You may have decided to rent out your home or condo as a vacation rental and wonder if it's a good idea to manage the bookings yourself. While it can be a full-time job to manage booking stays, talking with clients, and also cleaning the home, you may not want to devote almost all your time to it. This is where a vacation rental management company is useful.

If you are looking to hire a vacation rental management company for your short-term rentals, here are some tips on how to hire the right company for you.

Know What You Need Before You Do Your Search

You can't hire a vacation rental management company unless you know what your needs are. This means knowing exactly what you want out of the company that you choose to hire. For example, do you need them to make your bookings, talk to your guests, and make sure each booking doesn't overlap with any others? Do you need them to interact in person with guests who might need help with repairs, getting the supplies they need, or check-in? Do you want a team to clean the home after each guest and prepare the rental for the next guests?

It's possible to have a complete vacation rental management team do everything involved with renting out the property, including creating bookings on several websites, or only doing what you need them to do, such as taking calls and making bookings or cleaning.

You will need to know ahead of time what you need the management team to do before you begin your search for the right company. This way, when you do interviews for potential management companies, you can find out what they offer and see if it's a good fit.

Do Your Research And Ask Questions Of Each Company

When you know what you need in a vacation rental management company, it's time to do your research into existing companies in your area. If you find a larger company online that looks interesting to you, find out if they have a nationwide presence and if there is a local business nearby. Sometimes larger companies can offer more services as they have more employees. If it's a smaller company, find out what services they offer and if they have space for another client.

Look for reviews online from other clients, and, if possible, contact them and ask them what they think of the service and if they recommend them. When interviewing each company, you should ask specific questions and make notes of their answers. For example, ask how many employees are in the company. This can help determine if only a single manager will work with you or if a team will be dispatched. Do they offer full-service or can you pick and choose the services you need?

You should find out if their employees will respond to your guests at any hour of the day or night or are there only certain times they can be contacted? How do they handle different types of emergencies?

You should also find out if the company operates under a fixed amount contract, meaning they get paid the same amount each month for the duration of the contract, or is it based on occupancy and the amount of work they do?

Keep these questions in mind as you being looking for a vacation rental management service, such as Skye Management, near you.