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At Getaway Properties AZ, Lori Baker has built a business around the belief that every getaway should tell a story. Managing 17 short-term rentals for other owners and several of her own, Lori’s mission is to craft spaces that inspire connection, relaxation, and unforgettable memories. From the desert to the pines, her homes offer a true home away from home, where every detail invites guests to unwind and experience Arizona’s natural beauty.
I was raised in a small town in Arizona and now live on the outskirts of the city. My spouse and I purchased our first long-term rental in 2003. Many years, a few moves, and a few more purchases later, we turned our casita into our first short-term rental. From there, we bought a small one-bedroom cabin in my hometown, which quickly became a guest favorite. That growth eventually led to our real estate broker asking if we’d be interested in purchasing his short-term rental management business. We took the leap, and today we own GPAZ, LLC dba Getaway Properties AZ, where we manage 17 short-term rentals for other owners in addition to our own three long-term rentals and two personal STRs.
First and foremost, I’m a wife, a mother to three, and a grandma to the best three littles. For many years, I was a stay-at-home mom while working various jobs from home, everything from daycare to data entry. During tax season, I worked as a tax preparer.
As my kids grew into their teens, I earned my real estate license and began working for a company that sold homes to investors while also managing long-term rentals. Later, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked in a school nurse’s office before transitioning to a pediatric hospital. I’ve now been with that hospital for nearly 15 years, working in both admitting and the pediatric emergency department.
Throughout those years, I continued helping buyers and sellers in real estate and assisted my husband with managing our rental properties. Eventually, that experience, combined with our passion for hospitality, led us to open our homes on Airbnb, manage additional properties through Getaway Properties AZ, and ultimately purchase the company ourselves.
Yes, I’m originally from Arizona. I currently live about three hours away from the mountain areas where most of our properties are located. I actually grew up about 45 minutes from that area, so the mountains have always felt like home to me. I’ve always loved the fresh air, tall pines, and slower pace of mountain life; it’s the perfect escape from the desert heat and city hustle.
I love being a part of creating lifelong memories for guests. Knowing that families, couples, and friends are celebrating milestones, reconnecting, or simply finding peace in one of our homes is incredibly rewarding. It’s about more than a place to stay; it’s about providing a space that feels like home and helps people unwind from the stress of everyday life.
It can be challenging when guests ask us to bend rules that are clearly outlined in the listing, especially when it comes to bringing pets to no-pet properties or requesting steep discounts during peak or holiday seasons. We always strive to be kind and accommodating, but we also have to protect the property and maintain fairness to owners and other guests.
OwnerRez allows us to manage all of our properties from one central system, everything from pricing and calendar control to guest messaging and reporting. It’s incredibly efficient and helps us stay organized while managing multiple owners, properties, and guests.
I love the automation and messaging features, which save so much time and help ensure consistency across all of our listings. But my favorite feature is definitely Rezzy AI, and I can’t wait until the full system is live! The idea that it can handle guest inquiries automatically is a huge game-changer for busy managers like us.
From a single casita to managing 17 vacation rentals, Lori Baker has built Getaway Properties AZ around a clear mission to craft spaces that inspire connection, relaxation, and unforgettable memories. With OwnerRez supporting her business, we look forward to seeing her continued success as she helps guests feel right at home across her home state of Arizona.
Ruslan, founder of Away2PA, has built a thriving vacation rental business in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains through patience and determination. What started as a complete unknown has grown to 10 properties and given her the freedom to step away from corporate life.
I came to the U.S. from Russia twenty years ago. I ended up at SUNY Oneonta and graduated in 2006 with a degree in Business and Economics. Like a lot of people who come here, I started from scratch, moving jobs, doing kitchen work, even Burger King for a bit, just trying to figure things out and get my first "real" job.
Definitely a second career. Eventually, I got into finance and landed on Wall Street, which was a big shift from where I started. I spent over a decade in that world, working in New York, London, and Montenegro. I was still in finance when I got pulled into short-term rentals. A friend of mine had a few properties up in the Pocono Mountains and convinced me to give it a try. Getting that first property wasn’t easy. I fought with the mortgage process and tried to find a perfect first investment for almost a year, but once it was listed, it pulled in about forty grand in the first six months. That kind of result makes you pay attention.
So I leaned into it. I started buying more places, renovating, figuring out what worked, and slowly building a portfolio. It wasn’t fast or glamorous, but it was real. Over time, I realized I was putting more energy into this than my actual job, so I made the switch.
Before short-term rentals, I was in finance for about thirteen years, trading, analyzing, the whole thing. I learned a lot about money management and risk, but I also learned that corporate life just wasn’t for me long-term. I wanted something that was mine, where the results, good or bad, were on me. I was thinking of it as a strategic game with real dollar results.
What I love most is the freedom. I don’t have a boss or a commute. I like the creativity that comes with it too. Every property is a chance to do something different, whether it’s a renovation or a brand-new build. Over time, I’ve gone from fixer-uppers to full-on custom homes, places with indoor pools, movie theaters, water features (rivers, streams, ponds).
The challenges are definitely the regulations. Zoning laws change constantly, and that can really throw you off. There’ve been times when I had to sell properties just because the local rules shifted. And like most hosts, I’ve had my share of frustration with big platforms; they’re essential, but they don’t always treat hosts as partners. Still, that’s part of the business. You adapt, keep building, and move forward.
OwnerRez is the backbone of how I run things now. When you’ve got multiple properties and a team involved, you need something that keeps all the moving parts in sync, pricing, messages, team access, all of it. What I like about OwnerRez is that it’s built for real operators, not just casual hosts. It’s flexible, reliable, and it gives me the control I need to manage everything without getting buried in spreadsheets or manual updates. It took me 6 months to understand the basics, but then it got much easier. I'm still learning and discovering new features though.
With patience and hard work, Ruslan has grown Away2PA into a dynamic portfolio. We look forward to seeing Ruslan continue to push her company forward with the help of OwnerRez.
This is good to know. I was considering moving from Fire TV to Roku just for this feature ... but if it doesn't return the device to the previous guest ready config then that is a show stopper!
We clearly communicate to our guests that it is their responsibility to log out of any streaming accounts before they leave ... and we do this in multiple places. While I know that doing a good job of communicating a guest's responsibilities doesn't always work, it should pass the "reasonability" test if someone wants to claim their information was exposed to other people. And I also know, that none of that stops a lawyer from going after me because that is just what lawyers do. In the end, this is more about balancing risks and costs.
We’re excited to announce our latest integration with CodeBox, offering OwnerRez users a dependable and affordable way to manage guest access.
CodeBox Inc. is dedicated to providing an affordable, safe and dependable hassle-free means for transferring/exchanging keys between you and your guests. They are excited to bring a lockbox solution to Vacation Rentals after more than a decade of providing exceptional service to property managers, REALTORS®, equipment rentals, as well as many other industries.
Their LOW COST CodeBox digital lockbox solution offers different sizes, models and modes, so no matter your need they have you protected. Their code generation technology and options allow for years of unique codes, and their common battery operated design means no pesky charging devices or expensive replacements.
Additional features, such as the mode of lockbox, vendor codes, accessories, code length, or expiration, are available at the time of order and easily upgraded in the field if a change is required.
Get started with CodeBox by visiting here and checking out the support article for integrating OwnerRez with CodeBox.
Roku "Guest Mode" is the biggest waste of time, and a completely useless feature that vacation rental hosts really can not use!
What Roku fails to mention when promoting this 'feature' is that it only benefits the guest, in that it wipes out their credentials when the Roku is taken out of guest mode.
But do all of the owner's pre-existing settings come back and are available to use again after the Roku guest mode is turned off? NO! All of the owner's settings that were in place before the Roku was put in guest mode are lost, and wiped from the device's memory. Meaning that after every time guest mode is used, the Roku needs to be setup all over again, which depending upon the complexity of the setup and programming, and the number of streaming services connected to (all of which have had their account and password information removed) can take up to an hour to complete! Per TV! Then multiply that times 5 TVs in the property!
Who has got 5 hours to reprogram and setup TVs and streaming accounts every time there is a guest turnover?
And if the property manager is not technically adept (like mine is... NOT) this is not something easily done, and may require the owner to do, and they often do not live in the same area as their vacation rental and can not be travelling to their VR just to reset up all of their TVs! Like me! Take a 4000 km trip to another country just to setup TVs every time a guest leaves? I don't think so!
There has been much talk about the uselessness of this so-called feature on the Roku user forums, because the cost in time and hassle getting the Roku back the way it was before it was put into Guest Mode just isn't worth it!
Guest Mode? Sorry... the proper name of this 'feature' on Roku should be Reset!
Don't use it! You'll be sorry if you do!
Is there any update yet on the streamlining of Booking.com with OR so the connection of new listings uploads smoothly?
I am interested in the concierge service, and would love to be able to utilize but I only have 2 properties. Quite a few of these new services are only available for 5 or more properties. I hope OwnerRez can negotiate to be able to bring the smaller owners onboard.
I was also looking for some reviews and couldn't find any. All these services promise the world but for some reason want to tie you into a subscription where they get paid regardless of results, and the results often don't follow. Was interested in trying, but even this blog post already has 1x false advertising claim: concierge starting at 9.80 for a monthly subscription, but that price is only if you pay for the year, so that is what I would call a yearly subscription. Rethinking signing up if they can't even be upfront with their pricing.
Hi - I did a broad search on Google and could not find any reviews. There was one suggestion to use chatgpt the writeups instead. This probably would work if you first seed chatgpt with the desired emphasis. All for free.
Would be interested to know this too? I've searched but can't find any outstanding reviews.
Has anyone here in the OR community got experience in collaborating with Autorank? What was your experience?
We’re excited to announce our new integration with Reva, helping OwnerRez users automate their guest review strategy, gain actionable insights, and boost direct bookings.
Reva’s review and reputation platform helps vacation rental managers automate their guest review strategy to save time, drive valuable business insights, and boost direct bookings. Reva aggregates your reviews into one centralized channel, giving you the visibility and control needed to drive actionable insights and improvements across your business.
Boutique ($69/month)
Professional ($99/month)
Enterprise ($.99/property per month)
View additional pricing info here.
Get started with Reva by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Reva..
This week’s roundup covers Booking.com’s partnership with ChatGPT, a proposed short-term rental tax in San Diego, reports on Airbnb’s potential business profiles, and smart TV liability risks in vacation rentals. Let’s dive in.
Booking.com has been selected as one of the first partners to launch an app inside ChatGPT, joining a small group that includes Spotify, Expedia, and Zillow. The integration lets guests explore destinations, search for stays, view photos and amenities, and compare options directly within ChatGPT. Once a stay is selected, guests are directed to Booking.com to complete their booking. This exciting partnership between Booking.com and OpenAI aims to make trip planning more seamless and conversational, potentially leading to added visibility for vacation rental operators.
San Diego officials are turning their attention to short-term rentals as they look for new ways to close a year-long budget deficit. A proposal introduced this week would establish a new tax on vacation rentals, with the funds allocated toward affordable housing and homelessness programs. If approved, the measure could introduce new costs and reporting requirements for short-term rental operators, making it crucial for hosts in the San Diego area to stay informed and act quickly as the proposal takes shape.
In the wake of Airbnb’s first-ever North American Host Summit, Skift reported that property managers were introduced to Airbnb’s new concept for business profiles. The feature reportedly would allow hosts to group multiple listings under a single profile, showcase their vacation rental brand, and access enhanced performance insights. These exciting reports seem to point towards Airbnb wanting to help professional hosts manage their portfolios more effectively and draw a line between professional and individual hosts on the platform. No official announcements have been made, but these reports share a potentially interesting path forward for Airbnb.
Short Term Rentalz released an article this week discussing the liability of smart TVs in vacation rental properties. The article highlights the importance of credential clearing, which ensures that previous guests’ streaming accounts and personal information are removed during the turnover and before new guests check in. Failing to clear logins can expose hosts to potential legal issues. An easy solution for removing this potential liability is to utilize Roku Guest Mode. For vacation rental operators already using Roku TVs in their properties, check out our guide on How to Use Roku Guest Mode in Your Vacation Rental here.
With exciting new partnerships and evolving regulations, the vacation rental market continues to undergo rapid changes. Check back next week for the latest news!
Excellent work! keep cranking them out!. Thanks
Thanks, Johnny P! 😁
Excellent work! keep cranking them out!. Thanks
This week, we look at Marriott’s outdoor-focused loyalty expansion, Airbnb’s 2026 World Cup efforts, Oregon’s strengthened guest privacy rules, and what’s next for Airbnb’s rewards program. Let’s dive in.
Marriott is expanding its Bonvoy program with a new outdoor platform that includes both stays and curated activities like hiking, biking, skiing, and water sports across North America. Members can now earn and redeem points not just on hotel rooms, but also on outdoor-focused lodging and experiences through partner resorts and outfitters. The move signals the strong demand for travel that goes beyond a place to sleep, as more guests seek trips built around wellness, adventure, and the outdoors. For short-term rental operators, this trend opens the door to highlight your property’s proximity to outdoor activities and even consider partnering with local outfitters to offer guests a more complete travel experience.
A recent report commissioned by Airbnb warns that Vancouver could face a shortfall of 70,000 overnight stays during the FIFA World Cup 2026, with hotel prices expected to soar by more than 200%. Airbnb is calling for temporary special event hosting rules, also known as event exemptions, to ease short-term rental restrictions during the tournament. Similar measures have been used successfully in the UK and Japan, allowing residents to host visitors for major events without affecting long-term housing supply. Airbnb says a time-limited exemption would help Vancouver close the lodging gap, keep prices more affordable for fans, and fully capture the economic benefits of hosting the World Cup. If approved, the exemption could create significant opportunities for hosts during the tournament and potentially set a precedent for future global events, such as the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The state of Oregon has passed a new law strengthening privacy protections for guests in short-term rentals and hotels. Guests now have the right to take legal action and recover monetary damages if they are recorded through photos, video, or audio in spaces where they would reasonably expect privacy. The law expands protections beyond what was previously in place. For short-term rental operators, it’s a good opportunity to review your listings and ensure everything is fully compliant.
Airbnb is investing $5 million in communities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup across North America, with $1 million specifically allocated to New York and New Jersey. The funding will support the creation of five new soccer mini-pitches in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and New Jersey in collaboration with the U.S. Soccer Foundation. Airbnb will also sponsor community events, including the Queens Community Day festival and a celebration in the Bronx during the tournament. The company says the initiative aims to build a lasting community legacy while supporting local engagement ahead of the World Cup.
Skift released an interesting article this week speculating on a long-awaited rewards program from Airbnb. Sources say the company is currently evaluating loyalty options and may favor a membership style program over a traditional points system, offering perks like discounts, early check-ins, or waived fees. CEO Brian Chesky has described a loyalty or membership program as “a very, very compelling thing” and said “something big is coming” while development is underway. Analysts suggest a membership model could help Airbnb compete with hotel loyalty programs while staying true to its lifestyle and community driven brand. No launch date has been announced, but the discussion highlights Airbnb’s focus on deepening customer engagement as it expands further into hotels.
As the industry gears up for major events like the World Cup, expect more updates across the vacation rental landscape this fall. Check back next week for the latest news!
Once again, an amazing batch of updates. Can't wait to try the review triggers and field codes. New design looking good, too. Thanks team!
Thanks so much, Mar Bella! 😁 Check out our new support articles with ideas for using these new review triggers and field codes.
Once again, an amazing batch of updates. Can't wait to try the review triggers and field codes. New design looking good, too. Thanks team!
Cameras that detect facial recognition are already being used in public places whether we are aware of it or not. Banks, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc. I don’t have an issue with it. I think if we drafted a message for guests to explain why this necessary (to keep everyone safe, honest, and validating that the primary guest is who they say they are) is good for due diligence and preventing chargebacks. Stripe has established a similar process.
I am in favor of facial recognition and authentication of guests ID in an effort to prevent chargebacks and the reassurance that the primary guest staying in my property is who they say they are. We are in an era of people creating fake IDs. Currently I use Cognito Forms for guest ID however it’s not authenticated, nor is the link created by OR to add to the Rental Agreement. I don’t understand the objection to facial recognition. I would like to onboard but first would like to see a tutorial because as it stands I don’t see how to embed a link for Authenticate into my RA.
For any other OR users who have a surcharge that should calculate a percentage on rent+surcharges (such as a credit card processing fee), unfortunately we have to keep all our surcharges in the old system (called "custom" now).
Received this back from OR Support: "This appears to be a design limitation rather than a bug. The new Standard Surcharges system prioritizes simplicity over granular positioning control. For your specific use case where you need the CC processing fee to calculate on rent + surcharges, you may indeed need to revert to custom surcharges for full positioning control."
I agree--I think this (Facial Recognition) will be off-putting to many guests. I personally decline facial recognition when flying within the USA. Unfortunately, this will become mandatory (along with finger-printing) for most travel overseas/through the EU this fall.
@Anne - Before I spend more time reverting back to my old custom Surcharges away from your newest versions, is it possible for you to confirm with the engineers that this is the intended way this should be working? (That the new setup does not allow for setting the CC processing fee percentage to rent+surcharges.)
I apologize for the delay in responding, Alece. As OwnerRez continues to refine its surcharges, this area is continually evolving. At this point, I think you would be best served by contacting our Helpdesk team with your question. Best of luck!
Just did the "TEST" on the Authenticate website, on myself. It appears that what Authenticate does is send an link to the guest to upload a drivers license or passport or their personal information, then at that point the vetting begins. Is this correct?
Your post would be more helpful to people (me) if you could elaborate and explain why. Thanks!
Big NO! to facial recognition.
Fall is here, and October is packed with opportunities to dial in your operations and grow your business with OwnerRez. 🍁 We’ve lined up a full schedule of live webinars and two in-person events you won’t want to miss.
This month’s webinar lineup includes Demos, Q&A Sessions, and Focus Sessions on listing descriptions, guest instructions, health and safety, photos, and rooms. You’ll also hear from our friends at PetScreening about pet-friendly rental strategies that boost bookings, help manage risks, and improve guest reviews.
Additionally, the VRMA International Conference will be taking place October 12th-15th in Las Vegas, and OwnerRez will be there as a proud sponsor! At the conference, we’re also hosting a Free Hangout event on October 13th alongside some of our amazing integrated partners: PriceLabs, StayFi, Lynnbrook, Rental Guardian, RemoteLock, LG, Avalara, HostBuddy AI, PetScreening, TouchStay, and TechTape. Come enjoy free drinks and food on us as you converse with some of the biggest names in the vacation rental industry. Reserve your free ticket today using code OWNERREZ!
Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.
Learn how to boost bookings with pet-inclusive policies, manage assistance animal requests, reduce risks, and increase revenue.
Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.
Join us for a live Q&A! Please write in questions prior to the webinar so we can start off by answering those right away.
Join us for an in-depth focus session on the Descriptions, Guest Instructions, and Health & Safety pages inside of OwnerRez. We’ll walk through the updated layout, share best practices, and provide practical tips to ensure your listings are fully optimized across all your connected channels.
Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.
Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.
Join us for a live Q&A! Please write in questions prior to the webinar so we can start off by answering those right away.
Join us for a live demo of OwnerRez! Our client engagement team will give a high-level demonstration of how OwnerRez looks across all of its menus and features.
Join us for a deep dive into the Photos and Rooms pages inside OwnerRez. In this Focus Session, we'll share the step-by-step process for uploading and arranging property photos, creating rooms, and making accessibility features clear for guests. This focus session will help you get the most out of these critical listing sections.
The VRMA International Conference is the ultimate destination for short-term vacation rental professionals eager to expand their knowledge, explore innovative solutions, and connect with peers. With a diverse range of educational sessions and an extensive exhibit hall, the conference provides unparalleled opportunities to learn, collaborate, and grow. Use code MEETMEINLV for $100 off registration rates!
When: October 12-15, 2025
Where: Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, NV
At this year's VRMA International Conference in Vegas, OwnerRez is hosting a Hangout event! The event will be held across the street from the convention center at Yard House on Monday, 10/13, from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. OwnerRez is co-hosting this event with a select group of our amazing integrated partners: PriceLabs, StayFi, Lynnbrook, Rental Guardian, RemoteLock, LG, Avalara, HostBuddy AI, PetScreening, TouchStay, and TechTape.
Up to 200 people can fit in the space, so be sure to reserve your free ticket ahead of time using code OWNERREZ! Enjoy free drinks and food as you converse with some of the biggest names in the vacation rental industry.
When: October 13, 2025, 7-9 PM
Where: Yard House in Las Vegas, NV
@Anne - Before I spend more time reverting back to my old custom Surcharges away from your newest versions, is it possible for you to confirm with the engineers that this is the intended way this should be working? (That the new setup does not allow for setting the CC processing fee percentage to rent+surcharges.)
We are happy to announce our partnership with Inhaven, giving OwnerRez users a simple way to manage operations, streamline inventory, and maintain consistent quality across every property.
Inhaven is a leading supply and operations platform built specifically for professional vacation rental property managers. Through one easy-to-use platform, managers can source hospitality-grade bedding, bath, kitchen, and cleaning supplies at wholesale pricing. Beyond purchasing, Inhaven provides inventory management, quoting, and invoicing tools that help managers maintain brand standards, simplify operations, and keep every property guest-ready.
Inhaven also makes it simple to create and manage linen programs, ensuring consistent quality across every property. With tools like linen calculators, managers can easily determine par levels, plan replenishment, and eliminate the guesswork around linen costs. The Inhaven team also partners closely with property managers to develop owner pricing strategies, helping turn supply costs into revenue generators while maintaining transparency and consistency.
And with hands-on customer service, managers gain one point of contact for all purchasing and inventory needs, saving valuable time and resources.
Integrating with Inhaven’s B2B platform enables property managers to streamline purchasing, inventory control, owner quoting, and invoicing. Through the OwnerRez integration, Inhaven can:
Connecting your OwnerRez account with Inhaven and purchasing through the platform is completely free. For those who want to use Inhaven’s inventory management and quoting tools, pricing starts after a free 3-month trial at as low as $2 per property per month, based on portfolio size.
Get started with Inhaven by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Inhaven.
@Anne -- DONE! Feature request for adding check-in status trigger conditions to inquiries in addition to bookings: https://www.ownerrez.com/forums/requests/add-checkin-status-trigger-condition-to-inquiries-as-well
