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I'd like to see a version of the ribbon calendar widget that works on mobile phones. The current one is not responsive at all.
I have two properties that id like to show on an integrated availability calendar on my website. The booking calendar in the monthly view is exactly what I'm looking for but there is no iCal export for it.
Love the guide!
With summer in full swing, this week’s Industry News reflects a fast-moving industry balancing strong demand with smarter oversight, clearer guest policies, and new opportunities.
North Carolina’s new law, effective July 1, 2025, requires hotel and vacation rental staff to complete NCDOL-approved human trafficking awareness training within 60 days of hire and retrain every two years, with a June 30, 2027, deadline for current workers. For vacation rentals listed on or after July 1, property managers must complete the training before the rental is listed. Officials say the measure could strengthen public safety in heavy tourism areas.
San Diego reopened short-term rental license applications in Mission Beach on July 1, marking the first new application round since late 2022, when nearly 1,100 licenses were issued through a lottery due to overwhelming demand. The current application period will run through August 15, after which the city will conduct a random lottery to determine processing order and wait list position. There will be no cap on the number of applicants accepted for the wait list, and the fee for a two-year license is $1,129. Officials say the move will improve oversight and compliance in one of the city’s most tourism-heavy neighborhoods.
California’s AB 2202, effective July 1, 2025, requires short-term rental platforms and hosts to disclose any cleaning fees or penalties upfront, along with a detailed list of guest checkout tasks tied to those charges. Fees can only be imposed if guests fail to complete the listed tasks, and both the charges and requirements must be acknowledged by the guest before booking. Supporters say the law will boost pricing transparency and reduce surprise fees for travelers booking vacation rentals. Check out the full section of the bill that applies to short-term rentals here.
Camp Margaritaville Resort in Crystal Beach, Texas, is investing $100 million to add 105 "Beach Bungalows," expanding its resort-style lodging options along the Texas Gulf Coast. The bungalows are designed as "turn-key" investment opportunities for buyers and will be rented through Margaritaville’s vacation rental program, allowing owners to share in the rental revenue. This expansion reflects ongoing demand from vacationers for private, upscale homes in popular tourist areas.
Maui County’s Housing and Land Use Committee resumed deliberations on Bill 9 this week, following emotional testimony and debate in June. As reported in previous Industry News updates (June 13th, June 6th) the proposal, introduced by Mayor Richard Bissen, seeks to phase out around 6,000 vacation rentals in apartment-zoned areas to address the island’s housing crisis. Legal concerns over property rights and potential economic fallout continue to loom. After more than six hours in a closed executive session, the panel recessed and scheduled to reconvene on July 23rd to continue discussions.
As summer hits its stride, expect ongoing shifts in regulations, investments, and market trends shaping the vacation rental industry. Check back next week for the latest updates and insights.
Thank you Anne. OR providing links like this in its update articles would be helpful, as OR search function is severely lacking.
Summer's heating up 🔥, and July brought some game-changing updates. From the arrival of Rezzy AI, which handles messaging and task management, to the new Statement Taxes for PMv2 feature, and many other enhancements, we're serving up innovation that delivers real impact.
In case you missed the Introducing Rezzy AI: Your Smart Messaging & Task Management Assistant announcement on July 16th, OwnerRez has released our new built-in assistant designed to transform how you manage guest messages and daily tasks, all within OwnerRez.
Instead of requiring multiple AI tools, Rezzy AI manages all your guest messaging, property FAQs, and task needs directly within OwnerRez, making communication and coordination efficient and straightforward, including:
Get started with Rezzy AI today by requesting access to the Rezzy AI, reading our Rezzy AI Setup & Configuration support article, and letting Rezzy handle your busywork.
GST, or Goods and Services Tax (or Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) in Canada), is a value-added tax applied to the sale of goods and services. Short-term rentals (typically less than 30 days) are considered taxable supplies under GST/HST, meaning PMs must register, collect, and remit the tax if they surpass revenue thresholds. While long-term rentals are exempt, short-term rentals in certain countries (e.g., Canada, Australia, New Zealand) are usually subject to tax and must be charged by PMs to the owner.
Because GST/HST taxes are only collected when generating owner statements, including GST/HST taxes in those statements was challenging, often requiring complex workarounds, especially if the property manager handled multiple properties. With our July 30th release, OwnerRez added PMv2 Statement Taxes, allowing PMs to apply additional taxes against certain owners or properties and specific expense categories (e.g., cleaning, commission, etc.), with an option to assign it granularly to bookings, properties, or just the owner statement, allowing it to be automatically generated and displayed in the Expense section of Owner Statements.
If your account is using PMv2, add your Statement Tax(es) by navigating to PM Settings > Statement Taxes > + Create Statement Tax. This allows you to configure your Statement Tax to apply to specific owners or properties and specific expense categories (e.g., cleaning, commission, etc.) and includes the option to assign it granularly to bookings, properties, or just the owner statement.
When configured, this new Statement Tax is automatically generated and displayed in the Expense section of Owner Statements.
Multilingual descriptions expand your guest pool beyond just English speakers, increase booking rates from international travelers, improve search visibility on global platforms, and demonstrate hospitality that enhances guest experience and reviews. While OwnerRez doesn't yet support sending more than one, before our July 2nd release, we only sent "English" property descriptions to the channels Airbnb, Vrbo, and more. But with this release, OwnerRez has added the ability to change the property description primary language indicator sent to the following channel integrations: Airbnb, Vrbo, and if supported by the listing channel, Avanti Florida Villas, Booking.com, Glamping Hub, Google Vacation Rentals, Got2Go, Hopper Homes, Houfy, LocalOTA, and Whimstay.
You can now properly signal to those channels the language that you're sending for your property description by navigating to your properties, selecting the specific Property > Listing Content > Description on the left menu, and clicking on the pen icon to change the Language.
It will appear at the top once you've saved your language choice.
Your language selection is applied to your channel integration, so your Airbnb listing is shown to guests in your chosen language. Here's an example on Airbnb.
Tag automations for your vacation rental business can increase efficiency, reduce errors, lower costs, boost productivity, and free up time for higher-value tasks, improving overall business performance.
Airbnb statuses, such as Super Host status, and other quality ratings, enhance search ranking, boost booking rates, justify higher prices, build guest trust, and unlock platform benefits like priority support and promotional opportunities. OwnerRez has added more Airbnb Quality Standards and Host Role information to the Airbnb Check Status with our July 2nd release.
New additions include 'Quality Percentage' and 'Is Guest Favorite' in the Quality Standards section. The Host Roles section now shows Super Host status in the Type section.
Thinking about adding new listing channels to your marketing plan? Explore all of OwnerRez's Channel Integrations.
Following up on our May 21st release of the Gap Night Field Codes, we felt that some of the names and descriptions were somewhat misleading, as these fields only allow one night before or after departure to be displayed. With our July 2nd release, OwnerRez has updated the names and descriptions of the Gap Night Field Codes.
| Field | Name | Description |
| {BADJOPEN} | Adjacent Open Arrival/Departure Night | A description of open arrival/departure night(s), before and/or after booking. |
| {BADJOPENARR} | Adjacent Open Arrival Night | A description of open arrival night before booking. |
| {BADJOPENDEP} | Adjacent Open Departure Night | A description of open departure night after booking. |
Photos can drive bookings by showcasing amenities, setting expectations, and building trust with potential guests. If you have one, they are displayed on your hosted website. However, there may be times when you want to get a new property up on your hosted website before you have a chance to get professional photos done.
OwnerRez now incorporates a generic placeholder image for multi-property hosted website listings without photos in search results. If your property lacks photos or images, the system automatically inserts the placeholder image into your multi-property hosted website's search results.
Still thinking about a website for your short-term vacation rental business? Explore OwnerRez's Hosted Website options.
OwnerRez offers various ways to accept guest payments, and we don't require specific payment methods. Instead, we connect with multiple payment options, allowing you to choose the best way to collect payments. With our July 23rd release, we've included a helpful in-app (Properties > your specific Property > Rules > Change > Offline Payments and Pending & Auto Cancellation sections) banner directing you where to set up these payment methods.
The Airbnb Transaction Sync improves booking accuracy and financial reporting by automatically pulling transaction data from Airbnb for all channel-integrated properties. As of July 1st, 2025, the Airbnb Transaction Sync is enabled on all remaining Airbnb channel-integrated accounts.
OwnerRez has removed the Airbnb Reviews import from the OwnerRez Channel Bridge tool, starting with the July 9th update. Recent major updates to Airbnb's system have made it impossible to retrieve reviews reliably. Instead of investing heavily in a temporary fix that would probably encounter the same compatibility issues, we've focused on improving our Airbnb channel integration as the long-term solution for our users.
Importing your Airbnb reviews into OwnerRez happens automatically when using the Airbnb channel integration, so there is no need for Channel Bridge.
OwnerRez continues to implement our new design. With the July 23rd release, we updated the design of the Property Management section, providing a cleaner interface and improved mobile responsiveness.
As part of our July 30th release, OwnerRez updated the design of the in-app Payment Method section and added sections indicating our Recommended and Integrated Partners, Third Party Payment Websites (PayPal), Supported Connections, and Deprecated Connections. This new design sets the stage for upcoming payment options.
Display Airbnb Booking Mode for Airbnb Channel Overview. We've added Booking Mode information (e.g., Instant Book (Automatic), Request to Book, etc.) to the Airbnb channel integration page, just like OwnerRez displays for other channel integrations.
Extend Cancellation Grace Period Maximum 'Hours Away' to 800 Hours. Following our April 30th Cancellation Grace Period release, OwnerRez decided to allow users to extend the Cancellation Policy > Grace Period > Free cancellation period after booking > "at least X hours away" up to a maximum of 800 hours.
Ribbon Calendar Now Snaps to Filtered Dates. Sometimes, the ribbon calendar did not update the view as expected after selecting available dates, so we enhanced it to quickly update the view after selecting available dates.
Remove Some Places Where the Public Booking Link is Available. Following our October 2024 Add Accessibility to the Global Landing Page Via "Public Link" release, we realized that adding the Public Booking Link to so many in-app areas was redundant, so we have removed the Public Booking Link from the following in-app areas: Individual Quote Overview > Copy to dropdown list; Individual Booking Overview > Copy to dropdown list; Booking List grid "edit this booking" dropdown list; and the Inquiry grid "edit this inquiry" dropdown list.
Reorder Tabs on Individual Channel Integration Page. OwnerRez has reordered individual Channel Integration tabs from left to right: Properties, Policies, Taxes, Sync Actions, and Instructions.
Skip Expedia Message Threads in Favor of Vrbo Message Threads. Unlike Expedia message threads, Vrbo message threads are more robust because they support attachments. We enhanced Expedia message threads by detecting and ignoring Expedia-specific threads, since Vrbo recommends using their native messaging system for all communication due to Expedia threads' inability to handle attachments. Now, we always use the Vrbo thread for Expedia bookings, including both Expedia and Vrbo threads when booked through Vrbo.
Improved Mobile Display for PM Statements & Payouts Pages. Button alignment, spacing, and dropdown menu widths were causing display issues on PM Statements and Payouts pages on mobile devices. We resolved these display issues to ensure that the PM Statements and Payouts pages are displayed correctly on mobile devices.
Upgraded Plug'n Pay Integration. OwnerRez upgraded our Plug'n Pay integration to their latest API, which preserves all current Plug'n Pay payment features while ensuring backward compatibility with existing payment methods.
Fix Address Country Defaulting to Afghanistan if No Country was Imported. This edge case happened when a channel booking was incorrectly displayed as Afghanistan if no country was provided. OR corrected this glitch to no longer default to Afghanistan if no country is provided.
Fix Airbnb Importer Failing to Import a Listing When There Are Partial Rules. The Airbnb Listing Import tool encountered import failures if the listing had incomplete or partial rules. We addressed this bug by adding checks to properly handle listings with incomplete or partial rules provided by Airbnb.
Fix Airbnb Review Submission With 5-star Ratings. Airbnb rejected 5-star guest review ratings when "No, I do not recommend this guest" was selected. OR corrected this glitch by automatically selecting "recommend guest" when all categories are rated 5-stars, and disables the option not to recommend the guest.
Fix Airbnb Message Thread Process Failing for Users with Incomplete Names. Occasionally, Airbnb channel messages failed when guests with incomplete name information were processed. We resolved this issue by properly handling empty name fields when processing Airbnb guest information.
Fix Custom Sources Being Created as Disabled During the Setup Intro Wizard. While custom sources added directly on the Custom Source page were active by default, those added through Theming or the Setup Intro were incorrectly disabled by default. OR corrected this glitch, and custom sources added through Theming or the Setup Intro will be active by default.
Fix Expenses on $0 Surcharges Not Being Saved. While non-zero expenses on $0 surcharges were correctly added on quotes, they were not included in the booking charges after the booking was finalized. We fixed this bug to ensure that non-zero expenses on $0 surcharges are correctly added to booking charges after the booking is finalized.
Fix Inbox Templates to be in Alphabetical Order. Unified Inbox message templates accessed from the Activity timeline and the Message pane were displayed in different orders. OR resolved this issue, and Unified Inbox message templates will be displayed in alphabetical order for consistency.
Fix the Missing "Require Gaps" Setting From Airbnb Channel Settings. The "Require Gaps" Setting was inadvertently removed from the Airbnb channel integration > Change page. We corrected this glitch to restore the "Require Gaps" Setting to the Airbnb channel integration > Change page.
Fix Notifications Not Being Sent to Team Members With Limited Property Access. Team access members with limited property access were not receiving system notifications. OR resolved this issue, and Team access members with limited property access will receive notifications for properties they have access to.
Fix Sending Listing Descriptions That Are Longer Than Airbnb Supports. Some property descriptions that exceeded Airbnb's maximum character limits could not sync successfully with Airbnb. OR corrected this glitch, and property descriptions that exceed Airbnb's maximum character limits are truncated and synced to Airbnb correctly.
Fixed Grace Period Being Incorrectly Applied to HA-XML Channel Bookings With Non-custom Cancellation Policies. HA-XML Channel Bookings (e.g., Avanti Florida Villas, Booking.com, Glamping Hub, Google Vacation Rentals, Got2Go, Hopper Homes, Houfy, LocalOTA, Vrbo, and Whimstay) that were configured to use standard cancellation policies were incorrectly applying the grace period from the property's custom cancellation policy. We resolved this issue so that channel bookings now correctly use only the cancellation policy (and related grace period) specified by the channel configuration.
Improve Airbnb Resolution Messages for Zero-Charge Bookings. Negative Airbnb resolutions for zero-charge bookings couldn't be processed, and cryptic process failure messages were displayed. OR improved the Airbnb resolution workflow, which has been refactored for better error handling and clearer messaging.
Fix Country Requirement When Adding a Guest Address. Due to a code regression, some users encountered errors when adding or editing a guest address without adding a country. We fixed this bug so users can add or edit a guest address without adding a country.
Fix Google Tag Manager Integration on Booking Pages. The Google Tag Manager (GTM) library wasn't loading properly for users with GTM configured on their accounts. OR resolved this issue to ensure the GTM library is properly loaded and data flows through it correctly.
Fix Hosted Photo Gallery Default Tab Selection. Hosted website photo galleries were not sorting photos in gallery tabs correctly. We fixed this bug to correctly sort and display photos by automatically hiding the top tab strip when 80% or more photos are configured to rooms.
Fix an Issue Where Imported Vrbo Messages Were Displaying With Import Timestamps Instead of Their Original Creation Dates. Imported Vrbo messages inadvertently displayed import timestamps rather than the correct original creation dates. OR corrected this glitch to display the Vrbo message's original timestamp.
Fix an Issue Where Stripe Card Verification Would Fail When Using Thai Baht. Stripe credit card verifications would occasionally fail when using Thai Baht. OR has resolved this issue by increasing the minimum verification amount to the equivalent of .50 USD or more to meet Stripe's requirements for cross-currency transactions.
Fix Missing Mouseover Details in Booking Summary Report. Due to a code regression, some mouseover details were inadvertently removed from the Booking Summary report. We corrected this glitch to restore those mouseover details on the Booking Summary report.
Fix Inquiry Widget Creating Excessive Listing Sites for Google Embeds. Due to rotating URL patterns, the Quote Acceptance form inadvertently generated excessive listing sites for googleusercontent.com embeds. OR fixed this bug to prevent the Inquiry Widget from generating listing sites for googleusercontent.com embeds and disabled existing googleusercontent.com listing sites.
Correct BBINFO Field Code to Account for Pre-authorized and Scheduled Payments. When the BBINFO field code was used in templates, pre-authorized and future scheduled payments were not correctly accounted for. We fixed this bug to ensure the BBINFO field code correctly accounts for and displays pre-authorized, future scheduled payments, and remaining balances when used in templates.
Correct Calendar Entries That Assume the Wrong Century When Entering Two-digit Years. When users entered two-digit numbers for the year, in-app calendar date pickers incorrectly assumed the wrong century (e.g., 1924 when 24 was input). OR resolved this issue to interpret two-digit years as the current century correctly.
Ensure All Resolutions are Identified When Any Resolutions in a Deposit Fail. Sometimes, an Airbnb resolution may fail during deposit processing, blocking the rest of the deposit from processing and calling out other resolutions that might need attention. We corrected this bug by recording the resolution processing failure and proceeding through the remainder of the Deposit processing to identify all resolutions needing attention.
Fix Error When Inquiries are Made With Unassigned Properties. Some inquiries made without an assigned property resulted in errors when viewing related Unified Inbox threads. OR corrected this glitch so that inquiries made without assigned properties are processed correctly.
Fix Inconsistent Date Calculations in Security Deposit Email Alerts. Some security deposit system email alerts contained inconsistent date calculations. We fixed this bug to ensure that security deposit system email alerts contained correct date calculations.
Fix Incorrect Sorting of Triggers by Description. Sorting by description on the trigger grid was not sorting correctly. OR corrected this glitch so that sorting by description on the trigger grid works properly.
Prevent Delay When Retrying the Processing of a Deposit. Instead of waiting for the next scheduled run of the settlement process service, OwnerRez will immediately retry deposit processes that failed to optimize deposit processing.
Prevent Error When Check Payment Method is Missing Address Information. Some guest booking forms encountered errors when the check payment method was configured, but some Send To Address fields were missing. We resolved this issue to prevent guest booking form errors when payment method address information is missing.
Prevent Failure to Import Independent Deposits When Other Resolutions in the Deposit Fail. Some individual Airbnb resolution deposit failures caused the entire resolution deposit import to fail if other resolution deposits were included. OR corrected this glitch to allow deposits to be properly processed even when individual resolution failures are encountered.
Prevent Sending Listings to Google Vacation Rentals Unless They Have Active Websites. Some inactive hosted websites were inadvertently allowed to be selected for a Google Vacation Rentals (GVR) landing page. We fixed this bug to prevent inactive hosted websites from being available to be selected for a Google Vacation Rentals (GVR) landing page. If a website becomes inactive, OR will fall back to sending the Global Landing Page to GVR.
Reinstate Missing Actions When Creating or Editing an Inquiry Trigger. Some previously available "Action Items" were not visible or available to edit when creating or editing an inquiry trigger. OR resolved this issue by reinstating the previously available "Action Items" so they are available when creating or editing an inquiry trigger.
Correct the Bookings Order in the Inbox Sidebar. Sometimes, mid-stay and post-departure bookings were displayed in an incorrect order in the Unified Inbox Guest Information pane when viewing guest SMS messages. OR resolved this issue to ensure mid-stay bookings appear above post-departure bookings in the Unified Inbox Guest Information pane when viewing guest SMS messages..
Correct Vrbo Guest Reviews Categorized as Host Reviews. Some Vrbo reviews were inadvertently classified as host reviews instead of guest reviews, causing them to appear incorrectly on the Reviews Host tab. We fixed this bug to categorize and display Vrbo guest reviews correctly.
Fix Copy to New Agreement Not Creating a Copy of a Rental Agreement. Due to incorrect URL parameters, the "Copy to New Agreement" link in the existing Renter Agreement dropdown list failed to create a copy. OR corrected this glitch so that the "Copy to New Agreement" link in the Renter Agreement dropdown list creates a copy correctly.
Fix Copy to New Template Not Creating a Copy of Email or SMS Template. The "Copy to New Template" link in the existing email and SMS template dropdown lists failed to create a copy correctly. We resolved this issue so that the "Copy to New Template" link in the existing email and SMS template dropdown lists creates copies correctly.
Fix Google Analytics Event Inquiry Sent Raised by Inquiry Widget. Due to an event ordering issue, the "Inquiry Sent" Google Analytics event was raised by the Booking /Inquiry widget before Google Analytics was fully initialized. OR corrected this glitch so that the "Inquiry Sent" Google Analytics event raised by the Booking /Inquiry widget is sent after Google Analytics is fully initialized.
Fix PSTPROV Field Code so Provinces for Non-US Addresses are Displayed in Templates. In templates, the PSTPROV field code did not correctly display provinces for non-US addresses. We fixed this bug to ensure templates display provinces for non-US addresses correctly.
Fix Update of Booking Lead Time so it triggers an Airbnb Sync. While a full resync sent availability rules to Airbnb, when a property's booking window lead time was changed, those rules failed to sync to Airbnb immediately. OR resolved this issue, and an Airbnb availability rules resync will be triggered when a property's booking window lead time is changed.
Remove Authed Label From Processed Scheduled Payments. The Authed label was displayed incorrectly even after scheduled payments were processed successfully. We corrected this glitch so that the Authed label is displayed correctly for scheduled payments.
Resolve Channel Bridge Error at the Start of Vrbo Export. Some users encountered Channel Bridge (CB) errors at the beginning of the Vrbo export process. OR fixed this bug with the updated Channel Bridge v13.18 to ensure users can complete Vrbo Exports in the CB process.
Correct Postal Code Field Placeholder Text Truncation. The Guest Contact Info postal code field placeholder text was inadvertently truncated. We fixed this bug to ensure that the Guest Contact Info postal code field placeholder text is displayed correctly.
Ensure Airbnb Channel Integration Trigger Full Sync Action is Properly Displayed. The Airbnb channel integration Trigger Full Sync Action dropdown list item was inadvertently removed. OR resolved this issue, and the Airbnb channel integration Trigger Full Sync Action dropdown list item is available again.
Ensure Spot Gap Rules are Always Observed. This edge case occurred when changeover restrictions changes made on the rate calendar were ignored. We corrected this glitch to ensure that gap rule changes made on the rate calendar are honored.
Fix Airbnb Transactions for VAT Fee Calculations. The Airbnb transaction sorting logic for value-added tax (VAT) was incorrect, resulting in inaccurate transactions with host fees. OR resolved this issue by correcting the transaction sorting logic for Airbnb bookings to ensure proper VAT fee calculations.
Fix Guest Travel Insurance Form Email Input Formatting. The email address field on the guest travel insurance purchase form was not formatted correctly. We fixed this glitch, and the page's guest travel insurance purchase form email address field is formatted and displayed correctly.
Fix Load Older Activities Link on Guest Conversation. The Load Older Activities link at the bottom of the Guest Conversation page was not functioning correctly, preventing users from viewing historical messages. OR corrected this bug to ensure that the Load Older Activities link at the bottom of the Guest Conversation page functions correctly, allowing users to view historical messages.
Fix Owner Statement Custom Formula Tooltip Display. Tooltips shown upon hover for owner statement custom formulas were not displayed correctly. We fixed this glitch, and tooltips displayed upon hover for owner statement custom formulas are now displayed correctly.
Fix PM Owner Statement With No Data Excel Export Error. Users who downloaded PM owner statement Excel exports with no data encountered errors. OR resolved this issue by disabling the Export buttons and including a tooltip explaining why, when an owner statement has no data to export.
Fix Payment Failures Caused by Long Vrbo Guest Names. The OwnerRez system didn't effectively process Vrbo guests with long names, sometimes causing payment failures. We resolved this issue by properly splitting or truncating Vrbo guest names to ensure payments go through successfully while maintaining name integrity for guests with longer names.
Fix Portal Access Settings for Owner Options. While the selections were unavailable, the portal access Owner selections that were usually disabled with strikethrough text were displayed with standard text to limited team access users. We fixed this bug to ensure that the portal access Owner selections are disabled with strikethrough text displayed to limited team access users.
Fix Property Rule Validation for Checks and Custom Payment Methods. The property rule validation check for checks and custom payment methods was incorrect. OR corrected this glitch, and the property rule validation check will ensure that property rules for checks and custom payment methods are honored.
Prevent Connecting Same Vrbo Account to Multiple OR Accounts. While OwnerRez's Vrbo channel integration cannot handle multiple active OR accounts connecting to the same Vrbo listing, we encountered an issue where disabled listings matched existing threads, resulting in Vrbo messages being added to the wrong OR account. We resolved this issue and will prevent disabled OR accounts from matching the same Vrbo listing.
Remove mention of Airbnb on the Import reviews from Excel Page. Since the Airbnb Reviews feature was permanently removed from our Channel Bridge tool with our July 9th release, OR removed language referring to Airbnb on the in-app Import reviews from Excel page.
Remove Duplicate Airbnb LQA Pet Fee Surcharge Error. Duplicate Listing Quality Analyzer (LQA) error messages were displayed for pet fee surcharges configured for properties that did not allow pets. We fixed this bug to only display one LQA error message for pet fee surcharges configured for properties that did not allow pets.
Remove Test API Credentials From Lynnbrook Group. Lynnbrook Group does not support the Test API Credentials functionality displayed on the Lynnbrook Group payment method page, so OR has removed that section.
Send Guest Email Address Correctly to Stripe for Fraud Detection. While OwnerRez sent guest emails within the metadata sent to Stripe, that method is not used to detect fraud. When creating a Stripe customer, we resolved this issue by including the customer's email address in the primary customer object, which helps Stripe's fraud detection systems.
Scott, you can adjust your Notifications by navigating to your Profile dropdown menu (top right corner) > Notifications. For more information, check out our Notifications Setup & Configuration support article.
With over 25 years in property management, this Isle of Palms host has turned a lifelong passion into a thriving vacation rental business. From managing luxury homes in Costa Rica to overseeing more than 55 upscale beach rentals with IOP Escapes, Amy combines her marketing background and hands-on experience to create exceptional guest stays and tremendous results for her property owners.
I’ve been in the property management field for over 25 years, starting at a young age when my parents managed mobile homes on our family property in Florida. After college, I began managing my own personal rental portfolio, which naturally evolved into professional roles, including managing luxury properties in Costa Rica. When the Costa Rica market shifted after COVID, I partnered with my current business partners to launch IOP Escapes, where we now specialize in managing luxury beach rentals on Isle of Palms, South Carolina.
I’m a wife and mother with a degree in Marketing and Business Administration from the University of Florida, and I’ve built my career around my passion for property management and travel. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, I’ve lived in the Charleston, SC area for over 25 years and have worked across nearly every aspect of the industry, from long-term rental management to vacation rentals to full-scale travel planning. Today, I’m fully dedicated to the management and growth of IOP Escapes.
I’ve always been involved in property management in some form. From childhood, helping my parents manage properties, to purchasing my first rental property after moving to Charleston, I’ve steadily built experience. Over time, I’ve progressed from managing mobile home parks to overseeing luxury vacation rentals in Costa Rica, and now to owning and managing a portfolio of over 55 luxury properties on Isle of Palms.
Property management has been a constant throughout my career, though I also worked as a luxury travel advisor for over 15 years. That blend of experience, combining deep knowledge of the travel industry with hands-on short-term rental management, gives me a well-rounded perspective and allows me to approach the vacation rental business from both the guest and operational sides.
I’m originally from Florida but have called the Charleston, South Carolina area home for more than 25 years.
I genuinely love the hospitality side of the business, knowing that our team plays a meaningful role in helping families create lasting memories. There’s something deeply rewarding about being part of someone’s special vacation experience.
I feel fortunate to work in a field I’m passionate about, but if I had to name one of the more tedious aspects, it would be the trust accounting and bookkeeping side of the business. As we’ve grown from managing just eight properties to over fifty, this administrative work has become more time-consuming, though, of course, it’s a critical part of running a smooth operation.
For our team, OwnerRez is truly our operational backbone. We rely on it as our central resource, encouraging team members to start there whenever they have questions. We fully utilize its features, from QuickBooks syncing and owner statements to channel integrations, and we’ve developed a customized OwnerRez-powered website that supports all aspects of our business.
For me, the standout feature is the ability to access the full power of OwnerRez from the mobile platform. As a small, hands-on team, we’re constantly in the field and on the move, so having the ability to quickly pull up reservations and make real-time changes from a mobile device is invaluable. The software’s fast load and response times are critical as well, we appreciate not being slowed down by delays when we need information at our fingertips.
From managing her own small portfolio to growing IOP Escapes into a leader in luxury beach rentals, Amy has built a business rooted in hospitality and efficiency. OwnerRez is proud to support her continued success and looks forward to seeing IOP Escapes continue to set the standard for exceptional stays on Isle of Palms.
Please, where are the Notifications settings?
Looks like TouchStay. Ai search/chat is cool!
Summer bookings are heating up, and now’s the time to make sure you’re optimizing your operations and maximizing your opportunities to grow. ☀️ Our July lineup is packed with live webinars and an in-person event designed to help you get the most out of OwnerRez and grow your short-term rental business.
This month, we’re offering hands on product demos, Q&A sessions, and expert led webinars in partnership with industry pros like Boostly and Breezeway. Whether you want to build a custom marketing plan with AI, fine tune your profile settings, or brush up on safety best practices, there’s a session for you.
Plus, don’t miss the 2025 STR Wealth Conference happening in Nashville July 23–25. OwnerRez will be there as a proud sponsor, so be sure to stop by our booth to meet the team, ask questions, and grab some swag!
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.
In this live session designed exclusively for OwnerRez users, we’ll show you why most direct booking websites are broken and exactly how to fix yours in under 30 minutes.
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 Session with Steve from our Engagement Team.
In this live session, we’ll walk through common hazards, simple fixes, and how prioritizing safety protects not only your guests but your business.
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.
Learn how to manage your OwnerRez Profile settings in this live webinar, including personal info, localization, notifications, two-factor authentication, and more.
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.
STR Wealth Conference Returns to Nashville for 2025! Taking place July 23–25 at the Music City Center in Nashville, this three-day event is designed for short-term rental hosts, managers, and entrepreneurs who are ready to scale. This event is focused on real results. Attendees will get practical strategies from industry leaders, access live deal funding opportunities, and connect with real operators. OwnerRez will be there as a proud sponsor, so be sure to stop by our booth to meet the team, ask questions, and grab some swag. Get your tickets now!
What to expect:
When: July 23-25, 2025
Where: Nashville, Tennessee
We’re excited to unveil our new integration with Extenteam, giving OwnerRez users a seamless way to optimize staffing and guest messaging around the clock.
From staffing to guest communication, our hybrid technology + expert-powered solutions are built to save you time, cut costs, and deliver 5-star guest experiences. Power your operations with a team that never sleeps. Discover how Extenteam helps you do more, with less.
Get started with Extenteam by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Extenteam.
From luxury brand investments, new local tax measures, and a top industry event on the horizon, this week’s vacation rental headlines reflect the continued investment and growth in the vacation rental space. Let’s take a look.
Exclusive Resorts has taken a minority stake in Accor’s Onefinestay, expanding its presence in the upscale vacation rental sector. The move signals that major hotel brands still see plenty of room for growth in the short-term rental market. While big players continue to invest, there’s still a clear lane for smaller, independent operators to thrive, offering more personalized service, local knowledge, and quality offerings.
Ocean City, NJ is moving forward with a 3% occupancy tax on short-term rentals. Expected to raise nearly $2 million a year, the tax excludes hotels and realtor-booked stays. The move reflects a growing trend of cities seeking new revenue from vacation rentals to offset rising costs and to fund local infrastructure projects.
Inspirato, known for its subscription-based luxury vacation rentals, is merging with Buyerlink, a digital marketing platform, in a $326 million reverse merger. Following Exclusive Resorts’ investment in Onefinestay, this is another signal that demand for upscale vacation rentals remains strong and that well-capitalized players are doubling down on brand, reach, and growth in the luxury vacation space.
The 2025 STR Wealth Conference is just a month away, taking place July 23-25 at Nashville’s Music City Center. Focused on real-world results, the event offers attendees practical strategies from industry leaders, live deal funding opportunities, and chances to network with operators actively growing their short-term rental businesses. OwnerRez is proud to sponsor the conference and will have three team members at our booth ready to answer questions. Stop by to connect, learn more, and grab some OwnerRez swag. If you’re looking to scale your rental business, this is an event you won’t want to miss. Get your tickets now.
Can we get updates when they expand and take off in Australia?
Could be a good system but checking their website the have 0 listings on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. So would generate even less bookings then VRBO/Stayz
Thanks
Of course! Yes, you are correct. It is simply a new "filter" that VRBO released to highlight last-minute stays on searches.
Hi Danny! Chase Travel partnered with Expedia Group to offer vacation rentals through the Chase Travel portal. Since Expedia Group includes Vrbo, the best way to get your vacation rentals in front of Chase cardholders is to ensure your properties are listed on Vrbo or Expedia.
Thanks for clarifying, Zach. I've got last minute discounts in place already. The wording made it seem like something else needed to be done to "activate" the feature with Vrbo. Sounds like that isn't the case -- thanks!
Hi everyone!
Great question! Here’s our support document that walks you through setting up last-minute discounts: Last Minute Discounts.
Hope this helps and leads to more bookings this summer!
Meet the husband and wife team behind Porchlit Properties, a growing short-term rental business based in Alabama. What began with a career shift and a couple of thoughtfully designed Airbnb rentals has grown into a full portfolio under their brand, Porchlit Properties LLC. With a focus on hospitality, strong systems, and guest experience, they’ve built a business that not only delivers memorable stays but also supports their local community.
My journey into vacation rentals began with a dislike of my current job and a desire to create memorable stays for guests. What started as my husband's company with a couple of thoughtfully designed Airbnb rentals has grown into a portfolio of uniquely styled short-term rentals under our business, Porchlit Properties LLC. We have focused on building systems that provide a consistently high-quality guest experience while supporting the local community and contractors.
We are a small business owner, a lifelong Alabama resident, and a couple who thrives on both structure and creativity. Our background spans healthcare, entrepreneurship, fitness, and customer service—all of which blend seamlessly into the vacation rental world. We also are travelers ourself, so we understand what makes a stay feel like home.
Before vacation rentals, I worked in the corporate healthcare industry and my husband did everything from fitness to massage therapy to car sales. I learned early on how important attention to detail, communication, and systems are—skills that directly shaped the way I manage properties now. But really my husband taught me everything I know, and he learned all from trial and error.
We were raised in Alabama, so our properties are located right where my roots are. That local insight helps me recommend experiences and neighborhoods guests might otherwise miss. However, we do have one property in Tennessee and we are looking to expand more.
I love the creativity and connection. Designing each space is deeply personal, and hosting allows me to meet people from all walks of life while making their travels easier and more enjoyable. It’s incredibly rewarding.
The unpredictability can be challenging—especially when you’re balancing back-to-back turnovers, last-minute issues, or unreasonable guest expectations. But even then, I’ve learned that the right systems and communication can resolve almost anything.
OwnerRez is the backbone of my business. I use it for channel management, direct bookings, automated messaging, payment processing, and assigning tasks to my team. It keeps me organized and lets me focus more on hospitality than admin work.
Automation. From messaging to payment reminders, OwnerRez saves me hours every week. The integrations with tools like Zapier and QuickBooks are also game-changers for streamlining operations. I am still learning Zapier but it seems like an amazing tool!
Porchlit Properties is building something special, rooted in hospitality and strong local ties. We look forward to seeing their continued success as they expand into Tennessee and beyond.
How do you add your vacation rentals to Chase‘s platform?
Yes please; is this something we need to activate?
I second Alece’s question
We’re pleased to announce our new integration with BetterSTR, a guest experience platform built by experienced Superhosts. Their personalized digital guidebook now integrates seamlessly with OwnerRez, giving you an easy way to share check-in details, door codes, and property info, all in one place.
BetterSTR is built by experienced Superhosts who know what it takes to earn 5-star reviews. Our mission is to simplify and elevate the guest experience with tools designed to make hosting easier and more professional.
At the heart of BetterSTR is the Better Guidebook—a dynamic, personalized digital guidebook that automatically syncs with your reservation data. For each guest, it generates a unique guide with check-in/out times, door codes, and essential property details. You can embed video walkthroughs, print QR codes for appliances and remotes, and even control visibility so each guest sees only what’s relevant to their stay. BetterSTR supports SMS delivery, integrates with local weather and Viator activity widgets, and offers powerful tools to help you create seamless, 5-star stays every time.
Access to the Better Guidebook is completely free – no subscriptions. If you choose to deliver your guidebook via mobile SMS/TXT, messages are charged at just $0.10 NZD per message. This is a great option for hosts who want to ensure important info reaches guests instantly and reliably.
Get started with BetterSTR by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with BetterSTR.
Thanks, OR team!
Regarding your Vrbo blurb, you state: "If you’ve got unbooked nights coming up, adopting this new feature could be a simple way to increase visibility and secure more reservations." How exactly do we "adopt this new feature"?
This week’s roundup covers Vrbo’s new push to fill last-minute gaps, Chase Travel’s continued expansion into vacation rentals, growing U.S. investment in Italian homes, and a key court ruling reinforcing Spain’s sweeping STR crackdown. Let’s dive in.
Vrbo has rolled out Last Minute Deals, featuring discounted rentals available for check-in within 30 days. This new filter is designed to attract spontaneous travelers and help hosts fill last-minute calendar gaps, just in time for the summer travel rush. If you’ve got unbooked nights coming up, offering last-minute discounts could be a simple way to increase visibility and secure more reservations.
Chase Travel expands vacation home access for cardholders. Starting in July, Chase is expanding access to vacation home listings in its Travel portal, giving more cardholders the ability to book properties from platforms like Vrbo. While details are still rolling out, this move could drive more visibility and traffic to vacation rentals, a promising sign for property owners this summer.
A growing trend shows Americans buying second homes in rural Italy, attracted by lower prices and steady demand. With the powerful tools and integrations offered by OwnerRez, managing from afar is easier than ever. If you're considering expanding internationally, this is a trend worth watching.
Spain court backs STR crackdown, rejects Airbnb appeal. Following our previous update on May 23rd, Spain’s top administrative court has rejected Airbnb’s appeal, clearing the way for the removal of over 65,000 unlicensed listings. This ruling supports the Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ efforts to enforce licensing and ownership disclosure requirements amid the ongoing housing crisis.
That’s all for now. We’ll be keeping an eye on global regulations, shifting booking strategies, and how the summer travel season plays out, so stay tuned for more updates next week.
We’re excited to welcome Noshable as a new integrated partner! This integration lets you offer grocery delivery and stocking as a seamless add-on to the guest experience.
Noshable is a turnkey grocery concierge service designed for vacation rentals. We make it easy for property managers to offer guests a fully stocked kitchen upon arrival—boosting guest satisfaction and creating an effortless upsell opportunity. Through our platform, guests can shop pre-arrival and have their groceries delivered and neatly stocked before check-in. Noshable handles everything from fulfillment to substitutions, making it a hands-off revenue stream for hosts.
No Membership or service fees, just pay for a practice order that you build from the customer’s POV to ensure a smooth experience and to handle any troubleshooting before offering this service to your guest.
Get started with Noshable by visiting here and checking out the OwnerRez support article for integrating OwnerRez with Noshable.
Hi! If you're interested in learning more about the Certified Advisor Program, please see this Support Doc:
https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/certified-advisor-program
If you're interested in pursuing the Badge, fill out our application form here to start your certification journey.
On the other hand, if you're trying to find a Certified Advisor, you can locate them on our public OwnerRez Certified Advisors page.
If you have any questions, please feel free to send an email to Help@OwnerRez.com with a subject line of "Certified Advisor Question".
Great news, there are so many updates I cannot keep up! How do we contact this area?
Reading your story makes me want to visit Orange Beach, Alabama. If I didn't manage beach rentals myself - this is where I would go vacation after reading your story that overlaps mine so much from how you started to how you found OwnerRez. Love love love your story! When I am able to travel - will definitely consider this. Need to check out weather conditions for Thanksgiving and Christmas - maybe a mini-family reunion is in order. Congratulations on your success and here's to many more years of it!
Cathie Harrison
Owner of My Galveston Getaway
Still waiting for a call/email to connect with them and learn more...
