Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, Virginia

Vacation Rental Management in Roanoke, Virginia

Discover the best vacation rental management companies in Roanoke, Virginia to maximize your revenue and create incredible guest experiences

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Roanoke, Virginia Airbnb Management Overview

Roanoke, Virginia, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offers a unique and thriving Airbnb market. The city's rich history, outdoor recreational activities, and vibrant arts scene attract a diverse range of visitors, from history buffs and nature enthusiasts to art lovers and foodies. The presence of higher education institutions like Virginia Tech and Roanoke College also brings in a steady stream of parents, prospective students, and academics. The market sees a surge during major events such as graduation ceremonies and college sports. Additionally, Roanoke's strategic location along the Blue Ridge Parkway and its proximity to the Appalachian Trail make it a popular stopover for road trippers and hikers, ensuring a consistent demand for short-term rentals.

In Roanoke, Virginia, the Airbnb market experiences a distinct seasonality that aligns with the area's natural beauty and outdoor attractions. The peak season typically begins in late spring and extends through the summer months, when the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Trail draw in hikers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts. During this period, Airbnb hosts can expect higher occupancy rates and can potentially charge higher prices. The fall season also sees a surge in visitors who come to witness the spectacular autumn foliage, making it another profitable period for hosts. However, the winter months tend to be slower, with fewer tourists, leading to lower occupancy rates. Understanding these seasonal trends can help hosts in Roanoke optimize their pricing and marketing strategies to maximize their returns.

In Roanoke, Virginia, Airbnb hosts must be aware of and comply with a variety of local regulations. The city requires all hosts to obtain a Special Exception permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals, which involves a public hearing and a $300 application fee. Additionally, hosts are required to collect a 7% lodging tax from guests, which is not automatically collected by Airbnb and must be remitted to the city on a monthly basis. Furthermore, hosts must adhere to the city's occupancy limits, which stipulate that no more than two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults per dwelling unit may stay in a short-term rental. Violations of these regulations can result in fines and potential revocation of the Special Exception permit.

Managing Airbnb properties in Roanoke, Virginia, requires a keen understanding of the local market dynamics. The city's popularity as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs can lead to seasonal fluctuations in demand, necessitating flexible pricing strategies. Challenges often include maintaining high occupancy rates during off-peak seasons and ensuring swift turnovers between bookings, especially during peak seasons. To overcome these, hosts are advised to leverage local events and attractions in their marketing efforts, offer competitive pricing, and ensure top-notch cleanliness and maintenance of their properties.

In Roanoke, Virginia, the Airbnb market thrives on the city's rich history, outdoor activities, and cultural attractions. Properties that offer amenities such as secure bike storage, hiking gear, or local art pieces tend to resonate well with guests. Additionally, homes with spacious outdoor areas for barbecuing or relaxing after a day of exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains are highly sought after. Given the city's burgeoning food scene, a well-equipped kitchen or recommendations for local eateries can also enhance a guest's experience. Lastly, with the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Taubman Museum of Art being popular attractions, properties located near these landmarks or those offering passes as part of the stay are likely to be a hit.

Market Overview

Roanoke, Virginia, nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offers a unique and thriving Airbnb market. The city's rich history, outdoor recreational activities, and vibrant arts scene attract a diverse range of visitors, from history buffs and nature enthusiasts to art lovers and foodies. The presence of higher education institutions like Virginia Tech and Roanoke College also brings in a steady stream of parents, prospective students, and academics. The market sees a surge during major events such as graduation ceremonies and college sports. Additionally, Roanoke's strategic location along the Blue Ridge Parkway and its proximity to the Appalachian Trail make it a popular stopover for road trippers and hikers, ensuring a consistent demand for short-term rentals.

Airbnb Seasonality

In Roanoke, Virginia, the Airbnb market experiences a distinct seasonality that aligns with the area's natural beauty and outdoor attractions. The peak season typically begins in late spring and extends through the summer months, when the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Trail draw in hikers, bikers, and nature enthusiasts. During this period, Airbnb hosts can expect higher occupancy rates and can potentially charge higher prices. The fall season also sees a surge in visitors who come to witness the spectacular autumn foliage, making it another profitable period for hosts. However, the winter months tend to be slower, with fewer tourists, leading to lower occupancy rates. Understanding these seasonal trends can help hosts in Roanoke optimize their pricing and marketing strategies to maximize their returns.

Short Term Rental Regulations

In Roanoke, Virginia, Airbnb hosts must be aware of and comply with a variety of local regulations. The city requires all hosts to obtain a Special Exception permit from the Board of Zoning Appeals, which involves a public hearing and a $300 application fee. Additionally, hosts are required to collect a 7% lodging tax from guests, which is not automatically collected by Airbnb and must be remitted to the city on a monthly basis. Furthermore, hosts must adhere to the city's occupancy limits, which stipulate that no more than two adults per bedroom plus two additional adults per dwelling unit may stay in a short-term rental. Violations of these regulations can result in fines and potential revocation of the Special Exception permit.

Best Practices for Management

Managing Airbnb properties in Roanoke, Virginia, requires a keen understanding of the local market dynamics. The city's popularity as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs can lead to seasonal fluctuations in demand, necessitating flexible pricing strategies. Challenges often include maintaining high occupancy rates during off-peak seasons and ensuring swift turnovers between bookings, especially during peak seasons. To overcome these, hosts are advised to leverage local events and attractions in their marketing efforts, offer competitive pricing, and ensure top-notch cleanliness and maintenance of their properties.

Locations and Amenities

In Roanoke, Virginia, the Airbnb market thrives on the city's rich history, outdoor activities, and cultural attractions. Properties that offer amenities such as secure bike storage, hiking gear, or local art pieces tend to resonate well with guests. Additionally, homes with spacious outdoor areas for barbecuing or relaxing after a day of exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains are highly sought after. Given the city's burgeoning food scene, a well-equipped kitchen or recommendations for local eateries can also enhance a guest's experience. Lastly, with the Virginia Museum of Transportation and the Taubman Museum of Art being popular attractions, properties located near these landmarks or those offering passes as part of the stay are likely to be a hit.

How It Works

Meet with membership

Connect With Local Pros

Summer matches you with top vacation rental managers who know the Roanoke, Virginia market and can help you maximize your revenue and improve guest experiences. 

We'll make sure to introduce you to Airbnb managers who offer the right services for your needs.

Get Onboarded

Seamless Onboarding

Your manager can handle everything—from listing setup and pricing optimization to guest communication and maintenance.

They’ll take care of professional photography, lockbox installation, profile setup, and everything you need to get your Roanoke, Virginia property guest-ready.

Collect Revenue

Sit Back And Earn

With the right vacation rental property manager, your home is in good hands.

They'll handle the bookings, guests, pricing updates, and day-to-day operations while you enjoy stress-free earnings and more time for what matters most.

Who We Trust

What makes our partners stand out from other short-term rental property managers in Roanoke, Virginia

Access to the Summer Network

Personalized Support

Each home and host is different. The best property managers work with you to find the services and support that make sense.

Best in class revenue Optimization

Demonstrated Earnings

Your investment is important. Our partners have proven they can substantially increase revenue on properties over market averages.

Accuracy with our technology

Tech-Forward Focus

The best property managers use data to make smart decisions, and technology to create seamless guest experiences.

Trusted brand reputation

Trusted Brand Reputation

We partner with property managers with Superhost status and high guest ratings, so guests always know what to expect.

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Who’s a good fit for a professional manager?

You think your short-term rental can make more money

Your property is not beating market averages, getting enough bookings, or does not have visibility across the major rental platforms.

You want a partner where you are valued

Our preferred managers build personal relationships with all of their owners and care about each property like it's their own.

You want hassle-free hosting

Whether you're down the street or a flight away, dealing with guest inquiries, cleaning, and everything in between is too time consuming and challenging.

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Get connected

We'd love to hear about what you're looking for, and we’ll connect you with top vacation property managers in your area!

FAQ

Answers to common questions

What is vacation rental property management?

Vacation rental property management is a service provider that maintains and improves a vacation rental on behalf of owners. They manage the ongoing operation, marketing, maintenance, and promotion of a vacation rental, short-term rental, or Airbnb property.

What services does a vacation rental manager offer?

Most managers offer partial or complete end-to-end management of vacation rental properties. Complete management includes all aspects of home maintenance, cleaning, guest and host communications, and marketing, pricing, and promotion of your property. In addition to these services, Summer connects owners and hosts with professional design and investing services for their vacation home.

Can they help me convert an existing home into a vacation rental?

Absolutely! Many property managers do onboard homes that were recently purchased or are being converted into vacation rentals. The best teams will provide advice, guidance, and services to help your home prepare for its short-term rental launch.

How long does the onboarding process take?

The onboarding process usually takes 2-4 weeks. This gives the manager and owner ample time to inspect the property, get it ready for guests, and get the listing live. In the event that owners need additional time to furnish or otherwise improve the property, the onboarding process can be extended.

Will I get a smart lock?

Yes, most managers provide a smart lock. This helps them operate the home and seamlessly let guests in. While there is some upfront expense associated with the lock and some additional time to set it up, there’s nothing worse than a guest not being able to access the property when they arrive.

Will they take updated photos of the property?

In most cases, your manager will hire a professional photographer to do a shoot at the home. This happens after the home is both cleaned and staged for photography. This helps the home stand out on vacation rental booking sites and results in better bookings overall. If you have really high-quality photos already, you can skip this step in the onboarding process.

How do I know my property will be safe with guests?

Professional managers put a number of security measures in place at the home to monitor noise and avoid unwanted guests in the property. Most also have built-in procedures for resolving any immediate guest issues involving parties, extra guests, and anything else in violation of the booking and local laws and requirements.