Blogging Heros
By the end of 2022, Airbnb had 6.6 million active property listings. According to the San Francisco-based company, that’s the highest it ever had. That’s also despite the platform closing its domestic China branch.
Booked Airbnb nights and experiences also rose by 20% in the last quarter of 2022. That’s the highest number of active bookers in its history.
All those stats show how more travelers trust and opt for short- and long-term Airbnb stays.
So if you’ve always wanted to be an Airbnb host, now’s an excellent time. Plus, with the help of an Airbnb manager, you can turn your property into a passive income generator.
This guide shares tips and tricks to help you choose the right property manager for your Airbnb, so read on.
1. Your Preferred Management Services
Before choosing an Airbnb property manager, determine your level of participation first. This also influences how much you’d pay the service provider. However, if you want to participate somewhat, you still have to commit to it fully.
Suppose you want to be the one to maintain the property, so you exclude this from your contract. In this case, you must commit time to perform routine maintenance. You can’t just tell your manager to do it for you, as you’re not paying them to do so.
So if you’re unsure how committed you can be, it may be best to hire a full-service manager. This is the simplest way to earn the most passive income from your Airbnb property. From listing to cleaning to maintenance and guest support, they can do all these and more for you.
2. The Manager’s Location
A local Airbnb property management service understands local government laws about short-term rentals. This knowledge is especially vital if your property is in another town, state, or country. The rules where your primary residence is may differ from that of your vacation property.
If the property manager you hire doesn’t know those laws, you can get into legal trouble.
Besides, if the Airbnb management is local, they can visit your property quickly. This simplifies property maintenance, whether emergency or routine. They can also take professional, high-quality property photos to ensure accurate representation.
Another perk of choosing a local Airbnb manager is their in-depth knowledge of the area. They can then use this to curate engaging, accurate descriptions and guest guides. They can also provide insider tips so guests can experience your property’s area like a local.
That last bit can be especially beneficial to guests who want authentic experiences. In the U.S., 90% of travelers do.
3. Booking-Related Services
Many Airbnb hosts have full-time jobs and only use their properties as an extra source of income. If you’re one of these folks, you likely already spend about 8 hours daily at work. That doesn’t include overtime and travel time.
Your full-time job can leave you little time to respond to Airbnb booking inquiries. You also need to manage your property’s date availability and price adjustments. Don’t forget that you have to organize guest check-ins and check-outs.
Fortunately, reliable property management service providers can handle all those chores. The best ones even prepare personalized welcome packages for guests. These are the professionals you should consider hiring.
4. Methods for Guest Communication
One bad review can be all it takes to make potential guests avoid your Airbnb property. This can happen if you fail to respond promptly to their inquiries and messages.
You can avoid such backlash by hiring a management company providing 24/7 support. They always have people ready to deliver timely and professional guest communication. So regardless of the time of the day guests send messages, they will receive prompt responses.
5. Reviews of Other Managed Properties
A trustworthy and experienced Airbnb management service will always provide references. However, you should still do your due diligence and cross-check the information given.
Suppose the manager furnishes a list of other Airbnb properties they manage. You should thoroughly investigate these on the platform. Look at the photos, description, and, most importantly, the guest reviews.
If there are negative reviews, see what made the guests unhappy. It may be a bad experience with nothing to do with the property or its manager. But if it is, take that as a red flag.
6. Maintenance Inclusions
Just because a company says they’re full-service doesn’t mean they’re all-inclusive. An example is if they tell you they will maintain your property but don’t expound on what it entails. They might only clean your property before and after bookings but not fix any damage.
The good news is that reliable property managers explain in detail what they can do for you. This often includes the following:
- Professional pre- and post-booking cleaning
- Regular property inspections
- Scheduling routine maintenance and repair work
- Restocking essential supplies
- Replacing worn or damaged items and amenities
All those tasks can help keep your property in top condition. As a result, they can help prevent your Airbnb from becoming run down and depreciating too fast.
7. Reasonable Management Fees
Owning an Airbnb can be profitable, but not if you’re overpaying your manager. If they have excessive rates, you may only break even, or worse, lose money and not have any left to pay your mortgage.
So before you hire a management service, research the average fees in your Airbnb area.
Make sure you also account for the service provider’s level of involvement. For example, if they’d do everything for you, expect them to charge between 20% and 30%. If not, it should be lower than that and depend on the tasks and chores they’d handle for you.
Hire the Best Airbnb Manager
The best Airbnb manager is local and offers everything you need at reasonable fees. So long as you choose such a service provider, you can rest assured your property is in good hands. Most importantly, your rental can be a reliable source of income, not an extra expense.
So, what are you waiting for? Do your research now; the sooner you do, the sooner you can hire the best Airbnb property manager. If you’re looking for more Airbnb-related guides, we got you covered. For starters, check out our guide on becoming an Airbnb host!
