What Does a Vacation Rental Property Manager Do?

If you have a Corvallis home that you don’t currently live in, renting it out can provide an ongoing income stream.  If you live out of the area, you will need a property manager or specialized vacation rental property manager. 

Sometimes a homeowner prefers to use their home as a vacation rental or furnished monthly rental. Third-party platforms like Airbnb and VRBO make it easier than ever for guests to book vacation rentals. Still many find they still don’t have the time or experience required to learn to manage a vacation rental well.

Even if Airbnb makes booking easy, someone still needs to coordinate with the guests, step in as needed, and clean and maintain the home. Learning through trial and error might result in unnecessarily losing money and precious time. 

Hiring a skilled and licensed property manager removes much of the stress, especially if you are out of town. You may wonder, “What does a vacation rental property manager do?” In short, the property manager markets the property, manages revenue, screens guests, ensures guest satisfaction, oversees cleaning and maintenance, and ensures compliance with regulations. But it goes much deeper. 

The Role of a Standard Property Manager Vs. a Vacation Rental Property Manager

First, let’s compare the role of a vacation rental property manager to a standard property manager. Using Corvallis Oregon’s Fernwood Circle Property Management as an example may help clarify why it’s best to opt for a specialist property manager whenever possible. 

Each rental market is unique. The Corvallis rental market is mostly focused on long-term rentals and student accommodations. This works well when you want to rent the property out long-term, and the home is otherwise suitable. 

For some homeowners, short stay vacation rentals and furnished monthly rentals may be a better option. Especially if they want to:

• Stay in the home during vacations or while visiting loved ones. With advanced planning, this is possible when the guests only stay for a few days or a few months at a time. 
• Maintain the value of the home, short term rental managers visit the home more frequently, clean frequently, and are more likely to notice any maintenance issues than a standard property manager would have the opportunity to notice. 
• Earn a passive annuity stream after the initial work of partnering with the property manager. 

Chances are, anyone who is not a professional property manager will not be able to anticipate all the work involved in successfully running a guest house. Fernwood Circle’s Alexandra Eder knows first hand since she started managing her own guesthouse and brings over a decade of experience to the table. 

The role of a vacation rental property manager includes:

• Setting your home up for success
• Attracting prospective guests
• Booking and onboarding guests
• Managing all the details
• Maintaining the property

The main difference is shorter term rentals require a more hands-on approach. Since the competition includes hotels and bed and breakfast accommodations, every detail of the home must contribute to a delightful guest experience. A skilled vacation rental property manager is also a skilled marketer, a friendly concierge, and a community liaison. 

More Specifically, What Does Fernwood Circle Property Management Do?

Fernwood Circle Property Management’s founder Alexandra Eder is both a licensed property manager and a seasoned traveler. During her years of traveling internationally for business, she studied how the teams at world-class hotels laid out the lodging and provided a delightful experience. She brings this knowledge of staging a home and creating a comfortable ambiance to each guest house she manages. 

We manage all aspects of the guest experience, from maintenance and cleaning to managing contractors and tax management. This network is invaluable in maintaining and enhancing the property’s value. 

Creating a Delightful Guest Experience

The small details add up. For example, every guest craves a good night’s sleep but it is often hard to sleep in a strange place. Each bedroom has a sturdy, well-made bed with premium 550-thread count cotton bed linens and cozy, high-quality pillows. The housekeeping team even irons the bedsheets for the ultimate relaxing experience. 

We prefer top-up top-down window shades so the guest can control access to natural light and privacy. It doesn’t stop there. Alexandra understands what guests need to feel at home. Some need a cozy place to stay while they pass through on vacation or visiting Oregon State University. Others are professionals who need a home away from home for a month or few while working a short-term contract for a local employer like Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

Protecting Your Investment

Some of Fernwood Circle Property Management’s clients were surprised to see their home increase in value. This is hardly surprising given Fernwood Circle’s commitment to maintaining each guest house. 

If you read our guest reviews, you will notice that guests frequently comment on the cleanliness of the home. Our housekeeping team airs out, thoroughly cleans, and restocks the home after each departure. For monthly extended-stay guests, housekeeping cleans every two weeks. 

Whether your guest stays for a few days or a couple of months, we aim to make a great impression from the moment they arrive. Our landscaping team maintains the yard weekly during the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons and every two weeks during the Winter season. 

This frequent on-site care means we will most likely be aware if anything needs to be repaired and will ensure the work gets done promptly. We also oversee pest control as needed or quarterly to further protect your home. 

Finally, before we start renting your home, we review the layout and flow. We work with you to ensure your home is ready for guests. We’ve built relationships with local furniture stores and craftspeople, ensuring prompt service and good rates.

The fact that your home will be beautifully staged, immaculately clean, and well-maintained helps preserve value. 

Proactive Marketing Beyond the Platforms

When appropriate, Fernwood Circle Property Management uses third-party platforms like Airbnb or VRBO. In fact, Alexandra has Airbnb Superhost and VRBO Premier Host so she knows her way around those platforms. She doesn’t stop there, she markets each home and uses some of the best vacation rental property management software for direct booking. 

Fernwood Circle’s marketing tactics include beautifully staged photographs, videos, online advertising, and social media content. Repeat business and word-of-mouth marketing are also significant sources of our direct bookings.

Community Liaison 

Some neighbors may be uneasy about living near a vacation rental. They may be concerned about noise, traffic, or even a loss of property value. In fact, HOAs often forbid members from using homes for short-term rentals. The explosion of international third-party platforms like AirBnB and VRBO have amplified the issue since some homeowners who use these platforms cut corners or even disregard local rules and the community culture.  

This isn’t the case with Fernwood Circle Property Management. We manage homes in a way that is considerate of the neighbors and local community. We follow Corvallis area regulations, including collecting lodging tax on stays shorter than a month. 

This isn’t a complete vacation rental property manager job description, but it gives you a peek at what goes on behind the scenes when managing a successful short term or monthly furnished rental. 

If you are interested in partnering with Fernwood Circle Property Management, contact Alexandra to learn more.