Advice Needed on Blue Ridge Mountain Cabin

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Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes

8mo

Hey all, my family and I own a mountain log cabin in the Blue Ridge area for the better part of two years. We live a ~100 minute drive away from the cabin.

I would say performance has been middling -- nothing too stellar but definitely nice spouts of demand and positive cash flow in various months, though we've noticed demand falter a little bit in recent months after a couple average reviews. For context, we have managed this property with two co-host, both of whom had brought their own cleaners to the operation.

The biggest hurdle for us has been a routine and thorough cleaning for the cabin. If there's ever a complaint from guests (there usually aren't any), it's to do with the cleanliness of the cabin.

Our latest property manager just gave his notice, and is stating that he wants to step away from property management altogether. This is a bummer, but we are at a crossroads, and wanted to solicit some views and advice:

1) Should we look to self-manage our property?

2) If so, would folks have any advice on cleaning services in the area that we could use? This is the longest pole in the tent for us and would love any leads or referrals

I personally would not self manage. We are actually looking for a PM in the area as well so if we find one (or you find a good one) happy to share information.

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Collin HaysBusiness Member

Property Manager · Gatlinburg, TN · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes

8mo

I would go self-management, but only if you have TIE. Time, Interest, and Energy. It's a part-time job. If you are a doctor or business professional, you are probably going to make far less per hour managing your rental than you do in your profession. So it's a question of the value of your time, as well as your interest and energy.

You can find housekeepers and repair folks by visiting the Facebook page of the community at or near where the property is located. Not a big deal. There might be some trial and error before you find a good fit.

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Lauren Kormylo

Rental Property Investor · Phoenix, AZ and Rehoboth Beach DE · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

8mo

A lot of us here self-manage. But it does take some time. Look at how much your co-hosts were costing you per year. That's what you'll be adding to your income if you self-manage, plus you'll probably do a better job at getting bookings and getting great reviews, and therefore make even more. Think about the time it will take, and whether it will be worth it to you. Being on Airbnb and Vrbo, you will need to be available for guests' questions or problems. They don't message often, but you will need to have your phone with you at all times when a guest is staying there and respond quickly during normal hours. You can use a smart lock, smart thermostat, and a Ring doorbell or similar to help do this long distance.
5 star reviews are essential in this business. Guests do not want to read that a house was dirty, they'll look elsewhere. I live across the country from my STR and still manage it fine. I visit it twice a year to do maintenance, replace broken stuff, restock, touch up paint etc. I have tradespeople lined up for emergencies, that's what your cohosts do anyway.

Whether you decide to self manage or not, I recommend you deep clean the cabin and do any repairs needed to get it in tip-top shape now. Don't count on a new manager to do that. You need to see for yourself that everything is in top condition.

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Andrew SteffensBusiness Member

Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

8mo

I agree with @Collin Hays and @Lauren Kormylo. Blue Ridge is a popular STR area so getting good help with cleaning/maintenance is likely not too difficult. With a little bit of time and effort you can manage yourself. Also being about 1.5 hours is not too bad either. The real question is do you have the time interest and energy to do it. If you do, then it should not be a hard task. But if not, I would suggest finding a local mid sized property manager. A good property manager can offset their fee. For example in 2025 I beat the Suncoast market by 12%. I charge 10% for limited service and 20% for full service. The net to my clients for limited service is -2% cost and my full service clients is 8%.

[email protected]813-563-0877

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Raghav Kapur

OP

Member since 2026 · 7 posts · 5 votes

8mo

Thanks all. All very helpful comments and a great framework. Really appreciate the advice here 🙏

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William Defee

Member since 2023 · 12 posts · 12 votes

5mo

Hey Raghav, it looks like you have a great discussion here! I really like Collin's TIE method for deciding whether to self manage or not.

I am also an STR owner in North Georgia (Blairsville and Ellijay). Before I launched my first property, I initially looked into a PM, but they were too expensive for the projections I had for my cabin. Since then, I have been self managing and have earned Super Host status, Guest Favorite, and a 4.94/5 rating. I work with a few cleaners local to the area and have nothing but good things to say about them. I am happy to share their info if you want to reach out and connect!

I recently launched a Virtual Property Management company (managing guest messaging, cleaner scheduling, dynamic pricing, calendar management, etc. for a flat monthly fee) for owners in our area to help them have more control over their ownership experience without having to deal with the day to day of managing it.

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have, feel free to DM me!

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Stephen QuesinberryBusiness Member

Real Estate Agent · Cumming, GA · Member since 2016 · 226 posts · 157 votes

5mo

This might be a good opportunity to simplify things rather than add another layer.

As noted already, if you have the time and energy, self-managing could make a lot of sense here. Especially being only ~100 minutes away, that's very manageable. A lot of STR owners run properties remotely without a full-time co-host. The key pieces are really just systems.

Cleaning is the biggest lever in your case. I’d focus heavily on getting that right first. It usually comes down to finding one reliable cleaner or small team, setting very clear expectations, and having a checklist with photos so there’s consistency. Sometimes cycling through a few cleaners to find the right fit is just part of the process. The key I've found is asking a Property Manager or Landlord in that area for referrals. Always ask. Even if you have a good one.

Maintenance shouldn’t be too difficult to handle remotely either. Having one or two go-to local vendors for basic repairs and being responsive when issues come up typically covers most of it.

The nice thing about self-managing is you get direct visibility into guest feedback, pricing, and operations. That usually helps tighten things up pretty quickly, especially if cleanliness has been the weak point.

If you do go this route, I’d think of it less as “doing everything yourself” and more as building a small, reliable local team that you coordinate. Once those pieces are in place, it tends to run a lot smoother than relying on rotating co-host setups.

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Advice Needed on Blue Ridge Mountain Cabin

Advice Needed on Blue Ridge Mountain Cabin

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