If you’ve been in the short term rental market for a while, you may have noticed that it has taken up a fair chunk of your free time. If property management is your full time source of income, then you’ll definitely know what I mean. Managing properties can be quite a time and energy consuming activity, as it requires your brain to always be on and ready for any hiccup that may come your way. If you are managing many guests on a regular basis, I can guarantee you’ve thought about different strategies to minimize time spent on each guest, while also maximizing the quality and income of your rental. One strategy that is sure to help is becoming a remote host for your properties.
Becoming a remote host involves leveraging technology and systems to manage your properties from a distance. This approach can significantly reduce the time and effort required for on-site management, allowing you to oversee multiple properties more efficiently. By utilizing automated systems for booking management, guest communication, and maintenance requests, you can ensure smooth operations without being physically present.
For example, remote hosting can involve setting up automated messaging for guest inquiries, using smart home devices to monitor and control property conditions, and employing virtual concierge services to handle guest needs. Additionally, implementing comprehensive property management software can centralize all your tasks and provide real-time updates on bookings, maintenance, and guest interactions.
By embracing remote hosting, you can optimize your workflow, reduce the likelihood of burnout, and focus on strategic growth opportunities. This approach not only enhances your operational efficiency but also provides a better balance between work and personal life. With the right tools and strategies in place, managing your properties remotely can become a seamless and effective solution to meet the demands of the short-term rental market.
What’s involved in becoming a remote host
For those of you who are new to the short-term rental space, a remote host is essentially a host who manages their property from a distance. This model allows you to oversee all aspects of your rental business without the need to be physically present at the property. As you embark on your new business venture, you might find that it becomes challenging to separate your home life from your work life. This blending of personal and professional spaces can lead to burnout and a lack of balance.
Being able to distinguish between your home life and your business life is crucial for maintaining both personal well-being and professional effectiveness. By adopting a remote hosting strategy, you create clear boundaries between your work and personal time. This separation not only enhances your home life but also provides you with a greater sense of control over your environment. It allows you to step away from the constant demands of property management, giving your mind the opportunity to rest and recharge.
Remote hosting can also lead to increased productivity and better decision-making. With the right tools and systems in place, you can manage bookings, communicate with guests, and address maintenance issues efficiently without being tied to a specific location. This flexibility enables you to enjoy your personal time more fully, knowing that your property is being managed effectively from afar.
Obviously distancing yourself from your property seems like a great idea, but what’s the catch? Well, in order to become a remote host, you are going to need some sort of framework that you can depend on to take care of things so you don’t have to. The easiest way in my opinion is to use property management software. As mentioned in other articles, PMS can drastically reduce time spent dealing with the small things that take up the most time. If you find you are spending a lot of time communicating with your guests about trivial things, PMS can actually help you. Some software’s offer scheduled messages for check in, checkout, and anything in between. Other software’s take it even one step further and offer message templates or even automated replies! Just like that, you’ve carved out some time for yourself.
With PMS, you can save time with guest communication and many other areas. Another tricky spot could be the optimization of rental pricing or your rental data. If you’re trying to determine rental prices by hand, and tabulating how well your business did, you’re wasting your time. Property management software’s can automatically do this for you, and even set rental prices to competitive amounts depending on location and events that are happening (think New Years Eve or Labour Day).
If you’re not currently at the stage of thinking about becoming a remote host, or you really prefer to still have a hands on approach, that is totally up to you. But one thing is for sure, and that is property management software can drastically reduce time spent on the small things, while also improving the overall efficiency of your rental business. As always, if you have any questions regarding becoming a remote host or anything else, feel free to reach out to contact@ensoconnect.com.
