We started out with two houses back in 2019. For that year and 2020, we managed the houses ourselves. It was all a manual process, fraught with lots of pain, frustration, and loss of income. We had no way to recoup the full cost of damaged items, we didn’t know how to maximize our profits with dynamic pricing, and we were probably out of compliance in terms of tax reporting. Since we didn’t have a property management system in place, we weren’t able to get a security deposit or a rental agreement for each booking, and we answered, ‘what is the Wi-Fi-password?‘ hundreds of times, along with ‘can we check in early?’ during those two years. Yep, been there, done that.
It was all hugs and kisses for the first two or three months. We were promised the moon and stars and were all too ready to believe it. Two years of repetitive tasks, unrecoverable losses, and mediocre income will do that to you. So then, for all of 2021, we hired a local property management company. While that was an incredibly painful experience, it taught us a lot, good and bad. During the last quarter of 2021, the ratings for our houses had plummeted to 4.4 and 4.6, respectively, a death sentence in this business. No more bookings – zero. So, if you are suffering from a bad property manager who you suspect is screwing you over and gets your property booked less and less: Yep, been there, done that.
Starting 2022, we became fulltime hosts, dedicating ourselves to automating processes, reducing operational risks, ensuring tax compliance, and maximizing profits, all while having time for hobbies, friends, and family. Today, we have emerged as one of the top hosts in the area, with a clean 5.0 rating on VRBO, a 10 on Expedia, and a 4.9 rating on Airbnb. We are outperforming the average local host by a factor of 2.6 in terms of yearly income. We are showing up at the top of search results in Expedia, VRBO, and Airbnb. Our occupancy rate for Q1 of this year (2025) stands at 68%, and we expect this occupancy rate to carry forward for the remainder of 2025. Please note this is NOT a forward-looking statement regarding your properties – we are not in the business of making promises. We are, however, in the business of making you and us money.
Boise Vacation Rentals is the go-to provider for upscale, short-term rentals for large groups in Boise, Meridian, Star, and Eagle.
As such, there are a few non-negotiables in onboarding new hosts. If your answer to the following question is ‘yes’, please proceed to the questionnaire below.
1. FREE 15 min phone call with Sam or Martin Wenzel. Please have the following information ready: 2024 gross earnings, net payout, and occupancy rates. Your Airbnb listing URL.
Book your call (Sam)
Book your call (Martin)
2.FREE walkthrough of your property with Sam or Martin Wenzel.
3.FREE Good to Great Action Plan if you sign up with us. This will entail any and all steps you need to take to maximize your income with us. If you choose to continue to self-manage or go with another manager, we will charge a one-time consulting fee of $500 for this service.
1.Optimizing your Airbnb listing (verbiage)
2.Getting your property listed on VRBO
3.Ensuring your photos will help, not hinder, your search rankings
4.Setting up your property in our property management system
5.Setting up your property with dynamic pricing software
6.Setting up your property with GET and TAT tax reporting software
7.Getting your house ready to produce maximum income for you
1.Managing all guest communication
2.Ensuring your property is ultraclean, well-maintained, and well-stocked
3.Managing your financials – monthly reporting, expenses, and payouts
4.Monthly 1 hour recurring call with Sam or Martin to address any questions, concerns, or suggestions you may have. Beyond that, we will charge $125/hour for our time and expertise
We are delighted you have decided to come onboard!
Here’s what happens next:
We will look at your current listing in depth before deciding whether it makes sense for us to partner. If we think you’re doing great, we will recommend you keep doing what you’re doing. We will only onboard you if you have enough upside potential for us to make our share of 30% AND for you make at least the same amount as today while gaining peace of mind and getting time back (if you self-manage), OR for you to make more money, if you’re using another property manager today. Your current manager might tell you that they charge 20%, but due to the many avenues they can pocket (your) money without you catching it, they may be taking upwards of 40% of your profits. We promise transparency – we will take 30%. Not more, not less. This evaluation is FREE OF CHARGE TO YOU.
Self-Managed or Brand-New Short-Term Rentals
If you are just starting out and you have an empty space, i.e. an unfurnished house, or you manage your property yourself, there might be significant investment of time and money for both of us to get your property set up correctly. Our houses all follow the same blueprint in that they must be clutter-free, sleep 8 or more guests comfortably, and be able to truly accommodate large groups. This means: The right number of beds, seating spaces, and coffee mugs, to name some examples. The right type and number of sheets, duvet covers, and pillows. The right setup of your supply closet…the list goes on. That said, our minimum contract term for brand new or self-managed short-term rentals is 12 months. After the first 12 months, the contract becomes a month-to-month agreement, cancelable by either party with 30 days’ notice.
Short-Term Rentals Currently Managed by a Property Management Company
When we took back our own houses from a local property management company after a year of mismanagement, we had to deep clean the houses, remove broken furniture from the garage, remove stained towels and sheets, and generally bring the houses up to our standards. That whole process took about a month. That said, our minimum contract term for short-term rentals currently managed by a property manager is 6 months. After the first 6 months, the contract becomes a month-to-month agreement, cancelable by either party with 30 days’ notice.
