, the performance of the property, and its operational complexity.
It’s important to note that Summer calculates their fee based on booking revenue which does not include cleaning fees, unlike other property managers that calculate their share including cleaning fees. This monthly fee covers all services provided by the company.
There are never unexpected fees, instead Summer prefers to guide owners on future reinvestment into the property to improve revenue and outperform the market.
Summer Markets
Summer Airbnb property management services are available nationwide. However, the company does not operate in markets where operational quality cannot reach the high standards expected from professional property management. Interested property owners can submit their rental via the Summer website to check whether their location qualifies.
In terms of property types, Summer works with a wide range of single family and multifamily properties that earn a minimum of $50,000 in booking revenue per year.
Summer Reviews
Summer members are happy with the deep quantitative analysis provided beforehand, the practical approach, and the affordable solutions.
Summer’s Airbnb reviews average 4.98 stars with thousands of happy guests and completed reservations. Summer has consistently been granted Superhost status by Airbnb since it’s launch.
How to Get Started with Summer
Interested vacation home owners can text 415-650-5642 or schedule a free, one-on-one, personalized consultation with the Summer team. Every applicant receives a complete understanding of projected revenue and ways to improve the property as part of the application process.
2. Vacasa: Best for hosts in urban markets
Vacasa is arguably the most popular name in the short term rental property management industry in North America. Eric Breon and Cliff Johnson established the company in 2009, with headquarters in Portland, OR. But it’s no secret that Vacasa often loses customers and underdelivers.
Of the 44,000 rentals hosted by Vacasa that we analyzed, the best performing were low revenue properties in major urban markets like Austin and Brooklyn.
Vacasa Services
As a full-service Airbnb property manager, Vacasa provides the following core services:
- Owner-driven onboarding
- Property listing including 3D virtual tours, custom copywriting, high-definition photos, and listing optimization
- Marketing including listing on top booking websites, targeted digital marketing, and dedicated reservation agents
- Dynamic rental pricing
- Guest screening
- Professional cleaning and supply stocking
- Payment processing
- Damage coverage
- Property inspections
- Maintenance works
- Permit and tax assistance
Some additional services offered by Vacasa that are paid separately are:
- Smart home program
- Hot tub management and maintenance
- Linen program
- Accommodation protection program
Through the Extended Stay Program (ESP), Vacasa manages long term rentals as well.
Vacasa Pricing and Terms
Vacasa fees are tailored to match the needs of individual property owners. The pricing model includes a single property management fee that covers all services, except for the add-ons listed above. The company website does not offer a range of average fees, while investors who have used the Vacasa services report fees that sometimes exceed 35% of monthly revenue.
Vacation rental property owners can cancel their Vacasa agreement with a 90-day notice. Reservations that have already been booked for this 90-day window will need to be honored. In practice, hosts have had a difficult experience ending contracts, transferring reservations and selling their properties.
Vacasa Markets
Vacasa property management is available in 35 US states in addition to Canada, Mexico, Belize, and Costa Rica.
Vacasa Reviews
Vacasa customer reviews are available on:
- Trustpilot: 4.2/5 stars based on 12,803 reviews
- Yelp: 2.4/5 stars based on 2,009 reviews
- Sitejabber: 1.13/5 stars based on 1,228 reviews
Positive Vacasa reviews focus on the comprehensive services, the easy processes, the well-maintained rentals, the well-stocked properties, the plenty of linen supply, and the courteous staff.
Negative reviews, meanwhile, take note of the poor property management practices, the lower-than-expected revenue, unexpected charges, poor maintenance practices, dirty properties, and unreachable customer support.
How to Get Started with Vacasa
Property owners can call the Vacasa sales team directly or submit an online form on the company website to receive more information.
3. Evolve: Best for local hosts that self-operate
Evolve is another popular name in the vacation rental management industry, but unlike the previously discussed companies, they offer only half-service management. The company was founded by Brian Egan and Adam Sherry in 2011, with headquarters in Denver, CO.
Currently, Evolve manages the Airbnb properties of over 30,000 hosts.
Evolve Services
As a half-service Airbnb property management company, Evolve services focus on the automation of processes for DIY owners. These include:
- Custom listing creation including professional photos and content highlighting each property’s best features
- Listing promotion on top channels and in online searches
- Dynamic pricing via proprietary SmartRates technology
- Revenue optimization
- Guest communication including review reminders
- Short term rental damage and liability protection
Since Evolve does not actively manage properties, they can help hosts be matched with trusted local cleaning and service partners. This means that Airbnb hosts need to be involved in the management of their properties and coordinate the work of their team.
Evolve Pricing and Terms
While Evolve offers an industry-low fee of 10% of monthly income, this includes only partial services that are not enough to provide investors with passive income.
Evolve has strict eligibility criteria. Properties need to be clean, safe, guest ready, and as advertised. The owner remains responsible for obtaining relevant licenses and permits, getting Airbnb insurance, and maintaining the rental. They can cancel with a 15-day notice. If a cancellation of the property management contract happens in the first 90 days after onboarding, the host needs to pay a fee of $250.
Evolve Markets
Evolve vacation rental management services are available in 750 markets in North America, mostly in the US but also in some locations in Canada and Mexico.
Evolve Reviews
Evolve reviews are available on:
- Trustpilot: 4.0/5 stars based on 4,553 reviews
- Sitejabber: 4.09/5 stars based on 618 reviews
Happy Evolve customers highlight the easy onboarding, the proficient services, the beautiful listings, the efficient handling of insurance claims, the helpful guidance, and the professional customer support team.
Unhappy property owners complain about few bookings even in the high season, poor marketing strategies, unoptimized daily pricing, lost revenue, frequent cancellations, and unresponsive Evolve staff.
How to Get Started with Evolve
Vacation rental property owners interested in working with Evolve need to fill in a questionnaire on the company website to determine if they are a good fit. Afterwards, the Evolve team will get in touch with them to discuss details.
4. Casago: Best for investors with mixed property portfolios
Casago is a property management company that works with vacation rentals, long term rentals, unfurnished long term rentals, corporate housing, and single family homes. Steve Schwabb established the company in 1996, with headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ. This is one of the oldest short term rental management companies.
At the moment, Casago works with more than 5,000 properties.
Casago Services
Casago offers full-service Airbnb property management covering:
- Custom rental listing with professional photos
- Listing promotion on top booking websites
- Linen and towel supply
- 24/7 guest communication and support
- Check-in management
- Cleaning management
- Booking management
- Billing and deposits
- Tax collection
- Owner payouts
- Inspections
- Maintenance
- Monthly reports
Casago Pricing and Terms
The Casago property management fees are flexible and depend on the location. While the company claims to charge reasonable rates, there is no range or breakdown of expected fees on the website.
When hiring Casago, Airbnb property owners are required to provide furniture, appliances, dinnerware, and silverware. Hosts need to sign a written agreement, according to which they can cancel Casago services with a 30-day notice.
Casago Markets
Casago works with vacation rentals in 60+ destinations, covering locations in the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Casago Reviews
Casago customer reviews are available on:
- Facebook: 4.6/5 stars based on 300 reviews
- Google Reviews: 4.5/5 stars based on 141 reviews
- Yelp: 3.7/5 stars based on 59 reviews
Positive reviews by Casago customers focus on the good services, the easy processes, the pleasant experiences, the properly maintained and cleaned properties, the kind and polite staff, and the attentive customer service.
Negative reviews discuss horrible experiences, fabricated lies, poorly kept properties, filthy rentals, discriminatory practices, unexpected cancellations, and rude and belligerent staff.
How to Get Started with Casago
Hosts can call Casago to set up a meeting with the General Manager for their market who will collect information about the property, inspect it, photograph it, and write the listing. The Casago team will do everything necessary to get the listing published.
5. Air Concierge: Best for hosts with mid-term rentals
Air Concierge provides both end-to-end and off-site short term rental property management. In addition to working with standard Airbnb properties, they also specialize in extended stays. Ryan and Claire Danz founded the company in 2014, with headquarters in San Francisco, CA.
Air Concierge manages dozens of vacation rentals in a few US locations, mostly in California.
Air Concierge Services
Air Concierge provides full-service Airbnb management where the company has local offices and off-site management in markets with no office. The complete list of services includes:
- Vacation rental property design (not included in the standard packages)
- Owner-driven onboarding
- Listing description and copywriting including high-resolution photography
- Marketing and optimization including targeted digital marketing and dedicated reservation agents
- Dynamic guest book
- Dynamic pricing
- 24/7 guest communication
- Guest screening
- Concierge guest services
- Restocking
- Routine property checks
- Maintenance
- Payment processing
- Permit and tax help
- Damage coverage
- Financial reporting
Air Concierge Pricing and Terms
The Air Concierge full-service property management fees range between 10% and 25% of revenue. The standard fee is 25%, but owners benefit from discounted rates for long term stays (30, 60, 90, or more days), luxury properties (with nightly rates starting at $1,000), and one-year contracts (instead of three months).
Off-site management, similar to half-service property management, is charged at 10% of income.
The company also asks for an onboarding fee of $300, which is unusual in the Airbnb management industry.
Interior design services are charged separately.
Air Concierge works with three-month and one-year contracts. Early terminations by the host are subject to a termination fee of $3,500 and $7,500, respectively.
Air Concierge Markets
End-to-end management services are available in:
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Orange County
- Palm Springs
- Lake Tahoe
- Seattle
Off-site Airbnb property management is accessible across the US market.
Air Concierge Reviews
Air Concierge customer reviews are available on:
- Yelp: 4.0/5 stars based on 73 reviews
Some Air Concierge customers praise the amazing services, the good account management, the driven results, the smooth operations, and the team expertise.
At the same time, other customers complain about nightmare experiences, mismanaged properties, lack of timely updates to the online portal, absence of on-site checks, wrong charges, and unhelpful customer support.
How to Get Started with Air Concierge
Customers get started by paying the $300 onboarding fee online, after which the Air Concierge team gets in touch with them.
6. SkyRun Vacation Rentals: Best for low-cost management
Our list of the best Airbnb property management companies concludes with SkyRun Vacation Rentals, a full-service provider. Barry Cox and Steve Falk established the company in 2004, with headquarters in Keystone, CO.
Currently, SkyRun Vacation Rentals manages more than 1,200 properties.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Services
The full-service management provided by SkyRun Vacation Rentals includes:
- Rental listing
- Listing optimization and distribution
- Marketing
- Linen and towel supply
- Guest communication
- Licensing, permitting, and regulatory guidance
- Housekeeping including cleaning and restocking
- Routine inspections and service
- Preventive maintenance
- Tax collection and payment
- Rental accounting
- Revenue management
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Pricing and Terms
The SkyRun Vacation Rentals monthly fee starts at 15% of revenue, which is in the lower range for full-service property management. However, the rate goes up for additional services.
There is no standard contract that hosts need to sign. The company works together with property owners to design an agreement that matches each particular property.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Markets
SkyRun Vacation Rentals works in a few locations in 45+ US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Reviews
SkyRun Vacation Rentals customer reviews are available on:
Positive reviews mention great experiences and helpful staff.
Negative reviews highlight disappointing experiences, poorly kept properties, neglected maintenance, lack of safety features, damaged appliances, and filthy rentals.
How to Get Started with SkyRun Vacation Rentals
Interested Airbnb property owners can call SkyRun Vacation Rentals or fill in an online form via the company website.
Bottom Line
These are the 6 best management companies for Airbnb properties in the US market. Vacasa and Evolve could be a good option for hosts who prefer to work with large companies, while RedAwning could work out for those interested in partial services only. Casago and Air Concierge are worth checking out if you rent out on a short term and long term basis, and SkyRun Vacation Rentals might be more affordable than other managers.
However, if you want a truly comprehensive solution with guaranteed results, you should contact Summer. They provide full-service Airbnb property management, from design and furnishing, all the way to guest communication and revenue optimization. In addition, they charge a single fee, starting at 20% of monthly income, excluding cleaning fees.
FAQs
What Is Airbnb Property Management?
Airbnb property management, or vacation rental management, includes all the tasks and activities that are needed in order to list and rent out a property on a short term basis.
This starts with interior design and furnishing a short term rental and continues with listing the property on different websites. The process goes through actively marketing the rental, attracting guests, making sure renters have everything they need, and collecting 5-star reviews from them. It also requires handling licensing, permitting, cleaning, restocking, and maintaining the vacation rental.
Hosts that live close to their property and have enough time can manage their property on their own, usually with the help of tech-based Airbnb management tools. Those who invest away from home or have a full-time job tend to hire one of the best local Airbnb management companies.
The ultimate goal of Airbnb management, regardless of the strategy, is to rank high in guest searches, boost occupancy, maximize revenue, and optimize the ROI of an Airbnb business.
What Do Airbnb Property Management Companies Do?
The work delivered by vacation rental management companies varies, mostly depending on whether they are full-service or half-service property managers.
Full-service property management companies take care of all aspects of running a short term rental business, completely replacing the owner. In this way, hosts can earn passive income from their vacation rentals, while resting assured that their performance is optimized through professional hospitality services.
Half-service Airbnb managers focus on streamlining and automating tasks such as listing, marketing, guest communication, and team communication. However, they are not responsible for the day-to-day management activities like cleaning, restocking, inspections, and repairs.
When choosing the most appropriate management company, a host needs to consider their specific needs and expectations and look for the right fit.
How Much Airbnb Property Managers Charge?
The monthly Airbnb property management fees vary widely in accordance with the market, the services, the size of the company, and other factors.
Half-service companies usually charge 10-15% of monthly revenue.
Full-service property managers charge between 25% and 45% of monthly income.
In addition, some companies have separate fees for services like design, furnishing, hot tub management, linen program, etc.
Who Should Hire an Airbnb Property Management Company?
Many investors decide to manage their short term rentals on their own in order to retain control over their investment.
However, others prefer to work with a professional manager. Typically property owners who live far from their rental, who have a 9-to-5 job, who have no hospitality experience, and who prefer a passive real estate strategy go for one of the top Airbnb managers in the local market. As long as they carefully vet and select the best company, they benefit from enhanced revenue and increased profitability as a result of the professional management, the expertise in the hospitality industry, and the full-time devotion.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Hiring an Airbnb Property Manager?
Working with a short term rental management company comes with both advantages and disadvantages.
The main benefits of hiring a professional manager include:
- Passive investing: Arguably, the most important advantage of hiring an Airbnb manager is turning real estate investing into a passive strategy. Short term rental property owners can generate passive income from their properties month after month, without having to do anything. This frees up their time and energy to work on expanding their rental portfolio rather than wasting time on things like setting up pricing, welcoming guests, cleaning, and refilling supplies.
- Optimal Airbnb revenue: Professional Airbnb property managers apply a dynamic pricing strategy that is based on access to market-level and property-level Airbnb data on daily rates, occupancy rates, income, and return on investment. This strategy accounts for seasonality in market demand and supply to set up the rates that will boost your property’s revenue by achieving the best possible balance between nightly prices and occupancy rates. In most cases, the boost in rental income more than offsets the Airbnb management fees that companies charge, resulting in more positive cash flow and higher ROI. While most property managers are able to increase income by 10-15% for their hosts, Summer delivers best-in-class revenue optimization with demonstrated average performance of 20% above market averages.
- Access to the best vacation rental markets: When you entrust the management of your property to a professional, you can buy a short term rental in any market that makes sense. You are no longer limited to your local market to be able to attend to the daily needs of your property. This means that you can invest in the top Airbnb markets that offer affordable prices, strong occupancy rates, high rental income, and good return.
- Minimized recurring costs: Property managers benefit from discounted rates from vendors for services such as cleaning, restocking, and repairs, while individual hosts do not have access to these discounts due to the lack of scale. This means that hiring an Airbnb management company will help you save money on ongoing costs, adding to the positive impact of revenue optimization.
- Professional hospitality services: No matter how much effort they put in the management of their property and how good their intentions are, individual owners simply cannot reach the level of service expected in the hospitality industry. At the same time, property managers are hospitality experts who are able to provide superior services to guests.
- More 5-star reviews: Building on the point above, better services automatically translate into elevated vacation rental experience for short term guests and higher guest satisfaction. This means more positive reviews which lead to more reservations along with the option to further increase daily rates. All this means more revenue for Airbnb property owners.
Meanwhile, the key drawbacks of assigning the management of your short term rental to a third-party property manager are:
- High management fees: Some Airbnb property management companies charge up to 45% of rental income. As a result, owners need to give up a major portion of their income in exchange for passive investing. But the Summer property management fee starts at only 20% of revenue (excluding cleaning fees) for access to full-service Airbnb management.
- Fixed contract terms: Many property managers require long term commitment and apply limiting termination policies. With Summer, vacation rental property owners are free to stay for as long as they are happy with the performance of their property.
- Lack of control: When you hire a property manager, especially a full-service one, you give up control over the management of your property. You are no longer in charge of marketing, guest services, stocking, and maintaining. When working with Summer, property owners can decide exactly how involved they would like to be in the management of their rental business.
- Lack of personalized approach: Large short term rental property management companies frequently offer a single strategy, regardless of the market and the property type. This can lead to suboptimal results as each location and each rental is unique. Summer property managers are local experts who customize their approach to each rental property.
- Lack of familiarity with the property: Property managers are less aware of the specific features and peculiarities of a vacation rental than the owner. Sometimes they might miss on things like preventive maintenance and highlighting the best features in the Airbnb listing.
How Can You Find the Best Airbnb Management Companies in Your Local Market?
Selecting the best short term rental management company is not a decision that should be taken lightly. The success of your Airbnb business depends largely on this choice.
Here is what you should do to find the best fit for your needs:
- Check out the websites of multiple companies: Your first stop should be the websites of local Airbnb property management companies. There you can learn more about their management style, services, and pricing. Of course, your research should not stop here as you need to confirm the truthfulness of everything mentioned on the website via third-party sources.
- Review local Airbnb listings: It’s a good idea to check out top-performing listings in your area on Airbnb and other vacation rental platforms. Chances are that many of them are managed by professional property managers and are listed under their name. This will give you an idea of who is able to achieve the best results in your market.
- Visit real estate investing forums: Online real estate forums like BiggerPockets provide a platform for hosts to ask questions and share their experiences with the rest of the community. Maybe there is already a lively discussion on the property managers that you are interested in. If not, you can start a thread, and other hosts who have worked with the manager are likely to jump in soon.
- Consult with local Airbnb hosts: It’s recommended to connect with other property owners in the market and ask them about their experiences with local managers. Hosts are very happy to help each other out.
- Check out online reviews: It’s a must to check the average ratings of short-listed Airbnb property management companies on reliable third-party review websites, such as Trustpilot and others. You can find out exactly what hosts - as well as guests - like and don’t like about each property manager.
- Interview each property manager: Before you hire a property manager, you need to have a phone or in-person interview with them. This gives you the chance to get additional information, ask all your questions, and review a copy of the property management agreement.
What Are the Best Alternatives to an Airbnb Property Manager?
While hiring a vacation rental management company is becoming an increasingly popular choice among Airbnb hosts, there are other options that can work out for those who would rather not rely on professionals. These include:
- Use vacation rental software: You could be a DIY Airbnb host and still eliminate some of the tedious, repetitive tasks with the help of technology. There are plenty of Airbnb management tools that help owners automate listing optimization, dynamic pricing, calendar management, guest communication, team coordination, and review collection.
- Hire a half-service property management company: If you want to retain partial control over your property, you can consider working with a half-service Airbnb manager. They will help you with time-consuming processes, while you can work on the strategic aspects such as preparing your property for guests, maintaining it in top shape, and constantly improving it according to recent trends in the industry.
- Rely on friends and family: You could ask friends and family who live close to your property and who have some extra time to help with certain tasks. They are likely to be more personally involved in the management of your property than a professional manager. As a reward, you can share revenue with them.
- Build an Airbnb management team: If you own a couple of short term rentals in a closeby market, it might be worth creating your own property management team. Once again, you can use available technology to streamline processes and cooperate more efficiently.
- Invest with partners: Real estate partnerships offer many benefits, including the possibility to share the management of common properties. It’s much easier to split the responsibilities associated with owning and renting out a vacation home between two or three people.
Can Airbnb Manage My Property?
No, Airbnb does not provide property management services. The services offered by the platform include:
- Property listing including title, description, images, and amenities
- Dynamic pricing via Smart Pricing (optional)
- Automated booking via Instant Book (optional)
- Guest reviews and host reviews
- Protection via AirCover for Hosts including guest identify verification, reservation screening, host damage protection of up to $3 million, host liability insurance of up to $1 million, and a 24-hour safety line
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