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We’re excited to announce our new integration with Direct Booking Tools, giving OwnerRez users access to a powerful price comparison tool, forward-looking demand data analytics, and more to help boost direct bookings.
Direct Booking Tools is the vacation rental industry's first and only price comparison tool with forward-looking demand data analytics.
Everything they are developing focuses on building trust with the consumer, increasing direct booking revenue, making marketing costs more effective, providing operational insights, driving bottom line profits and educating the public. Their goal is to revolutionize the vacation rental industry by developing and delivering user-friendly, data-driven technology solutions that streamline property management operations, increase revenue, and enhance the guest experience, while being easy to install and use.
Give your website visitors a Best Price Guarantee while proving it to them instantly, and you will drive sales!
Try the suite of products free for 30 days with no strings attached. Cancel anytime.
Get started with Direct Booking Tools by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Direct Booking Tools.
At this time, we only support businesses that use these banks in these locations:
Powertranz supports many other banks and locations, but the above list is the only ones supported by OwnerRez at this time due to 3DS limitations.
This is great news! Also Jamaica can be added to the list as they also work with CIBC and other banks too.
This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s new “Reserve Now, Pay Later” feature, Casago’s latest moves following its Vacasa acquisition, and the growing trend of autism-friendly vacation rentals. Plus, updates on Monterey County’s new STR ordinance, Airbnb’s new pool safety tool aimed at protecting guests and Gathern’s Series B funding. Let’s dive in.
Airbnb has rolled out a new "Reserve Now, Pay Later" feature, allowing guests to secure bookings without paying anything upfront. Guests who select this option won’t need to pay the full booking amount until shortly before the end of the listing’s free cancellation period. Available immediately for U.S. based listings with a moderate or flexible cancellation policy, this feature is designed to offer more flexibility for travelers, particularly those making last-minute plans or coordinating group trips. The move aims to streamline the booking process and increase reservation conversions for hosts.
Following its acquisition of Vacasa in May, Casago has announced a partnership with its Casago San Diego franchise to manage 150 coastal vacation rental properties previously handled by Vacasa. This follows a similar deal with Bolivar Vacations, which has assumed management of over 90 former Vacasa properties on the Texas Gulf Coast. The move is part of Casago's broader strategy to transition from centralized management to local operators, offering more personalized service while leveraging the strength of a national brand.
A growing number of vacation rentals are being tailored for guests with autism, offering specialized features designed to make stays more comfortable and accessible. In places like Fire Island, Yucca Valley, and Florida’s Gulf Coast, homes are being equipped with sensory-friendly amenities such as quiet spaces, adjustable lighting, and additional exterior door locks to help families with autistic members enjoy stress-free vacations. These inclusive accommodations are part of a broader trend to make travel more accessible to everyone, ensuring that families with unique needs have a welcoming place to stay while on vacation.
Monterey County's new vacation rental ordinance has been approved by the California Coastal Commission. The updated rules will ban vacation rentals in specific regions, add stricter permit requirements, and more. Planning staff aim to present the ordinance to the Board of Supervisors on September 23rd, with regulations set to take effect on October 24th, if passed. Unpermitted rentals will have two months to apply for permits or cease operations.
Airbnb has introduced a new pool safety tool designed to enhance guest safety. The feature will appear in message threads for guests who book listings with pools or those near bodies of water. Once a booking is confirmed, guests will receive automated prompts encouraging them to ask their host safety-related questions, such as questions about water access, available safety equipment, and any potential hazards. Developed in collaboration with Safe Kids Worldwide, the tool aims to increase awareness and reduce risks during stays.
Gathern, a Saudi Arabian vacation rental platform, has raised $72 million in its Series B funding round to expand its operations. The platform is focused on tapping into the growing demand for short-term rentals across the Middle East, offering a diverse range of properties for both local and international travelers. With this new capital, Gathern plans to enhance its technology, improve the user experience, and grow its market share in the region. The funding marks a key milestone as the company aims to strengthen its position against global players in the vacation rental market.
As the vacation rental industry adapts to new features, regulations, and trends, we’ll continue to see changes that impact both hosts and guests. Check back next week for more updates on how these developments are shaping the future of the market!
Meet Cathie Harrison, owner of My Galveston Getaway. What started as a personal investment in 2004 has grown into a thriving vacation rental business with 80 properties across Galveston Island. With a background in logistics and a love for the island she now calls home, Cathie has built a company focused on strong partnerships, exceptional service, and creating memorable guest experiences.
Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, my family was a bunch of vagabonds. To know I moved from Texas (two houses) to Puerto Rico (when I was 3, where I lived in two houses) to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Pittsburgh, PA, then Chicago, then Pittsburgh, then Chicago, then Houston and finally Galveston, one would think we were military, but alas not the case. My father was a forensic accountant whose employer would relocate the family when new facilities were built to train others in their accounting practices.
My educational background is in Logistics Management. I worked in that field for a while in household goods transportation, mainly in the corporate realm. In 2004, I purchased my first Galveston property. My dream was to be there every weekend, but being the mom of athletes who competed every weekend, it became an investment property, and the bug had bitten and infected me. When my kids were in high school, I became a stay-at-home mom by choice. I purchased property number two a couple of weeks before a significant hurricane hit Galveston, Texas (Ike), and due to its location, it had power restored quickly, and though the paperwork had not hit the county records yet, I was getting multiple phone calls daily from contractors wanting to rent it long-term during the restoration process. I have never spent a single night in that second condo.In 2010, when my youngest was a college senior, I started managing my properties after trying several property managers in Galveston who I didn’t think were treating me, my property, or my guests as they should. A few other owners asked me to manage theirs as well. I learned, however, that in Texas, managing a property owned by someone else for 30 days or longer requires a real estate license. I also learned that beginning January 1, 2011, the regulations for obtaining a real estate license were changing, and your 4-year college degree would not count for some of the credits. I apologized to the owners I was working with, and instead of saying ok, we’ll find someone else they said, "Well, what will it take to get your license?"
So, in October, I enrolled in the real estate courses, studied, and in December, I earned my real estate license. My Galveston Getaway was born with a $3,000 personal investment and eight properties. It has grown 100% organically to 80 properties, a fantastic team in the office, and amazing partner/vendors in housekeeping, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and handymen. One of the bedrocks of the company is that if we have an invoice on a Thursday, you get paid on Friday. That and true partnerships have earned us the “most favored customer” status to the point that if we have a need at 10:00 pm on a holiday weekend, our partners will take our phone calls.
Initially, we had individual calendars for each property that would toggle back and forth between Airbnb and Vrbo. We just hoped that we didn’t get double bookings. After about 20 properties, we realized that a PMS was needed. We worked with one that worked well for that initial number of properties, but customer service was not their strong suit, and technology was not mine. We then went on a seemingly exhaustive search for a new provider and found OwnerRez to be the most user-friendly and understanding of my personal technological challenges.
Not only is OwnerRez our PMS, but they also designed our new website and made tremendous recommendations for verbiage, photography, and so much more. We continue to be solicited by PMS companies, and while we are thrilled with OwnerRez (and still tired from the transition), not a single one has offered the personal attention we continue to receive from OwnerRez. Jen specifically is absolutely amazing. She seemingly never tires of me asking the same questions over and over, though I wouldn’t blame her for rolling her eyes when she is not on screen in a video call, walking me through something for the umpteenth time.
While I’m not “originally” from Galveston, I have said my whole life it is where my heart sings. My mom was raised here, my maternal grandmother lived here, and I spent a lot of summers on the island. One of my happy places is the free ferry from Galveston to Port Bolivar, where I can see dolphins and feed seagulls from the rear of the boat that moves people and cars from the island to the peninsula. I love it so much that my Lamaze tapes (and yes, I’m old enough that they were tapes) were called “seagulls over the ferry”. I moved to Galveston permanently in 2011 and haven’t looked back; working my tailfeathers off and loving the fact that I get to help others with their travel plans and make them happy on “my island” as well as assisting property owners with their investment goals, some of whom are great friends now.
Ironically, what I love most about the industry is sometimes what I dislike as well. Learning that you cannot make everyone happy no matter how hard you try, that the customer is not always right, and that there is such a thing as “bad business” has been learned from the school of hard knocks in this business. I have found it tremendously freeing to be able to pick and choose who my property owner clients are and to terminate such relationships when they are no longer fitting with the company philosophy.
When I started, all properties were "good properties." Have we been fired by clients? Absolutely, we have. Perhaps one of our most significant accomplishments is that 80% of those who once thought the grass was greener on the other side of the fence have returned to be our clients again. I remember a call one afternoon from one such owner, “Would you take us back?” I’ve not always said yes, whether it had been a personality issue or it was a property that didn’t fit quite right in our portfolio, but just being asked is a tremendous accomplishment.
The other thing I don’t always find to be the most fun is governmental involvement. I fully recognize that this is an island where many people call home, and many of those don’t want to see it as the tourism industry that it is, regardless of how the impacts of that tourism industry help keep their tax bills lower or assist with obtaining things like governmental grants for island improvements. Tourism is either the #1 or #2 industry on the island; it changes occasionally. Without it, I cannot imagine where the City of Galveston would be financially. But the ever-changing landscape of who is responsible for the hotel occupancy taxes and how those funds are spent, community involvement from folks who don’t see themselves as impacted by the industry, and things of that nature can be frustrating.
Dealing with the Federal Government when it comes to insurance regulations and windstorm requirements from a construction standpoint are struggles as well. If I could just make people happy 24/7 through our business without having to deal with beurocracy and paperwork it would be nirvana.
OwnerRez has been a godsend to us. They are a wealth of knowledge and information about not just what they do, but the industry as a whole, and have made recommendations that have nothing to do with them, from dynamic pricing solutions to vendors who are available to all OwnerRez customers. I am convinced that we made the right decision when we selected them as our PMS and look forward to a longstanding relationship with them.
Rooted in strong partnerships, exceptional service, and a love for Galveston, Cathie has built My Galveston Getaway into a thriving vacation rental business. With OwnerRez supporting her operations, we can’t wait to watch her company continue to grow while making a positive impact on both guests and the local community.
What security features do you have in place?
Hi Debra,
Thank you for your input. We use the Authorize.net Advanced Fraud Detection Suite, which includes 13 configurable fraud filters to help us identify, manage, and prevent suspicious activity.
With the AFDS, we can customize rules-based filters and tools to fit our specific business needs. This includes setting minimum transaction thresholds and country limitations.
When a filter is triggered, we have several options for handling the transaction:
Decline the transaction: The transaction is automatically declined.
Hold for review: The transaction can be placed in a "Pending Review" state for manual review before it is authorized or settled.
Process as normal and report: The transaction is processed but flagged for reporting.
We also have a built in fraud tool as part of our services to help ensure a secure payment environment.
Best
Hi Peter,
Thank you for your input if you are referring to recurring billing capabilities from a merchant stand point we can most definitely help you out
Best.
It would be great if we could get "automated monthly recurring bills" in-between all of these integrations with new partners.
Some open questions:
#1 - How do they handle refunds? If the average processing is 2.45% is it 2.45% for incoming and outbound (refunds) transactions? So a $10,000 booking that is cancelled would cost $490.00 in processing fees. $245 for the inbound transaction, another $245 for sending the money back?
#2 - Do they have total cost down to the per booking in regards to reporting and statement of fees? (i.e. Ascent sends a lump sum statement and doesn't allow us to know which bookings had which processing fees associated with which booking (disappointing, but super low processing rates -- sub 2.5%). The same with Priority Payment Systems. Who do they use? Do they use Priority Payment Systems?
#3 - Do you use Authorize.net for your gateway?
#4 - Are you just white labeling Lynbrook or Ascent or some other provider?
Hi Jason and Thank you for your input
1. We only charge processing fees on incoming transactions. Refunds are charged a flat $0.10 each.
2. Yes, each transaction and its associated fee is itemized on your merchant statement. We do not use Priority Payment Systems (PPS).
3. Yes, we use Authorize.net as our payment gateway.
Best
Is it cheaper than the Stipe transaction fee?
Hi Jargal and hank you for your input,
Yes! Our processing rates are lower than Stripe’s standard transaction fees, which can result in meaningful savings over time, especially for higher volume transactions.
How does Reverse My Fees model work with VRBO? Will the traveler be shown the CC processing charge up front?
Hi Monish,
Thank you for reaching out. If you are set up as the merchant of record for your VRBO integration, the Reverse My Fees model will automatically include the credit card processing charge in the total rate displayed to the traveler.
Do they allow security holds?
Hi HTH Stays team,
Thank you for reaching out. Yes, it supports security holds.
Yes!!! I thought I was getting the ability to allow a customer to select ACH or credit card when checking out and then passing the cc processing fee on when I signed up with Yapstone, but I believe this is an OwnerRez issue. I was told we can only offer 1 form of payment collection (outside of manual payments). I hope I am wrong and someone can show me how to set this up.
Correct Nicole, OwnerRez doesn’t currently allow guests to choose between ACH and credit card at checkout while automatically passing along credit card processing fees. At the moment, only one payment method can be offered through the automated checkout process (outside of manual payments).
Thank you for reaching out.
Is there a option to automatically add the credit card charge to the tenant / client if they choose to use credit card, and have no fee to them if they choose debit or ACH? The lack of that feature would be a deal killer for us.
Hi Brian,
Thank you for reaching out. OwnerRez doesn’t currently offer a built-in ACH option. If you’d like to accept ACH payments, it would need to be set up and processed manually through Authorize.net.
Best
This week’s Industry News covers fast-growing luxury OTA Elivaas’s big funding round, Capital One’s new 5x rewards for vacation rental bookings, and Airbnb’s “and not an or” approach to hotels. Plus, Parade’s take on what travelers are looking for in vacation rental listings in 2025. Let’s dive in.
Gurugram-based startup Elivaas raised $10 million in a Series B round to expand its luxury vacation rental offerings. Targeting affluent travelers, Elivaas competes with Airbnb by focusing on India’s premium market with curated high-end homes and personalized services. The funding will support growth into new destinations, add vetted properties, and enhance guest experiences. Backers highlight Elivaas’s technology-driven approach and strong focus on trust and guest satisfaction, positioning it to scale rapidly across India and other growing markets.
Select Capital One cardholders can now earn 5x rewards when booking vacation rentals through the Capital One Travel portal, a benefit that was previously unavailable. Vacation rentals were already bookable on the platform, but this big change reflects the growing consumer demand for short-term rentals and makes booking through Capital One Travel more rewarding for cardholders.
Building on last week’s Industry News report of Airbnb’s Q2 2025 earnings call, Fortune has released an article highlighting the company’s push to expand its hotel inventory. CEO Brian Chesky described this on the earnings call as an “and not an or” strategy. Airbnb will keep its focus on the core vacation rentals while also growing its hotel supply, especially in international markets where many hotels are independent. Airbnb aims to fill booking gaps during peak periods and in cities where home availability is limited. Chesky also pointed to HotelTonight as a successful acquisition and said the company is open to more deals as part of its broader travel and living strategy.
A new Parade article on “7 Things to Know Before Booking a Vacation Rental Right Now” offers insight into what guests are prioritizing and looking out for in 2025. One standout tip from the article is that a lack of neighborhood information is a red flag for many travelers. Highlighting proximity to public transportation, restaurants, and attractions such as beaches, lakes, or hiking trails can help boost booking confidence. In the article, Parade encourages guests to book vacation rentals with detailed property descriptions, clear and fair cancellation policies, and transparent pricing with no surprise fees.
Over 10,000 hotels across Europe have joined a class-action lawsuit against Booking.com, alleging that its long-standing “best-price” clauses prevented them from offering lower rates on their own websites or other platforms. The clauses, in place from 2004 to 2024, were ruled anti-competitive by the European Court of Justice last year and have since been dropped under the EU’s Digital Markets Act.
As August continues, watch for more moves in investment, guest preferences, and platform expansion across the vacation rental market. Check back next week for the latest updates.
Some open questions:
#1 - How do they handle refunds? If the average processing is 2.45% per transaction, is it 2.45% for incoming and another 2.45% for outbound (refunds) transactions? So a $10,000 booking that is cancelled would cost $490.00 in processing fees. $245 for the inbound transaction, another $245 for sending the money back?
#2 - Do they have total cost down to the per booking in regards to reporting and statement of fees? (i.e. Ascent sends a lump sum statement and doesn't allow us to know which bookings had which processing fees associated with which booking (disappointing, but super low processing rates -- sub 2.5%). The same with Priority Payment Systems. Who do they use? Do they use Priority Payment Systems?
#3 - Do you use Authorize.net for your gateway?
#4 - Are you just white labeling Lynbrook or Ascent or some other provider?
Is it cheaper than the Stipe transaction fee?
It would be great if we could get "automated monthly recurring bills" in-between all of these integrations with new partners.
How does Reverse My Fees model work with VRBO? Will the traveler be shown the CC processing charge up front?
Do they allow security holds?
Yes!!! I thought I was getting the ability to allow a customer to select ACH or credit card when checking out and then passing the cc processing fee on when I signed up with Yapstone, but I believe this is an OwnerRez issue. I was told we can only offer 1 form of payment collection (outside of manual payments). I hope I am wrong and someone can show me how to set this up.
What security features do you have in place?
I signed up for the Beta on 7/21/25 and still waiting on approval to join. Looking forward to trying on my 10 properties..
Is there a option to automatically add the credit card charge to the tenant / client if they choose to use credit card, and have no fee to them if they choose debit or ACH? The lack of that feature would be a deal killer for us.
This week’s roundup covers Airbnb’s strong Q2 growth, a pivotal Dallas short-term rental ruling, and vacation rentals outpacing hotels in the U.S. Plus, updates from Greater Palm Springs and top budget beach getaways for summer 2025. Let’s dive in.
Airbnb reported $3.1 billion in revenue for Q2 2025, a 13% increase year over year. Nights and Experiences booked reached 115.1 million, up 9% from the same period last year, with demand accelerating from April through July despite early economic uncertainty. Executives attributed growth to a strong summer travel season, particularly in North America. During the earnings call, Airbnb highlighted increased group travel and longer stays, noting that over 25% of bookings in Q2 were for trips lasting a week or more. The company is also investing in AI to improve search and guest support, and said it plans to expand listing supply ahead of future peak travel periods.
An appellate court ruled in July that Dallas’ 2023 ordinance banning short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods is unenforceable. The ordinance also requires short-term rental permits for properties in multifamily and commercial zones, but the city has yet to launch the permitting system. Following the recent ruling, The Dallas Short-term Rental Alliance has signaled that they are pleased with the court’s decision and has reinforced its desire to work with city leaders on a fair and sensible ordinance. With Dallas set to host eight matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and tickets going on sale September 10th, local groups are urging officials to clarify rules quickly amid the expected spike in demand. Advocates warn that ongoing legal and regulatory uncertainty could limit lodging options during one of the city’s most significant events to date.
Short-term vacation rentals outperformed traditional hotels across all U.S. regions in the second quarter of 2025, according to Key Data’s latest U.S. Vacation Rental Market Index. The sector posted stronger revenue per available room (RevPAR) than hotels, marking a notable shift in the travel accommodation landscape. Despite this strong performance against hotels, forward occupancy for September is down 11% year over year. Booking windows have also shortened across key summer months, challenging operators to manage more efficiently and stay on top of pricing strategies as travelers book closer to arrival.
A new report from the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau highlights the economic role of short-term rentals in the region’s tourism economy. According to the article, in 2023, short-term rental activity generated $1.1 billion in economic impact and supported more than 4,500 local jobs across the Coachella Valley. To address neighborhood concerns, cities throughout Greater Palm Springs have adopted “good neighbor” policies, including quiet hours, bans on amplified outdoor music, proper trash storage, and designated guest parking to preserve quality of life for full-time residents. Local governments have also capped permits in some cities, partnered with rental platforms to improve compliance, and provided 24/7 vacation rental hotlines for residents to report issues directly to on-the-ground compliance teams. The region’s approach aims to balance housing needs with tourism demand and may serve as a model for cities considering stricter crackdowns or bans on short-term rentals.
As travelers continue to prioritize budget-friendly trips in summer 2025, NerdWallet has named Panama City Beach, FL, West Palm Beach, FL, and Outer Banks, NC, among the top cheap beach getaways in the U.S. All three offer public beaches, affordable lodging, and family-friendly attractions, making them standout picks for a coastal vacation without the high price tag.
As August unfolds, expect more shifts in traveler behavior, regulation, and technology across the vacation rental landscape. Check back next week for the latest news!
We're excited to announce our new integration with Powertranz, the leading payment gateway in the Caribbean. This new integration will give OwnerRez users access to native credit card processing in 10 new Caribbean countries. We are thrilled to be adding the Caribbean to our long list of locally supported regions. Please refer to the list below for business location requirements.
Powertranz is an easy to integrate payment gateway to enable merchants to accept online credit and debit card payments and POS payments throughout the Caribbean Region. The Powertranz platform is integrated with dozens of banks and shopping carts across the region to allow merchants to accept cards via one easy integration with real-time secure, web-based reporting and reconciliation.
Business Location Requirements
At this time, we only support businesses that use these banks in these locations:
Get started with Powertranz by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Powertranz.
Blue Heron Vacations has been welcoming guests to the Turks and Caicos Islands since 2020, offering both affordable and luxury villas on the island of Providenciales. Locally owned and operated by Claudius Williams and his team, the company manages 25 properties and focuses on delivering a truly authentic TCI experience.
Blue Heron Vacations was started in 2020, and we have been using OwnerRez since our inception. The company is a locally owned and operated property management company with 25 individual villas under management. We specialize in both affordable and luxury properties on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
I have a background in banking, accounting, and finance. I started property management and vacation villa management in 2007.
This is technically my 3rd career. Prior to working in property management, I worked in private offshore banking.
I am from the Turks and Caicos Islands. I grew up in North Caicos, which is another island in the chain, but I am currently living and working in Providenciales.
My favorite part of the vacation rental business is the people. We have a great team and an amazing group of villa owners. Our guests tend to be experienced travelers, and the Turks and Caicos Islands have a lot to love. It's exciting to be part of building a uniquely TCI (Turks and Caicos Islands) vacation experience for our guests.
Not so much a dislike, but more of a challenge is navigating the ever changing political and legal changes around renting short term villas. Although I understand the reason for our, and other's, regulatory framework around Villa Rentals, it can definitely be frustrating managing that in addition to owners and travelers expectations.
For Blue Heron Vacations, OwnerRez is at the core of our business. We use it as follows:
It's difficult to pull out one particular feature because it is all intended to work together. That being said, for us everything starts and ends with the global calendar and its functionality.
Rooted in the beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Claudius has built Blue Heron Vacations into a trusted name in villa management. With OwnerRez as the backbone of his business, we look forward to seeing his continued success in creating unforgettable stays and building a uniquely TCI vacation experience for guests from around the world.
Meet Lori Taylor, founder of AZ Desert Vacations, a woman-owned and women-run vacation rental management company based in Arizona. Launched in 2020, the business quickly grew from managing a few personal properties to overseeing more than 50 homes across Arizona and Belize. With a background in mortgage lending and a hands-on approach, Lori has grown the business with a simple mission: treat every home like it’s her own, provide an exceptional guest experience, and help owners maximize their revenue.
I founded AZ Desert Vacations in 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona with my previous business partner, after managing my own vacation rentals for years. I saw firsthand how many property management companies were falling short and I knew I could do better. Our mission from day one has been simple: treat every home like it’s our own, provide an exceptional guest experience, and help owners maximize their revenue.
We grew quickly, going from 2 to 10 properties in our first year, then to 50 the next. I hired my first team member after 14 months, and today we have a small but mighty team of four in Arizona. We also manage a large property in Belize with two local employees on the ground there.
As a woman-owned and women-run company, I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come. Even in a tough market, we’re focused on thoughtful growth, strong relationships, and doing right by both our owners and our guests.
I started my career in mortgage lending in 1998, quickly moving into branch and district management roles before shifting back to full-time loan origination when I started my family. My family began owning short-term rentals in 2010, and in 2019, we purchased and I started personally managing our villa in Belize. I was born in Alaska and spent most of my life in Washington before relocating to Arizona in 2021, where I launched AZ Desert Vacations. I’m passionate about building businesses, creating opportunities, and helping others succeed through hands-on leadership.
This is actually my second career. I spent over 25 years as a residential mortgage loan officer before deciding, thanks in part to a shifting economy and rising interest rates, to dive full-time into vacation rentals and property management. What started with managing a few properties quickly expanded, and we’ve since added a cleaning company and a car rental business to better support our guests and owners.
I was actually still living in Washington when I first started the company, but I quickly realized I needed to be more local to truly give my properties and owners the attention they deserved. Making the move to Arizona was the right decision, not just for the business, but for our entire family. We love the warm, sunny climate and were more than ready to leave the rain behind. We're also in the process of expanding our management services in San Pedro, Belize, one of the world’s top tourism destinations, and we’re excited to be part of its vibrant travel community.
What I love most about the vacation rental business is that no two days are ever the same. I’m always doing something different, whether it's solving a new challenge, helping a guest have a great stay, or finding ways to make a property even better. I love the mix of hospitality and business, and there's something really satisfying about creating great experiences for guests while also helping owners succeed. It keeps me on my toes, and I genuinely enjoy the fast pace and constant variety.
One of the biggest challenges in vacation rental management lately has been dealing with the growing number of guests who try to scam their way into a free stay or a refunded cleaning fee. It’s disheartening to see people take advantage of hardworking owners and managers who put so much time and care into creating a great experience. Because of this, I’ve had to stay sharp and constantly adapt; these scams are getting more creative by the day. While it can be exhausting, it’s also pushed me to tighten our systems, document everything thoroughly, and stand firm in protecting our clients and our business. It’s not the part of the job I love, but it’s made me a stronger, more detail-oriented manager, and I’m proud of how we continue to rise above it.
I use OwnerRez daily, truly all day, every day. It’s the backbone of my business and keeps me organized in a way no other platform could. From channel management and direct bookings to automated emails, SMS messaging, a multitude of reports, and detailed owner statements, it handles everything I need to run smoothly and professionally. It’s an essential part of how I deliver great service to both guests and property owners.
The most useful feature of OwnerRez for us is the automation. It saves us countless hours by handling guest communication, scheduling, reminders, and more, all without sacrificing the personal touch. With so many moving parts in property management, having reliable automation in place allows us to stay on top of everything while focusing our time where it really matters.
From just a few homes to over 50 properties across Arizona and Belize, Lori’s journey is inspiring. With a mighty team of four and OwnerRez as the backbone of her operations, we’re excited to see AZ Desert Vacations continue to grow while treating every home like their own, providing exceptional guest experiences, and helping owners maximize their revenue.
August brought some significant upgrades to streamline your workflows! 📈 From Simplified Discounts & Surcharges, Rezzy AI search results, two new Payment Processors, and a new Channel, the month was packed. Let's jump in!
While users could already configure discounts and surcharges in OwnerRez, we introduced a simplified way to do so on August 27th. Each area now has Standard, Supplemental, and Advanced groupings.
🎯Standard Discounts (e.g., Early bird, Last-minute, Length of Stay) and Surcharges (Additional guests, Cleaning, Pet, Linen, etc.) are optimized to ensure they are applied to all direct bookings and synced to your Airbnb and Vrbo channel integration listings. The simplified options help keep them widely compatible.
🛠️Supplemental Discounts (e.g., Discount codes, Manual or Optional discounts) and Surcharges (e.g., Optional, Manual, Offline) that guests can optionally select and apply to direct bookings, or hosts can manually apply pre-arrival. These are the same options that were available before this update.
🧩Advanced custom Discounts and Surcharges offer great flexibility for direct bookings, but depending on the criteria selected, they may not be applied to channel integration listings.
Brand new users are greeted with simple Add pages. Accounts that already have discounts and surcharges can see the same options when creating an additional one.
The new Discount add screen looks like this:
The new Surcharge add screen looks like this:
For accounts that already have some, you can go to Settings > either Discounts or Surcharges > + Create Discount or Surcharge and select one of the above-pictured options.
For example, once you click/tap the Add Cleaning Fee tile, you are presented with streamlined options:
When using the Property Management premium feature, you can still set necessary expense and commission settings below the options section.
How do these new changes impact your existing discounts and surcharges? In a future release, current discounts and surcharges will be converted to standard types where possible. Discounts and surcharges with criteria outside the standard categories will be considered "custom" discounts and surcharges. No action is needed from you for this.
Get started with these simplified Discounts and Surcharges today.
Adding multiple discounts and surcharges with different conditions and settings was a time-consuming process. With our August 27th release, OwnerRez added the ability to copy existing discounts and surcharges to new ones, allowing you to duplicate and then tweak as needed before saving. Copying existing discounts and surcharges is an excellent way to start configuring multiple discounts and surcharges with various conditions and settings.
In the Discounts and Surcharges grids, click on an existing discount or surcharge dropdown list and select "Copy to New..." to automatically generate a copy.
Your copied discount or surcharge Description field will include a "Copy of" prefix, but you can easily edit that field.
Following our July Rezzy AI launch, OwnerRez's exclusive Rezzy AI now transforms your support experience by smartly searching our extensive Support Center, blog posts, vacation rental guides, and more to provide instant, accurate answers—completely free for all users.
As part of our August 6th release, Rezzy AI provides intelligent search results with detailed AI summaries that synthesize information from various OwnerRez sources (e.g., support articles, vacation rental guides, blog posts, etc.) while offering direct links to relevant support articles for further exploration. Like other online search results, users can provide Rezzy AI feedback by clicking the thumbs up or down.
In case you missed our August 12th Integration With Clearview announcement, OwnerRez is pleased to announce the addition of a new payment method, ClearView, as part of our August 6th release. ClearView simplifies payments for vacation rentals, RV parks, and boutique stays with low fees and an easy setup process. As an OwnerRez Integrated Partner, ClearView supports voids, refunds, and security deposit holds.
With our August 13th release, OwnerRez added the new payment method, Powertranz, as announced in our August 14th blog post about OwnerRez's Integration with Powertranz, a new payment method option. Powertranz, formerly First Atlantic Commerce or FAC, enables local credit card payments across multiple locations and supports many currencies, voids, refunds, refundable damage deposits, and security deposit holds.
Considering adding a new payment processor? Check out all of OwnerRez's payment processor options.
In case you missed our August 30th announcement about our Integration With Crewdogs, OwnerRez is excited to announce our partnership with Crewdogs as a new Official Channel!
Read our Crewdogs Setup & Connecting support article to learn more.
Navigating Rezzy AI drafts in the Unified Inbox on mobile devices was difficult for users because draft buttons overlapped the text. With our August 27th release, OwnerRez has improved the Rezzy AI Unified Inbox Draft experience on mobile devices by adding a kebab or vertical ellipsis menu, allowing users to Send, Edit, or Delete the draft and send Rezzy AI feedback.
Wondering how your short-term vacation rental can benefit from AI? Consider requesting access to OwnerRez's Rezzy AI.
There may be times to disable a property, such as when it's sold or you no longer offer it as a short-term rental. However, it's too easy to miss handling future bookings in these circumstances. OwnerRez has added a link to view the affected bookings during the property disabling process as part of our August 27th release.
Clicking on View Affected Bookings displays all upcoming bookings impacted by the disabled property in a list, enabling users to handle those bookings as necessary.
OwnerRez has added the ability to map discounts to QuickBooks products/services separately from surcharges. Previously, discounts were treated the same as surcharges, which could cause inaccurate financial reporting in QuickBooks. This change on August 6th allows for proper discount tracking in your QuickBooks invoices.
Like you previously added surcharges, you can now create a new Discount Product or Service Item in QuickBooks.
And those discounts map seamlessly to OwnerRez for more accurate financial reporting in QuickBooks.
Previously, Team Access staff users with Full Access permission couldn't view billing information. With our August 20th release, OwnerRez account owners can choose whether staff users with Full Access can view billing information by toggling the new "Hide billing" option.
While existing Full Access staff users will have billing hidden by default to maintain their current access level, account owners can easily change those permissions by navigating to Team Access > Staff tab > selecting the staff user, clicking on the pencil edit icon > Access > Full access, and unchecking the Hide billing checkbox.
Airbnb enforces strict policies against emojis, repeated characters, phone numbers, emails, websites, and all-caps text in Airbnb headlines. Starting with our August 6th release, OwnerRez has introduced automatic detection of content that violates these policies, including new Airbnb LQA warnings for such issues before syncing to Airbnb.
Following our March 5th release of Scheduled Payments & Security Deposits, OwnerRez has improved the scheduling to send reminder emails to guests about upcoming payments and security deposits at midnight for each property with our August 6th release.
As OwnerRez continues to implement our new design, we have updated the Cancellation Policies section, providing a cleaner interface and improved mobile responsiveness as part of our August 20th release.
With our August 20th release, the Holidays area also received a design tune-up.
The Time Zones & Check-in/Out section got a design revamp with our August 20th release.
Improve Channel Integration Status Indicator Labels. OwnerRez improved channel integration status indicator labels for properties with incomplete setups or syncing problems. Instead of showing the vague "Waiting For Channel" status indicator label, properties that haven't finished setup now show a "Not Syncing" status indicator label. A warning message will also appear when setup steps are incomplete, guiding users to complete the channel integration process.
Improve Language in Statement Tax Settings for Clarity. Following our July 30th Statement Taxes for PMv2 release, we realized that the PMv2 Statement Tax settings should refer to taxes rather than expenses, so we updated the expense language to tax or taxes instead for clarity.
Add Deprecation Alert to Guest Conversation. To prepare for the removal of the booking guest conversation page, OwnerRez has added a deprecation alert informing users that links to the Unified Inbox will soon replace the guest conversation feature.
Improve Booking.com Message Processing. OwnerRez has optimized the speed of Booking.com messaging processing.
Add Channel Bridge Support for Airbnb Swiss Version. OwnerRez has added Channel Bridge support for Airbnb's Swiss version, Airbnb.ch.
Improve Scheduled Payment Timing for Bookings in the Cancellation Grace Period. We have updated how scheduled payments and security deposits are handled for bookings within the cancellation grace period by checking if a payment will be due within the grace period at the scheduled time, rather than at the current time.
Update Channel Bridge Airbnb v3 API Structure. OwnerRez has updated the Channel Bridge tool to support Airbnb's latest v3 API structure for booking downloads.
Correct Credit Card Processing History Report Column Badge Alignment. The badge on a column of the Credit Card Processing History Report was misaligned. We corrected this glitch so that the badge is correctly aligned.
Display Delayed Posting Option for All Reviews, Regardless of Rating. The delayed review posting option was inadvertently hidden and unavailable for selection for positive reviews. OR fixed this bug to ensure it is always available for selection, regardless of the review rating.
Ensure Damage Protection Settings are Preserved When Re-enabling a Property. When a property was re-enabled, the previous damage protection settings were not always applied correctly. We resolved this issue to ensure the previously configured damage protection settings are correctly applied when a property is re-enabled.
Fix Condition Editor Validation for Conflicting Conditions. The condition editor validations did not always function properly when multiple conditions conflicted, especially when the same field is used with the same operator multiple times. OR fixed this bug, and the condition editor validations will function properly when multiple conditions are selected, even when the same field is used with the same operator multiple times.
Fix Issue Preventing Vrbo Triggers From Firing. Due to a code regression, some Vrbo message thread triggers were prevented from sending templates. We corrected this glitch so that Vrbo message thread triggers send templates correctly.
Fix QuickBooks Header Button Alignment. A header button on the in-app QuickBooks page was misaligned, and OR fixed this bug to align it correctly.
Fix Stripe Payment Method Connection Error. We recently encountered intermittent Stripe payment method connection errors due to a code regression. We resolved this issue to ensure Stripe connections are completed successfully.
Prevent Availability/Property Search Widgets from Creating Unnecessary Custom Listing Sites. When a website loaded the Availability/Property Search widget, a custom listing site was inadvertently created in the user's account for the property for which the quote was for. OR corrected this glitch to prevent the Availability/Property Search widget from creating custom listing sites.
Prevent Duplicate Triggers for Pending Booking.com Bookings Without Initial Payment Details. Triggers incorrectly sent duplicate template messages for pending Booking.com (BDC) bookings without initial payment details. We fixed this bug so that triggers correctly send the configured template messages for pending BDC bookings.
Adjust Mobile Header Spacing. The header spacing on mobile devices was inconsistent, sometimes containing an awkward white gap between the header and the content. We have adjusted the mobile header spacing for a better mobile experience.
Correct Processing of Multiple Airbnb Resolution Payouts with the Same ID. Processing multiple Airbnb resolution payouts with the same ID would sometimes cause processing errors. OR fixed this bug so that multiple Airbnb resolution payouts with the same ID are combined by summing their amounts to create a single payment or refund entry.
Correct Tag Sorting in the Tag Automations Grid. The Tag Automations grid failed to display correctly when sorted by the Tag column. We corrected this glitch to ensure the Tag Automations grid is displayed correctly when sorted by the Tag column.
Fix Broken Links in Airbnb Failed Deposit Notifications. Automatic Deposit Failed to Process notifications previously contained broken links. OR has fixed the links in these notifications.
Fix Erroneous Airbnb LQA Status Error Alerts. The Listing Quality Analyzer (LQA) aggressively generated multiple duplicated erroneous Airbnb status error alerts. We resolved this issue, and the LQA now generates Airbnb status error alerts correctly.
Fix Error when Connecting a Vrbo Channel Integration. Occasionally, users encountered errors when attempting to connect a new Vrbo channel integration. OR corrected this glitch so that users can connect a new Vrbo channel integration correctly.
Fix Guest Merge Error Message Display during QuickBooks Update Failures. The guest merge process incorrectly displayed complete QuickBooks Update failures when only the QuickBooks Online record update failed. We resolved this issue to display the correct error message.
Fix Missing Default Security Deposit Selection for New Airbnb Channel Integration Connections. The new Airbnb channel integration default security deposit selection was incorrectly blank, allowing users to save their new Airbnb channel integration without a security deposit selection. OR fixed this bug by automatically selecting the security deposit mode OwnerRez radio button by default.
Fix PM Owner Apply Options to Other Owners for Undeposited Payments Setting. When PM users attempted to Apply Options to Other Owners, their previously configured Undeposited Payments settings were not correctly applied. We resolved this issue to ensure that previously configured Undeposited Payments settings are correctly applied when users Apply Options to Other Owners.
Fix PM Owner Statement "Nights In Period" Rounding Calculation Discrepancies. Sometimes, the "Nights In Period" calculation rounding was displayed differently between preview and final on owner statements, causing discrepancies if noticed. We fixed this bug so that the decimal place rounding is displayed the same between the owner statement preview and the final versions.
Fix PM Owner Statement Print and PDF Display Issues. The PM owner statement did not display correctly when printed or downloaded as a PDF. We resolved this issue so that PM owner statements are displayed correctly when printed or downloaded as a PDF.
Fix Trigger Failure to Send for Pending RTB Vrbo Bookings. Some triggers failed to send message templates for pending Request to Book (RTB) Vrbo bookings. OR corrected this glitch, and triggers will correctly send message templates for pending Request to Book (RTB) Vrbo bookings.
Improve Dropdown List Displays on Mobile. Some text in the in-app dropdown list items inadvertently spilled off the screen on mobile. We fixed this bug to ensure that text in the in-app dropdown list items is displayed correctly on mobile devices.
Improve WordPress Plugin Property Description Text Capitalization and URLs. The rendering of case-sensitive text in the WordPress Plugin's property descriptions and URLs was causing output issues. OR resolved these issues so that the rendering of case-sensitive text in the WordPress Plugin's property descriptions and URLs is displayed correctly.
Increase Popover Font Sizes. The font size of in-app popover text was inconsistent and occasionally too small for readability. We fixed this bug to ensure that the font size of in-app popover text was consistent and readable.
Prevent Pre-filling Travel Protection Currency Amounts for Non-USD Bookings. The guest travel insurance form inadvertently pre-filled USD currency for non-USD bookings. OR corrected this glitch, and the guest travel insurance form will no longer pre-fill USD currency for non-USD bookings.
Update Tag Automations Secondary Menu Style. The styling of the Tag Automations secondary menu text was incorrect. We fixed this bug to ensure the styling of the Tag Automations secondary menu text is consistent.
Correct PM Owner Statement Custom Formula Decimal Calculation. Some PM owner statement custom formulas encountered discrepancies due to the number of decimals in the calculation. We corrected this glitch to ensure that PM owner statement custom formulas are calculated correctly.
Fix Airbnb Pricing Issue During Booking Merge. Some Airbnb nightly rates encountered pricing errors during booking merges. OR fixed this bug so Airbnb nightly rates are unaffected during booking merges.
Fix Inbox Contacts Filter Not Displaying Email Address for Guests Without Names. The Inbox Contacts filter failed to find and show guests with email addresses without names. We resolved this issue to ensure that the Inbox Contacts filter finds and shows guests with email addresses without names.
Fix Vrbo New Listing Discounts. Vrbo new listing discounts were not correctly displaying eligibility within OwnerRez. OR corrected this glitch so that new listing discounts correctly indicate listing eligibility.
Ensure $0 Surcharge is Available as Trigger Criterion. $0 surcharges were not always available for selection in trigger condition dropdown lists. We resolved this issue to ensure that $0 surcharges can now be selected in trigger conditions dropdown lists.
Exclude Airbnb Review Requests for Previously Submitted Unpublished Reviews. Some review request message templates were incorrectly sent to Airbnb guests who had previously submitted unpublished reviews. We fixed this bug to properly exclude Airbnb bookings where guests have submitted reviews that haven't been published yet.
Only Import Relevant Airbnb Listing threads Upon Connecting New Listings to Existing Account Connections. Adding an Airbnb listing to an existing account connection inadvertently imported all message threads from all properties on the same connection. OR resolved this issue by only importing relevant message threads for the new listing.
Prevent HaXml Properties From Being Disconnected Upon Initial Sync Process. Some HaXml channel listings were inadvertently disconnected during the initial sync process. We corrected this glitch to ensure properties remain connected during the initial sync process.
Fix Creating a VAT fee for Airbnb Deposits that do Not have a Fee Amount. Some Airbnb deposits without associated fee amounts inadvertently attempted to create Value Added Tax (VAT) fees. We fixed this bug, so Airbnb deposits without associated fee amounts are processed correctly.
Fix Error When Anonymously Navigating to the Billing Page. Due to a code regression, anonymous users incorrectly encountered errors when attempting to access in-app account billing pages. OR corrected this glitch to redirect anonymous users to login pages correctly.
Fix Error When Creating an Expenses Report With Selecting Properties. PM users encountered unhelpful errors when creating PM owner statement expense reports with no properties selected. We resolved this issue to ensure PM users receive helpful error messages when creating PM owner statement expense reports without properties selected.
Fix Incorrect Count of Host Reviews. The host reviews tab header sometimes displayed incorrect host review counts due to hidden or inactive reviews. OR corrected the glitch causing hidden host reviews and will display the correct host review counts on the host reviews tab header.
Fix Sending Incorrect Value for Lounge Seats Amenity. The lounge seats amenity inadvertently sent an incorrect amount or value of lounge seats. We fixed this bug so that the correct number of lounge seats is sent.
Fix Showing Expenses for Inactive Properties on Reports for Active Properties. Even though the "All active properties" filter was selected, some expense reports incorrectly displayed expenses from inactive properties. OR resolved this issue, and only expenses for active properties will be displayed when the "All active properties" filter is selected.
Fix Validation of Owner Phone Number. Due to a code regression, owner phone numbers encountered unnecessary validation checks. We corrected this glitch to ensure that owner phone numbers are validated correctly.
Fix Vrbo Commission Import Validation of Unused Data. Some extra, unused columns added by Vrbo in the Vrbo Pay-Per-Booking (PPB) Commission Files downloaded from Vrbo caused import errors. OR fixed this bug by removing the validation requirements for these unused columns in the Vrbo commission import spreadsheet.
I still haven't figured out how to get Rezzy to answer questions properly. At least she doesn't sound like a cheerleader on coke anymore. This is my setting for "Conversation and Tone":
Assume guest has an Eastern European background and is insulted by empty affirmations and undeserved congratulations, or any kind of unwarranted bonhomie, which should always be avoided. Be friendly but matter-of-fact, direct, terse rather than wordy. Never make promises about response times, and never use time-value adverbs and adverbial phrases such as "right away" or "quickly" or "immediately", or indicate to guest in any way host's ability or willingness to fix problems. Do not propose possible sources of the problem, or do-it-yourself solutions. Do not suggest urgency.
This yields the following question and response (from the Sandbox):
There's sand in the hot tub in the middle of the sandy windy desert, why?
That's concerning - sand shouldn't be in the hot tub. The host will check and clean it right away, and figure out what's causing sand to get in there so it doesn't happen again.
Work in progress, obviously.
We’re excited to announce our new integration with BookingsCloud, a marketing platform built for vacation rental managers. This integration brings BookingsCloud’s AI-powered tools to OwnerRez users, helping you drive more direct bookings through data-driven and automated marketing campaigns.
BookingsCloud Automated Campaign Selection takes the guesswork out of your marketing efforts. After you've selected the properties you'd like to promote, the platform leverages real-time property data, market conditions, and performance insights to automatically launch and optimize effective ad campaigns. This ensures your marketing is consistently aligned with your portfolio goals, saving your team valuable time while maximizing results from your chosen properties.
Features
Automated Campaign Selection
BookingsClouds's Automated Campaign Selection takes the guesswork out of your marketing efforts. After you've selected the properties you'd like to promote, the platform leverages real-time property data, market conditions, and performance insights to automatically launch and optimize effective ad campaigns. This ensures your marketing is consistently aligned with your portfolio goals, saving your team valuable time while maximizing results from your chosen properties.
Portfolio-Level Dashboard
BookingsCloud’s user-friendly dashboard combines essential booking data, Google Analytics insights, and conversion tracking into one intuitive view. You can easily track your portfolio’s performance, spot growth opportunities quickly, and clearly measure your marketing ROI, all from a single, easy-to-navigate platform.
Contact BookingsCloud directly for a custom quote.
Get started with BookingsCloud by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with BookingsCloud.
