Have any of you used Vacasa for short-term rentals?

Question

Hi all!

I came across this company lately and apparently for some portion of the earnings, they take care of the legwork such as marketing, coordinating cleaning, etc. for the owner.  I'm not sure I want to do this yet, but I just thought I'd get some insight from investors who have used them and the experiences using them.  Thank you!

Account Closed · Answer

Hi Erika, I hired Vacasa right before the Pandemic and really regret it.  It all hinges on your local team.  My local team can't be bothered to answer an email. Takes a couple days to return a text or phone call - forget about busy check-in days or holidays.  Local area manager has an excuse for everything, badmouths the tenants and other owners.  He committed to checking on my empty house off season every week or two, but it's rarely less than a month between visits. I hired another caretaker for my own peace of mind.  I'm still waiting for a refund on a guest cleaning charge from May that the guest paid for with their reservation and Vacasa double charged to me.  Vacasa blocked off my summer calendar with a month+ reservation from the UK when there was a longstanding travel ban from that country.  I didn't find out until a couple days before the scheduled check-in at which time it was too late to find a new booking. Vacasa kept their money as a future stay credit.  I got nothing. They definitely do not earn their cut in my market.  It could be completely different in yours. Just leaving this message here in BiggerPockets will get me a contact from someone in Marketing, but nothing will change.   Ask a lot of questions.  Insist on references from other owners in your market.  Good luck.

John Underwood · Answer

Vrbo is all I need to easily manage my vacation rental and keep it full.

Cliff H. · Answer

They sure do send a lot of letters don’t they?

Ryan Moyer · Answer

Hard pass.

Luke Carl · Answer

We all “self manage” which is nothing like LTR management. We also answer this question at least 3 times per day but it’s ok we still welcome you.

Timothy Vang · Answer

I just recently bought and renovated a beach house in the FL gulf coast area.  I decided to go with Vacasa because they were the only PM that used dynamic pricing.  My neighbor also used them and said she was happy with them.  Here is my experience so far.

They took almost a month to onboard and list my house on their site.  My house is fully renovated and everything is new.  It was rent ready on day 1 yet they took their sweet time getting it to market.  When I asked them why the house was not listed on other sites they told me to stop asking them and that it could take several weeks.

They snuck a guest into my house before my listing went live and didn’t bother to tell me.  Only reason I knew about was because I have a smart lock that was alerting me of all the traffic.  After I confronted them, they said they had to move a guest there from another rental.  They only charged the guest $150.  That is way below my minimum rate of $600 night.

My smart lock mysteriously went offline the next week.  I asked my PM to take a look and they swore to me it was broken and they would need to replace it with one of their own locks.  I had my realtor check it out and he told me someone turned off the Wi-Fi on the lock and took out the batteries.  Things that make you go hmmm?Next, they booked the guest from hell who was intent on getting a free stay from the get go.  The guest complained about a loose hand rail, loose cabinet knob and clogged drain.  I’m pretty sure this was guest Sabatoge because the hand rail and cabinet knobs are newly installed and the bathroom vanities are all new with new drains.  The guest ended up staying 8 days and getting a full refund ($4800).  The PM never even told me about the refund.

I finally got my first statement and they charged me $800 for the linen package even though I don’t need it yet.  This is the worst company I have dealt with and will be terminating this toxic relationship as soon as I get a resolution to the refund they issued.

Jefferson Brown · Answer

Hey Account Closed I haven't used Vacasa to manage my properties but I have rented from an owner who used Vacasa and this was my experience:

Me to Vacasa: Is there a second fridge anywhere in the unit?

Vacasa (a day or two later on India time): "This property has only one refridgerator which is located in the kitchen area."

(Upon arrival they actually did have a second fridge in the garage)

Me to Vacasa: What is your internet speed?Vacasa (a day or two later on India time): "If wifi is a listed amenity of the home you can expect it to carry a strong enough signal for you to use it for your recreational needs. Please be aware that wifi is treated as an amenity and not as a necessity and remember to have a backup plan in place if wifi happens to go out during your stay. This is especially important if you are staying in a remote location or if you are planning to work from the home."

From my assessment Vacasa is the "Walmart" of property managers.  You get what you pay for.

William Beck · Answer

Some market areas I heard they are better than other areas. [Northern Oregon - Notoriously Bad] They charge 35% on average and are the largest property manager in the space.

Scott Sherin · Answer

Hey Erika, you're likely better suited to find a cohost who has the time to treat your property like a priority. How has your search come so far?

Mary Kaye pepperman · Answer

I had a horrible experience as a renter. I would stay smaller and more local.

Have any of you used Vacasa for short-term rentals?

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