All Sesons Resort Lodging is no stranger to rental fatigue. They work with plenty of homeowners who have burned themselves out trying to make a profit in the vacation rental-by-owner market. Certain that they could save themselves the cost of a professional property management company, these enterprising-but-exhausted individuals have seen their free time—and sometimes their bank account balances—disappear in pursuit of their rental revenue dreams. Some have succeeded without professional help, but most have spent more than they saved.
Companies like VRBO and Airbnb certainly make it look easy to take this on by yourself. But the reality is far more complicated. The actual practice of taking care of a rental property requires a surprising investment in both labor and capital, especially if you don’t live near your vacation property.
“There is a lot to consider when opening your home to strangers. It starts with hiring the right people. You need honest, experienced managers who are invested in taking care of your home and treating you like family.”
–Alan Finnegan, President, All Seasons Resort Lodging
“As is the case with any big decision, the devil is in the details,” says Alan Finnegan, president of the property management company All Seasons Resort Lodging. “It seems like there are a thousand things to worry about.” Finnegan is very familiar with the vacation rental business. His company has been managing nightly rental properties in Park City for 20 years. “Renting your home is a lot of work. If you don’t have someone helping you out, that means you are going to have to put in the hours yourself.”
If you do decide to manage your own rentals, how will you handle housekeeping? What will you do if there is an emergency? What is your legal liability? Should you hire an attorney to draft the rental contract? How will you accept credit card payments?
Although this is far from an exhaustive list of the responsibilities and tasks that await a prospective amateur rental manager, success starts with:
- Marketing and advertising
- Professional photography
- Writing keyword-optimized descriptions
- Managing guest reviews
- Website listing fees
- Interior design
- Housekeeping, including cleanings, supplies, and laundry
- Regular maintenance
- Snow removal
- Being on-call for guests 24/7
- Handling reservations, inquiries, check-ins, and check-outs
- Answering guest questions and concerns
- Setting and optimizing rates
- Staying informed of HOA regulations
You’re also going to need to invest in some business resources. The importance of handling these issues correctly cannot be overstated. A mistake here can be devastatingly costly. You can’t take chances when dealing with the legal and financial ramifications of:
- Creating a comprehensive rental agreement
- Processing payments
- Handling refunds and other unforeseen losses
- Managing taxes and accounting fees
- Securing permits and licenses
If the self-sufficient path to vacation home management sounds a bit daunting to you, you’re not alone. You need a management company.
Having an experienced, local property manager watching out for your home is still the safest, easiest, and most reliable way to rent your vacation home. The savings in time and materials alone makes up for the cost of service, not to mention the expertise that a company like All Seasons Resort Lodging brings to its homeowners. They handle everything on those lists—and more—for every homeowner in their rental program.
“Choosing the right management company is hard,” says Finnegan. “There is a lot to consider when opening your home to strangers. It starts with hiring the right people. You need honest, experienced managers who are invested in taking care of your home and treating you like family.”
All Seasons Resort Lodging has been serving as Park City’s top rental management company since 1999, with a long history of helping owners secure both maximum revenue from their investment properties and the peace of mind that comes from having trusted professionals handle the heavy lifting of vacation rental management. Instead of worrying about every facet of the rental process, you are free to simply collect your earnings, which are sent with a detailed monthly statement that is guaranteed to arrive on time, every time.
Whether using their extensive marketing network to put your home in front of thousands of customers or getting your home back into shape after a maintenance disaster, you can be sure that Alan and his team will go above and beyond for each property they manage.
Working with a property manager means putting your home, and your trust, in their hands. You are doing more than hiring a management company when you join the All Seasons Resort Lodging rental program. You are joining a family.
For more information, please visit us at All Sesons Resort Lodging
