All Forum Posts by: Nikky Jarvis

@Nikky Jarvis

When picking a property management firm, think about things like their name, how long they've been around, what they do, and how they screen tenants. Look at how they talk, their openness, costs, and deals. Know their local market smarts, licenses, and certifications. Check Mynd's name and what other owners say. See if they are quick to respond and good at talking. Look at their experience with homes like yours—be it single homes, multi-units, or commercial properties. Ask about tenant checks, how they keep in touch, and how open they are about costs. Get clear on their fees, deal terms, and local know-how.
Make sure the company is licensed and certified in Texas and take references from other property owners. By doing so, you can make an informed decision in choosing a property management company.

Good luck!

It probably won’t be too much to handle. Having the cleaning squared away is key.  We use hospitable for 7 properties.  I would stick with Airbnb.  Vrbo, imho, is a little clunky and not as user friendly.  Best of luck 

 Hey Nikki, I just finished doing my research for which PMS to use and went with Hostaway. I currently have 4 units and growing and I needed to streamline things and 4 weeks in Hostaway has been great for me. There is a bit of a learning curve and getting it set up takes some time but I can already see the benefit of using a PMS. My top 3 after research were Hostaway, Hostfully and Hospitable. With just 1 property, Guesty, OwnerRez and Lodgify might be decent options for you as well.

Hey Nikki - Just FYI, Lodgify and some other apps won't give you access to your guest data, a vital resource for targeted advertising and marketing strategy.  When you get your demos, ask about data sharing and make them be specific.  Also, the comments above about not spreading thin until you're ready are correct.  For people with near perfect websites and highly optimized listings, multiple OTAs are a great strategy.  If your website hasn't been refreshed/audited lately and your listings haven't been optimized, you're investing money in the wrong place.  That's how I would prioritize.  Best of luck!!!

If you don't plan to be on multiple platforms the you can automate price with Price Labs and automate messaging with Hospitable.  If you are new to hosting, it can be difficult to be successful on multiple platforms. A lot of hosts get in trouble by spreading themselves too thin across lots of different platforms.  You will do better ranking very well in search on one platform, then ranking poorly on multiple platforms.  More platforms does immediately result in more exposure, views and bookings.

Hello! I'll be launching my first 2 STRs in in the next couple of months and would like to set myself up from the beginning to not be completely reliant on Airbnb. I understand listing on Airbnb is necessary, but think of it like Amazon, needed but you never feel great about it. I'm considering listing 4-5 ways 1) Airbnb 2) VRBO 3) Booking.com 4) Direct 5) Furnished Finder. Many will think this is overkill but launching an STR in the current market comes with challenges. What are the best tools I can use to accomplish this that I should look into? My full time career is in digital marketing and have some web design skills but API setup and advanced web design I want to avoid. Some brands I keep hearing about are OwnerRez, Hospitable, GoDaddy, Stripe, Square, Guesty, Wordpress, Wix, Hostaway, Smoobu... I'm also aware tracking local taxes can be difficult. Tell me about your tech set up!

Hostfully provides a comprehensive property management solution for short-term rentals (STR), covering guest communication, booking management, cleaning, maintenance, and guest support. Their white-label service allows you to maintain your brand identity while benefiting from their full-service management. Hostfully also facilitates listing your property on various platforms for increased exposure. However, it comes at a higher cost, and you may have less day-to-day control. On the other hand, Guesty offers a more affordable alternative, focusing on guest communication, booking management, and coordination with cleaning and maintenance providers. It has a user-friendly interface, integrates with popular tools, and is cost-effective. However, it lacks some advanced features like white-label service and listing on multiple platforms, requiring more hands-on management.