Real Estate Agent · Oakland, CA · Member since 2011 · 10 posts · 10 votes
I'm in escrow on a property in Maui that we'll be using as a vacation rental. We were originally planning on going with a property manager at 20% just because of the ease. The more and more I think about it however, I would really like to try and self manage at a distance (Bay Area). I'm putting together a list of roles I would need filled, cleaners, on-island contact, handyperson, etc. but I want to be as thorough as possible.
Anyone finding success managing a STR from afar? Wha are your tips/tricks, must-haves and nuggets of wisdom?
@Luke Carl is the resident expert on this subject.
I self manage 22 STRs, with the furthest being about 6 minutes (3 miles) from my house.
If I had some tips to give someone managing a STR from afar, I would say change the agitator dogs in your washing machine ($3). Replace the flapper ($2) and possibly the fill valve ($15) in your toilet. Replace any outdoor lights with 12 year LED lights. Clean the strainer in all your faucets ($0). Flush your hot water tank ($0). Replace all the batteries in your smoke detectors and remotes. Buy a 2nd modem and leave it as a backup. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Replace any metal p-traps with PVC p-traps ($4). Keep 2 plungers in the house, along with Liquid Fire or other acid drain opener. If you provide a grill, make it a propane grill and keep a spare tank at the house.
Hi @Simone Koga, first off, congrats on the new STR acquisition in Maui, that's awesome! I have been looking in Kauai myself so I'm a little jealous of you at the moment! ;)
I certainly think you can do this remotely, although I probably wouldn't normally suggest it for a first time VR owner. My only big recommendation is find somebody that you can FULLY trust to be your 'boots on the ground' in Maui should anything out of the ordinary pop up. I have a VR management company on my list in Tahoe that will come out at a moments notice (if I can't get up there in time) to handle almost any issue. They charge $150/hour for it but it's peace of mind knowing that if I ever need it, it's there.
The tricky part is really about breakage and your insurance policies, for instance, if you have some type of coverage where insurance replaces only if you notify them in a certain time frame, you need to be sure your housekeepers are letting you know in that time and can provide all the documentation you need to submit the claim.
Other than that, you should be able to automate the rest of it or leverage local resources for the most part.
@Simone Koga In addition to the support staff you have have already identified (with house cleaners being the most important) Have spare items available like sheets towels etc that the cleaners can access if something is damaged.
I use a simple lockbox as there is less risk it will have a fault but other people have used wifi enabled locks where they can change the codes easily. If you go this route hide a lockbox for emergencies.
I also have wifi thermostats so I can save on electricity wen no one is there.
I also have a high end outdoor only camera system that sends me alerts on motion so that I can keep an eye on who is coming and going.
Once you are set up it is pretty easy to self manage.
I have HA/VRBO and Airbnb and the calendars synchronize to stay updated. So if someone reserves on VRBO it blocks out those dates on my Airbnb calendar.
@Luke Carl is the resident expert on this subject.
I self manage 22 STRs, with the furthest being about 6 minutes (3 miles) from my house.
If I had some tips to give someone managing a STR from afar, I would say change the agitator dogs in your washing machine ($3). Replace the flapper ($2) and possibly the fill valve ($15) in your toilet. Replace any outdoor lights with 12 year LED lights. Clean the strainer in all your faucets ($0). Flush your hot water tank ($0). Replace all the batteries in your smoke detectors and remotes. Buy a 2nd modem and leave it as a backup. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. Replace any metal p-traps with PVC p-traps ($4). Keep 2 plungers in the house, along with Liquid Fire or other acid drain opener. If you provide a grill, make it a propane grill and keep a spare tank at the house.
I have three vacation rentals and before I moved to Ft Walton Beach I used to manage them from a distance. If you are hoping for some decent ROI or making any money at all on STRs, self-managing is probably the only viable rout. I live in the same place as my rentals now so my long-distance problem has gone away, but I actually started a business which assists vacation rental owners who manage themselves exactly because of my experiences as a "distance owner". Yes, you will need cleaning people, maintenance and some reliable specialized vendors (plumber, electrician, etc) to be able to call on. But I would strongly suggest finding a local go-to person to coordinate all that. There are some hybrid services similar to what I offer here in Ft. Walton/Destin that do this for a low flat fee: dispatch the cleaning crews, inspect the property monthly, call or meet the technicians if something breaks, replace the toaster or smoke detector batteries when the guests call about that or reset the door codes manually if something goes wrong with the software (it happens). You will still be managing the property, taking in the rent, collecting and remitting whatever occupancy taxes are needed, etc. The company I used when I was managing from a distance charged about $150 per month for their VRBO assistant service. They did not include a monthly inspection however. You're welcome to email me or look on my website for a general idea. I don't offer any services in your area so this is really not a promo of what I do :-), just suggesting that you try to find something similar in the area where your property is located. Most people who offer this sort of flat-fee local assistance services are usually either property owners themselves or managers of maintenance or cleaning services. Full service rental management companies make a lot more by charging 20-30% so they will do their best to persuade owners of the benefits of full service. There are benefits in that, of course, unfortunately making a profit is not one of them :-).
In addition to the suggestions already mentioned. I initially provided all paper products, spices, soaps to refill the soap dispensers, plastic storage and garbag bags, etc. . And ask the renters to replace what they have used so the next person has the same convenience. This has worked very well for us. We also have the automated code lock and I gave the handyman a key, in case the lock malfunctions. The renters also have the regular key for the door and I tell them to carry it with them, otherwise if I have to call the handyman to open the door, there will be a service fee. I have yet to have to call to have the door unlocked and we also make sure we change the battery in the lock, when we change the batteries is the smoke detectors.
@Paul Sandhu refering to me as the resident expert of anything is an honor.
@Simone Koga I manage 5 properties remotely with a day job. It can be done.
Otherwise some pretty decent advice above. Althought I would not rely on any sort of "company" to do anything. Hire people to work for YOUR "company" otherwise someone is generally taking a cut of your profits. Just because you're in a different state does NOT mean that you're not the boss. It's your property, YOU are the boss.
And.... it's true.... In this business, if you're not self managing, you're not making money.
Congrats @Simone Koga! I have a client from SF who has eight Airbnb properties that he manages from afar, one here on Maui, and we are looking for their second property. Managing from afar can be done but you want to be responsive in order to maintain high occupancy.
The most important services you need is an on-island emergency contact (state law) and a cleaner. You can find PM's that will provide ala carte services at a reduced cost, which I would recommend as you then have on throat to choke if there are problems.
Wow, thank you everyone for chipping in with great advice so quickly. I love this community!
@Kevin Kelsey This is exactly what I needed, thanks for putting it together. I hadn't known you could find AirBnB co-hosts through their site, I had just read about how you could add a (known) person as your co-host if you needed.
@Jon Crosby Boots on the ground is apparently the law in HI so I'll definitely need to find someone for that. I'm not seeing a lot of options though. Googling, yelping, craigslist have only turned up 2 potential hourly rate type people. Everything else is standard full-service property managers. Do you think they may offer a la carte services if you ask but don't advertise that aspect of their business online? How did you find your Tahoe company? Good tip on insurance, I'll need to add that to the list of things to consider.
@John Underwood I'll definitely need to plan backups for sheets and towels. The property is in a pretty big resort complex and I'm not sure if there are any restrictions on lockboxes. That said, there is a front desk that runs in-house rentals, and I believe that they can distribute keys even to those not in their rental program. Will have to verify.
@Paul Sandhu 22 properties! You're clearly a master at this, I'm adding all of these tasks to my checklist (also adding a note to google agitator dogs, sounds like a cool band but I have a feeling that's not what they are)
@Villy Ellinger I wish you were on Maui, I'd hire you in a heartbeat!
@Lisa Graesser Good call on changing door lock batteries on a regular schedule. If I am allowed to do those, I'll definitely make sure they're swapped out regularly.
@Luke Carl I'll take you up on that offer, will send a pm shortly.
@Mark Waite Do you know of any specific PMs on Maui that provide this a la carte style service? I'm having a hard time finding anyone that does anything other than full service.
@Simone Koga Try calling Dave Englert at Rentals Maui in Kihei. Unfortunately I do not believe I can send any sort of information beyond the name via forumsk
@Simone Koga, for my Tahoe company it was sort of a hidden service they offered so you might want to call a few to see if it's possible. One of my tips in my blog article is also getting to know your neighbors, they often will be your best resources if you can build a relationship with them.
@Jon Crosby Yeah, I figured it isn't something they want to advertise since they'd likely prefer to push full service. I'll have to make a list and call down, see who is game. Thanks!
@Simone Koga Great initial intuition. Automate before you delegate. I HIGHLY recommend Smartbnb. It's amazing. Automates guest communication, check-in/out, FAQ, coordinates cleanings, pre-approvals, sends market/pricing updates, shows where you rank in the listings, etc. All for a low monthly fee.
@Paul Sandhu gave great tips. Just copied and pasted into my notebook and adding those to my to-do list for any new property.
@Luke Carl definitely knows what he's doing managing units in the Smokies from Nashville.
Though, I have a slightly different perspective on management. I make plenty of money with someone else co-hosting. It's all about the deal.
Aloha Simone! What side of the island is your property on? CB Island Vacations offers a la carte services and I would recommend them wholeheartedly. Also a couple tips if you decide to self manage:
1) THOROUGHLY vet your cleaner. Having a good cleaner or cleaning company could be the single most important part of the equation.
2) Your On-Island Contact can be any person living on the same island as the rental. They DO NOT need to be licensed if they are a contact for only your condo.
3) Establishing a good relationship with a local maintenance person or company is necessary. Also have a couple back up options if your main servicer falls through.
Thank you @Patrick Franta! The properties up in Ka'anapali. I'll reach out to CB Island Vacations for sure. If you have any recommendations for cleaners, I'd love to hear them. I agree, that's probably what can make or break this whole process. I'll also be looking for maintenance/handypersons too. It's a lot, but I'm excited to do it.
@Simone Koga, i agree with @Jon Crosby BOOTS ON THE GROUND. we started our VR 2016 in South Lake Tahoe. Hired vacational rental assistant company, they were our boots on the ground for 1.5 years while we lived 500 miles away. . they took care of all the handy work, cleaning, ALL the emergencies that needed assistant. in the mean time, steve and i learn the business. went on Nextdoor.com to find staff to interview. we found dozens or localers that wanted to work for us and appreciate VRs , because we brought in jobs and brought their city revenue. After a dozens of visits later, we are able to release the VR assistant and manage it ourselves. We have a full staff. No one will take of your property as well as you can. no one will sell your property as well as you will. But if you dont have the time or resources, interview and hire people that you trust and have experience. TIP : find a Property management company that has their own rentals, that care about YOU and your profits. All of our homeowner customers are important to us, we treat them like a partner not like just a number. i wish you lots of success.
Wow, I was traveling yesterday so didn't get to look at this thread until now, but @Simone Koga you've got great advice here!
I have two (three as of tomorrow) properties I manage long-distance, in two different states. The first one is always the most nerve-wracking! (I actually do have a property manager for my first one, but we have an arrangement where he does walk-throughs and is on-call for emergencies for a reduced rate, and I do the rest - was a great way to get started.)
What I have to add is: as you're planning your list of people and figuring out logistics, spend some time really thinking through the step-by-step process of turning over the unit. What DO you do when you need to buy new toilet paper or dish towels? Little things like that. I order off Amazon and have the items shipped to my housekeeper to resupply as needed - super convenient. My housekeeper for my new newest properties also does the walk-throughs and some basic maintenance for me - don't be afraid to ask your housekeeper to include small things like that as part of their service!
@Paul Sandhu had excellent advice about the little preventative maintenance things you can do (I'll have to do all that myself!). I also replace EVERY lightbulb in the house with a long-life LED bulb.
Create a calendar with the recurring maintenance items (such as changing the lock batteries) that will remind you when things are due, so you can follow up with your team to make sure they happen.
The lock I use is a RemoteLock 5i - it's a bit more expensive up-front to purchase, but it's a wifi lock and not only can you change the codes and trigger lock/unlock remotely, it'll provide you with battery life status AND you can set up check-in/lock instructions to be automatically emailed to your guests! (the functionality on the latter is not terribly flexible, but it's still a very good feature)
That's what I can think of right now - you're asking all the right questions! Good luck and keep us posted!
@Simone Koga the residents you select will determine how easy this is.
Begin with the end in mind, and select residents who are happy and easy to deal with over the phone or online. Find a solid maintenance handyman who is responsive, curious, alert and resourceful who can help out in a moments notice.
@Simone Koga the residents you select will determine how easy this is.
Begin with the end in mind, and select residents who are happy and easy to deal with over the phone or online. Find a solid maintenance handyman who is responsive, curious, alert and resourceful who can help out in a moments notice.
Good luck!
FIFY:
Find a solid maintenance handyman who is responsive, curious, alert and resourceful that is not a registered offender or addict who can help out in a moments notice.
We are in the same boat now as you, Simone. Would love to hear how it all worked for you! Thanks everyone else for your suggestions. I am very attemped to self manage since I have found a couple of reliable cleaners recommended by my neighbors. Initially thought I'd use Evolve to get established, but now hearing quite bit of negative expeirences with them so I am not sure. Your tips make it more doable to self manage!