This week, we are excited to feature Scott Bittner, founder of My Costa Rica Homes and an OwnerRez user since 2022. After falling in love with Costa Rica during a vacation in 2020, Scott and his wife have steadily built a standout collection of short-term rentals in the area. Today, they use OwnerRez to remotely manage their nine properties while continuing to grow their business.
Can you tell us a little bit about your history?
I got started in the short-term rental business in 2010 with a single condo that I owned in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. What began as a way to maximize the value of one property quickly grew into something much larger. Over time, I expanded my portfolio and eventually managed 22 condos in the area. What started as a side investment became a passion for hospitality, property improvement, and creating memorable guest experiences. Today, I own properties in both the United States and Costa Rica and continue to look for opportunities to grow and improve my portfolio.
What is your background?
I graduated from Kutztown University in 1992 with a degree in Business Management. My professional career has primarily been focused on sales, marketing, and business development. Today, I own and operate two business-to-business marketing call centers that support several large companies. Building businesses, creating marketing strategies, and understanding customer needs have been central themes throughout my career.
Were you always in vacation rentals or property management? If not, what did you do before?
Vacation rentals are definitely a second career for me. Before entering the vacation rental industry, I spent most of my professional life in sales and marketing. Those experiences taught me the importance of customer service, relationship building, and creating systems that help businesses scale effectively. I still own and operate two B2B marketing call centers today, and many of the skills I've developed over the years have translated directly into the vacation rental industry. At the end of the day, both businesses are about understanding people, delivering great experiences, and building trust.
Are you from the geographical area where your properties are located, or did you move there later?
My North Myrtle Beach properties are located close to my home, which made them a natural starting point when I entered the vacation rental business. My Costa Rica properties, however, came from a completely different journey.
In 2020, my wife and I vacationed in Costa Rica and immediately fell in love with the country. The people, the natural beauty, the lifestyle, and the overall atmosphere made a lasting impression on us. That first trip inspired us to purchase a home in Manuel Antonio. Since then, we've either purchased or built a new property nearly every year. Today, our portfolio includes six homes, two casitas, and an apartment in Costa Rica, with another acquisition currently underway: a mountain estate in the Hills of Portalón, just south of Quepos and Manuel Antonio. Costa Rica has become much more than a place where we own property. It's become a place we're deeply connected to and enjoy sharing with travelers from around the world.
What do you love most about the vacation rental business?
I love finding properties with potential and transforming them into something special. Whether it's a renovation project, a new build, or simply improving the guest experience, I enjoy the process of creating something that guests genuinely enjoy. I also love the marketing side of the business. Every property has a unique story, and I enjoy figuring out how to showcase those qualities to attract the right guests.
What do you dislike the most about it?
The part I enjoy the least is navigating the review and approval processes with some of the booking channels. It can sometimes be time-consuming when you're trying to make updates or solve issues quickly. That said, it's a small trade-off in an industry that I genuinely enjoy being a part of.
How do you use OwnerRez to manage your business?
OwnerRez serves as the operational hub for my entire vacation rental business. Because I manage properties in multiple geographic markets, having everything centralized in one platform is extremely important. We use OwnerRez to manage reservations, guest communications, payment processing, reporting, and overall business operations. It helps us stay organized and efficient while continuing to grow our portfolio.
What is the most useful feature OwnerRez offers?
The biggest benefit for me is the ability to manage all of my properties under one roof, even though they're located in completely different markets and countries. I also rely heavily on the payment processing and reporting tools. Having accurate financial information readily available allows me to make better business decisions and spend less time on administrative tasks. OwnerRez has given us a scalable system that supports the continued growth of our vacation rental business.
Scott has done an impressive job building a successful vacation rental business in Costa Rica. We look forward to seeing My Costa Rica Homes continue to grow this year!
