How to Manage Vacation Rentals Remotely: 7 Tips to Host Like a Pro

We all want to hear those three little words: Work. From. Anywhere. 

Approximately 35% of American workers say they work remotely full-time. And while you might not think Airbnb hosts can join their ranks, it's absolutely possible to manage Airbnbs remotely—all without relocating to your target market or limiting your investments to your hometown.

The key is building the necessary confidence to manage your properties from afar. Master your processes and procedures and you can not only create better guest experiences but also kickstart a thriving Airbnb hosting business with rentals in your dream markets.

Here are seven tips to get started.

7 tips to manage an Airbnb remotely

To manage an Airbnb remotely, you first need to have the right processes in place. Knowing how you’ll handle the expected (and unexpected) ups and downs of managing Airbnbs makes all the difference when you can’t be there in person. Here are our top tips for managing an Airbnb remotely, from finding your boots on the ground to automating the guest experience.

1. Choose the right market.

You’re managing an Airbnb remotely, so you might think you can purchase short-term rentals (STRs) anywhere. Think again. Being strategic about your investments is all the more important since you likely aren’t as familiar with the characteristics of your target market. 

Romanticizing your dream markets can also make it easy to fall into the assumption trap: 

“It’s hard to find a good hotel in Miami, so my STR would probably always be booked.”

“I won’t make as much money in Aspen because of the off season.”

The reality of STR investments is actually rather nuanced. Traveler demand plays its role in profitability but so does competition. The most profitable markets may be off-the-beaten-path destinations like Gulfport, Mississippi; places that are in high demand but not flooded by supply. Seasonal markets aren’t what they used to be either; in many places, the profit-earning season is actually growing.

Choosing the right market can save you stress down the road because you’ll know both your property and your market can offer a return on your investment.

2. Commission good Airbnb photography.

If you’re managing Airbnbs in faraway places, you can’t drive over to snap a few photos (nor would you want to—good photos of your listing have repeatedly been proven as critical to success). Help your listings stand out by investing in good photography at the start. 

Investing in the short term can save you time and boost your revenue in the long term. Airbnb actually reported in an internal study that listings using professional photography earned 40% more revenue than those that didn’t.

Make sure you have a stunning lead photo, and then follow that up with at least 20 photos that capture both the interior and the exterior. And don’t forget photos of key amenities, like your well-stocked kitchen, dedicated working space, washer/dryer, and anything else that will make you stand out and persuade guests that your listing is the right one for them.

Research real estate photographers near your listing, or ask your real estate agent for a referral. Working with a professional photographer who specializes in photographing homes and making them look good is the best way to get images that will entice your guests.

3. Designate your boots on the ground.

No matter how flawlessly you manage your listings, sometimes in-person really is better. Working with a local partner can extend your reach, ensuring that your STRs and your guests are equally well taken care of. 

One option is a local co-host. They might coordinate cleanings, stop by to drop off more toilet paper, and even handle any administrative tasks since they can typically view incoming messages and your booking calendar. If you’d like to be even more hands-off, consider a property management service. In this scenario, really all you have to do is own the property, and the property manager can take care of the rest.

In both cases, you would pay a percentage of earnings or a flat fee, but it may be well worth the peace of mind.

4. Set up automated communications.

All guests will have the same basic questions: what is your STR’s address, and how can they access the unit? But they still expect (and deserve) timely and friendly communication. This can get tricky, though, when you’re managing units remotely. Your STRs may be in an entirely different time zone, so they might be checking in or requiring assistance while you’re sound asleep. 

Automating your communications can cut down on a lot of this back-and-forth. Create standard messaging sequences for check-in and check-out. Have an auto-responder so guests know when they can expect to hear from you. Be as clear as possible in any instructions you leave so that guests don’t have to ask questions. 

These tips can make guest communication less labor-intensive. But they can also create a lasting impression with your guests, which can set the tone for their stay and the reviews they’ll write. 

5. Offer smart check-in.

Check-in shouldn’t be a hassle. Not for you, and certainly not for your guests. Furnish your STRs with self check-in tools so they can easily access your unit even when you’re not present. 

Though you can go for the old key under the rock trick, we suggest installing smart locks. Smart locks are often equipped with a multi-digit code. Guests can simply plug in the code, and the smart lock will do the rest.

You can also manage your smart locks from afar, which adds a layer of security to your STR. Change up the code at intervals that work for you to ensure no one can access the unit without a booking. 

6. Find a cleaning team.

Cleanliness can impact your Airbnb ratings and your occupancy along with it. Pre-pandemic, hosts with a higher cleanliness rating recorded a 2.3% increase in occupancy over hosts with a low cleanliness rating. Post-pandemic, cleanliness is even more impactful; as of 2021, hosts with a high cleanliness rating saw their occupancy rates increase by 6.8%.

This is all the more important if you’re managing Airbnbs remotely because you can’t do the cleaning yourself. Find a local cleaning team you trust. Share your booking calendar so they know when they need to clean. Ask your local co-host to double-check that these cleanings are satisfactory or simply outsource cleanings to your property management service. 

Once you find a team you trust, this should become a well-oiled machine—one that can boost your occupancy and your revenue. 

7. Get familiar with the data.

Running a vacation rental is all about making your guests happy. But how do you know what’ll make them happy if you’re not familiar with the destination? Data—that's your crystal ball.

Custom, property-level data can help redefine how you operate your vacation homes. It can take the guesswork out of which investments to make, how to set your pricing, and even how you manage your check-in process.

When you can’t be there in person, accurate, real-time data is the next best thing.

How to manage an Airbnb remotely

Many Airbnb hosts already manage their Airbnbs remotely with great returns. You can, too. The key is implementing processes that both exceed guest expectations and make it easy for you to manage Airbnbs from afar. This means finding trusted local partners, automating your communications, and using smart tools. But it also means having the right data at your fingertips.

Accurate vacation rental data can make all the difference between operating in the dark and having key information, like how you’re performing against the competition, pacing data for your exact market, and even how to optimize your pricing—no matter how far away you are. 

Source: AirDNA