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Thanks WWVR! We probably won't be doing a webinar on these May releases, but keep an eye on our Webinars page. Remember that all the information in these monthly Product Updates is added to our Support Center articles.
Thanks, Alece. I agree that having the Check-in Status condition available for inquiry triggers would be super helpful for Airbnb inquiries. I suggest you submit a Feature Request, just like your Filter by Response Written or Not Written. Thank you for being a valuable and active part of our OwnerRez community!
This week’s roundup covers Vrbo’s top Southern beach spots, major rental crackdowns in Maui and B.C., Marriott’s new rain guarantee, and the rise of AI in vacation rentals.
According to Vrbo, 30A (FL), Wilmington (NC), Hilton Head (SC), and Gulf Shores (AL) are this summer’s most in-demand beach destinations in the U.S. South. 30A offers picturesque coastal towns and family-friendly activities, Wilmington is celebrated for its scenic beaches and vibrant local culture, Hilton Head combines golf and outdoor recreation with relaxation, and Gulf Shores draws visitors with its sugar-white sands and water sports. Vrbo recommends booking vacation homes at least two months in advance, though last-minute deals are still available.
Maui County’s Housing and Land Use Committee debated Bill 9, Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposal to phase out about 6,000 vacation rentals in apartment zones to address the local housing crisis, on June 9th. Emotional testimony from supporters emphasized housing shortages for residents, while opponents warned of severe economic impacts and legal issues. The hearing will resume on June 18.
Airbnb is canceling thousands of bookings in British Columbia, citing issues with the province’s new short-term rental registration system. The company blames technical glitches and is urging the government to delay the June 23 deadline, while officials insist the system is working and accuse Airbnb of political tactics.
Marriott Homes & Villas partnered with WeatherPromise to offer guests a unique “rain protection” guarantee on vacation rentals. Travelers selecting coverage receive automatic compensation if rainfall exceeds preset thresholds during their stay, without needing to file claims.
AI is quietly transforming the vacation rental industry, with tools like chatbots, smart pricing, and automated guest messaging improving efficiency. Though less than a third of property managers currently use AI, adoption is growing as more explore its potential for operations, personalization, and revenue management. We'll be sharing information about our AI assistant, Rezzy, next month and are thrilled to get it into the hands of as many OwnerRez users as possible!
As peak season unfolds, expect more shifts in regulation, technology, and traveler behavior. Check back next week for the latest in the evolving vacation rental landscape.
Destin Breaks is a boutique management company that has been managing upscale beachfront vacation rentals in Destin, Florida, since 2016. Their ultimate goal is to create an environment where every guest can enjoy the perfect vacation.
I bought my first beachfront vacation rental in Destin, FL in 2016. It quickly proved to be a good business for me, and I bought four more in the same building. While managing my own vacation rentals, I began the certification to be a Florida Real Estate Broker so that I could begin managing a few units for others, too. My ultimate focus has always been on guest satisfaction; therefore, I didn't want a big business where I would lose my focus. I called it a 'boutique management company', and only accepted to work with property owners who invested in their properties and had good personalities. Now I manage 22 units in the Destin, FL area.
This is my 2nd career. I worked in Siemens and Nokia for over 20 years, and lived in 5 countries for my job. I began managing my own properties as a side project while still working at my full time job. In time, it evolved and let me get out of the corporate life.
I am from Turkey, a country with a lot of beaches and vacation opportunities. I moved to the US in 2014, since then I've lived in Dallas, Texas but often travel to Destin, Florida. We travel a lot and have travelled all over the US. When we went for a vacation to Destin, FL; we were so impressed with the town and its crystal-clear waters. It was no match to anywhere else in the US. That made me think that it would be a good business year around.
Once properly set up, OwnerRez offloaded ALL of my routine tasks so that I can focus on the guests and still have time for my family. I have my own website getting 40%+ of my bookings. It is not easy to rank on the first page, it takes time, knowledge and effort. But when you achieve it, you get bookings, everything is automatically processed, and guests are provided with tons of information by email and text. I can also follow-up on how they're doing, using the triggers on OwnerRez. When I began property management, owners loved the statements and the dashboard they can see. It takes me around 30 minutes to consolidate and pay them at the end of the month.
I love all features but if I ranked them, it would be:
3. Free widgets
Destin Breaks has grown from one rental into a thriving boutique business by focusing on what matters most, creating great experiences for their guests. With 22 beautiful properties in Destin, FL, they’re a wonderful example of how OwnerRez helps property managers grow their business and deliver exceptional service.
We are happy to announce our integration with Yada to offer our users an AI-powered platform designed to automate guest messaging.
Make more money and streamline guest communication with Yada - an AI-powered platform designed to automate guest messaging while growing revenue for your hospitality business. Yada features 24/7 auto-response capabilities that handle over 70% of guest inquiries, digital guidebooks with QR-enabled property information, and powerful revenue tools like high-value upsells and marketing automations. With seamless integration, Yada instantly syncs with OwnerRez to pull in guest data and messages, and even offers a telephony option that provides full guest context on incoming calls while enabling remarketing opportunities.
Starting at $9.99/month/property. You can view all the pricing details here.
Get started with Yada by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Yada.
With a background in resort management, property maintenance, and guest services, the owners of Heron Holiday Homes bring decades of experience to the vacation rental industry. Their expertise in hospitality and HVAC services made the transition to managing a thriving vacation rental portfolio a seamless fit.
I began my career in the hospitality industry in January 2000, starting as a maintenance technician and working my way up to General Manager of a timeshare resort. Over the years, I managed several large resorts in the Orlando area. After a decade in hospitality, I decided to pursue a different path, joining my father’s air conditioning business. Eventually, I started my own company in that field. My wife, Letica, owned a residential cleaning company, and we had extensive experience in property maintenance and guest services.
Through our work, we crossed paths with the original owner of Heron Holiday Homes. I provided HVAC services for her vacation properties while my wife managed the cleaning services. When her husband passed away, she decided to step away from the business and approached us with the opportunity to take over. Given our hospitality, maintenance, and cleaning background, it was a natural fit. We took the leap, and since then, we’ve grown Heron Holiday Homes from 10 properties to 30, focusing on providing high-quality, personalized service.
My career started in hospitality, managing timeshare resorts before I moved into the air conditioning business. I worked for a local vacation home management company for about five years.
Before vacation rentals, I worked in hospitality for 10 years and ran my own air conditioning company.
I moved to Florida in 1985 and have been here ever since. I graduated from Boone High School in Orlando and earned a Business Degree from Rollins College in Winter Park.
Florida has been home for most of my life. Its thriving tourism industry, beautiful weather, and family-friendly attractions made it an ideal place to build a career in hospitality and vacation rentals.
The best part of the vacation rental business is the opportunity to create unforgettable guest experiences. I love meeting people worldwide, helping them make lifelong memories, and seeing their excitement when they stay in one of our homes. Providing a comfortable, welcoming space where families can relax and enjoy their vacations is incredibly rewarding.
The biggest challenge in this industry is dealing with the unpredictability of guest expectations and last-minute changes. While we strive to provide exceptional service, there are always situations beyond our control—unexpected maintenance issues, difficult guests, or market fluctuations. However, we take pride in handling these challenges quickly and efficiently to ensure a smooth experience for our guests.
OwnerRez is an essential tool for streamlining our vacation rental management. We use it for automation, guest communication, and ensuring seamless bookings. The platform allows us to manage reservations across multiple channels, handle payments efficiently, and automate guest messaging. It has significantly reduced the manual workload, allowing us to focus more on providing excellent guest experiences.
One of the most valuable features of OwnerRez is its automation capabilities. It simplifies everything from booking confirmations to follow-up emails, saving us countless hours of manual work. The ability to integrate with our direct booking website through its WordPress plugin has been a game changer, ensuring real-time updates across all platforms. Additionally, their customer support and user community are outstanding, always providing quick and helpful responses whenever we need assistance.
Richard and Letica have truly made Heron Holiday Homes a standout in the vacation rental industry. We look forward to seeing how they continue to grow their business!
Allison Hasler, founder of Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals, turned her passion for hospitality into a thriving business. From running a yacht charter on Kentucky Lake to creating upscale tiny house cabins, she has built a rental portfolio focused on quality and guest experience. With a background in public health and a love for the ever-changing vacation rental industry, she now manages 40 properties.
Our career in hospitality started in 2015 when my husband sold a business. We took our first installment from the business and purchased a 50 ft. Silverton motor yacht on Kentucky Lake as our next business venture: Kentucky Lake Boat Charters- the first and only privately owned pleasure boat chartering company on Kentucky Lake & Lake Barkley. As you can imagine... it was a fun and exhausting season of our life. We learned two things from that venture: 1) We love the hospitality industry and sharing our passions with others. 2) We can do something similar a LOT more convenient than an hour's commute and spending all of our weekends working. So, we decided to sell the yacht and focus on our cabin venture.
After deciding on "tiny house" style cabins, I pledged I would only build a business that I would be willing to spend my own money on staying in —chic, modern, comfortable. Thus, Dam Near Lake of Egypt Cabins, LLC, was launched in 2018. It is a cheeky name for a surprisingly delightful experience (1 mile from Lake of Egypt's dam).
Fast-forward again. Thanks to OwnerRez, we kept the back end of the business a well-oiled machine. We then branched out to help other property owners with their own short-term rentals. Thus, Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals was born, focusing on unique and upscale properties.
My background is in public health, and I spent over 11 years in the field, with a concentrated knowledge in rural health disparities. I spent most of my career in various roles in government entities- local, county, state, and federal government. In 2021, I left my final government role to pursue the property management company full-time. Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals consisted of 8+ short-term rental properties throughout Southern Illinois.
We moved to Southern Illinois in 2005 after I returned home from a military deployment to Iraq. It was an easy decision as my husband and I grew up in central Illinois and what most would think of as Illinois when not picturing Chicago- "the land of corn and beans." But Southern Illinois is very different. It is hilly and beautiful; much of it is covered by Shawnee National Forest. There are wineries and orchards, lakes, hiking, and even wetlands. We would "staycation" in the area when we were dating, so it made sense to move a couple of hours south to enjoy it more.
I love that no two days are the same. There is always a challenge, a pivot, or a new dynamic to understand. Systems that worked for five properties didn't work for ten, and we still have major operational shifts every five or so properties that we grow. I still love the hospitality part of the business and try to talk to as many visitors as possible, but the VR business is ever-changing, and I find that fascinating.
People management. I laugh as I write that because I have learned so much about business and myself in the years my business has grown. No fantastic property is worth a terrible client (homeowner), and no exceptional cleaner is worth keeping on the team if they have a bad attitude or cause a negative team dynamic. I've had to learn this the hard way. Even in the most rural areas, like my own, you can be selective with who you work with, and that is the beauty of owning your own VR business.
I use every nook and cranny of the OR system, with the exception of the PM Statements. It was the sole reason I was able to grow from 2 owned properties in 2018 to 40 managed (4 owned) by the end of 2024. Automation and integration are everything.
I could go on and on about my favorite features. So, I'll keep it to the top 3 in no particular order:
1) Custom fields—Thanks to property custom fields, I have one welcome message for 40 very different properties.
2) Owner Statements—I'm excited for the launch of the "overhaul," but the owner statements—the ability to customize what is shown, upload receipts and other documents to expenses, and create an owner portal for clients to enter—are wonderful.
3) API - I make decisions based on API options with OR. The portfolio is just too extensive now to join a platform or add to my tech stack that doesn't have the capability to integrate with OwnerRez.
From launching a yacht charter to creating upscale tiny house cabins, and growing a portfolio of 40 properties, Allison's journey is a true testament to passion and dedication. Wishing Southern Illinois Vacation Rentals continued success as Allison continues to elevate the vacation rental experience and deliver exceptional hospitality to her guests.
Meet Stephanie, a dedicated vacation rental owner and property manager who turned her love for the beach into a thriving business, Sea South Properties. What started as a personal investment in 2005 quickly evolved into a full-fledged career after realizing the value of hands-on management.
My husband and I began vacationing in Orange Beach, Alabama in 2000. We quickly came to love the sand between our toes and the beach community's vibe. We wanted more time at the beach to build memories with our three children. We purchased our first beach vacation home in 2005. I thought it would be difficult to manage the property from another state, so we began the short-term rental journey with a large, local property management company. We aimed to rent the condo when we were not using it and have vacationers cover the expenses. Sounds great, right? Not so fast… I quickly realized I would need to manage the property myself to give the high standard of customer service I expected. I gave undertaking the management myself a great deal of consideration before making the decision to begin the process, but now realize it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I trusted myself to do a better job. I had another career, so it was not on my radar to become a full-time property manager.
This is my third career. While I worked in my other positions, I had condo owners in the area approaching me about managing their vacation properties for them. I enjoyed managing mine so much that I decided to obtain my real estate license and see what I could build out of this side hustle. I put the work into learning the industry and moved forward with taking new properties to manage, eventually growing to 34 properties.
I retired as the CEO of a home maintenance and remodeling company after 26 years of service. This is where I learned how to provide excellent customer service. At our company, we did not compromise. The company expanded greatly through word-of-mouth referrals, and it did grow! It was a challenge, but I worked for a wonderful owner who strived for excellence in everything the company performed. After retiring, I wanted to challenge myself and work in a completely different industry. I dove headfirst into the banking field at a credit union. I retired as the Executive Vice President after 8 years. During both of these careers, I managed my own properties, and then, as other owners asked me to manage theirs, I became a realtor and began Sea South Properties.
I am an Alabama resident but keep my home in Louisiana. I have surrounded myself with an excellent team of assistants, runners, cleaners, and maintenance people. They make the wheels turn, and I could not operate without them.
I love that I am helping families make memories at the beach. For years after a family beach vacation, families will have birthday and Christmas parties, and there will always be someone fondly reminiscing about the last beach trip. I love knowing I contributed to that in a small way. Alternatively, I strive to be the property manager I wish I had when I first became a short-term vacation rental owner. I enjoy the industry and burst with pride at every 5-star review I receive. I’m tenacious and am always working on improving my systems. The OwnerRez software helps me with the details and is a big part of the growth and improvement of Sea South Properties.
Since doing this for many years, I’ve seen the positives and the negatives in the property management field. Things can change for the worse on a dime, and you need to constantly have your antenna up and pay attention to what’s happening in the industry. It can be a tropical storm, hurricane, an oil spill, a real estate bust, or a global pandemic that can turn your world upside down. Paying attention to trends and acting quickly is essential. When I first began managing my own condo, I only accepted checks. Now, with the help of OwnerRez, I manage 34 condos and take many different forms of payment. In the early 2000s, everyone booked seven-day vacations many months in advance. Today, I receive same-day bookings regularly during the high season.
I researched many options, and after speaking with other property managers, I began researching OwnerRez. The software, website, and the integrations available to users were what I required for a seamless operation. The software integrations would do so much of the work for me, and having reports at my fingertips would give me the information necessary to make decisions instantly. As I began to work with the software and learn everything it could do, I knew I had made the right decision. Over the years, as OwnerRez grew and improved, so did I. I look at it as a partnership. I’ve received nothing but stellar service from the OwnerRez team. There’s not one problem I’ve had with the software that we could not work through and resolve. It’s been a privilege to work with their team. They understand the property management business, and the software reflects that. It’s not perfect yet, but they are continuously improving and introducing new software features.
For me, it’s hands down the website. Presenting a professional front for Sea South Properties allowed me to gain traction as I jumped into this full-time. A close second is the integration with ResortClean, RemoteLock, and the Oracode Kaba lock site. These seamless integrations allow me more time to focus on other, more critical aspects of the business. Another crucial benefit for me is operating the software from my smartphone. This was a game-changer. I am now able to be more mobile and am still able to give excellent response times to my guests. I am definitely team OwnerRez and wouldn’t dream of using another PM software.
It’s wonderful to see how Stephanie has turned her passion for the beach and her background in customer service into a successful vacation rental business. Wishing her continued growth and success as she helps families create lasting memories at Sea South Properties!
So many great new features! Thank you!
Wow!!! So many new features. This is truly amazing. Will there be a webinar that we could go over all of these items in a short session? Looking forward to implementing many of the new features. Thank you so much for your hard work at keeping the business ahead of the rest!
Tighter rules and shifting demand are reshaping the vacation rental landscape. From Maui to Greece, governments are cracking down to address housing concerns, signaling a wave of change ahead of peak travel season.
Maui County is advancing legislation to phase out short-term vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas, aiming to address the island’s housing crisis. Bill 9, introduced by Mayor Richard Bissen, targets approximately 2,200 units, revising earlier estimates of 7,000. The proposal has sparked debate, with supporters viewing it as a necessary step to increase long-term housing availability, while critics argue it could harm the local economy and tourism industry. Amendments under consideration include delaying enforcement until 2030 and exempting timeshare units. The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee is set to review the bill in a public hearing on Monday, June 9, at 10 a.m.
Caribbean nations are adopting varied strategies to manage Airbnb and similar short-term rentals, balancing tourism benefits with housing concerns. During Caribbean Week in New York, tourism ministers from different islands discussed their approaches. Some are implementing regulations to ensure fair competition and community well-being, while others are embracing these platforms to boost tourism. The diversity in policies reflects each island’s unique economic and social priorities.
Short-term rentals in Greece have surpassed hotels in popularity among tourists, particularly in Athens, where platforms like Airbnb now offer more accommodations than traditional hotels. This surge has led to housing shortages and rising rents, prompting the government to implement a one-year ban on new short-term rental licenses in central Athens starting January 1, 2025. Additionally, a new daily tax on such rentals has been introduced to address the impact of overtourism and fund infrastructure improvements. These measures aim to balance the economic benefits of tourism with the need to preserve local communities and ensure housing availability for residents.
Demand for U.S. vacation homes has dropped to its lowest level since 2018, with second-home mortgage approvals down 66% from the pandemic peak. Rising costs, tighter short-term rental rules, and less remote work are key factors, with Florida markets like Miami and Orlando seeing steep declines. Even wealthy buyers are pulling back, signaling a broader shift toward more cautious spending.
Twimo has introduced a private vacation rental platform that lets homeowners securely rent, share, or swap properties within a trusted network. Designed to avoid public listing sites and rising STR regulations, it offers guest verification, calendar syncing, and no service fees, helping owners retain more income.
As summer travel ramps up, expect continued shakeups in policy, demand, and market dynamics. Check back next week for the latest developments in the short-term rental world.
Some great discussion here and glad to see folks are interested in learning more. I agree that Stay is an early stage, up and coming opportunity - that's why I decided to jump in early and see where it can lead. In discussions, they've assured me that in 1-2 months, inquiries will start rolling in. There is some benefit in getting in early and getting some individualized marketing and attention to your property. I used another very established by owner site for 3x the cost per year and received just 5 inquiries the whole year (some of which were spam)......Established does not mean proven. Based on Jeff's (CEO) focus on search and retargeting in his comment on this thread, I'm confident that they have a plan to monitor performance and iterate on their business model to ensure happy rental owners.
Can anyone comment on Topkey's pricing model and provide a rough sense of the cost (per month or year)?
Looking at their website, they don't provide any information on pricing. They say to email or to use a link to ask for a demo or you can email for pricing. I don't really want to sit through a demo to have to wait to hear pricing information at the end.
I am email to see what I learn and will share that so that others can be spared the extra steps.
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback, Mar Bella. We appreciate you!
Wow, this is a big release, full of new features I will use daily. Thanks especially for the Repeat Guest trigger. This will allow us to truly personalize our communications for repeat guests.
Your product is amazing - it's a cornerstone of our business! Keep up the great work.
Ocean South Properties has grown into a thriving vacation rental business from a single beachfront condo to managing 40 properties along Alabama’s stunning Gulf Coast. What started as a personal investment turned into a passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences and expertly managing properties—all while balancing full-time jobs and family life.
Our family lives in Louisiana but has always vacationed on the Alabama Gulf Coast, which is 4 hours away from us. We purchased our first beachfront condo in May of 2009 and used a large rental company in the Orange Beach area to rent it for us. We weren't satisfied with their performance, so we began managing the condo ourselves. After much success with that one, we purchased a second beachfront rental a few years later. With rentals continually increasing and many happy guests, we decided to start our own property management business. My husband and I both had full-time jobs and three children, but we took real estate classes in the evenings, got our licenses, became Keller Williams agents, and then began Ocean South Properties. Currently, we manage 40 beachfront properties in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Ft. Morgan, Alabama.
I have a marketing degree from LSU, and my husband has a degree in electrical engineering from LSU and an MBA from the University of West Florida.
For over 20 years, I worked in Advertising Sales for newspapers in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, Austin, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We still live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. However, we have a home in Orange Beach, Alabama, and make bi-monthly visits there to check on condos, replenish our supply room, and meet with our two employees (maintenance and customer service rep). Many are surprised by this, but we have a very successful business even though we manage it from another state! It can be done with the help of OwnerRez.
We love the white sand beaches, boat life, and laid-back atmosphere of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is a beautiful vacation area and a great place to raise a family!
I love the property owners who have entrusted their condos/homes to our care. They've become family to us and allow us to do whatever needs to be done to make their condos nicer and more appealing to guests. I also LOVE helping decorate/stage these condos. I love a good Before & After! I also love that our oldest son, Ben, is now part of the business. He handles the day-to-day...answering quotes, booking reservations, etc. He loves creating triggers in OwnerRez!
After so many years of answering phones morning, noon, and night, I couldn't do it anymore. So, I hired a local customer service rep to answer phones and stay in touch with our guests. She is also a runner and helps me with decorating projects.
We use most, if not all, of OwnerRez's features to manage our reservations, from quotes to bookings to closing out each month. We use OR to integrate with Vrbo and Lynnbrook credit card processing. We love the automatic triggers and SMS feature to keep in contact with guests from their initial booking to check-out.
Our website is managed through OwnerRez, and we absolutely love it! Our website is expertly managed through the incredible platform OwnerRez, and we couldn’t be happier! The ease of use and powerful features have truly transformed our online presence.
It’s amazing to see how Melissa and her family have turned Ocean South Properties into a thriving business, managing 40 properties while balancing family and full-time careers. Wishing them continued success as they bring their passion for exceptional guest experiences and property management to the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast!
June's Product Update features the addition of same-day booking support and a handful of Unified Inbox updates, including Drafts and various event indicators. There are also lots of design changes around the app to review, and much more, including some welcomed enhancements around PM and channel integrations, all to enhance your short-term vacation rental business workflows.
Same-day bookings allow hosts to capture last-minute travelers, fill calendar gaps, reduce vacancy rates, and maximize revenue from spontaneous demand (or those whose other accommodation didn't work out for whatever reason) while maintaining a competitive advantage over properties requiring advance notice. This has been available for a long time with Airbnb, but its expansion all changed in June. You voted, and OwnerRez delivered! With our June 18th release, OwnerRez introduced the capability for hosts to permit same-day bookings for direct bookings, and some channel integration bookings (not including Vrbo, they do not support same-day bookings).
Easiest way to configure same-day bookings is at the property level by navigating to Properties > their specific Property > Rules > Change > Booking Window > Lead Time, selecting the Allow same-day bookings (guests can book today) button, and choosing the cut-off time (12:00 AM midnight is the default) that you allow guests to make a same-day reservation.
Only want to offer same-day bookings on specific listing channels? If supported by the listing channel, you can also configure same-day bookings in the settings for the following channel integrations: Airbnb (like it has for a long time), Avanti Florida Villas, Booking.com, Glamping Hub, Google Vacation Rentals, Got2Go, Hopper Homes, Houfy, LocalOTA, and Whimstay. Again, Vrbo does not support same-day bookings, so this feature does not change that fact.
To set at the channel level, navigate to Settings > Channel Management > Channel Integrations > your specific Channel Integration > Change > Booking Window & Duration > Lead Time, selecting the Allow same-day bookings (guests can book today) button, and choose the cut-off time (12:00 AM midnight is the default) that you are comfortable with for guests to make a same-day reservation.
Creating Draft messages enables staff collaboration, ensures consistent messaging across team members, allows supervisor review before sending, reduces response errors, and maintains professional communication standards while managing multiple guest conversations efficiently. OwnerRez has added the ability to create draft messages directly in the Unified Inbox with our June 11th release.
After the message is written, click on Save Draft.
Draft messages are shown in the left message list with the red text "Draft to: ". All Drafts can be viewed by selecting Drafts from the Inbox dropdown list.
In the message pane, the draft message is outlined in red dashes with the author's name, date, and time listed below it. This allows other team members or supervisors to review or send the draft message. The Edit option is only available to the original author of the draft message. You cannot edit another user's draft; you can only delete it and create your own or send it as the original draft author.
Event and date indicators in OwnerRez's unified inbox provide instant context for guest communications, enabling quick prioritization, efficient response timing, and seamless workflow management. To enhance clarity with our June 18th release, we've included clearer event (e.g., inquiry, booking, etc.) and date indicators in the Unified Inbox messaging pane.
Nobody wants to see a booking canceled, but sometimes life happens. When Vrbo cancellation requests occurred in the past, hosts didn't receive notifications from OwnerRez but from Vrbo only, which felt disjointed. With our June 25th release, you can now stay ahead of guest cancellations with Vrbo cancellation request notifications and Inbox indicators displayed directly in your OwnerRez Unified Inbox - eliminating surprises or revenue gaps.
Just like other Unified Inbox event indicators, Vrbo cancellations are displayed directly in the message pane.
Then, following cancellation, the Inbox indicator is updated to now show it was canceled.
A new Booking Cancellation Requested notification has also been added. You can subscribe via email and/or push notification.
Here's a preview of the Booking Cancellation Requested email notification sent to users, and if configured, team access users.
Displaying past guest booking history enhances personalized service, fosters guest relationships, helps staff understand preferences, reduces repetitive questions, and creates seamless experiences for returning guests. With our June 11th release, OwnerRez updated the Unified Inbox Guest Information panel to intelligently group multiple bookings, quotes, and inquiries organized by type and status, with current bookings always displayed at the top.
To view older grouped bookings, click on the upper-right arrow.
The in-app OwnerRez Properties area is the core for managing all aspects of your rental property settings and is a powerful foundation for your rental business. As we did with our January 22nd Amenities release, we turned our attention to the Properties area with our June 25th release. Let's review the changes.
Not only does the Properties area look refreshed with this updated design, but new functionality was also added. First off, the Properties > specific Property > General Info page was updated.
There are two primary ways to edit items for your Property information. If available, when you click on the pencil icons in the upper right of each section, you'll be taken to the corresponding property area, such as Rules, where you can continue editing by clicking Change at the top of the page, just as in the past.Another way to edit Property items is to check and uncheck each item on other Property pages quickly and efficiently. If available, after you've checked an item, you can add additional information by clicking on the Edit button to the right of the selected item. These new check and edit options are now available on the Property > Accommodations, Guest Instructions, Health and Safety, and Location pages.
The Property > Accommodations page has been updated.
The Guest Instructions page now has a fresh new look and improved functionality.The interface and visual layout of the Health and Safety page have been upgraded, too.
And the Location page, along with the associated sections, has been modernized.
The Rooms, Photos, and Rules pages will be receiving further redesign in future releases. Stay tuned!
As part of our June 25th release, OwnerRez has updated all in-app Report designs to feature a more horizontal layout style.
Organizing and categorizing property management expenses is essential for reviewing property operational costs. For better insight into your expenses, OwnerRez has added a Booking Status (Pre-Arrival, Mid-Stay, Post-Departure, Canceled) option to the PM > Expenses grid and the individual Bookings > Expenses grid filters as part of our June 18th release.
In the PM > Statements & Payouts > Expenses grid filter, the Booking Status option allows you to select expenses by Pre-Arrival, Mid-Stay, Post-Departure, or Canceled.
When selected, you can select individual expense(s) and use the following buttons: Categorize, Set the Vendor, Restore, or Delete to process them in one bulk action. We renamed the "Remove Exclusion" button to "Restore" and made it available as a bulk action in the grid, allowing you to restore multiple excluded expenses simultaneously.
The Booking Status option is also included in the individual Bookings > Expenses grid filter. And when selected, you can select individual expense(s) and use the following buttons: Categorize, Set the Vendor, Restore, or Delete to process them in one bulk action.
Managing a property requires careful oversight of expenses, effort, and time. To simplify the expense inclusion logic of booking expenses on PMv2 owner statements, expenses will now only be included when the related booking is remitted, removing the ability to include expenses from previous or future unremitted bookings with our June 25th release.
Here's an example of the previous owners' statements regarding booking expense options.
You'll now see that the owners' statement booking expense section has been removed, along with a descriptive banner explaining that booking expenses will only be included on owner statements when the related booking is remitted.
Have you started managing properties for other owners? Explore OwnerRez's powerful Property Management premium feature!
Staying current with Airbnb API updates allows OwnerRez to deliver seamless property synchronization and accurate price quotes for competitive hosts. Our June 4th release optimizes our Airbnb channel integration to support their latest API for price quotes, improved accessibility feature support, and supported room names and configurations.
đź“‹ Updated Room Names (User-Visible Changes)
🏠Better Room Type Handling
🔄 Removal of Room Ordering Requirements
♿ Improved Accessibility Feature Support
đź”— Legacy Room Type Mapping to Closest Alternatives
Based on guidance from Vrbo, cancellation policies for all new Vrbo channel integration connections will default to Moderate with our June 18th release. Users can still select other cancellation policies (e.g., Strict, Firm, No Refund, Relaxed) as desired.
Fix Full Commission Not Being Displayed After Importing a Booking.com Booking. This edge case occurred when a Booking.com (BDC) booking failed to display the full commission after import. OR fixed this bug, and BDC bookings will display full commissions correctly after import.
Fix Not Detecting Fully Remitted Bookings in Property Management v2. Fully remitted PM v2 bookings were not correctly identified, resulting in bookings not being PM Locked after inclusion on owner statements. We corrected this glitch to detect fully remitted PM v2 bookings correctly.
Fix Older Vrbo messages Not Properly Displaying Sent Status. Very old sent Vrbo messages incorrectly displayed "Message Queued," when it should have displayed the correct "Message Sent." OR fixed this bug to display "Message Sent" for very old sent Vrbo messages correctly.
Fix Sending Quotes With $0 Line Item Instead of Actual Line Items When Using the {QHCTAB} Field Code. The {QHCTAB} field code failed to populate charges correctly, resulting in quotes with $0 line items. We resolved this issue so that the {QHCTAB} field code populates charges correctly.
Fix Showing Incorrect Options When Editing a Yes/No Trigger Condition. Any trigger conditions that should be only Yes/No options, displayed other incorrect options in the dropdown list. OR corrected this glitch to only display the correct Yes/No options in the dropdown list for trigger conditions.
Fix Slow Loading Times for Listing Quality Analyzer (LQA). Even while filtering for one property, users with a large number of properties were experiencing slower-than-expected LQA load times. We resolved this issue by optimizing the LQA for faster loading times.
Fix Viewing the Inbox After a Guest is Deleted. After a guest was deleted, the Unified Inbox was not rendered or displayed correctly. OR fixed this bug, and the Unified Inbox will be displayed correctly after a guest is deleted.
Add Saint Barthélemy to the Country Selection Options. We've added Saint Barthélemy, also known as St. Barts, to the country selection options at a user's request.
Adjust Anchor Link Positioning for Bay Grande Templated Hosted Sites. The anchors added to Bay Grande templated hosted websites were not positioned correctly, obscuring the text in the top banner. OR resolved this issue so that anchors added to Bay Grande templated hosted websites will function correctly.
API for Channel Integration Now Returns 403 Instead of 500 for Invalid Keys. The API for Channel Integration endpoints would return 500 errors when given invalid keys or channel types. We corrected this glitch with the API, which now correctly returns 403 responses with clear error messages when validation fails.
Ensure Consistent Drop Shadow on Hosted Site Headers With Spill Segments. Drop shadows did not display consistently on hosted website headers and were displayed incorrectly when a segment was set to "spill." OR fixed this bug, and drop shadows will now appear consistently across different header configurations.
Ensure Correct Formatting for Extra Rows in Excel Exports. When generating report export files that contained more rows than those preformatted in the template, the file included unformatted rows. We resolved this issue so that report export files contain the correct formatting for extra rows.
Ensure Photos Unassigned to Rooms Sync Correctly to Airbnb. While it was possible to assign a photo to a different room, once photos were assigned to rooms in OwnerRez, it became impossible to reassign those photos to listing-level photos after syncing. OR fixed this bug to ensure that photos unassigned to rooms sync to Airbnb correctly.
Ensure Skipped Properties in Channel Bridge Reviews Import are Correctly Processed. Even when some properties were selected as "Skipped," reviews were incorrectly added for that property in the Channel Bridge reviews import process. We resolved this issue to prevent skipped property reviews from being imported during the Channel Bridge process.
Fix JavaScript Error for Partial Google Analytics Configurations. Some JavaScript errors occurred when loading hosted websites with partially configured Google Analytics because conditions prevented the tracking code from functioning correctly when only some tracking IDs were supplied. OR corrected this glitch so JavaScript errors will not occur when partial Google Analytics tracking IDs are provided.
Fix PayPal Payments Pro Security Deposit Re-authorization by Ensuring Unique Invoice IDs. Some PayPal Payments Pro security deposit re-authorizations encountered failures due to duplicate invoice IDs. We resolved this issue by adding timestamps to PayPal Payments Pro security deposit re-authorization invoice IDs to ensure uniqueness for each transaction.
Fix Special Character Encoding in Links on Guest Conversation Page. Special characters in links were not displayed correctly on the guest conversation page. OR fixed this bug to correctly render and display those special characters in links on the guest conversation page.
Prevent Airbnb Updates From Altering Listing Sync Status Without User Interaction. This edge case occurred when a user discovered that their Airbnb listing sync status was updating without requesting the change. We resolved this issue by ensuring that the sync status of the Airbnb listing cannot be updated without user action.
Prevent Confirmation Loop When Creating Airbnb Accounts Through OwnerRez. Some users inadvertently got caught in a confirmation loop when creating Airbnb accounts directly in OwnerRez. OR corrected this glitch to prevent the confirmation loop when creating Airbnb accounts directly in OwnerRez.
PMv2Remove Deprecated Payment Methods. The following deprecated payment methods have been removed from OwnerRez: BridgePay, Innovative, NMC, NETBilling, PSiGate, Redsys, Sage Payments, SecureNet, and TrustCommerce. All affected users have been emailed multiple times with instructions to configure to another payment method.
Remove Deprecated Worldline (Bambora) Authentication Fields. Bambora (Worldline) no longer accepts username and password credentials, and connections using the old authentication have been deactivated. Affected users have been emailed multiple times with instructions on providing the required API Access Passcode to continue using Bambora (Worldline) as a payment method.
Restore Airbnb Room Types: Darkroom, Sunroom, Library, Game Room. Following our June 4th Airbnb Channel Integration release, we realized that Airbnb had restored some previously removed room types, so we have restored the following room types: Darkroom, Sunroom, Library, Game Room.
Strip More Invalid Special Characters From Property URLs. This edge case arose when a user used an invalid special character in their property URL, causing their hosted website to go down. OR has resolved this issue by stripping more invalid special characters from property URLs.
Unified InboxAdd Additional Error Message for SMS. SMS messages that exceeded the content size (e.g., too many characters or bytes) did not return a helpful error message to the user. OR resolved this issue by adding a more friendly error message to users when their SMS messages exceed the allowed content size.
Add Error Message When a Lock is No Longer Available in a Schlage Account. When Schlage connected door locks were no longer found, OwnerRez did not return helpful error messages to the user. We fixed this bug to return clear error messages to users when a door lock is no longer found in their Schlage account.
Fix Airbnb Tax Calculation When Having Multiple Taxes in the Same Category. Occasionally, users with multiple taxes configured in the same category had some Airbnb tax calculations performed incorrectly due to rounding issues. OR corrected this glitch to ensure that Airbnb tax calculations for users with multiple taxes configured in the same category will be calculated correctly.
Fix Broken URLs of Hosted Sites. Some property URLs that contained special characters, such as emojis, caused broken URLs. We resolved this issue by improving how special characters are handled in property URLs.
Fix Error on Guest Activity Grid. The guest activity grid experienced errors due to a formatting issue. OR corrected this formatting issue to ensure the guest activity grid functions correctly.
Fix In-app Links to Support Articles. In-app links to OwnerRez support articles encountered intermittent "Support Article Not Found" errors. We fixed this bug so that in-app links to support articles will work correctly.
Fix Showing Rates in the Rate Widget for Past Seasons. This edge case occurred when a user's Booking/Inquiry Widget inadvertently displayed rates from past seasons. OR corrected this glitch so that the Booking/Inquiry Widget now only shows rates starting from the current day forward.
PMv2Add "Has All of These Tags" Filter Option to Ribbon Calendar and Booking, Inquiries, Quotes, and Contacts Grids. OwnerRez added the "Has All of These Tags" filter option to the ribbon calendar, booking list, inquiry list, quote list, and contact list views, providing more precise filtering capabilities when working with multiple tags.
Correctly Un-suppress Blog and Forum Notifications When Reactivating Emails. The blog and forum notification email stream was not correctly suppressed when reactivating emails for login accounts, resulting in an unintended re-suppression on all streams when a notification was sent. OR fixed this bug so that login email notifications are not re-suppressed when blog notifications were sent.
Display "Sourced By Expedia" on Vrbo Bookings That Originate From Expedia in Booking Overview Tab and in Notifications. Due to channel messaging limitations for Expedia bookings, OwnerRez has added a "Sourced By Expedia" label on the Vrbo originating from Expedia to the bookings overview tab, along with any booking notifications.
Display a Warning When Attempting to Collect a Security Deposit on a Booking That Already Has an Active One. Users were not warned correctly when attempting to collect a refundable deposit on a booking that already had an active security deposit, creating a new refundable damage deposit instead of collecting against the currently active security deposit hold. We resolved this issue by adding a pop-up warning for users when they attempt to collect a refundable deposit on a booking with an active security deposit.
Don't Display Less Than 24 Hours Before Arrival Booking Window as Blocked on Rates Calendar. Properties with a booking window configuration of less than 24 hours were incorrectly displayed as blocks on the rates calendar. We corrected this glitch to ensure properties with a booking window configuration of less than 24 hours are correctly displayed on the rates calendar.
Enhance "Not yet released" Note in Transactions Grid and Secdep View to Clarify Re-authorization Status, Auto-refunding, and Hold Expiry Timing. For clarity, OwnerRez added a "Not yet released" note in the booking transactions grid and security deposit view to explain and display the security deposit hold re-authorization and auto-release date status and timing.
Ensure Clickable Links in SMS and Channel Messages Work Properly. Some links in SMS and channel messages did not function correctly. OR corrected this glitch, and links in SMS and channel messages function correctly.
Fix Airbnb LQA Error for Multiple Cleaning Fees and Clarify Guidance for Short Stay Cleaning Fee Configurations. The Listing Quality Analyzer (LQA) incorrectly generated errors when both Airbnb regular and short-stay cleaning fees were configured. We fixed this bug, so the LQA no longer generates errors for multiple correctly configured Airbnb cleaning fees.
Fix Airbnb LQA Errors for Supported Guest Surcharge Configurations and Improve Messaging for Unsupported Fee Categories. Even though the surcharge multiplier configured was supported, Airbnb surcharges with "1 above 0" guest multipliers received incorrect Listing Quality Analyzer (LQA) errors. OR resolved this issue by correcting the LQA and improving the error message wording for unsupported Airbnb fee categories.
Fix Calendar Modal Scrolling to Keep Date Picker Anchored During Page Scroll. On some in-app pages, the calendar pop-up was not correctly anchored to the date picker, resulting in a floating calendar pop-up. We fixed this bug to ensure the calendar pop-up is anchored correctly to the date picker.
Fix Errors When Pushing Photos Linked to Deleted Airbnb Rooms. Airbnb sync errors were generated when users deleted rooms directly on Airbnb. OR resolved this issue by gracefully handling missing room errors when pushing photos to Airbnb.
Fix Formula Errors in Excel Statement Exports When Opened in Google Sheets. Formula errors occurred when users opened Excel statement exports in Google Sheets. We corrected this glitch so Excel statement export formulas are correct when opened in Google Sheets.
Fix Issue Where Rule Selection Changes From Gap Required Weren't Visually Updating in the Rate Calendar. This edge case occurred when a changeover rule was updated on the rate calendar, but did not visually refresh the rate calendar. OR resolved this issue to ensure that the changeover rules made on the rate calendar will visually refresh the rate calendar.
Fix PM Statement Excel Export to Stop Summing Non-numeric Columns Like Recorded and PM Account. PM statement Excel export files incorrectly contained sum formulas in non-numeric columns, such as the Recorded and PM account columns. We fixed this bug so that PM statement Excel export files do not contain sum formulas for non-numeric columns.
Improve Invoice Printing via Firefox Browser by Removing Dark Print Overlays. OwnerRez invoice printing via the Firefox browser contained dark print overlays, making them difficult to read. OR resolved this issue to ensure invoice printing does not include dark print overlays.
Unified Inbox:
Thank you Jeff, I would like to know more.
Anna
blueridgedreams18@gmail.com
From tax hikes and protests to new platform tools and funding rounds, this week’s vacation rental news highlights how the industry is evolving under pressure ahead of peak summer travel.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green signed a bill raising hotel and vacation rental taxes by 0.75%, effective January 2026, aiming to generate $100 million annually for climate change projects. This increase brings the combined visitor tax rate to nearly 19%, one of the highest in the U.S., and will also extend an 11% tax to cruise ship bills. Funds will support initiatives like beach restoration, wildfire prevention, and climate resilience, despite industry concerns about impacts on tourism.
An Italian court overturned the government’s ban on remote check-ins for short-term rentals, ruling it overly burdensome and ineffective for security. Host associations welcomed the decision, but officials in cities like Florence and Rome plan to maintain local restrictions on key boxes and rental caps amid ongoing tensions over tourism impacts.
Over 23,000 residents in Spain’s Canary Islands recently protested overtourism, blaming it for rising housing costs and environmental strain. In response, the government is cracking down on illegal rentals, ordering Airbnb to remove nearly 66,000 unlicensed listings and introducing a 21% VAT on short-term stays under 30 days.
Vrbo has introduced a new Promotions Suite aimed at helping hosts increase bookings and revenue by offering tailored discounts to various traveler segments. The suite includes tools for early booking and last-minute promotions, with dedicated search filters to enhance visibility. Upcoming features will allow hosts to target Expedia Group loyalty members and mobile users, and provide advanced settings for new listings. These initiatives respond to traveler preferences for competitive pricing and aim to improve calendar occupancy and reduce booking risks for hosts.
Wander, a luxury vacation rental platform, has secured $50 million in Series B funding to expand its network of smart, remote work–friendly properties. The company aims to combine the consistency of a luxury hotel with the personalized experience of vacation rentals, positioning itself as a trusted brand in the short-term rental market. This investment follows previous funding rounds, including a $100 million raise to establish Atlas, the industry’s first vacation rental REIT.
Miami-based vacation rental startup Roami, formerly known as Sextant Stays, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing debts of up to $50 million. Despite raising significant funding and having two leaders featured on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list, the company faced financial challenges leading to this development.
As the season heats up, expect more shifts in regulation, strategy, and innovation across the vacation rental landscape. Stay tuned for next week’s highlights.
This will work with any bookings you have integrated into your OwnerRez account. If you contact us at Pet Screening, we would love to demo how it works and answer any questions you may have.
How does this work with Airbnb bookings -- or is it only applicable to direct bookings?
I clicked the link to go to the document and it says it no long exists?
Thanks, Jeff! Great info.
Hi everyone—Jeff Manheimer here, CEO of Stay. First off, thanks so much for sharing your feedback and ideas. Your questions around traffic, awareness, scale and pricing models are exactly the sort of input we need at this stage, so I’d like to address each point:
The way we drive traffic & build awareness is a well-proven strategy we have deployed for multiple STR sites we’ve launched. Some aspects include:
1. Paid Search, Custom-Tailored Local Campaigns
Every new property manager partner kicks off with a dedicated marketing call to map out your seasonality and targets. From there, we build a fully tailored paid search strategy targeting geo-specific terms to drive traffic to travelers showing intent for your area. It ramps spend at peak times and conserves budget during slower months.
2. Dynamic Paid Social and Email Retargeting
Once a traveler views properties on Stay, we retarget them with eye-catching ads and emails featuring the exact properties they viewed on our site. For the next ~6 weeks, as they scroll their feed and open their inboxes, we keep your properties top of mind through the booking journey.
3. Dedicated Newsletters
We email our growing audience of over 100,000 engaged subscribers with curated property spotlights, market insights, and special offers—so your listings land right in front of qualified travelers’ inboxes.
4. Social Media & Scott McGillivray Collaborations
We regularly post on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, featuring standout properties alongside Scott’s team. This gives your listings an extra boost across Scott’s loyal HGTV-follower base. We also handpick "Scott Stay" properties to highlight unique homes that get shared on our various social media channels.
5. Customer Service
This week we are training our customer service team with regard to OwnerRez and the overall partnership. Most of the folks who call in are travelers looking for vacation homes, but we will make sure they are prepared to speak to our PMS partner integrations (like OwnerRez) if owners or management companies reach out.
Our scale, experience & roadmap
Flexible pricing & hybrid model options
We currently offer:
We’re happy to be an open book and can share our volume-based discount table if you contact us directly.
That said, we love the hybrid plan ideas you’ve outlined (Plan A/B/C)—and are evaluating how to incorporate a performance-based or revenue-share option alongside our annual model. Our goal is to give you the flexibility to choose the approach that best aligns with your business, with the ability to switch at each renewal anniversary.
We’re committed to making Stay the most effective, transparent and partner-friendly platform in vacation rentals. If you’d like to dive deeper into traffic metrics for your specific market or explore a custom pricing structure, please reply here or email partnerships@stay.com—we’ll set up a one-on-one session right away.
Thanks again for your input—looking forward to proving our ability to scale together!
Warm regards,
Jeff Manheimer
CEO
I just added them to my channels and I reached out to Stay via 833-782-9277. Unfortunately, they have no clue who OR is. At least the person I spoke with had no clue. Tried to look up properties and found 1 not close La Marque, Texas.
From global crackdowns and price surges to platform safeguards and event-driven policy shifts, this week’s vacation rental headlines reveal how external pressures are reshaping the industry ahead of the busy summer season.
In anticipation of Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, Airbnb is once again activating its “anti-party technology”, now in its fourth year. The system blocks high-risk bookings such as short local stays by young guests, helping to prevent disruptive gatherings. In 2024, Airbnb reported a 50% drop in party incidents across the U.S. during similar blackout periods.
Spain is intensifying its efforts against short-term rentals amid a worsening housing crisis. The government has ordered Airbnb to remove over 65,000 listings that lack proper licensing or ownership disclosures, following a court ruling backing the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. Madrid alone accounts for over 15,000 illegal listings. In parallel, a new legislative proposal seeks to impose a 21% VAT on short-term rentals under 30 days, double the rate applied to hotels. The bill also includes taxes on vacant properties and foreign buyers from outside the EU, aiming to prioritize housing for residents over tourism.
Anticipating an influx of visitors for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Parkville’s Board of Aldermen voted to relax short-term rental regulations for a three-month period. The temporary measure aims to accommodate players, staff, and fans, reflecting how major events can influence local housing policies.
A new Bankrate study using AirDNA data highlights significant seasonal price surges in short-term rental markets across the U.S. Focusing on single-family homes with at least two bedrooms, the study identifies 20 vacation hotspots where rental prices can more than double during peak seasons. For instance, Augusta, Georgia, experiences a 178% increase in average daily rates during the Masters Tournament in spring, while Oxford, Mississippi, sees a 125% hike in the fall, coinciding with college football season. Other notable summer destinations with substantial markups include Long Island, New York (117%), and Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (92%).
As summer kicks into gear, the vacation rental landscape continues to evolve. Check back next week for more news on the vacation rental industry!
I suppose every new platform must start from zero...
How does Stay draw potential guests to their website? I went out and performed multiple searches on Google (Stay, stay with stay, stay property rental.......) and could not get their website to show up. That along with the fact that there is only one listing on their site for the entire Gulf Coast tells me they are very unlikely to draw business for my rental properties and would most likely be a waste of money. OwnerRez needs to look at forming an integration with Furnished Finders which is also aimed at mid-term rentals and has a similar operating model as Stay but has a much larger presence on the internet with a more established following of guests that use the site. I have several friends and family who are travelling nurses that all use Furnished Finders and have told me to go list my rentals on the site. The only reason I haven't signed up with Furnished Finders is because I don't want to manually update their availability calendar every time one of our rentals gets booked via a different channel.
R/
Butch
Furnished Finders is not going in this direction anytime soon. I had calls with the CEO, (former VRBO executive) and he has a lot of other tech stack things he needs to fix and doesn't have the bandwidth (or see the opportunity) to flood furnished finder with STR inventory. Strange because STR inventory is turn key and more hospitality based. Happy to share his contact info with you privately if you would like. Maybe some more people reaching out would help.
1000% agree on Stay, they need inventory and exposure.
How does Stay draw potential guests to their website? I went out and performed multiple searches on Google (Stay, stay with stay, stay property rental.......) and could not get their website to show up. That along with the fact that there is only one listing on their site for the entire Gulf Coast tells me they are very unlikely to draw business for my rental properties and would most likely be a waste of money. OwnerRez needs to look at forming an integration with Furnished Finders which is also aimed at mid-term rentals and has a similar operating model as Stay but has a much larger presence on the internet with a more established following of guests that use the site. I have several friends and family who are travelling nurses that all use Furnished Finders and have told me to go list my rentals on the site. The only reason I haven't signed up with Furnished Finders is because I don't want to manually update their availability calendar every time one of our rentals gets booked via a different channel.
R/
Butch
Without knowing the kind of traffic stats and performance metrics they have in specific luxury markets, a revenue split would be preferred. They are already doing better than Furnished Finder by having an integration, however we have no problem paying a good sales agent (ie them) for their performance. Why can’t both an annual model and a PPB commission exist? Would also support pay for search placement.
Maybe even a hybrid model of picking plan a or plan b or plan C.
Plan A = Annual Fee, no percentage.
Plan B = 5% of rent capped at 2x annual fee.
Plan C = 5% of rent capped at 3x annual fee and priority search placement.
You can only switch plans on renewal anniversary.
We would pick an C all day.
100% that’s why I believe stay will never be big
