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The facts on Property Management

Hilton Head’s top vacation rental expert tells us what clients want to know most

Whether you are a prospective owner looking for a property management company or a current owner with a property you are ready to place on the rental market, you probably have lots of questions. Beach Properties of Hilton Head gave us a few of their most commonly asked questions to help give you a better understanding of the process.

What can a Property Management Company do for me?

Owning a vacation rental property sounds like a great idea until you, the owner, realize all of the details that must be attended to in order for it to be successful. A property rental company will manage every aspect of keeping your vacation rental booked and ready for guests and owners to enjoy. Their primary goal is to enable you to maximize revenue from your rental without having to do any of the work involved with managing it. That means taking photos, writing descriptions, marketing your vacation rental property, working with potential guests to make bookings, dispatching emergency maintenance, and managing logistics like reservations, payments, check-in and check-out, and housekeeping. The company will also manage maintenance technicians for regular maintenance, improvements, and emergencies. Attending to the small details gives homeowners peace of mind, knowing their property is being taken care of and generating the most revenue possible in the Hilton Head vacation rental market.

What is the cost for these services?

National commission rates for property manager services average roughly 35% and range as low as 20% and as high as 60% depending on the type of home and market. Most vacation rental companies, like Beach Properties of Hilton Head have two static costs; the commission and the cleaning cost. The commission will depend on several factors such as size, number of bedrooms, location, etc. We provide full-service management without cutting any corners, and we may offer new owners, during limited time promotions, lower commissions for their first year. These promotions allow the company a chance to prove our quality and service excellence to you–confident that you’ll continue–but if you decide not to, there are no strings attached.

What am I required to have in my home?

Guests expect a fully-functioning home when they arrive complete with furniture, appliances, cookware, tableware, internet, TV, etc. as well as a standard supply of bed linens, bath and hand towels, and typical consumables like light-bulbs and batteries. A vacation rental company will work with you to make sure that you have everything in place. They may even utilize inventory forms to ensure you have the right quantity of each item. Beach Properties does require internet and phone connections in every home. Nicely decorated homes tend to achieve more bookings, and we always encourage owners to have a home that shows well. A good test of whether or not you need to have something in your rental is to put yourself in a guest’s shoes. If you were to stay somewhere for a week or so, what would you expect to have in that rental home?

When and how do I get paid as an owner?

With Beach Properties, owners can expect to receive their rental income monthly along with a statement. Payments are made through automatic direct deposit to your bank account. You can view an electronic version of your statement once we post it in the website’s owner area. This statement and deposit will cover all guests that check-out during that month. Your statement will also include a breakdown of expenses and maintenance costs, including any invoices from your preferred outside vendors.

How do I get started?

Getting started with Beach Properties is easy and risk-free. We can activate homes that are existing vacation rentals, usually within a couple of business days. Our contract has no start-up fees. Activation includes taking new photos, putting together detailed listings, setting a rate structure, creating advertising marketing on the internet channels, and beginning to accept reservations—all in as little as a few days! Whatever needs to be done, a Beach Properties representative will work with you every step of the way.