Looking for a company to convert my home into a short term rental

Los Angeles, California
Managing Your Property
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Looking for a company to convert my home into a short term rental

Johnathan Walton
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles · Member since 2020 · 15 posts · 11 votes

Hi everyone.

Does anyone have any recommendations in the Los Angeles area for a full service property management company or a company that converts homes into short term rentals?

I'd need them to finish furnishing one bedroom, go through the kitchen to check the quality of utensils, pots, pans, plates, and so on, have a repairman fix a cabinet, and a plumber fix a leak underneath one of the bathroom sinks. I'd also like to get the bathtub reglazed.

I'm currently in the middle of deploying overseas, so I won't be able to assist with anything which is why I'd need a full service company that can handle everything like a general contractor.

About the property:

Located in South LA.

3bed/1.5bath Single family home with a 2bed/2bath ADU.

The ADU is currently listed on Airbnb and I'd be adding the main house to the listing.

Thanks for any recommendations!

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Leo SteinBusiness Member
Property Manager · Orange County, CA · Member since 2025 · 85 posts · 26 votes
1d

Safe travels on the deployment, and smart to line this up before you go. I'm in Orange County, not LA, so I won't name a company, but here's how I'd vet one when you can't be there.

1. Ask whether they handle the punch list themselves or sub it out. Furnishing, the kitchen check, the cabinet, the leak and the reglaze are five different trades. You want one point of contact and one invoice.

2. Get a written scope with a not-to-exceed number per item, and require before-and-after photos before any payment goes out.

3. Confirm they actually manage short-term rentals. Plenty of long-term PM companies won't touch Airbnb, and LA has its own home-sharing registration rules, so ask how they'd handle the main house plus the ADU. Not legal advice.

4. Set a dollar limit for surprise repairs and name who approves anything above it while you're unreachable.

5. Ask how they clean, restock and report to you each month.

I'd get the leak fixed first. Slow leaks under a sink get expensive while nobody's looking.

Happy to compare notes by message.

[email protected]949-391-1019
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  • Leo SteinBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Orange County, CA · Member since 2025 · 85 posts · 26 votes
    1d

    Safe travels on the deployment, and smart to line this up before you go. I'm in Orange County, not LA, so I won't name a company, but here's how I'd vet one when you can't be there.

    1. Ask whether they handle the punch list themselves or sub it out. Furnishing, the kitchen check, the cabinet, the leak and the reglaze are five different trades. You want one point of contact and one invoice.

    2. Get a written scope with a not-to-exceed number per item, and require before-and-after photos before any payment goes out.

    3. Confirm they actually manage short-term rentals. Plenty of long-term PM companies won't touch Airbnb, and LA has its own home-sharing registration rules, so ask how they'd handle the main house plus the ADU. Not legal advice.

    4. Set a dollar limit for surprise repairs and name who approves anything above it while you're unreachable.

    5. Ask how they clean, restock and report to you each month.

    I'd get the leak fixed first. Slow leaks under a sink get expensive while nobody's looking.

    Happy to compare notes by message.

    [email protected]949-391-1019
    Real Property Management Optimal 513 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
    CPA, CFP®, PFS · FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    20h

    Johnathan, with the ADU already operating on Airbnb and now adding the main house, I'd make sure you get the financial and tax setup right before the new listing goes live.

    I'd keep the ADU and main house expenses clearly tracked, especially the furnishing, repairs, appliances, and any larger improvements you're making. Repairs and improvements can have very different tax treatment, so I'd keep the invoices and scope of work organized rather than lumping everything together.

    Since you're converting the main house into an income producing property, I’d also document the date it actually goes into rental service and make sure the basis and depreciation are set up correctly. And because you’re overseas, I’d want the full service company to provide detailed monthly reporting rather than simply handling the property and sending you one annual number. Good records will make a big difference when you’re trying to understand the property's actual cash flow and tax position.

    The operational side is important, but I'd make sure the STR management, bookkeeping, and tax records all work together from day one.

    Feel free to DM me, I’d be happy to send over a few resources that might be helpful.

    [email protected]941-914-7779
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  • Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
    Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 403 posts · 163 votes
    18h

    @Johnathan Walton Given the overseas deployment, this sounds less like a standard property-management assignment and more like a small hospitality launch that needs one accountable point of contact. A good fit may be a full-service short-term rental manager that offers setup and design coordination, vendor management, permitting support, listing optimization, guest communication, cleaning, and ongoing maintenance.

    Before hiring anyone, it would be worth asking whether they have experience managing a main house and ADU on the same parcel, whether they use licensed and insured tradespeople, how they approve repairs and furnishing purchases remotely, and whether they provide itemized invoices and regular photo or video updates. It is also important to clarify who handles city registration, taxes, insurance requirements, safety checks, and any South LA–specific short-term rental restrictions.

    When comparing recommendations, ask for a written scope covering the bedroom furnishing, kitchen inventory, cabinet repair, plumbing leak, bathtub reglazing, photography, pricing, and ongoing management. A setup fee plus management percentage can be reasonable, but the agreement should clearly define spending limits, vendor markups, project deadlines, and who is responsible if the main house cannot legally or practically be added to the existing listing. That should help separate true full-service operators from companies that mainly handle bookings after a property is already guest-ready.

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  • Jules Aton
    MD/DC · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16h

    I would really push the numbers around because LTR would likely be much more manageable and less expensive under your current circumstances. I have had 2 different PMs in 2 different locations and while they were great at managing the operations it was extremely expensive and they priced the properties lower than necessary to which results in more wear and tear. Best wishes with whatever you do, safe journey and thank you.

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