JournalLong-form · short-form · numbers

Notes from inside
the operation.

How we think about pricing, listing quality, guest experience, and the unglamorous middle of running distinctive homes.

FeaturedOwners7 min read

Luxury vacation rental management: what it is and how to choose a manager

What luxury vacation rental management includes, how it differs from a standard Airbnb manager, and how to choose the right one for a distinctive home.

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Owners7 min read

How to switch vacation rental management companies without losing your bookings

Changing vacation rental managers feels riskier than it is. What carries over, what doesn't, the questions to settle before you give notice, and a clean handover plan.

Owners8 min read

Vacation rental management fees: what owners pay, and what the fee should buy

How vacation rental management fees work: commission models, the markup trick, who pays for guest damage and chargebacks, and why owners should compare net, never the percentage.

Markets7 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in Seattle

Seattle rewards a strong summer and punishes a passive winter. What to ask a manager about the seasonal pivot, licensing and the Eastside before you sign.

Owners8 min read

Mid-term rentals: renting your home to corporate and relocation tenants

Furnished stays of a month or more can out-earn nightly bookings. Who mid-term tenants are, when the model wins, and the tenant protections your manager must know.

Revenue7 min read

Owner price alignment: how a manager sets and defends your nightly rate

What owner price alignment means in luxury rentals: how a manager and an owner agree on rates, what price floors protect, and why the highest rate is rarely the highest revenue.

Owners7 min read

Renting your home only when you're away: the part-time owner's guide

You don't have to choose between using your home and earning from it. How part-time renting works, what a partial calendar earns, and how owner dates stay yours.

Owners8 min read

Buying a vacation rental that performs: what to check before you offer

Permits that don't transfer, buildings that can say no, revenue claims that assume a full calendar. The due diligence that separates a performing vacation rental from a story.

Markets7 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in Chile

Chile has no national short-term rental license, but the formal stack is real: SERNATUR, SII, building rules. What owners should know and ask before signing.

Markets8 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in France

France rewrote its short-term rental rules in 2024 and the changes are still rolling in. What owners need to know, and what to ask a manager before signing.

Markets7 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in Peru

Peru's short-term rental rules are unsettled and moving: a national registry is in progress, Miraflores has its own ordinance. What owners should know and ask.

Owners7 min read

Is your home a fit for vacation rental management?

Not every home should be a vacation rental, and not every rental needs full management. An honest test built on character, capacity, access and rules.

Markets8 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in Spain

Renting a villa in Spain means a regional tourist licence and an international, multilingual audience. What to ask a manager, region by region, to stay compliant and book more.

Markets8 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in French Polynesia

What to ask before hiring a manager for a villa in Tahiti, Moorea or Bora Bora, where distance, climate and long-haul guests decide everything.

Markets8 min read

How to choose a vacation rental manager in the San Francisco Bay Area

Bay Area short-term rental rules are strict and differ by city. What to ask a manager, and how to find the most profitable legal setup for your home.

Marketing & Design5 min read

Which vacation rental upgrades actually increase revenue?

Which vacation rental upgrades actually increase revenue? An owner's guide to upgrades that lift bookings, rates, and reviews, and ones to skip.

Guest Experience4 min read

What high-end guests expect from a luxury vacation rental today

What high-end guests expect from a luxury vacation rental: reliability, comfort, fast communication, privacy, and a smooth arrival that protects reviews.

Marketing & Design4 min read

How to write a vacation rental description that attracts the right guests

How to write a vacation rental description that attracts the right guests: helping them understand the home, location, and fit before they book.

Marketing & Design4 min read

Professional photography for luxury vacation rentals: why it changes the entire booking funnel

Why professional vacation rental photography changes the booking funnel: it sets your comparable set, supports premium pricing, and shapes expectations.

Guest Experience4 min read

How luxury vacation rentals earn better reviews without feeling scripted

How luxury vacation rentals earn five-star reviews through expectation management, operational consistency, and fast recovery, never by pressuring guests.

Operations4 min read

The owner's guide to a better vacation rental arrival experience

The vacation rental arrival sets the tone for the whole stay. An owner's guide to check-in, access, and a welcome guide that feels prepared and personal.

Operations4 min read

Should you allow events at your vacation rental?

Should you allow events at your vacation rental? A balanced owner's guide to the revenue upside, the risks, and the permits and controls required.

Operations4 min read

Vacation rental insurance for high-value homes: what owners should ask before listing

Vacation rental insurance for high-value homes: the coverage and damage-protection questions every owner should ask before listing. Not insurance advice.

Operations4 min read

How to prepare a luxury vacation rental for peak season

How to prepare a luxury vacation rental for peak season: a pre-season checklist for pricing, maintenance, deep cleaning, inventory, and listing refresh.

Guest Experience4 min read

How local partnerships make a vacation rental feel more valuable

How local partnerships make a vacation rental feel more valuable: a confident, locally grounded stay that supports direct bookings and repeat guests.

Operations4 min read

Short-term rental compliance: why local rules should shape your operating model

Short-term rental compliance should shape your operating model from day one. An owner's guide to the rules that matter most. Not legal or tax advice.

Owners5 min read

How to choose a vacation rental property manager: 15 questions every owner should ask

How to choose a vacation rental property manager: 15 questions on pricing, channels, guest care, reporting, and fees that reveal a serious operator.

Revenue6 min read

How much can a luxury vacation rental earn? The owner's guide to revenue, occupancy, and net income

How much can a luxury vacation rental earn? The five numbers that decide owner income, how seasonality shapes them, and how to check a manager's estimate.

Owners5 min read

Self-managing an Airbnb vs hiring a vacation rental manager: which is better for a high-end home?

Self-managing a vacation rental vs hiring a full-service manager: the hidden workload, the real cost of owner time, and a decision matrix for owners.

Operations5 min read

Vacation rental local operations: cleaning, maintenance, inspections, and guest-ready standards

Vacation rental local operations decide most outcomes on the ground: turnovers, pre-arrival inspections, maintenance triage, and vendor accountability.

Guest Experience5 min read

Guest screening for luxury vacation rentals: how to protect your home without killing bookings

How to screen guests for a luxury vacation rental and protect your home with house rules, deposits, and documentation, without losing the right guests.

Owners5 min read

How luxury vacation rental management differs from standard Airbnb management

How luxury vacation rental management differs from standard Airbnb management: the economics of attention, and what really changes for your home.

Revenue6 min read

Vacation rental revenue management: how smart pricing, minimum stays, and gap nights increase owner income

Vacation rental revenue management: how comp-set pricing, lead-time curves, minimum stays, and gap-night recovery lift owner income across the whole year.

Markets5 min read

Renting out a villa in French Polynesia: what owners need to know about seasonality, operations, and guest expectations

Renting out a villa in French Polynesia: an owner's guide to seasonality, distance, and local operations across Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora Bora.

Operations5 min read

Owner reporting for vacation rentals: what every monthly statement should include

Owner reporting for vacation rentals: the metrics, channel breakdowns, fees, and net-payout waterfall every transparent monthly statement should include.

Revenue5 min read

Direct bookings vs Airbnb and Vrbo: what luxury vacation rental owners should know

OTAs drive discovery; direct bookings keep margin and the guest relationship. How luxury owners build a repeat-guest channel without losing platform reach.