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Hi Jay,
We officially launched Beach Boutique Rentals in August 2020 with 5 properties. We have chosen to grow slowly over the last 5 years and are selective about the properties we will manage. If not for that fact we would be much larger today!
From your initial start up of running your own rental property to now managing 70, how long does it take you to get to that point? We have very similar aspirations and are currently managing our single property with owner Rez and a number of other integrated tools as we do want to focus on our guests and their experience, not on the administrative tasks.
Episode six of Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals is now available!
Hosted by OwnerRez co-founders Paul Waldschmidt and Chris Hynes, the podcast features honest, behind-the-scenes conversations about growth and what it really looks like to build and scale a software company. Inspired by years of candid discussions, each episode offers a raw look at how Paul and Chris think through challenges, opportunities, and where the business is headed next.
In Episode Six, Paul and Chris talk about personal endurance challenges and how quickly Q1 ramps up once the year gets underway. They discuss the excitement and frustrations of early-year planning, how their approach to delegation is evolving, and why giving teams more ownership is becoming increasingly important as the company grows. They also explore how AI is changing what they build, what company culture means to them, and share a look ahead at what’s coming in 2026, all through the lens of working "on" the business versus working "in" the business.
You’ll hear about:
It’s a peek behind the scenes at how Paul and Chris are approaching growth and delegation without losing the unique culture that’s defined the product.
Walk ’n Talk: The Business Behind Vacation Rentals is available on:
New episodes are already in the works, and we can’t wait for you to join us on the walk.
This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s new host safety training, Ireland easing proposed short-term rental restrictions in small towns, shifting regulatory conversations in U.S. cities, and a look at how unique vacation rentals are scaling into successful businesses. Let’s dive in.
Airbnb announced a new global host training initiative focused on helping prevent and identify human trafficking on its platform. Developed in partnership with ECPAT International and with direct input from Airbnb hosts, the free online course educates operators on recognizing warning signs, preventing trafficking, and reporting suspicious activity. Airbnb says the initiative builds on existing partnerships with anti-trafficking organizations and is designed to encourage hosts to take an active role in combating this worldwide issue.
Ireland is moving to scale back proposed short-term rental restrictions for smaller towns and rural areas after concerns that the original plans could hurt tourism and local economies. The Irish government said this week it will revise the initial proposal, which would have applied new restrictions to towns and cities with populations of 10,000 or more. Under the revised plan, caps on the number of short-term rentals and additional rules would apply only to towns and cities with populations of more than 20,000. Officials say the change is intended to better balance housing needs with the economic importance of tourism, particularly in rural communities that rely heavily on the vacation rental industry.
Hilton Head Island officials this week reviewed a proposal that would increase permit fees for most short-term rentals within town limits. The measure would replace the current $250 flat permit fee with a $150 per-bedroom structure, raising costs for many properties while lowering fees for some smaller rentals. Town staff says the new fee model is intended to better support the growing cost of short-term rental enforcement, including inspections, complaint response, and additional staffing as rental activity continues to increase. The proposal advanced out of committee on a 3–3 vote and is scheduled to go before Town Council for two readings on March 10th and March 31st.
Pittsburgh City Council advanced legislation Wednesday that would create new restrictions and requirements for short-term rental operators, with a final vote expected in the coming months. If approved, the proposal would establish a paid licensing program, require operators to obtain zoning approval, and require the designation of a responsible party within 25 miles of the property to handle issues. The measure would also introduce limits on occupancy, require operators to maintain a guest log, set minimum age requirements for renters, and formally prohibit parties, a rule that already exists under Airbnb’s platform policies.
Business Insider released an article this week highlighting a couple who have built a seven-figure vacation rental business by turning shipping containers into short-term rentals. Their company, The Box Hop, founded in 2018, focuses on design-forward, modular units placed in outdoor and nature-focused destinations, tapping into growing traveler demand for unique stays that offer unique experiences. The incredible growth and success of their business point to continued traveler interest in off-the-beaten-path properties across the vacation rental market.
As platforms invest in safety initiatives, governments revisit regulatory approaches, and unique accommodations gain traction, the short-term rental landscape continues to evolve. Check back next week for the latest news.
Thank you for clarifying that it was a "mis-speak" in the post!
That is correct. We do not yet have Statement Views for PM Statements.
Thanks, Joel. My initial question was asking for clarity on the January 28th release item that states: "Enable prorated expense category columns in PM statement views. OwnerRez added prorated expense category columns to PM statement views, enabling better expense allocation across time periods."
Your answer seems to clarify that the change referenced there relates to Owner Statement views not PM Statement views as indicated in the blog post. Am I understanding you correctly?
Hi Alece, I'll try to clarify.
The change that was released in January was to the Owner Statement Views to allow prorating Expense Categories like Commission:
Anne was attempting to answer your other question about how you would prorate commission expenses on the PM Statement. Specifically, the "Include Bookings: Include bookings that arrive by the statement date and prorate amount if departure is after statement date" will prorate booking expenses in PM v2. I believe that change was release in either November or December of last year, though I don't have the exact date in front of me.
Hope that helps!
Thanks, Anne. To my knowledge, "Include bookings that arrive by the statement date and prorate amount if departure is after statement date" has always been an option on the PM Statement. Are you saying that selection now also prorates the expenses not just the booking revenue? As in ALL expenses? (Pro-rating a cleaning fee, for instance, is not super helpful. Just the commission.)
It's not super clear what's changed or what changes we must make to utilize said changes.
It’s official, we’re among the best in vacation rental technology once again for the 6th year in a row!
OwnerRez has been named a Vrbo 2026 Elite Connectivity Partner, placing us in an exclusive group of software providers recognized for innovation, reliability, and performance across the Vrbo marketplace. This marks our 6th consecutive year earning Elite status, and once again, we’re proud to say we remain the only independent channel manager to achieve this distinction year after year. 🏆
Vrbo’s Elite Connectivity Partner designation isn’t about popularity or volume; it’s about excellence. Out of more than 100 integrated partners, only a select few meet Vrbo’s rigorous standards for technical quality, consistency, and overall performance. Elite status recognizes partners that deliver:
In short, this recognition confirms that our connection with Vrbo doesn’t just work; it works exceptionally well.
Over the past year, our Vrbo integration continued to level up in meaningful, revenue-driving ways. Highlights from 2025 include:
Elite status is also a reflection of strong collaboration. We’re grateful for the continued partnership with the Vrbo and Expedia Group teams and the shared commitment to raising the bar for vacation rental technology. Thanks to the incredible team at Vrbo, including Shelby, Stacey, Jill, Gavin, and many others, for their support.
As we move further into 2026, our focus remains the same:
Can you clarify what you mean by "Enable prorated expense category columns in PM statement views"?
That option has been there in Owner Statement views for a long time... however there is no way to create/save custom PM statement views so I'm confused what this is referring to. It's not even an option in the settings for creating an individual PM statement:
I'd like to be able to prorate PM Commission in PM Statements for bookings spanning multiple months, and it sounds like this could accomplish that... but I'm not seeing where/how. In the Owner Statement view, it's cleaner to show the non-prorated Commission -- but it should prorate on the PM Statement. Can you clarify how this can be accomplished or where I may be missing the PM Statement Views you referenced here?
Alece, I had to check with one of our engineers on this question. I believe that you want to select "Include bookings that arrive by the statement date and prorate amount if departure is after statement date" in the PM Statement > Included Bookings section.
Can you clarify what you mean by "Enable prorated expense category columns in PM statement views"?
That option has been there in Owner Statement views for a long time... however there is no way to create/save custom PM statement views so I'm confused what this is referring to. It's not even an option in the settings for creating an individual PM statement:
I'd like to be able to prorate PM Commission in PM Statements for bookings spanning multiple months, and it sounds like this could accomplish that... but I'm not seeing where/how. In the Owner Statement view, it's cleaner to show the non-prorated Commission -- but it should prorate on the PM Statement. Can you clarify how this can be accomplished or where I may be missing the PM Statement Views you referenced here?
GREAT addition of the Rate Change History on the Rate Calendar!
Hi Manel - when billing begins in March, Rezzy works like our other premium features: it's applied to all properties if the feature is enabled, even if you exclude certain properties from receiving Rezzy replies. If not set to reply to guest messages, Rezzy will still create tasks and summarize guest sentiment across all bookings.
Reach out to us if you have any further questions. Thanks!
Will we be able to turn on Rezy by property or is it an All or None setting? We need it for one of our properties, maybe 2 but we have the others not billable right now due to the LA fires and will likely be over a year before they are bookable again
This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s early World Cup travel insights, strong demand for Kansas City’s major events short-term rental permits, proposed policy changes in Arizona, a narrow STR vote in Albuquerque, and a Missouri proposal that could add new costs for vacation rental operators. Let’s dive in.
Airbnb released a new report this week sharing early insights into travel patterns for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as demand continues to build ahead of the tournament kicking off this summer. According to Airbnb’s internal data, travelers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada are driving the highest volume of searches for stays around match dates. Some of the matches generating the most demand on Airbnb include Haiti vs. Scotland in Boston, USA vs. Paraguay in Los Angeles, and Uruguay vs. Cape Verde in Miami. The report also notes that families and groups account for more than half of World Cup trips, with Los Angeles seeing the strongest demand from this segment. Across host cities, Airbnb says a large percentage of available listings are priced under $500 per night, and early booking trends show guests are gravitating toward these more affordable options at this time.
Previously reported in Industry News on November 14th, Kansas City’s new major events short-term rental permit is already seeing strong interest ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. City officials now say they’ve received more than 200 applications since December and expect as many as 1,000 short-term rentals could be operating during the tournament. The temporary permits are intended to help ease the city’s expected lodging shortage and keep nightly rates more affordable for visitors. To help short-term rental operators in the area prepare and improve their operations, the OwnerRez team is currently at the MOVHA Hosting Crash Course in Kansas City, a two-day event focused on safety, good neighbor policies, guest experience, cleaning, and day-to-day operations. Click here to see all the upcoming events OwnerRez will be attending in 2026!
Arizona’s short-term rental landscape could see significant changes as new proposals are being considered by state lawmakers. Since 2016, state law has limited cities' ability to restrict short-term rentals, but several bills moving through the Legislature would give local governments more authority to regulate the vacation rental industry, including allowing permit caps, zoning restrictions, and additional tax requirements. Separately, Governor Katie Hobbs has proposed a new $3.50 per-night tax on short-term rental stays to help fund utility assistance programs for low-income residents. For short-term rental operators in Arizona, now is a good time to get involved and make your voice known on these bills.
Albuquerque’s City Council voted down a proposed short-term rental regulation this week, marking the third time similar measures have been rejected in recent years. The proposal would have required a 100-foot distance between new short-term rentals, but failed on a narrow 5-4 vote. Supporters said the rule could help reduce concentration in residential neighborhoods, while opponents argued it would unfairly restrict property owners and hurt tourism. The close vote reflects the continued divide over how Albuquerque should approach short-term rental regulations.
Missouri lawmakers this week advanced Bill 126, a proposal that would add new costs and requirements for short-term rental operators. The bill, approved by the Board of Aldermen committee, would require operators to obtain a city business license and pay a 3 percent fee on all rent charged. If passed, revenue collected under the proposal would be directed into a new Affordable Housing License Fee Fund. The bill now heads to the full Board of Aldermen for a vote.
As World Cup travel demand builds and local governments continue to weigh short-term rental policy changes, the short-term rental industry continues to take shape in 2026. Check back next week for the latest news.
This week, we’re highlighting Julie Andrews and Stephen Parsons, co-founders of Beach Boutique Rentals. Based on Anna Maria Island, Julie and Stephen built their business with a focus on genuine relationships and quality over quantity. With OwnerRez supporting their day-to-day operations, they’ve grown their business to over 70 properties while maintaining a hands-on, boutique approach.
Beach Boutique Rentals was co-founded by Julie Andrews and Stephen Parsons on Anna Maria Island with the goal of doing vacation rental management a little differently. From the beginning, the focus was on quality over quantity and on building genuine relationships with property owners. What started as a small, hands-on operation has grown into a curated portfolio of thoughtfully managed homes, while still keeping that original boutique feel intact.
Our background is rooted in working closely with people and paying attention to the details that matter. From the beginning, we’ve focused on clear communication, staying organized, and being thoughtful in how we manage both homes and relationships. That foundation continues to shape how Beach Boutique Rentals operates today, with a strong emphasis on trust, consistency, and care.
Vacation rentals became a later career for both of us. We first entered the space as property owners, managing our own vacation rentals and learning the business from that perspective. That hands-on experience gave us a clear understanding of what owners need and what truly makes a management partnership successful, which eventually led to the creation of Beach Boutique Rentals.
Before vacation rentals, we both came from education backgrounds, Stephen in elementary education and Julie in higher education. While those careers were very different from property management on the surface, they required strong communication, organization, adaptability, and the ability to manage many moving parts at once. Those people-first skills transferred in meaningful ways and continue to guide how we run Beach Boutique Rentals today.
Julie originally grew up in Buffalo, New York, and always dreamed of living on Anna Maria Island, a goal she eventually made a reality. Stephen is originally from Virginia and, like many people, was drawn to the area for the lifestyle and warmer climate.
What we love most is the combination of hospitality and ownership. Every home is personal, and being trusted to care for it while also creating a great guest experience is incredibly rewarding. No two days are the same, and the work stays engaging because it’s always about people, not just properties.
The biggest challenge is that the work never really turns off. Vacation rentals operate 24 hours a day/7 days a week, and issues don’t always happen at convenient times. That constant responsibility can be demanding, but it also reinforces the importance of being prepared and having strong systems in place.
We use it in just about every way possible. OwnerRez is the main platform we rely on to run the day-to-day side of our business. We use it to manage reservations, calendars, guest communication, and owner reporting, all in one place. Having everything centralized helps us stay organized, avoid small issues turning into bigger ones, and maintain consistency as our portfolio grows. It supports the way we like to operate: professional behind the scenes, while still keeping the experience personal for owners and guests.
It’s honestly hard to pick just one most useful feature, because OwnerRez offers so many tools that work well together. That said, right now we’re especially loving the new Rezzy AI rollout, who we’ve renamed Rezzie, the Beach Boutique Rentals AI Assistant. She’s been handling after-hours guest inquiries and helping keep communication flowing when our team is offline. She’s already been a huge help, and it’s impressive how quickly she continues to learn and improve.
In a short amount of time, Julie and Stephen have gone from vacation rental owners to running a thriving vacation rental business. We look forward to seeing Beach Boutique Rentals continue to grow in 2026.
Meet Jodie Willey, founder of 365 Blue Vacations. Born and raised in Colorado, Jodie has spent her career in hospitality, working her way from the front desk to General Manager of a timeshare resort in Breckenridge. After more than a decade in resort operations, she launched 365 Blue Vacations in 2021, combining her timeshare experience with short-term rentals to help owners maximize their investments. Today, Jodie manages a portfolio of over 60 short-term rentals in Breckenridge, using OwnerRez as the foundation of her business.
I was born and raised in Boulder, CO, and now live in Breckenridge, CO. I have worked in hospitality since graduating from Colorado State University. I moved to Breckenridge in my late 20s, and while I have left a few times, I moved back permanently in 2006. In 2008, I became the General Manager of the Hyatt Residence Club in Breckenridge, where I spent the next 13 years. That role gave me a stronger understanding of resort operations, owner relations, and the ins and outs of timeshare.
In 2020, at the start of COVID, I was working 60+ hours a week and decided it was time to prioritize my family. I started a more traditional 9-5 for a while, thinking about starting my own business. I missed hospitality, especially working directly with owners and guests. That’s what led me to start 365 Blue Vacations, where I combined my knowledge of timeshare with short-term rentals.
After graduating from CSU, I started my career in the hospitality industry at the front desk and worked my way up to General Manager of a timeshare resort. My experience in timeshare showed me a missing link for many owners. Some could no longer use their week due to changing family dynamics, while others wanted to turn their ownership into a rental revenue source. When I decided to build a business around helping those owners, a friend introduced me to OwnerRez, which became the foundation I needed to manage timeshare rentals.
Yes, I have always been involved in hospitality to some degree. What I do today is an extension of that background, just in a more focused way.
I’m a true-born-and-bred Coloradan. I’d love to eventually expand my business beyond Breckenridge, but for now, this area is keeping me plenty busy!
For me, it’s the relationships with my owners. Of course, I enjoy helping guests make memories and offering fantastic experiences, but when I left Hyatt, I truly missed the relationships I had built with owners. Starting 365 Blue Vacations allowed those relationships to grow again, just in a different way.
Letting anyone down, whether it’s an owner or a guest. You can’t always rent every week, and with timeshares, it’s often the one week an owner owns. If that week doesn’t rent, neither of us sees any revenue, and that’s always hard for me.
OwnerRez is integral to the operation of my business. I looked at many software companies, and very few work in a way that truly supports timeshare rentals. Timeshares are weeklong reservations, and every owner has a different week, so the setup must be flexible.
I manage 67 properties but work with over 350 individual owners, which adds another layer of complexity. It took me a bit to really dial everything in, but OwnerRez offers so many powerful tools, templates, triggers, tags, credit card processing, API connections, seasons, mutual blocking, and more. I’m sure there’s always more to learn, but I feel like I’ve gotten it dialed in well.
OwnerRez offers so many features that are vital to my operation, it’s hard to pick just one. Channel management, seasons, and the ability to easily adjust minimum and maximum night stays are essential. Rezzy AI has also become a valuable tool, along with many other features that help keep my business running smoothly and successfully.
Jodie’s background in hospitality and timeshare operations allows her to deliver excellent guest experiences and strong returns for owners. With OwnerRez supporting her business, we look forward to seeing 365 Blue Vacations continue to grow.
No upcoming webinars are planned at this time, but you can see AruvoTV in action here.
Hi Jenny, We are always looking for opportunities to do webinars with partners. I will ask our marketing team to let you know if that is on the road map!
Super grateful for Cam, Greg, and Jason for helping me with so many things over the years. I hope someday you will have phone support (ongoing) instead of having to schedule calls. I look forward to seeing all new developments and releases!
This week’s roundup covers San Diego blocking a proposed short-term rental tax, new 2026 investment insights from AirDNA, cities continuing to adjust short-term rental rules ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a legal challenge to Dearborn’s STR ban, and a new HGTV series spotlighting vacation rentals. Let’s dive in.
Previously reported in Industry News on January 23rd and October 10th, San Diego’s proposed short-term rental tax was officially rejected this week. After hours of public comment and debate on Wednesday, the San Diego City Council Rules Committee voted 3–2 to block the measure, preventing it from moving forward to the full City Council and appearing on the June ballot. The proposal would have imposed a new annual tax of up to $8,000 on short-term rentals and vacation homes, with revenue directed toward affordable housing and homelessness programs. Supporters presented the tax as a tool to address housing affordability, while opponents argued it would disproportionately affect hard-working hosts and the vacation rental industry as a whole in the area. Councilmember Raul Campillo, who voted against the measure, said the tax would undermine small businesses and warned the city would ultimately lose more revenue than it would generate if it passed the new tax.
AirDNA released a report this week highlighting its top 10 markets for short-term rentals at the $700,000 to $1 million price point. The rankings are based on gross yield, comparing AirDNA’s projected annual short-term rental revenue against the average purchase price of homes currently listed for sale in each market. AirDNA notes that while gross yields in this higher price tier tend to be lower than in more affordable markets, higher-end properties often generate stronger overall revenue per listing, potentially allowing investors to own fewer assets while receiving similar returns. Markets featured on the list include Santa Rosa/Rosemary Beach, Florida, the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, each posting projected gross yields between 9.0 and 9.8 percent based on current inventory. AirDNA also released a companion report highlighting the best places to invest with a $250,000 to $400,000 budget, using the same gross-yield methodology. That list includes Burlington, Kentucky, Abilene, Texas, and Savannah, Georgia, with average gross yields ranging from 15.9 to 17.9 percent.
Brea, a city in Orange County, California, has become the latest local government to amend its short-term rental rules as cities across the U.S. prepare for increased travel demand tied to the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. City officials approved a new short-term rental pilot program that will allow rentals to operate under a regulated framework where they were previously banned. The new program will allow up to 100 permits, issued through a lottery, with hosts required to comply with rules around parking, safety inspections, minimum stay requirements, and business licensing. The city estimates the program could generate roughly $500,000 in annual revenue while helping accommodate the large number of visitors expected during the upcoming global events. The program will run through December 31, 2029, and will expire unless extended by the City Council.
Previously reported in Industry News on July 18th, Dearborn’s short-term rental ban is now being challenged in federal court by a group of property owners and short-term rental operators. The ordinance, passed in July 2025 and taking effect on January 1st, prohibits short-term rentals in single-family residential neighborhoods. In the lawsuit, property owners argue the city violated due process by eliminating a previously permitted land use and that any ban should have exempted properties that were already operating as short-term rentals.
On Wednesday, HGTV announced the premiere date for its new series, Wild Vacation Rentals, with the first episode set to air on March 2nd. Each episode will feature three unique vacation rentals in the U.S., beginning in the central United States. They will be showcasing amazing design, hilariously honest guest reviews, stories straight from the owners, and the incredible experiences that set short-term rentals apart. We hope to see a few OwnerRez-powered properties featured along the way.
As cities continue to shift short-term rental regulations and fresh investment data is released, the vacation rental landscape continues to take shape in 2026. Check back next week for the latest news.
Keep up the great work! OR amazes me every day.
Constant amazement at you guys! Keep it up.
Meet Shane Henry, founder of Cameo Properties. Shane started his vacation rental business in 2018 after years of touring as a full-time musician and staying in short-term rentals across the country. With no formal real estate experience, he taught himself the business, rehabbing properties in his hometown and building a successful portfolio alongside his music career. With OwnerRez, Shane now manages eight short-term rental properties in Oklahoma while staying on the road as a full-time musician.
I’m a full-time musician based in Norman, OK. I started my short-term rental business in 2018 after years of touring and staying in STRs across the country. I have released many albums under my name, Shane Henry, and currently have a band called The Imaginaries with my wife, Maggie McClure. You can check out our music at www.imaginariesband.com.
I have no prior experience in the real estate business; I’m a self-taught entrepreneur! My dad is a plumber, so I grew up with knowledge, and I’ve always been a fast learner when I focus my energy. All of my properties have been full-blown to-the-studs rehabs. Just proof that anyone can do this is if they focus their energy towards it.
This is a 2nd career for sure. My timing could not have been more perfect I had my first 2 properties online in April of 2019 and it was great to have income during the pandemic since musicians couldn’t tour and work.
All of my properties are in my hometown, Chickasha, OK, and a few are in Norman, OK. Chickasha is known for being a “Christmas Town” with the world's largest 50-foot-tall permanent Leg Lamp (from “A Christmas Story”) as well as the festival of light, which was voted one of the top 3 Christmas Light Displays in the USA. Our latest property, Ralphie’s House, is located just 8 blocks from the Leg Lamp and is our first “themed” property. It’s cool that our hometown is drawing in tourists now with the “Christmas” theme year-round.
Honestly, my wife and I had moved back to Oklahoma from LA in 2018. I found a duplex in my hometown for sale; it was beyond rough, but I was able to get a construction loan and jumped in on rehabbing the property with no prior experience. It turned out so nice, I thought, I’m going to try renting this on Airbnb / Vrbo. I was blown away. The first month I went live, the property generated about 3 times the income that a rental would. Our area is primarily travel workers (construction/oil and gas) as well as folks traveling for sports and fairgrounds events. We live in a time now where you can be a success at running STRs in your own hometown. It’s no different than choosing an Uber over a taxi.
I love the flexibility that it’s given my life. I do this and music full-time. I could never go back to working an 8-5 at this point in my life.
Having to deal with guest issues when I’m on stage with a guitar in my hands, haha. For the most part, we have an excellent system, and OwnerRez is a huge reason why! Everything is automated, and since our properties are fully rehabbed, we seldom have major issues.
You can’t run a short-term rental business without OwnerRez. OwnerRez runs our calendars via API (Vrbo, Airbnb, booking.com, Google Vacation Rentals), we have a direct website, and we use all the automated messaging and SMS text messaging. Our accountant also uses the QuickBooks connection.
That’s a hard one. To me, it’s all useful and works together to allow one person (myself) to completely automate and manage 8 properties while being on the road as a full-time musician. That’s powerful!
Shane’s path from full-time musician to vacation rental owner shows how powerful and flexible the vacation rental industry can be with the right tools in place. With OwnerRez, he’s able to continue his music career while running his short-term rental business at an elite level. We look forward to seeing Cameo Properties and Shane's music career continue to grow.
Is there a webinar planned for this to demonstrate the system capabilities and ask questions?
Add-ons for platforms (AB&B & VRBO mostly), versus “own site” what is working better for you hosts/managers out there?
My observation is that “add-ons” are ignored by most guests, who just want to grab a cheap place to stay.
1. Raising the price on platforms, & making it all, or mostly (“experiences” subject to availability & scheduling) inclusive?
2. Make own rental site only way to get “stripped-down” price, without add-ons.
How are you, as a host or manager, deploying the options?
Thank you for sharing your ideas,
Emily DG
This week, we are highlighting one of our own. Steve Clark joined OwnerRez in 2021 with a background in technology and firsthand experience as a vacation rental operator through his business, WoodHaven Rentals. After buying his first vacation home in the North Georgia mountains, Steve quickly immersed himself in the short-term rental world, becoming an active member of the OwnerRez community long before officially joining the team. Today, Steve is the Director of Customer Success at OwnerRez, leveraging his real-world experience as a vacation rental owner to drive customer success and help shape the product.
I grew up in Northern Virginia and moved to the Tampa, Florida area in 1988. I’ve lived here ever since with my wife and our two kids. One day, we took a vacation to the North Georgia mountains, and after living in the Florida heat for so many years, we absolutely fell in love with it. We thought the area was amazing, and it felt like such a great change of pace. We ended up buying our first vacation home in 2020, right after COVID started.
Right after high school, I joined the Army and served for four years as an ammunition specialist. After I got out, I started going to college, but I was offered a job at a company doing the kind of work I really wanted to be doing. A lot of my friends who graduated college were struggling to find careers at the time, so I took the opportunity and ended up stepping away from school.
My first role was as a certified technician doing desktop and computer support. After that, I worked on a project with AAA South where I traveled to different states upgrading computers. This was around the year 2000, and we were upgrading systems from Windows 95 to Windows 98. We’d go into a branch after closing and had to finish everything before they opened the next morning, so it was a fast-paced job with a lot of hands-on troubleshooting.
From there, I moved into purchasing, then later into sales, and spent several years in business-to-business sales. Later on, my wife was diagnosed with cancer, so I left my job to stay home with the kids and take care of her. After she recovered and returned to work, I stayed home and became a stay-at-home dad for about eight years. Then we bought our vacation rental, I got immersed in the short-term rental world, and eventually that led me to OwnerRez.
No, I wasn’t always in vacation rentals. Most of my career was in technology and business-to-business sales. I’ve also done a little bit of everything, including pool remodeling, serving, and bartending. But we bought our vacation rental in 2020, and that’s really when I entered the vacation rental industry.
A fun part of that story is that in 2020, when everything was shut down, I spent a lot of time on the OwnerRez users group and unofficial community forums while I was learning the software. I joined Zoom calls with other users, worked through issues, and shared tips and ideas. I really liked the community and stayed involved, answering questions and helping people.
At one point, another user messaged me and told me I should work at OwnerRez. She reached out to the OwnerRez CEO, Paul, and it turned out they had an opening at the time. I applied, and it worked out. I started with OwnerRez about five years ago, and I’ve since moved into a leadership role. Today, I’m the Director of Customer Success, supporting both the inbound and sales sides of the business. So now I’m not only an owner and self-manager, I also work in the industry and attend a lot of industry events.
I live in the Tampa, Florida area, specifically in a small town called Lutz, just north of Tampa. My property is in North Georgia, in Mineral Bluff, just outside of Blue Ridge. It’s about an 8 to 9-hour drive for me, depending on how long we stop at Buc-ee’s on the way up. Because I’m managing from a distance, I realized early on that if I wanted to self-manage successfully, I needed strong software to support me, and OwnerRez was the solution I landed on.
Even though I don’t live in Georgia, I absolutely love the area. After living in Florida for so many years, we wanted a place where we could actually be outside more. In the Georgia mountains, we spend more time hiking, visiting waterfalls, and being down by the river. It’s also just a slower pace of life, less hustle and bustle, and it feels like a true getaway for our family. That’s what really drew us to the area.
Honestly, I think what I love most is the people. It’s really cool meeting guests from all different walks of life. And working in the industry, I also enjoy going to conferences and events, connecting with other property managers, and hearing their stories. My LinkedIn is filled with short-term rental professionals, and it’s just a really great community. At the end of the day, this is a hospitality business. It’s people-oriented, and I don’t think everyone realizes that. Some people get into vacation rentals thinking it’s just an easy way to make money, but to really be successful, you need to have a hospitality mindset and be empathetic. That’s what I love most about it.
Is it bad to say the people? (laughs) Most guests are great, but every once in a while, you’ll get someone you just can’t please, no matter what. You put in the time and effort, the home is clean, everything is ready, and they still find something to complain about, or they aren’t being completely honest and are trying to get something for nothing. That’s probably the hardest part for me. I wish everyone was more honest and reasonable. Sometimes there might be a small issue, but it gets turned into a huge problem, and suddenly they’re asking for a big refund, even though they’re still getting a beautiful three-bedroom, three-bath home for the price of a hotel room.
I use pretty much every part of OwnerRez. Since I live about eight hours away, I do have a cleaner who acts as my boots on the ground. She uses Turno, so I have that connected through the API, and I handle a lot of coordination through that.
For pricing, I rely heavily on PriceLabs. I probably lean on it more than I should and could tweak things more manually, but overall, it works well and saves me time.
Messaging is the biggest piece for me. It’s funny because if you look at my guest reviews, people always say things like “Steve was the most communicative host I’ve ever had,” or “he was so quick to respond.” And it makes me laugh because half the time, I never personally talked to them at all. For years, it was templates and triggers doing the work, and now it’s Rezzy answering a lot of those questions automatically.
I also love SMS. Even if a booking starts on a channel, once we’re past the booking stage, I try to move communication over to text messaging whenever possible. Guests seem to really like it because it’s simple and direct.
Between messaging, automations, integrations, smart locks, and everything else, OwnerRez is set up to make my life easier. For a single property, it’s a no-brainer, because it would take so much more time to do all of this manually.
It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, because OwnerRez does so much. The channel integrations are probably the most technical part, and they do a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes, even though people don’t always think of them as a “feature.” But for me personally, the most useful feature is messaging. It saves me the most time, and now with Rezzy, it’s even better.
Guests ask questions all the time that are already answered in my guest book or guide, like whether they should bring coffee grounds or K-cups. Most guests don’t read all the details ahead of time, so before Rezzy, I still had to respond manually. Now Rezzy can answer those questions instantly by pulling from my FAQs, for example, letting them know I have a dual coffee maker that works with both K-cups and grounds. That kind of automation makes a huge difference, and it’s why messaging, especially with Rezzy, is the most useful feature for me.
Steve’s journey from vacation rental owner to Director of Customer Success reflects his strong understanding of both the industry and the people in it. We’re proud to have Steve on the OwnerRez team and look forward to seeing him continue to leverage his real-world vacation rental experience to drive customer success.
I just integrated our OwnerRez lisings (2 of them) w/ Lake and have a question about mapping. Do you have an API mapping document that I can look at? The Lake.com FAQ section "How do I access the property?" appears to map to "Accommodations Summary" in OwnerRez, and our check in time, set to 4pm in OR on all listings, is showing up as 2pm in Lake.
Good to see more connections, 10% is ok to me. We push it to renter, if I book then its good. I see the bigger picture. More places to book the better. Keep them coming.
