How Vacation Rental Managers Can Win More Inventory

The vacation rental industry faces significant challenges for property managers seeking to expand their portfolios. Competition remains fierce, owner expectations continue rising, and regulatory barriers complicate inventory discovery. Despite these obstacles, successful managers have demonstrated proven strategies for scaling their businesses effectively.

We spoke with two successful property management companies to learn their strategies for growth.

Meet the Experts

Better Vacations was founded in 2012 by David Malka and Charles Lei, who transformed their personal Airbnb experience into a multi-city operation managing properties across more than 25 locations.

MadeComfy was established in 2015 by Sabrina Bethunin and Quirin Schwaighofer. When Bethunin improved Schwaighofer’s property performance, they recognized a market opportunity. Their rapid growth to 50 properties in the first quarter demonstrates their effectiveness.

Strategy 1: Look Where No One Else Is Looking

Finding Untapped Markets

Schwaighofer identified a critical insight: “Australia was about 5 years behind the U.S. market” in professional short-term rental management development. By identifying this gap, MadeComfy positioned themselves as the obvious professional choice in a market where few competitors existed.

Lei and Malka employed a different approach in competitive Las Vegas. Rather than competing for existing Airbnb owners, they targeted long-term rental property holders. Converting these properties through arbitrage, by showing owners better profit potential with short-term rentals, became their growth engine.

Key Takeaway

Successful managers avoid direct competition by seeking underserved markets or untapped inventory sources. Word-of-mouth from satisfied owners who achieved superior financial returns proved more cost-effective than traditional acquisition methods.

Strategy 2: Target Your Marketing Approach

Building Industry Presence

MadeComfy adopted comprehensive visibility within the industry. Schwaighofer explains their philosophy: “Be up to date with the industry, educate yourself, be connected, and talk about what you learn.” This consistent presence through podcasts, television, and online discussions created inbound inquiries without active sales efforts.

Better Vacations relied on referral marketing from satisfied clients. They strategically remind existing owners to recommend their services, converting passive satisfaction into active advocacy.

Implementation Recommendation

Rather than assuming clients will volunteer referrals, proactive reminders delivered personally or through email dramatically increase referral conversion rates. Make it easy for happy clients to spread the word.

Strategy 3: Be Frank About the Money

Setting Realistic Expectations

Financial performance determines owner satisfaction and retention. Lei emphasizes: “Figure out what you can do to maximize the profits for your current owners, to lower your operations costs.”

Conservative projections prove more effective than optimistic forecasts. Lei states: “I would rather have them surprised in a good way than surprised in a negative way.” When owners expect $30,000 in annual revenue and earn $35,000, they remain delighted. Reverse that scenario and disappointment, along with the risk of losing the client, follows.

Reframing Value Discussions

When owners question management fees, redirect their focus to net profit comparisons. Schwaighofer illustrates: show them earning “$3,000 more than you’re making now” and their perception of management costs transforms from expenses into investments.

The conversation changes from “What do you charge?” to “How much more will I earn?”

Strategy 4: Have Integrity

Professional Foundation

Both experts unanimously emphasize integrity as non-negotiable. Lei states plainly: “Integrity is everything.” Neither company has experienced owner departures, attributing this remarkable retention rate to consistent performance delivery and hitting promised financial targets.

Schwaighofer defines professionalism pragmatically: “Make sure you can keep your promises, and I think you’re halfway there. People understand if you make a mistake. Being a professional is not about covering that, it’s about being honest.”

Internal and External Integrity

Schwaighofer also emphasizes an often-overlooked element: “What’s really underrated is the values and culture you have within your company. Focus early on the culture you drive and the values you live by.”

This foundation enables sustainable scaling. When growth arrives, your existing company culture and values support maintaining quality standards across expanded operations. Without that foundation, growth often leads to declining quality and lost clients.

The Bottom Line

Expanding a vacation rental management company requires identifying underserved markets, building credible industry presence, managing financial expectations transparently, and maintaining unwavering integrity. These fundamentals transform individual properties into scalable business growth through reputation and referrals rather than aggressive marketing tactics.

Looking for tools to put these ideas into practice? Explore Properly’s solutions:

• Properly for property managers — streamline operations across your entire portfolio
• flexible plans — start free and scale as your portfolio grows
• Real-Time Inspection — lets you verify property condition remotely after every turnover