FAQ

Like you, we look at each home that we manage as a unique investment that we need to nurture. Examples of our difference include creating captivating descriptions and listings, individual direct-booking websites, and we offer individualized social media and branding strategies, treating each home we manage as if they were our own.

We also want to help our owners earn more money each month. One example of how we do this is our simple and transparent fee structure which is listed right on our website for everyone to see. Try to find a complete fee schedule on other property management websites!

These are just a few examples of what sets us apart. We also offer things that others don’t, like Cariloha^® Bamboo Linens, Sand Cloud Beach Towels, and Mālie Organics toiletries; free concierge services for everything from making luau reservations to booking tours; and we’re committed to pono —living in harmony with our environment and community — by using refillable soap containers instead of single-use plastic soap bottles, providing free water filters to guests so they don’t use plastic water bottles, and supporting local businesses who also practice pono.

First, we discuss your goals so we are on the same page. For example, are you trying to maximize revenue or minimize wear and tear? Once we have these discussions, we use a variety of tools including industry-leading algorithmic pricing tools which constantly adjust prices based on market trends that are then calibrated by our experienced Revenue Manager, ensuring your vacation rental remains competitively priced to achieve your goals.

Flexibility is key in our services. While our clients love the quality comfort of our 100% cotton linens, sand resistant beach towels, and the convenience of not having to worry about replacing damaged items, you may prefer to use your own linens and towels. We can accommodate this as long as they meet our high standards for quality and comfort.

We have exceptionally high cleaning services. Part of our onboarding process is to start with a deep cleaning since our cleaning expectations are typically much higher than the industry. Once a home is up to our standards, we have an expansive checklist to maintain and keep it clean for you and your guests. We make sure that areas commonly missed by others, like ceiling fans and baseboards, are always cleaned.

Because we offer a higher level of service, we only work with vacation rentals that will thrive in this environment. We aren’t looking to work with, for example, owners who are only concerned with a burn and churn strategy while providing a sub-par experience for their guests. That’s not our style, and definitely not a property that we want to manage.

We reach out to each guest and offer communication via phone, text, and email, catering to their preferred method(s). This flexibility and attentiveness in communication allows us to communicate with guests in a way that they will be most responsive. We also use customized templates for each vacation rental so that communications to your guests will be relevant to your home.

Additionally, your guests will have access to a mobile web app with detailed information such as instructions for accessing your vacation rental, WiFi instructions, helpful information about your community and our Digital Guidebook. We believe in personalized communication. That’s why we reach out to every guest to determine their preferred contact method (phone, text, or email), allowing us to connect with them effectively.

Yes, we include damage protection at no cost to you or the guest for every paid stay. We provide $500/$1,000/$1,500 of damage protection depending on which plan you select.

We also place a $500 hold as a security deposit on the guest’s credit card.

We supplement the use of online travel agencies (like Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com, etc.) with a direct booking website that we drive traffic to through search engine optimization, social media, video marketing and other digital marketing methods such as retargeting. One advantage of a direct booking website is lower fees for your guests, which means more repeat bookings.

You can see our simple and transparent fee schedule listed right on our website for everyone to see. Try to find a complete fee schedule on other property management websites!

Nope, if it isn’t on the fee schedule, it doesn’t exist in our world.

We don’t like being nickel and dimed, so we figured that neither do you. We use some of the revenue that we make from managing your vacation rental and reinvest it back into the unit and our relationship with you. We are in this for the long run. We know that if we take great care of you and your home, we’ll have a client for a long time. In reality, it costs a lot less to keep a client happy for a long time than to constantly have to replace lost clients.

We increase revenue and lower expenses and fees. To increase revenue, we use direct booking websites backed by online marketing to generate more bookings. On the lower expenses side, we have a simple and transparent fee schedule that will likely save you money each month. So more revenue and less fees equals more income.

Let’s work together to turn your vacation rental into a sought-after destination that guests will love and remember so you can get more bookings. Our CEO, a decorator herself, will visit your vacation rental in person and share ideas for your consideration, which generally include suggestions for decor accents, artwork, rugs, lighting, and paint. Additional decorating services, even remodel options are available through Zealous Decorator (visit https://zealousdecorator.com).

Absolutely! We are of the mindset that this is your home and it should be managed the way you want. If there is something that is important to you, we’ll do our best to accommodate it.

In fact, the reason we started Surf Shack Properties is because we kept hearing “No, we can’t do that” when we were interviewing other property managers to manage our vacation rental.

No request is too big or too small. Just reach out and ask us.