By StayWithDave
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July 25, 2025
If you own an Airbnb, VRBO, or short-term rental, you’ve probably thought about hiring a property manager to take the stress off your plate. After all, who wants to deal with late-night guest calls, cleaner scheduling, maintenance issues, and dynamic pricing? On paper, a property manager promises peace of mind and “passive income.” But here’s the dirty secret most Airbnb property managers don’t want you to know: after paying their fees, hidden expenses, and all the normal costs of ownership, there’s often almost nothing left for you—the actual property owner. The Numbers That Shock Most Owners Many owners sign management contracts without realizing how quickly costs add up. Here’s what happens to a property earning $10,000 a month in bookings: Management Fee (20–30%): $2,000 – $3,000 off the top. Supplies & Restocking: $500 – $1,000, often with markups you never see. Cleaning & Maintenance: $300 – $600, depending on guest turnover. Hidden Admin & Coordination Fees: Supply restocks, vendor calls, or “incidentals” that appear on your invoice. Utilities (Power, Water, Internet, Gas): $300 – $600 every month. Mortgage or Financing Costs: For most owners, this is their largest single expense. By the end of the month, your “passive income” property may barely break even—or worse, lose money—while your property manager still pockets their percentage every single time. Why So Many Owners Feel Stuck It’s not that owners don’t notice—they do. The problem is that traditional property managers rely on a percentage-based model that rewards them regardless of whether you make a profit. They get paid no matter what. Even if you’re negative after expenses, they still collect 20–30%. Markup is everywhere. Supply restocking, maintenance calls, even administrative “incidentals” add up fast. No incentive to save you money. Their goal is revenue growth, not expense control—because their fee is a cut of gross revenue, not profit. Bottom line: you take the risk; they take the reward. A Smarter Solution: StayWithDave At StayWithDave, we saw how broken this mod el was. After managing our own successful short-term rentals for over 13 years, we created a better approach—one built for owners, not managers. Flat-Rate Vacation Rental Management Instead of taking 20–30% of your revenue, we charge a flat monthly fee starting at $499 – $999, depending on your property size. This means: Predictable costs – no surprise invoices eating up your revenue. You keep more of your earnings – because your fee doesn’t change, no matter how much you make. Aligned incentives – we focus on efficiency and maximizing profitability, not just gross revenue. For owners who still prefer percentage-based pricing, we also offer a 15% management fee option, but with full transparency and no hidden charges. What We Handle for You StayWithDave is full-service—everything a traditional property manager offers, but with no hidden markups: Guest Bookings & Support: 24/7 guest messaging and phone support. Marketing & Pricing: AI-driven pricing with Pricelabs and professional listing optimization to maximize occupancy and nightly rates. Cleaning & Supplies: Professional cleaning, staging, and restocking—at cost, with full transparency. Maintenance Oversight & Security: Vendor coordination, smart lock systems, guest verification, and noise monitoring. Tech Stack Included: Premium software like Guesty (property management) and Breezeway (cleaning coordination)—at no extra charge to you. We also handle incidentals with full transparency. If something needs fixing, we coordinate with trusted vendors (or yours), bill you at cost, and keep you in the loop every step of the way. What That Means for Your Profit With StayWithDave, your monthly costs are fixed and predictable. That means no surprises and no “extra” fees that eat your profits. Example: Traditional Manager: 25% of $10,000 revenue = $2,500 fee + markups → your profit evaporates. StayWithDave: Flat $499 – $999 fee = predictable expense → thousands more in your pocket. This difference can turn a break-even property into a profitable investment almost overnight. Ready to Switch? If you’re already working with a property manager but frustrated by how little is left at the end of each month, it’s time to rethink your approach. Switching to StayWithDave is simple: We connect to your existing listings or set up new ones. You receive all gross earnings directly. We manage the work—you keep the money. The Bottom Line The dirty secret of traditional Airbnb property management is simple: they profit first, you profit last (if at all). You don’t have to keep paying 20–30% and getting nothing left over. With StayWithDave, you’ll get full-service management for a flat rate—so your costs stay predictable and your profits actually stay yours. Stop giving away your rental income. Start keeping more of what you earn. Visit StayWithDave.com today and see how much more profitable your short-term rental can be.