Evaluating STR - Different prices on Vacasa, Airbnb, VRBO

[Kenny Carter]

Hi. I'm very close to pulling the trigger on our first STR. Two question regarding estimating revenue:

1- Vacasa is the PM. The revenue sheet I got from the listing agent was a a pdf of excel, only breaking out monthly totals per year. I certainly can't trust that. Doesn't Vacasa have a web portal or a more formal report that I could at least feel was less likely to be doctored. 

2 - I'm trying to eyeball what gross revenues would be. The property is on Vacasa, VRBO, Airbnb, and has different prices on all three. How do I figured out what the actual gross to the owner is? Im assuming all 3 take different amounts off the top before providing the owner with the revenue. Is there a way to understand the details of that? And why are the prices different on all 3?

[Andrew Steffens]

Quote from @Kenny Carter:

Quote from @Andrew Steffens:

A few thoughts from a PM:

1 - Pricing - we use a base rate and then add fees to individual booking sites commensurate 
with their costs.  IE on our site a house may be $100/nt.  Airbnb $103, VRBO $105, Booking.com $115.  This is in line with their host service fees and ends up getting the 
owner the same amount per night.

2 - Vacasa - If you buy terminate them right away.  Also, I take historical numbers from other PM's as consideration but I care more about my internal projections so look at how other similar homes in the market are performing.

Good luck!

I've seen the term base rate used. As I understand it, that is the cost before the PM (Vacasa, VRBO, etc) adds the fees etc. Should I use that number, averaged across the common platforms for this STR, in order to get a sense of what other properties are doing?

 Hey Kenny, I think you are confusing PM with OTA (online travel agency).  Vacasa is a PM and VRBO is an OTA.  If your base rate is $100 and VRBO charges a 5% commission and Vacasa is your PM and charges a 20% commission, Vacasa's charge would bee $20 and VRBO $5.  Your net begin then $75.  I hope that makes sense.