Author: Host And Keep

5 Reasons Miami Is Perfect For AirBnB Locations

1. Profitable Airbnb Market

Miami has experienced a significant increase in the number of Airbnb listings to a whopping 4,500 in the last two years. As the 4th largest short-term rental market, it offers affordable, luxurious, and peaceful stays in the most beautiful and profitable Airbnb locations.

Whether you want to rent a beach house for a night or a furnished two-bedroom apartment for months, you’ll never run out of places in Miami for both short and long stays.

2. High Rental Population Demand

Miami Airbnb has observed a fast-growing rental population with increasing demand for vacation rentals in the balanced housing market here. Today, Miami stands at a 71% occupancy of presidents because of its affordable cost of living, quality healthcare, and clean and healthy environment.

3. Diverse Cultural Events

Because of its immense tourist presence all year round, Miami hosts a myriad of different traditional events to celebrate diversity among the residents. However, this presents a lucrative advantage for Airbnb hosts to charge high for tourists who come to Miami to attend these events.

From the Art Deco Weekend and Lifetime Marathon to the Miami carnival and winter music conference, Miami is the #1 hottest real estate market in the US.

4. Affordable Miami Short-term Rental Properties

Since the Covid pandemic, the Miami short-term rental real estate market has seen a significant drop in house prices, allowing budget investors to purchase affordable Miami rental listings. Starting from only $3000 per month for 2-bedroom apartments and $80-150 for one-bedroom beach penthouses per night. Also, Miami today stands at its lowest real estate prices in the last 5 years with property-friendly taxes.

5.  International Marketplace

As the 5th largest walkable city in the US, tourists love spending time in Miami vacation rentals for easy access to its international marketplace. Since the exposure of the Miami rental real estate market, many multi-billion dollar companies have invested funding in Miami’s marketplaces, increasing its value in the international real estate market.

Conclusion

From a pool of employment sources to improved quality of life, Miami is no less than heaven for people to make Airbnb investments. Whether short-term vacation rentals or long-term stays, many Miami property managers are making a sufficient profit from their Airbnb investment. If you also want to join the tribe, keep an eye on profitable Airbnb properties for sale in Miami and purchase one at a good price.

Frequently Asked Questions

Because there is tons to do, vacation planning in Fort Lauderdale can be an overwhelming job. But don’t worry, we’ve got the best part of your trip covered: Fort Lauderdale’s festivals. For your convenience, we have put together a list of Fort Lauderdale festivals that you absolutely do not want to miss. 

Some of the below-listed activities have been postponed or canceled as a result of COVID-19.

In the fall:

Harvest Weekends

Every Saturday and Sunday of October, Flamingo Garden turns into a lively  festival that hosts numerous activities. From costume contests and art exhibits, to pumpkin patches and hayrides, this music-filled festival is perfect for groups. The best part: this botanical wonder is a sanctuary for birds and diverse types of animals, so you can enjoy the festival surrounded by nature’s gifts. 

Las Olas Art Fair 

If you have a passion for art and thrive in sunny weather, this Mid-October festival is for you. Named one of the top 100 art festivals, Las Olas Art Festival offers art on display and meet-and-greets with artists, where attendees can chat about the pieces and enjoy conversations about art technique. 

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

Boat aficionados from all over the world travel to this one event. Here, you’ll find professionals and yacht enthusiasts admiring the industry’s novelties in boats, yatches, and technology. For more than 60 years, The International Boat Show has allowed attendees to meet designers, creators, and vendors of top-line marine offerings. 

The Wilton Manors Neighborhood Halloween Block Party

One of the greatest Halloween Festivals of the country, this around-the-block style event is hosted in the renowned Wilton Manors Neighborhood. From 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., an average of twenty thousand attendees bask in Halloween-themed dancing, vibrant nightlife, and spooky Halloween tales. 

Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival

This 17-day festival is a cinema lover’s dream come true. Screening at the Savor Cinema and Cinema Paradiso, films from more than thirty countries are available for attendees, with chats with filmmakers and actors at creativity-filled parties and group discussions. 

In the winter:

Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade

Truly a winter wonderland for boat aficionados and just anyone who enjoys a good parade, this twelve-mile water-bound showing involves huge and festively decorated yachts and boats. This spectacle is completed with glowing surrounding kayakers and one-of-a-kind fireworks. 

Art Fort Lauderdale 

With bonus points for incomparable creativity, this four-day event hosts a water taxi cruising through the Intercoastal Waterway. Stops consist of internationally known conceptual art inside majestic waterfront properties. Here, you can witness art from eras across time and revel in the architecture of the properties they are held in. 

In the spring:

Las Olas Art Fair

Las Olas Art Fair goes for another round in March. So if you missed the first one, make sure to stop by this time!

Tortuga Music Festival 

Every April, locals wake up to the sound of popular country and rock music taking over the city. The Tortuga Music Festival takes place on Fort Lauderdale Beach Park and gathers thousands of fans every year.

In the summer:

Fort Lauderdale Air Show

The Fort Lauderdale Airshow takes place from the first though the third week of May. Really a spirit-lifting spectacle this high-flying aerial show has featured U.S Air force Thunderbirds, U.S. Navy Blue Angels and more. You’ll have a great view from either a tall-story balcony or the Drop Zone Beach. 

The Stonewall Parade

Celebrating the local and national LGBTQ+ community, The Stonewall Parade and Festival is held in the Wilton Manors Neighborhood. Filled with life, color, outdoor parades, food trucks and more, this is a great event to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and spend a day with friends. 

The 4th of July Spectacular

A day that attendees book with time, the 4th of July in Fort Lauderdale features sunny beaches and colorful fireworks. A public community event on Las Olas Boulevard, The 4th of July Spectacular exudes live live music shows, family-friendly games, and beautiful fireworks. 

All these festival options can make the difference between a good Fort Lauderdale trip and a great one. If you ever find yourself visiting the city during one of these unforgettable events, attend! You will not regret it. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Your photography must be strategic in the sense that images must showcase the appeal of yet realistically capture your offerings. Beautiful pictures can go a long way, but only if they match reality once your guest arrives at the property.

Here at Host and Keep, we have seen how responsive potential guests are to aesthetically pleasing digital content. Aligned with our values and purpose, our amazing in-house photographer works to create images that communicate the stories of our homes and incentivize clicks and bookings. 

Now, we are paying it forward with tips and tricks we use in our photography. Whether you are personally taking pictures of a property or starting a discussion with with your photographer prior to a shoot, here is a useful checklist to truly leverage the power of photography in your advertising:

Working Efficiently with Straight Lines

Like in real life, humans will always try to make sense of a space. They will look for the horizon of a picture and observe how the rest of the objects in the photo relate to it. If a picture is lopsided, the image will not have a logical appearance and therefore will not be visually pleasing to the viewer. This can lead to customers skipping a picture instead of clicking. 

When taking photos, try to make them look stable with straight horizons, whether this is a table, a bedframe, or the surface of a countertop. Angles must also work with the horizons, creating a visually positive relationship between other objects and the horizon. Viewers’ eyes are drawn to 90 degree angles and perpendicular relationships between objects. So watch out for unbalanced frames, slanted furniture, or simply a lopsided camera. 

Working Well with Colors

The selling power of a property photo can be overshadowed by simple factors such as excess saturation and unflattering shadows. Harsh lighting, blurred images, temperamental weather, and a myriad other unprecedented technical difficulties can distort our perception of color in property images. Thus, using digital editing platforms has become an invaluable skill that real estate agents have master to adequately capture the genuine charm of their bookings. 

Nonetheless, the practice of real-estate photography goes far beyond just editing and requires meticulous planning. If you plan on editing all photos manually, aim for subtle alterations that will allow you to capture how the home looks to the naked eye. If you are working with a photographer or on your own, make sure to envision and take note of a specific color scheme. It is also helpful to lay out several plans in case of unprecedented lighting or weather mishaps.

Remember that when editing real-estate images: less is always more. You want to ensure that the property remains the focal point of each photo! Aiming for a natural approach will ensure you achieve a pure and genuine look and help your visitors envision their stay at the property. 

Use Flattering Lighting

Ideal lighting creates a warm and cozy feel without diminishing the whiteness and clarity that defines quality pictures. Choose a sunny day to conduct shoots, preferably during sunset hours. This creates, as you might have heard, the beautiful golden hour lighting. 

We understand that not all properties receive the same amount of light or face light in the same direction. Therefore, creating great lighting consists of more than just flattering natural light. Manipulate lamps and other light sources so that your photos have a warm, inviting tone without interrupting necessary whiteness.

You can go a step further by using advanced picture editing apps. Making flat, one-filter edits can enhance the lighting of some parts but damage the exposure of others, as different spaces photograph differently. These apps can allow you to create exposure that is just right for each element of a photo. 

Consulting Experts

Post-processing has become an integral part of real estate photography as the real-estate field has become highly dependent on picturesque and aspirational yet accurate depictions of locations. To remain ahead of all real-estate photography trends, consult experts, employ online learning tools, and identify the resources available in your area or online. In doing so, you will not only be able to produce novel and enticing images of your properties but lower your production and processing time and costs. 

Property images and real-estate photography are tricky practices confounded by several do’s and don’ts. However, the main characteristic of a quality real-estate image is to capture the authentic charm of your property by using contemporary editing platforms as a tool and not a crutch. 

Frequently Asked Questions

As Miami lovers, we have put together a list that has definitely come in handy during weekends and holidays. It involves some of the area’s free treasures and we would like to share it with you.

Miami Beach Culture Crawl 

On the third Thursday of every Month, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., renowned cultural and artistic institutions partner to make Miami Beach’s rich culture and art scene free. Establishments like the Wolfsonian Museum and Miami Beach Botanical Garden have opened their doors to guests for this event. Activities range from backstage tours, to art exhibitions, to free film screenings at the park. And one of the best things about it: free transportation. Although most of the activities can be accessed by walking or biking, free trolleys are available for you to hop on and off your desired locations. Browse online for a map of activities available!

A Stroll Through Little Havana

A great Friday night plan, Little Havana provides a complete immersion into Cuban Culture. It is a popular Cuban neighborhood in Miami that extends from the 13th to the 17th avenues in the one and only Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street). The street is a hub of art, music, color, cafecitos, and the most vibrant of peoples. Explore Little Havana for authentic Cuban culture and make sure to stop by El Titan De Bronze, where cigars are rolled live.

Free Entry to the PAMM

Located in Downtown Miami, the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) holds prestigious modern and contemporary art collections. Every second Saturday of each month, these collections are showcased for exactly $0. The museum waives its admission fees from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., allowing visitors to browse collections, participate in activities, and enjoy museum tours. Take advantage of this opportunity and explore, not only the inside of the establishment, but also its gorgeous sculpture garden. 

Wynwood Walls Self-Guided Tour

The Wynwood neighborhood holds Earth’s greatest assortment of street art. Once an industrial zone, Wynwood is now home to a blend of rich cultures – Cuban, Colombian, Dominican, and Puerto Rican art displayed through its walls. Perfect for a self-guided tour, you can enjoy the local talent displayed on beautiful murals, painted sidewalks, and even live music that occasionally pops up in Wynwood streets. 

Art Deco Tour

The Art Deco District on Ocean Drive is one of South Beach’s most inviting districts. With colorful pastel buildings, a rich history, and a creative architecture that brought South Beach back to life upon its construction. Browse online for a free, self-guided tour of the area to witness its history and sightings. 

Unleash Your Inner Yogi at Bayfront Park

Free yoga classes are offered nearly everyday at Bayfront Park! Just bring your mat and water and enjoy a relaxing yoga class in fresh air. After your class, stroll through the nearby Bayside Marketplace or have a picnic in its lush green grounds. Check out the yoga schedule here!

Movies at SoundScape Park

Frank Gehry’s architectural gem, the New World Center, serves as the 7000 square-ft movie screen of Soundscape Park. At 8 p.m. every Wednesday, from October to May, free films are projected onto the building during alfresco movie nights. Bring your blankets, chairs, and snacks, and enjoy a fun family-friendly activity in the wide lawn.

Pier Walk at South Pointe Park

This beautiful water-front pier can sponsor both, a Miami beach day and a nice sunset stroll. The adjacent South Point Park is ideal for family picnics and colorful sunset sightings. A pierk walk or an afternoon in South Point Park can offer you lively company and a panoramic view of the city and marina. 

Visit to the Botanical Garden

The Miami Beach Botanical Garden is a garden lover’s paradise, with a tranquil Zen garden, numerous indigenous plants, stunning orchids, flowering trees, and more. The garden, which serves as a refuge for animals, stays true to its stated purpose of being a “subtropical oasis of beauty and calm amid an urban context”. And lucky for us, general admission is free.

The Wolfsonian Museum

Admission to the Wolfsonian Museum is free on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. The establishment possesses art and artifacts dated from the 1850s, showing human evolution from “agrarian to urban” across time. The exhibits are showcased through informative tours that are great for families and groups. 

All 10 of these activities are great to get to know Miami on a friendly budget. Whether you’re a tourist visiting for the first time or a resident wanting to explore your city, this list can gift you a ton of experiences and fun memories. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Earlier this June, the guide recognized outstanding restaurants in Miami for the first time. 11 restaurants in the city were awarded Michelin Stars, something unprecedented in Florida before this year. One special hotspot received two stars and the rest followed with one. 

For this special event, we have put together the list of these eleven dining novelties and a short snippet of the marvels that you can expect to encounter in them.

L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon

The only restaurant in Florida with two Michelin stars, L’Atelier is powered by protégées of chef Joël Robuchon, who, in his lifetime, earned 32 Michelin stars. The French cuisine offers prix fixe and a-la-carte menus, experts advising guests to let themselves be surprised with the former of the two. All about enhancing simple dishes and creating something extraordinary with pure ingredients, L’Atelier carries its simple elegance from its dishes to its modern, red-on-black space.

Book It

Ariete

Chef Michael Beltran takes contemporary American cuisine to a whole new level by blending Miami’s Cuban American heritage with French technique. The establishment’s innovative dishes follow the seasons and use locally sourced ingredients. Its exquisite food is accompanied with a warm and friendly atmosphere that keeps guests and families returning to Ariete.

Book it

Boia De

This now Michelin-starred spot was once a food truck led by its current chefs, Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer; its success so big that a food truck was simply not enough. The restaurant offers innovative Italian cuisine, celebrating Tuscan recipes with a modern twist. The beef tartare with garlic-shallot crumble, crispy tiramisu, and caviar-crowned fried potato skins all evidence of how inventive Boia De’s offerings are.

Book It

Cote Miami

A Manhattan original, Cote Miami brings its gorgeously marbled beef home. The stunning establishment joins the underground vibe of a Korean supper club with the regality of an American steakhouse. Its 45-day aged beef and assortment of Korean sides – like the alleged, mouthwatering egg soufflé – are completely deserving of its Michelin recognition.

Book It

The Den at Azabu Miami

The Den offers an intimate experience with its dishes in an omakase-style dinner. The fish served is imported weekly and served in the most minimal yet expert manner, glorifying its ingredients. A hidden yet exclusive space, The Den is home to authentic Japanese cuisine and unforgettable encounters with its offerings. 

El Cielo Miami

Colombian Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos is internationally known for serving simply art-like dishes. El Cielo is often referred to as an experience, not an ordinary restaurant. Wide water views and alluring decor are accompanied by special moments – the establishment’s Chocola therapy or hand washing with chocolate allowing you to enjoy food through all your senses. Its farm-to-meal plates are not only aesthetically gorgeous but also avant-garde and filled with fresh ingredients. 

Book It

Hiden

What western cultures would call a speakeasy, Hiden is accessed through the backdoor of a Wynwood taco stand. Reservations are quite hard to obtain – meaning months of work before you get the secret door code. Nevertheless, the omakase restaurant makes up for it with Japan-sourced ingredients, seasonal and eccentric plates, and a fifteen-course menu of plates from diverse Japanese regions. 

Book It

Le Jardinier

A stylish yet casual greenhouse at the heart of Miami Design District. Like L’Atelier, this spot hosts chefs from the renowned Robuchon legacy and is famous for its seasonal vegetables, high-quality ingredients and modern yet vibrant interior.

Le Jardinier – French – Design District

Book It

Los Félix

Chef Sebastian Vargas provides an authentic experience of Mexican cuisine. Seeking perfectionism in every step of the dish, Los Felix offers carefully-pressed tortillas, flavor-oozing carnitas, and everything from salsas to sides to toppings in an extremely well-thought-out manner. 

Book It

Stubborn Seed

With a hard to beat tasting menu, Chef Jeremy Ford prepares meticulous dishes and craving-satisfying flavors. The elegance in this place extends to its shiny industrial interior and sleek appearance. 

Book It

The Surf Club Restaurant

Chef Thomas Keller has won seven Michelin stars and one of them pertains to The Surf Club Restaurant. Its continental plates are served to a modern audience, which praises the spot’s top talent with sauces and seafood. Some of its most recommended plates are the Maine lobster Thermidore with sauce Américaine and the Oysters Rockefeller – accompanied, of course, by a Martini. 

Book It

I don’t know about you, but visiting as many of these fine-dine and experiential establishments has become part of my goals and my Miami bucket list. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Lucky for you, we have the five star worthy stay recipe down to a T- It involves but is not limited to clear and prompt communication, excellent concierge services, and great function and design of the property, which provide guests a feeling of support, comfort, and safety. 

Let’s explore five key areas that will make loyal, returning and referring guests out of your visitors:

1) Clear and Prompt Communication

It is key to establish an easy and constant flow of information between you, as a host, and your guests. From the moment they click on your listing, to when they first contact you through duration of their trip and even to post-trip feedback channels and inquiries, it is important for guests to feel comfortable reaching out and for you to be responsive as they do so. Create informative yet concise listings that give guests a clear expectation of their stay; this includes sharing number of rooms, features, amenities, services, and rules, location information, etc. More is more! Once the guest checks in, be readily available to answer any questions, attend any complaints, or provide on-site services/assistance. Finally, allow your guests to provide feedback on their experience, so that you may ease their concerns and work to improve future guest experiences. Post-stay communication also serves to deal with lost items, damages, future trip scheduling and just saying thank you- which goes a long way.

2) Extra Services

Go the extra mile to offer guests, not only a place to stay, but a full travel experience. Concierge services easily accessible to guests will help you distinguish yourself from other hosts, who stop their interaction with guests at accommodation. Here at Host and Keep, we have leveraged our resources and partnerships to offer visitors full concierge services involving the most popular South Florida activities. Now, customers come to us, not only for sleeping arrangements, but for help in exploring and experiencing the location that they are visiting. Concierge services that we offer that have been successful at wowing guests are the following:

• Discounted Table Service
• VIP/Priority Restaurant Reservation
• Pool parties
• Limo Services
• Private Chauffeur
• Luxury/Exotic Cars
• Helicopter Charters
• Boat Rentals
• Cruisers
• Yacht Charters/Expeditions
• Photographers/Videographers
• Recovery IV Hydration w/ Licensed Physicians
• Grocery Service
• Beach Chair Services
• Personal Chefs
• Private Massage Services
• Private Jet Charters
• Discounted Tourist Attractions
• Discounted Sporting/Event Tickets
• Jet Skis
• Scooters/Vespa/Bicycle/Rollerblade Rentals
• Fishing Charters
• Babysitting/Child Care Services
• Custom Itineraries
• Discounted Spa Services
• Restaurant Discounts
• Custom Cakes

3) Functional yet Beautiful Design

Great design of your home can anticipate the vacation mood, feel, or vibe as soon as guests step into the property. A great design does not only mean visually appealing decoration, but design that represents the feeling that you want guests to have as they enter your property. This can vary from a cozy tavern exuding hominess, to a luxuriously modern apartment that screams success, to a freshly designed beach house that invites relaxation. A top-class host will provide services to not only find a great property but also participate in its design to the smallest detail, from choosing the right kitchen countertop to picking the flowers that give the home a special touch. Hiring an interior designer might be necessary. However, it is essential to communicate with your designer to set high standards, so that your property’s design may represent guests’ travel interests and create an impeccable image of you as a host or property owner. Make room for luggage and fr personal items the guests will travel with, so don’t over clutter.

4) Great Functionality

As you are designing your home, ask yourself: What can you do as a vacation rental owner to really connect with your visitors? Your property should not only match guest expectations in terms of design but also in terms of functionality. Different guests have different interests as they travel and the functionality of your home should meet their priorities. Pay attention to what guests want, need, and value and tailor your home to their routine and activities. Families, for example, want to have fun, are often cooking meals at home, and are concerned for the kids’ safety. Therefore, play stations, fully equipped kitchens, and outlet covers are things that these types of guests are looking for. Remote workers, on the other hand, need plenty of work space, so workstations or versatile tabletops can come in handy. Pet owners, for instance, love backyards and walking paths; a home with a nearby scenic walkway can be transformed to a pet-friendly home. Once you have created a customer-centered home in terms of functionality, market it as such! Update your listings, highlight functionality in social media and wait for the right guests to book your property. 

5) Maintenance and Housekeeping

Ensure that your guests find themselves in a clean, well-kept, and fully-stocked home. Take care of handyman tasks and make the effort to be on call throughout the duration of your guests’ stay. How you handle the small things is usually a good indicator of how you handle the big things. They are both equally as important in this business.

If you are not keeping functioning light-bulbs, working laundry machines, and un-clogged sinks, it is likely that your home is not in presentable condition for guests. Housekeeping can go a long way with guests. Entering a clean, neatly organized home can help visitors mentally transition from their daily routine to a travel mindset; their mind at ease because, unlike at home, the heavy-lifting at home is already taken care of for them. To achieve this, pre and post stay inspection, maintenance, and housekeeping of your property is necessary. Take pictures and videos of your property after housekeeping, so that you may set impeccable and constant housekeeping standards.  Stand out by paying attention to the small details, offering hotel grade bedding and towels, toiletry replenishment, shower essentials, and easily accessible beach or camping essentials (depending on your location!). Other toiletries that you can be replenish and be mindful of are:

• Toilette paper
• Paper towels
• Hand Soap
• Dish Soap
• Sponges
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Garbage Bags
• All Purpose Cleaner
• Laundry Detergent
• Coffee
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Host and Keep offers both a linen and a toiletry program as part of our cleaning fees paid for by guests- this keeps our standards met and our owners not footing the bill.

The selection, design, and up-keep of a short-term rental home can be a time and resource-demanding process. A vacation rental property management company, like us, can help you with everything that entails short-term hosting. From selecting a property, to assisting construction and design, to guest recruiting and management. Schedule a call with us for more information. We can make your experience as a short-term rental host as hands-off and profitable as possible as we provide five star worthy stays for your guests. 

Contact us for more information and a free evaluation with financial projections.

Frequently Asked Questions

This, however, is not possible without a comfortable space for your two-year-old schnauzer, who loves dipping in the pool and running around the garden. 

After a bit of research, you’ve chosen Hollywood, Florida as your destination. Tucked between Miami and Fort Lauderdale, it is a coastal gem and Broward County’s third-largest municipality. Next to Downtown Miami, 15 minutes from the beach, 20 from Fort Lauderdale, and 45 to Wynwood, Miami Design District, and Midtown, Hollywood offers a family-friendly and beachy environment yet offers close access to Florida’s most lively destinations. You are looking forward to visiting Young Circle, the major retail center that anchors the area. However,  the lush parks, golf courses, playgrounds, and world-round cuisine characteristic of Hollywood were top selling points for you. 

You are now browsing for available AirBnb’s and run into The Sapphire House. Versatile for all kinds of groups, it can satisfy your goal of having a relaxing yet work-filled vacation. You notice the home was professionally designed to meet the needs of large groups of friends, family and of course, pets! You already see yourself having dinner alfresco in its spacious yard, while your kids enjoy a night-time dip in the pool and your spouse warms up the hot tub; a midnight glass of wine in close proximity!

You start picturing your days in the Sapphire House. During the early mornings you will be catching-up on some work, but this doesn’t bother you because the stunningly designed living room features comfortable work spaces, an abundance of natural light and glass walls and windows facing the garden, pool & hot tub. Not to mention, a large open space with ample seating and a smart TV. You will have no problem cooking your specialty meatloaf, as the home’s top of the line kitchen and indoor/outdoor living space can host a great preparation and serving of family meals. Stainless steel appliances, washer/dryer, dishwasher, wine fridge, coffee maker, toaster have you fully convinced that the kitchen is your favorite spot in the house. The interior of the home makes it a great space to lounge, sleep and work from. You can host a dinner and stay in or enjoy the nearby beaches, casinos, shopping and attractions. 

The modern luxury that the house oozes extends to its bedrooms and you have decided that these will be more than adequate to accommodate the whole family. You make a mental checklist of everything that you love about the house… a master bedroom, featuring a king size bed, an ensuite bathroom with shower, a walk-in closet, a TV, and picture windows to the pool. Two other beautifully designed bedrooms, one with two twin size beds and a closet, and the other with two queen size beds and a closet. A fourth bedroom is nested on the other wing of the home, with a daybed, a trundle roller bed, and a queen and a twin bed. What you love about this room is its joint and fully equipped laundry room, ideal for washing beach-worn clothing. 

You have decided that it’s official: you are going on a Hollywood trip and staying at the Sapphire House. You book the property and are now on your way to tell the family the exciting news!

Now that you have a picture of The Sapphire House, go take a look at it on our AirBnb profile… yes, it is real! It is one of our wonderful properties available for short-term leasing. Head out to its listing to learn more about this gem of a home and the five-star services that come with it here.

Book The Sapphire House

Frequently Asked Questions

A note to vacation rental owners:

Selecting, maintaining, and managing a vacation rental property requires time, experience, and resources. At the same time, short-term hosting can multiply the returns of the arguably less demanding long-term leasing. However, to obtain this, a rental must be managed strategically and with dedication. A great vacational stay is created by optimizing your property in countless aspects. To name a few, pricing, design, functionality, marketing, amenities, and on-site services; communication, but there are many more. Successfully managing a short-term rental is, in other words, a full-time job.

It is not to say that a good rental experience can’t be provided by owners on their own. However, the right vacation rental property management firm can and should offer five-star worthy stays for guests and a hands-off hosting experience for owners simultaneously, leaving you plenty of room to explore other jobs, activities or hobbies, as you reap the rewards of making your vacation home a short-term rental. 

This is an investment and return need to always be top of mind. You need a partner that understand the business side and is looking out for your best interest. As agents, our goal is for high performance and in turn, purchases of more properties by our clients.

Choosing the right vacation rental management firm is as important as the process of managing a vacation rental. If you are an owner of a vacation rental home or thinking about becoming one, here is a list of property management firm must-haves that we offer at Host and Keep, and that every great vacation rental property management firm should absolutely have:

Guest and Calendar Visibility

The vacation rental firm that you work with should provide you easy access and visibility to everything that is going on with your property, from guest information, to booking calendar, to maintenance and housekeeping. At Host and Keep, we take hospitality seriously and we invest into technology that makes us more efficient in reaching revenue goals for our clients and investors. One of our priorities is to be innovative and ever-improving in all the services we provide, including guest and calendar visibility. All of our clients can log in to their owner portal to better see their properties, calendars and guest information. The software we use not only syndicates to over 6 booking platforms, but also enables transparent operations, displaying the management and booking schedule of all properties under management.

Price and Booking Optimizations

You need a team that will conduct market research, determining optimal rates by taking into account seasonality, location, guest profiles, and more. The company must also have a hyperfocus on maximizing occupancy throughout the year. In order to take advantage of the high returns that short-term rentals offer, properties must be constantly booked. The right vacation management company should aim to keep a constant stream of guests in your property, hoping to match the occupancy of a twelfth-month lease and surpass it’s returns by 3X. Our team dives deep into the data to ensure your occupancy and profit rates are fully optimized, boosting prices on weekends and holidays with our management. We prepare ahead of time, generating and sharing with you financial projections of your property based on the data we have gathered and its booking/pricing potential.

Storytelling: Marketing on Multiple Platforms

A great vacation management company should tell the stories that your potential guests want to hear. Whether it is a family looking for a big barbecue backyard or a working-from-home couple needing a ton of workspace, your property should be marketed according to your customers’ needs, and on multiple platforms. Our owners’ properties are marketed to meet guest interests in diverse guest touchpoints. We list properties on several online  vacation rental marketplaces, like Vrbo, AirBnB, and Booking.com. Each listing is carefully crafted to make your property stand out and updated as needed to include the most relevant information; this includes home functionality, maximum occupancy, amenities, location information, house manual, standard house rules for guests, etc. We also understand that photography can tell a great story and this is why we send professional real estate photographers to capture your home from its best angle. Photos that make your home stand out are then included on all your listings and shared on all of our social media platforms.

Communications/Guest Management

Vacation rental firms should put both owners’ and guests’ minds at ease, ensuring that guests feel safe and supported and that owners are comfortable with every guest that walks into their home. To support guests, we provide on-site support throughout their stay, making sure the home is safe and that guests are looked after day-to-day. We answer questions as they come up, appeasing concerns pre, during and post the vacation. For greater guest comfort, we provide a seamless check-in process, with self check-ins with convenient keyless entry.  To make sure owners feel comfortable entrusting us with their homes, we conduct guest vetting. Each guest must have a rating and review history before being approved for booking and we must know the reason for their visit with full contact information for all guests staying at the property.

Maintenance and Housekeeping

When picking the right short-term rental management firm, make sure they can take care of your home in between stays. Maintenance and housekeeping should be part of the hands-off host experience, where owners can sit back while rental managers deal with the time and resource demanding work that a short-term rental requires. Host and Keep takes care of handyman tasks and will be on call throughout your guest’s stay. Our detail orientedness ensures that owners don’t have to worry about the small things – plumbing, paint, light fixtures, etc. We got it! Setting and maintaining high housekeeping standards is at the center of vacation rental management. Our team of housekeepers, for example, will keep an impeccably clean place, adding hotel grade linens and towels, and replacing toiletries each turnover. All this: work that owners are saving themselves and five stay reviews by guests.

This list can guide you while choosing the right firm for your property. However, there is no set formula for what makes up a great firm in this business. Vacation rental property management firms should work to improve and innovate their services as customer and host needs evolve, which is our priority at Host and Keep. 

This is a low barrier to entry vertical and with our professionalism, business etiquette, and high standards we hope to have the opportunity to win your trust and business. Contact us for a consultation and we’d be happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hiring an interior designer is going to save you time and energy. An interior designer’s job is to turn your space into something your guests will love. They have a wide range of knowledge in their field, and an understanding of space and how best to use it. Their training allows them to look at a space and arrange it to function best, to put together colors and textures in a way that works best for a space, and to understand how to best highlight the different facets of a space.

Not only will hiring an interior designer increase the overall value of your property, but it will also get you a higher nightly rate. People are willing to pay more for a space that is deliberately designed and inviting.  People enjoy staying in places that stand out. So you’re bound to get not only higher nightly rates, but a higher number of bookings.

Interior designers know their craft. They know people, and have connections. Your designer can help you avoid potentially costly mistakes in the process.  No worries of picking out the wrong paint color or buying the wrong size furniture. They’ve got you covered.

Need help with interior design for your short term rental?  Let us help! Our design team knows how to support you with 2 week setups, because time is money after all. They also know what kind of products to buy based on the commercial use. We also know how to design so the property photographs well and becomes an instagramable moment- yes, selfies are important. 

As part of our design we fully set up your property to be guest ready with all the utilitarian items it needs.

We’re happy to help you set up your investment and equip it top to bottom with all the items it will need, from glassware to wallpaper and light fixtures and pillows and the list goes on. We’re your turnkey solution. When you’re ready to take the step, Call (551) 579-9033 or email [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions