All Forum Posts by: Andrew Steffens

 We have Streamline PMS and use BookingPal channel manager to connect to everything that is not directly connected through PMS

Great job! It is important to consider future events i.e. repairs, eventual sale, durability etc when setting up an STR. Too many homeowners make mistakes here and get cheap and/or fragile furniture, things like white couches etc. You are saving time, money, and headaches getting ahead of it.

I do also agree with the above, a few walls look a little bare.

Good luck!

I am also leery of condos 99% of the time.  There are some exceptions outside of owning the entire building where I recommend it.  I recently ceased managing a condo rental at a resort in Orlando that was always vacant even at $50 a night.

I agree with @John Underwood.  It is a bit of a personal decision and the terms make it attractive.  To appeal to guests and get more revenue you will be competing with those comps so you will have to offer a similar of better experience, which likely will require further investment into the property.

I am a proponent on being on almost as many as you can.  When we onboard a client they go on over 15 different platforms including Airbnb, VRBO, Marriott Homes & Villas, Booking.com, Homes2Go (big in Europe), Google Vacation Rentals, Allegiant Airlines Vacations, JetBlue Vacations, Amex Travel (in Beta), Hyatt (beta), Direct Booking site, and more.  The idea is exposure.  Obviously some bring in more than others and some properties perform better on some platforms than others.  However I believe the extra channels help us achieve outperforming the market month after month.  As a PM I believe it is incumbent on us to maximize our client's exposures in an effort to ensure success.  Shoot me a message if you need help or any tips getting onto more platforms Bryan.

Everyone wants to own a Four Seasons and nobody wants to own a Holiday Inn but there is a market for both.  Holiday Inn is more recession resistant.  I own 2 luxury accommodation but more budget friendly.  What matters is the individual property.  Find some that you can afford and see if they will be profitable in your market.

I agree with @Collin Hays.  Look at this review from 4 Season NY with a 1/5 rating:

Some one is using your number as a scam I just got a call from. Amazon from this number I tried calling the hotel to let y'all know but it's very busy

As an avid traveler, I look for the recent ones to see if there is a trend, i.e. poor cleaning noted 3 times in a year.  I have bad reviews because of rainy weekends ruining beach plans in FL.  In summer. :(

While I think the butcher block is a nice aesthetic it is maintenance heavy and I agree with @John Underwood I have seen guests putting a real beating on them.  I would recommend a good durable stone such as the heat resistant Quartz or Granite.

This is one of 3 reasons why my full service property management company recently rolled out a limited service offering.  The other 2 being still being able to take advantage of tax benefits by materially participating, and having an option with lower impact on cashflow.  Having a professional company offer pricing, 24/7 guest communications, marketing, tax remittance, and software/automation support takes the bulk off of your plate only leaving the cleaning and maintenance management which is more easily scaled.  I think this will become more of the norm in the coming years than the usual binary decision of full self management or full service manager.

We let our owners make their decision and there is a mix.  What I recommend for cheaper accommodations is Wifi and smart TV only, mid and higher end properties with Smart TV and basic cable.  Spectrum has a cool package where you get basic cable bundled in and you just set it up through an app on Roku (or Fire etc) and it streams, no more cable boxes.