SkyRun Vacation Rentals is a relatively small, yet well-known full-service short term rental management company that operates via a network of locally owned franchises. Being a small-scale vacation rental manager comes with both pros and cons, so is SkyRun worth it for Airbnb owners and hosts? In short: Not really.
Instead, Summer, the top-ranked vacation rental management company in the US, has a proven track record of helping properties outperform at least 95% of comps in each location. The company offers truly full-service management at fees that start at only 20% of booking revenue, excluding cleaning fees. Interior design and furnishing services are also available for rentals that want to maximize performance.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Company Overview
SkyRun Vacation Rentals is a network of locally owned and operated franchises that offer full-service vacation rental management. The company provides comprehensive management of owners’ properties, as well as vacation rental managerial training and support to those interested in becoming property managers.
Barry Cox and Steve Falk founded SkyRun as a local vacation rental management company in 2004 in KeyStone, CO. Later, they developed a licensing model allowing entrepreneurs to enter into the booming short term rental management industry.
Today, the company has its headquarters in Boulder, CO and its mission is to make vacation rental dreams possible for franchisees, homeowners, guests, and employees through exceptional services, systems, and staff.
SkyRun Vacation Rental Management Overview
SkyRun provides full-service management to properties that are rented out on a short term basis through a network of local businesses trained by the company to deliver a high level of service, combining local ownership with national reach. Furthermore, the company emphasizes personal care and the use of the latest technology to improve performance.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals promises the following benefits to owners who decide to work with them:
- More earnings: Hosts start earning up to 30% more revenue when they hire SkyRun.
- Higher occupancy rate: SkyRun-managed rentals get 2.4x more bookings than the average listing on major booking channels.
- Positive guest reviews: SkyRun properties have an average ranking of 4.8/5 stars.
At the moment, SkyRun works with 1,200+ vacation rentals across the US market.
SkyRun Airbnb Management Markets
Through its franchise model, SkyRun vacation rental management is available in multiple locations across the US market.
The markets covered by the Airbnb manager include:
- Arizona: Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Troon North
- California: Carlsbad, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, North Lake Tahoe, Oceanside, San Clemente, and Vista
- Colorado: Aspen, Beaver Creek, Black Hawk, Blue River, Boulder, Breckenridge, Castle Rock, Centennial, Colorado Springs, Copper Mountain, Denver, Dillon, Estes Park, Fairplay, Frisco, Gilpin County, Golden, Granby, Grand County, Grand Junction, Grand Lake, Highlands, Idaho Springs, Keystone, Manitou Springs, Montrose, Nederland, Silverthorne, Snowmass, Steamboat Springs, Summit County, Vail, Winter Park, and Woodland Park
- Florida: 30a, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton, Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Holmes Beach, Longboat Key, Marco Island, Miami, Miramar Beach, Naples, Orlando, Palm Beach, Sarasota, Siesta Key, and St. Augustine
- Hawaii: Kona Coast and South Kohala
- Massachusetts: Cape Cod
- New Mexico: Santa Fe
- Oklahoma: Broken Bow
- South Carolina: Charleston, Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, Kiawah, and Seabrook
- Tennessee: West Nashville
- Texas: Austin and Dallas
- Utah: Brian Head, Deer Valley, and Park City
- Vermont: Mount Snow, Okemo, and Sugarbush
- Virginia: Virginia Beach
- Wisconsin: Northwoods
While these represent popular vacation destinations, there are still some top locations with high Airbnb occupancy rates that are missing from the SkyRun portfolio.
SkyRun Property Type Eligibility
A SkyRun vacation rental management review shows that they work with different types of homes rented out on a short term basis. There are no specific eligibility criteria or suitability standards. Some popular property types include single family homes, condos, apartments, and cabins. SkyRun rentals can host between one and 14+ guests.
To confirm that their property qualifies, interested owners should get in touch with the company directly.
SkyRun Vacation Rental Management Services
While specific services might vary slightly from one franchise to another, SkyRun Airbnb management covers:
- Fast and easy onboarding: Rent-ready properties can be onboarded and listed within 24-48 hours
- Listing and optimization: Direct integrations with leading booking channels including Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, BookingPal, HomeToGo, RedAwning, and Homes & Villas by Marriott International
- Professional marketing: Marketing strategies to make rentals stand out and attract reservations
- Access to technology: Franchises rely on an integrated tech stack to maximize performance while keeping overhead low
- Local regulatory guidance: Local teams have expertise on short term rental regulations to ensure each property is legally compliant
- Dynamic pricing and revenue management: SkyRun Vacation Rentals applies dynamic Airbnb pricing based on demand in the local market to boost revenue
- 24/7 guest support: SkyRun responds to guest questions before, during, and after stays to ensure smooth and pleasant guest experiences
- Owner communication: The company addresses all host inquiries and concerns in a timely manner
- Housekeeping: Local teams provide thorough cleaning and disposable supply restocking services between stays to ensure that properties are ready for the next guest
- Premium guest amenities: SkyRun supplies high-quality linens, towels, and amenities in each location
- Inspections and maintenance: The company does routine checks, applies preventive maintenance, and uses smart technology to keep rentals in a good condition
- Access to an user-friendly owner online portal: Hosts can view their property information and track performance in real time
The above-listed services cover most of the needs of an Airbnb business. Nevertheless, there are some important services that are not offered by SkyRun.
SkyRun Missing Services
Crucial tasks for the success of a vacation rental that are not provided by SkyRun are:
- Interior design and furnishing: Properties need to be ready for listing and welcoming guests before being onboarded by SkyRun Vacation Rentals because the company does not offer short term rental design and furnishing options. At the same time, how a vacation home is designed and furnished is a major driver of bookings, positive experiences, and 5-star reviews. Thus, owners who hire SkyRun might consider working with one of the best Airbnb design and furnishing companies to enhance profit
- Tax collection and remittance: The SkyRun website does not mention support in collecting, reporting, and remitting transient occupancy tax (TOT) or other taxes required to be paid by short term rentals. Each US market has different requirements in terms of taxing vacation rentals, and things can get quite complicated, especially for beginner hosts
- Short term rental insurance: SkyRun does not offer access to Airbnb insurance, which is a must-have for every owner who wants to protect their property from damage and themselves from liability
Because of the lack of these services, owners still need to do some work on their own or hire more professionals to optimize their vacation rental business.
Getting Started with SkyRun Vacation Rental Management
In order to get started with SkyRun Vacation Rentals, owners need to fill in an online form to provide basic information about their property. This allows the company to decide if the rental qualifies and what revenue can be expected.
For qualifying properties, SkyRun sends a vacation rental management agreement that hosts need to sign. The onboarding process can take as little as 24-48 hours for properties that are fully ready to be listed.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Fees and Costs
SkyRun vacation rental management review shows that the fees charged depend on the property. However, the company does not present even a rough estimate of the possible range of monthly costs, and it’s not clear whether there are any additional fees or if all services are covered by the monthly property management fee.
Hosts must contact the team for a detailed analysis that will outline the expected revenue and costs. Beforehand, it’s impossible to decide if SkyRun offers good value.
SkyRun Short Term Rental Management Terms and Conditions
Short term rental property investors who want to work with SkyRun must sign a written contract. While the company has not published a copy of the agreement on its website, it promises that terms are flexible and straightforward.
SkyRun Vacation Rentals Reviews
SkyRun reviews by hosts and guests are available on:
- Airbnb: 4.73/5 stars (6,320 reviews)
- Birdeye: 5.0/5 stars (313 reviews)
- Google: 5.0/5 stars (311 reviews)
- Facebook: 4.1/5 stars (79 reviews)
- Yelp: 1.7/5 stars (21 reviews)
Positive reviews focus on the excellent experiences, beautiful and well-prepared properties, top amenities, perfect matches between listings and homes, attentive staff, and professional communication.
Negative reviews of SkyRun, on the other hand, highlight disappointing experiences, poorly maintained properties and surroundings, disgusting rentals advertised as luxury homes, substandard furniture and amenities, abrupt termination of property management contracts, and lack of proper communication.
It’s important to note that all reviews refer to different franchises of SkyRun. Since each branch is locally owned and managed, there are likely to be major differences between the quality of services offered by each. Thus, hosts should try to talk to other owners in their local market who have worked with SkyRun to ask about their specific experiences.
SkyRun Alternatives and Competitors
Because of the complaints filed by some owners and guests and the unclear pricing structure, SkyRun Vacation Rentals doesn’t seem to be worth it for Airbnb investors. Instead, they should look into one of the top SkyRun competitors.
SkyRun vs Summer
Summer is the best vacation rental management company in the US. Unlike other SkyRun alternatives, Summer is very selective about the properties that it works with in order to be able to provide top-quality services that exceed host and guest expectations. As a result, Summer has a small portfolio of top-performing rentals that make more revenue than at least 95% of comps in the same market.
Summer takes care of everything that’s needed to operate a short term rental property, from listing and marketing all the way to housekeeping, maintenance, and Airbnb insurance. The company offers vacation rental interior design and furnishing services that are customized to the needs of the property and the preferences of the host. Owners can be as involved or uninvolved in the furnishing process as they want.
With regards to market coverage, Summer works across the US but only in locations where the expected level of excellence can be achieved. This is done by providing local teams of rental management and real estate experts.
Summer charges a single monthly fee, starting at 20% of booking revenue (excluding cleaning fees). The price of design and furnishing services starts at $10,000 and depends on the market, the property type and size, the furniture quality, and the level of decor.
SkyRun vs Vacasa
Vacasa is the largest vacation rental property manager in North America, with more than 44,000 homes under their management. While known for full-service management, they offer a half-service option too.
Vacasa full-service management covers the basics expected from an Airbnb manager. The most important missing service is interior design and furnishing, which is crucial to attracting bookings and generating strong income. Furthermore, investors should note that many hosts and guests complain about the services they have received from Vacasa in their online reviews, a sign that the company has stretched too thin and is not able to perform as promised and expected.
Vacasa charges a variable monthly fee that depends on the market and property as well as extra fees for some services, such as a linen program, insurance, and others. The company does not specify the standard range of the monthly fee, so investors must get a custom quote. Owners report fees that exceed 25% and sometimes even 40% of monthly revenue.
SkyRun vs Air Concierge
Air Concierge is a small vacation rental property management company that also competes with SkyRun in certain markets. Unlike alternatives, Air Concierge operates only in a few locations in California plus Seattle, Scottsdale, and Phoenix.
Air Concierge Airbnb management services are comprehensive, but some are offered and charged separately. Design and furnishing packages are available for interested hosts.
Monthly fees for full-service management range between 10% and 25% of income, depending on the property management contract duration, stay length, and rental type. As mentioned above, Air Concierge charges additional fees for certain services which further inflate costs.
Bottom Line
SkyRun Vacation Rentals is a small, full-service Airbnb management company that is generally not worth it for hosts and investors. The company does not offer interior design and furnishing, compromising short term rental performance, and fees are unclear. Plus, some owners and guests have shared concerning feedback about their experiences.
Meanwhile, Summer offers true full-service management at industry-low rates, starting at only 20% of monthly income excluding cleaning fees. Due to the top-notch services, Summer-managed homes outperform 95% or more similar rentals in each location that the company operates.
