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Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
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Local contact service - NOT full-service management

Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
Posted Mar 29 2023, 13:54

Hi everyone,

Anyone is self-managing your STR in Palm Springs area, and use a local-contact services to help out with handling the guests requests?
Basically the short-term rental management but minus the booking and finances part of it.

Such services are very common in Hawaii and we love using them because of low fixed fee structures, and we don't need help with bookings and finances. 
The one we've been using on the island: https://www.onislandagentmaui....

Let me know if you use anything similar but for Palm springs, and would love to hear your referrals.

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Andrew Steffens
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Andrew Steffens
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Replied Mar 29 2023, 14:45

Im not sure of that area because we are in FL and offer Full Service PM only but I know here they are prevalent and usually referred to as cohosting services.  Maybe try Googling that term and looking on Airbnb as you will see something about Cohost on listing page, so maybe you can find them that way as well.  Hope that helps

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Dave Stokley
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Dave Stokley
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Replied Mar 29 2023, 15:44

Curious to know what you’d pay for a service like this. We only offer full service management but a local city is considering requiring something like this. To me, as a manager, this sounds like you only want to pay me to handle the dirty work, which would be a hard pass. Interested to hear the details though.

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Michael Baum
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Michael Baum
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  • Olympia, WA
Replied Mar 29 2023, 16:10

Hmm, interesting. Personally we just call our cleaner or my neighbor if there is a problem, but that happens so rarely I can't remember the last time I needed to. You run a tight ship, things don't leak.

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Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
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Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
Replied Mar 29 2023, 17:07

Thanks guys - just to clarify quickly: I posted for Riverside, CA which includes Palm Springs - so this is in CA.

About the fix-rate: it's fixed to an owner but not really fixed to everyone. So the agent in Hawaii for example will meet me, and look at the place to determine the rate. If i were a demanding host, in a location with lots of party-goers then the rate is obviously higher.
Search for 'On island agent' in Hawaii, this model is really popular there - I discovered it 2 years ago when i bought first unit in Maui too.

In many markets like most of Hawaii and CA, 'local contact' or 'on-island-agent' or other terms... are a part of requirements to obtain STR permit. So it's not a nice-to-have, STR hosts need it or full service.
Yes we can use friends or people we know, but I personally prefer someone would treat my call as a business and have a system in place. I think it's really worth to pay. 

Another question I usually got during BP Cons is why we should invest in markets with regulation. For some of us including me, a capped supply = heathy profit margin. If we're willing to jump all hurdles, honestly the cash-on-cash return is really not bad.

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Cole Schlack
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Cole Schlack
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  • Hawaii, HI
Replied Mar 29 2023, 18:55
Quote from @Darren Le:

Thanks guys - just to clarify quickly: I posted for Riverside, CA which includes Palm Springs - so this is in CA.

About the fix-rate: it's fixed to an owner but not really fixed to everyone. So the agent in Hawaii for example will meet me, and look at the place to determine the rate. If i were a demanding host, in a location with lots of party-goers then the rate is obviously higher.
Search for 'On island agent' in Hawaii, this model is really popular there - I discovered it 2 years ago when i bought first unit in Maui too.

In many markets like most of Hawaii and CA, 'local contact' or 'on-island-agent' or other terms... are a part of requirements to obtain STR permit. So it's not a nice-to-have, STR hosts need it or full service.
Yes we can use friends or people we know, but I personally prefer someone would treat my call as a business and have a system in place. I think it's really worth to pay. 

Another question I usually got during BP Cons is why we should invest in markets with regulation. For some of us including me, a capped supply = heathy profit margin. If we're willing to jump all hurdles, honestly the cash-on-cash return is really not bad.


 In Hawaii we offer the local contact service to our clients that want to self manage , free the first year if you use us for your purchase. Reasonable fee after that. 

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Ryan Moyer
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Ryan Moyer
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Replied Mar 29 2023, 19:51
Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

Im not sure of that area because we are in FL and offer Full Service PM only but I know here they are prevalent and usually referred to as cohosting services.  Maybe try Googling that term and looking on Airbnb as you will see something about Cohost on listing page, so maybe you can find them that way as well.  Hope that helps


 Co-hosting usually means the opposite (the co-hosts handle the bookings).  OP is looking to handle the bookings themselves and have someone take care of all the issues after the guests check in (beeping smoke detector, toilet won't stop running, etc).

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Ryan Moyer
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Ryan Moyer
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  • Orlando Kissimmee, Davenport
Replied Mar 29 2023, 19:53
Quote from @Dave Stokley:

Curious to know what you’d pay for a service like this. We only offer full service management but a local city is considering requiring something like this. To me, as a manager, this sounds like you only want to pay me to handle the dirty work, which would be a hard pass. Interested to hear the details though.


 Yes, you're correct, it is the dirty work.  In Orlando these services exist from anywhere from $225-$350/mo which, to me, sounds like a terrible deal for the manager doing the dirty work.  But I guess they do it on economies of scale (and they usually are partnered with their cleaners so I'd assume they're making some money there as well).

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Andrew Steffens
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Andrew Steffens
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Replied Mar 29 2023, 19:59

@Ryan Moyer

There are cohosts I’ve met here that handle in person issues for guests.

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Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
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Darren Le
  • San Diego, CA
Replied Mar 29 2023, 20:25
Quote from @Ryan Moyer:
Quote from @Dave Stokley:

Curious to know what you’d pay for a service like this. We only offer full service management but a local city is considering requiring something like this. To me, as a manager, this sounds like you only want to pay me to handle the dirty work, which would be a hard pass. Interested to hear the details though.


 Yes, you're correct, it is the dirty work.  In Orlando these services exist from anywhere from $225-$350/mo which, to me, sounds like a terrible deal for the manager doing the dirty work.  But I guess they do it on economies of scale (and they usually are partnered with their cleaners so I'd assume they're making some money there as well).

Im not on the other side so I cant speak for the agent experience but my agent for example won't just take any host either. It's a self-selection for sure, if a host expects full-service for a partial price, agree that's a terrible deal.
From my experience, I respond to my guests directly (as a owner, it helps a lot of coz I know what kinds of travelers I want to target - I now focus on snow-bird, golf-goers, Canadian families).
In the last 3 months, there is only one time that I need my agent coming over (the guest complained they couldn't connect to internet, even after I called them to try to resolve over the phone).

One thing I do learn is the guest really respect & take care my places more, then they know they're talking to the owner directly on Airbnb/VRBO app. I also make sure I remind guests by using words like 'Welcome to our home', 'our home is ready for you' etc.

Again, if anyone knows good 'Local contact' services for Palm Springs, CA - would love to get your referrals.

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Pablo Flores
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  • Palm Springs, CA
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Pablo Flores
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Palm Springs, CA
Replied Apr 1 2023, 23:45

@Darren Le

Don’t know nor have I heard of anyone offering that service in Palm Springs. Palm Springs is a higher end market with different guest expectations so it’s hard to self manage out here. I own/manage 21 high end rentals out here and could never imagine self managing from far away.

However, try local Facebook groups. You might be able to find a RE agent or cleaner who could help you handle any in person guest issues and what not.

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Chris Henry
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Chris Henry
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  • Savannah, GA
Replied Apr 2 2023, 15:13

I’ve had the same question. This area and some others have a requirement that you have a local contact available to be called. Some people have suggested listing the cleaner, but I’m not so sure the cleaner would want to be on call for random calls. 

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Duc Ong
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Duc Ong
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Replied Apr 5 2023, 09:53

@Darren Le How much do you pay for your Maui agent? It seems like a great deal compared to full service.

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Ryan Moyer
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Ryan Moyer
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Replied Apr 5 2023, 11:11
Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

@Ryan Moyer

There are cohosts I’ve met here that handle in person issues for guests.


Have you worked with any?  Sounds similar to what I'm looking for but worried about how good of a job they'd really do.

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Andrew Steffens
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Andrew Steffens
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Replied Apr 5 2023, 11:27
Quote from @Ryan Moyer:
Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

@Ryan Moyer

There are cohosts I’ve met here that handle in person issues for guests.


Have you worked with any?  Sounds similar to what I'm looking for but worried about how good of a job they'd really do.


 Im sorry I have not since we do full service management only.  I would go on Airbnb in your local area and find co-hosts that way if you strike out looking on Google/other methods.