Virtual Airbnb Management vs. Traditional Property Management

Two very different models

Traditional vacation rental managers usually have local staff. They may handle cleaning, maintenance, inspections and guest check-in themselves, often under their own brand and sometimes on their own booking accounts.

Virtual managers run the online operation remotely, including guest communication, pricing and listing management, and coordinate the owner's local providers for the physical work. The listing typically stays in the owner's account.

Side-by-side

• Physical work: traditional managers often do it in-house; virtual managers coordinate your local providers
• Listing ownership: traditional managers may list under their account; virtual co-hosts usually work on yours
• Fees: traditional full-service managers often charge a higher percentage of revenue because they carry local labor; virtual fees tend to be lower but you pay cleaners directly
• Control: virtual management typically leaves more decisions and visibility with the owner

When virtual management fits

Virtual management tends to work well if you already have, or can find, a reliable cleaner and handyman, you want to keep your listing and reviews in your own account, and you want someone else handling the daily messages and pricing.

When a traditional manager may fit better

If you have no local contacts at all, need someone to physically inspect the property often, or want a completely hands-off arrangement including vendor hiring and payment, a local full-service manager may be the better choice. That's a legitimate answer, and we'll say so in a consultation if it applies to you.

A note on search terms

Searches for “Airbnb property management” often assume someone will be physically on site. Strally is a virtual service. We coordinate physical work; we don't perform it.