It is no lie that managing an Airbnb can be time-consuming. From meeting guests, restocking supplies, and repairs and maintenance, most vacation rental property owners can get overwhelmed. At some point, one is likely to wonder whether to hire a property manager or DIY. It is particularly hard for a host to juggle between managing a property and a day-time job. In such cases, most hosts will look for someone to help them manage the property. In other cases, you may find an app or software that helps you manage things like cleaning. Still, it cannot accomplish most tasks. You need someone to be present and tend to guests from the moment they check in to when they leave. That means finding a rental property manager. When choosing one, here are a few qualities you need to ensure you have.
- Great communication skills
You need someone who gives quick responses whenever guests make inquiries and update you on the progress of the property. The manager also needs to be a charming or pleasant person that guests will enjoy talking to.
- Honest
Finding someone to run your vacation rental property for you is a huge step. There needs to be someone you can trust to run your home well. You can speak to former hosts that the manager has worked with to get an idea of whether this is a person you can trust.
🧠🧠🧠🧠🧠“When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth.” –Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner
- Knowledgeable
Another important quality to look out for is someone who knows how to run vacation rental units. Guests will be calling with questions about the property. You need a person that understands the ins and outs of your property to give accurate information.
🌝“Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.”—Dalai Lama
- Time-management
Even though most property managers usually manage a few rentals at the same time, they need to be able to manage their time properly. That means allocating enough time to each property. Choose someone that is not managing too many properties at the same time as they may have issues allocating each property enough time.
- Watch the competition
When looking for a property manager, you want someone with in-depth knowledge of similar vacation rentals around your area. This is the person who will monitor what your competition is doing and check some of the things you can improve.
Duties of a vacation rental property manager
It is important to understand what duties are expected of property managers. It will guide you in knowing what to look for in a rental property manager.
Listing your rentals
The manager will be listing your vacation rental on different platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. That also involves posting photos of the property, writing a catchy description of the property, highlighting amenities offered, stating house rules, and assigning the right pricing to each property.
Synching your calendars
To avoid double booking, especially if guests are using different platforms to book the space, the manager has to align the calendar on all platforms to show the dates a space is booked.
Pricing the rentals
Pricing rental is not something done once. Prices tend to fluctuate depending on demand. The manager has to keep updating the pricing depending on the season.
👉🏻👉🏻👉🏻Pricing is one of the significant elements of the marketing mix, if late, it has come to occupy the centre stage in marketing wars.
Coordinating with staff
You will need a cleaning crew like Express Home Maids to do regular cleaning, a maintenance crew to ensure the property is in good shape, and other relevant on-the-ground staff. The role of your property manager is to coordinate with all these people and ensure that the property is ready for guests.
Communicate with potential and current guests
The property manager has to provide friendly, helpful, and timely responses to potential guests when they make inquiries. At the same time, current guests will have questions and concerns that the property manager has to address on time.
🔔Excellent communication skills can enhance a guests experience as it shows that you are listening to them, valuing their feedback and conveying clear messages. This can lead to customer loyalty, increased business and eventually the hotel becoming more successful.
Reporting back to the property owner
You will need feedback about your properties. How are the guests doing? How is the property performing? Is there any damage you need to know about? These are some of the issues a property manager needs to report to you as the owner.
Enhance guest experience
There are many things beyond ensuring a unit is ready for a guest or responding quickly to guest concerns. A property manager has to enhance guests’ experience by providing welcome boxes, allowing guests to use a keyless entry, and suggesting places they can visit. With the guide below, you do not have to worry about how to find a good rental property manager. Follow the strategies mentioned above, and you will find someone right for the job.