AvantStay is a full-service vacation rental property management company available to owners in multiple markets across the US. While the company is less popular than some competitors, it offers services that might be able to satisfy the needs of certain short-term rental investors. But is AvantStay really worth it for Airbnb hosts? The short answer is: Not always!
In our detailed AvantStay review, we’ll focus on the company structure, the services that it delivers to hosts, the locations where it operates, the types of rentals that it works with, the fees that it charges, and the terms and conditions that it imposes on property owners. The ultimate goal of this AvantStay Airbnb management review is to help you decide if this is the right fit for your needs or you might need to consider other options. To conclude, we’ll provide you with the top 3 alternatives to AvantStay for owners with various properties and requirements.
Are you on the search for personalizable, flexible, end-to-end STR property management services for unmatched improvement in performance? Check out Checkmate Rentals. They cover all aspects of Airbnb management so that you can enjoy passive income from your real estate investments. The best part, you get to keep your Airbnb account because they co-host. All this comes at industry-low fees starting at only 15% of monthly revenue.
AvantStay Company Overview
AvantStay is a full-service Airbnb management company that specializes in the management of vacation rentals designed for groups. This refers to larger short-term rental properties as well as Airbnbs intended for company retreats, special occasions, and other groups of guests.
Reuben Doetsch and Sean Breuner founded AvantStay in 2007, and the company headquarters are in Los Angeles, CA. The company was established with the mission to change the status quo in the short-term rental industry which was falling short on offering first-class experiences by setting a new standard based on transforming beautiful homes into incredible experiences and unforgettable memories.
AvantStay services are available to group vacation rental owners in a few dozen locations across a number of US states. At the moment, the company manages over 2,300 properties.
What AvantStay Does for Airbnb Property Owners
As a full-service vacation rental property manager, AvantStay provides services that aim to replace the Airbnb host by covering all the day-to-day tasks needed for managing a short-term rental business. At the same time, the work of AvantStay is expected to enhance the revenue and profit of vacation rentals by introducing best practices in the hospitality industry and professional knowledge of the local market into the management of STRs.
In addition to Airbnb management, AvantStay also offers vacation rental design and furnishing services that help owners get their properties guest-ready. Design and furnishing are a driving factor behind the success of a short-term rental business as they impact daily rates, ranking in guest searches, bookings, and guest reviews. Thus, it’s important to prepare your property in line with the demands of the hospitality industry and the expectations of guests in the local market.
AvantStay’s scope of work makes it a potentially good fit for those who invest in large vacation rentals away from home when handling a full-time job as well. It might also be the right choice for beginner investors without previous experience in furnishing rental properties.
AvantStay Airbnb Management Services
Our AvantStay review shows that the services delivered by the company can be grouped into the following categories:
- Airbnb design and furnishing
- Full-service management of luxury, group-focused short-term rentals
- Assistance with buying and selling vacation rentals
Let’s take a detailed look at each one of these services:
AvantStay Full-Service Airbnb Management Services
The Airbnb property management services provided by AvantStay include:
- Interior design and furnishing (optional)
- Smart home technology installation and 24/7 monitoring
- Listing creation and optimization
- Listing distribution on 50+ leading short-term rental websites including access to an Airbnb Superhost status and Vrbo PremierHost status
- Guest communication and support
- Guest concierge services
- Guest screening
- Overseeing bookings
- Revenue management
- Dedicated housekeeping
- Proactive maintenance
- Built-in damage protection
- Owner communication and reporting
Unlike most competitors, AvantStay offers concierge services to guests, which makes the firm a potential option for investors specializing in luxury and high-end properties.
In the provision of the above-listed services, the Airbnb property manager combines technology with the expertise and care of local teams. As a result, hosts experience an average boost in annual earnings of 20%, as reported on the company website.
Other AvantStay Services
In addition to Airbnb management, which is at the core of AvantStay’s business, the company also helps vacation rental investors buy and sell properties. In specific, the firm offers market guides, connection to real estate agents working with investor clients, access to market-level data (via a partnership with AirDNA), and problem-free closing.
Buying and selling services are tailored to the needs of Airbnb property investors rather than homeowners or landlords. In this way, hosts can start, expand, or close their Airbnb business in an efficient, professional-driven manner.
Airbnb Management Services That AvantStay Does Not Provide
While AvantStay strives to deliver end-to-end Airbnb management, our review reveals that there are certain tasks that remain outside the focus of the company. Specifically, AvantStay does not get involved in:
- Providing assistance in issuing and renewing short-term rental licenses and permits
- Helping with and filing Airbnb taxes
Hosts need to take care of these tasks on their own. It’s recommended that you hire a local legal expert and accountant to ensure that you comply with all local STR regulations related to zoning, licensing, and taxing.
AvantStay Market Coverage
AvantStay operates in several locations in the following states:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- New York
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
Some of the markets where AvantStay is most popular among vacation rental investors include:
- Breckenridge, CO
- Coachella Valley, CA
- Destin, FL
- Lake Tahoe, CA
- Lake Travis, TX
- Malibu, CA
- Nashville, TN
- Poconos, PA
- Port Aransas, TX
- Sedona, AZ
- Sonoma, CA
AvantStay doesn’t have nationwide coverage, like many of its alternatives, but it works in some of the top Airbnb markets in the US. Still, interested owners need to check where services can be provided in their area.
AvantStay Property Type Coverage
AvantStay focuses on the management of larger, luxury vacation rental properties that usually cater to groups rather than individual guests. Some specific types of vacation rentals that the company works with include:
- Beachfront villas
- Slopeside mountain cabins
- Unique stays
- Remote work rentals
- Vacation homes for business meetings and company retreats
- Short-term rentals for special occasions
As AvantStay does not specify the property eligibility criteria, interested owners need to get in touch with the team to discuss their home and understand whether it qualifies.
AvantStay Airbnb Management Fees and Costs
Based on our AvantStay review, the company allows Airbnb owners to choose one of two full-service management packages. This makes AvantStay different from most competitors, which generally offer a single pricing model.
AvantStay customers can choose between:
- Master Lease: With Master Lease, owners receive a fixed amount of rental income each and every month, regardless of the revenue generated by their second home. The pro of this model is the stable, reliable income which does not fluctuate with seasonality, while the con is that owners miss out on higher earnings in months with strong demand.
- Vacation Rental Management Agreement: With this plan, AvantStay charges a percentage-based monthly fee for full-service management, while the remaining booking revenue is transferred to the owner. Under this arrangement, hosts are paid proportionate to the performance of their property each month, so they can make a lot of money during the high season. However, there is no guarantee as to how much money they will earn from one month to the next.
AvantStay does not disclose the range of fees charged under the second model. Moreover, there is no indication of the factors that determine owner payouts and the company fees under either plan.
The cost of additional services, such as interior design and furnishing, is not clear either. Thus, owners need to meet the AvantStay team and get a quote to know exactly how much they will have to pay and what services they will receive in exchange.
AvantStay Airbnb Property Management Terms and Conditions
AvantStay does not provide any information regarding the nature of the Airbnb management agreement that owners need to sign. It’s not clear whether there are any onboarding fees and what the getting started process looks like. Even more importantly, the company does not specify the length of contract and what it takes to cancel services.
It’s crucial for hosts to obtain all this information before deciding if AvantStay is the best Airbnb manager for their needs and what options they will have in case they are not fully satisfied with the quality of services.
AvantStay Reviews by Hosts and Guests
More than 2,000 Airbnb hosts and guests have written reviews of AvantStay on solid, third-party websites. Rankings vary from one website to another, and customer reviews show both positive and negative experiences with AvantStay Airbnb management.
You can find online AvantStay Reviews on:
- Trustpilot: 4.7/5 stars from 1,720 reviews
- Yelp: 3.7/5 stars from 355 reviews
- BBB: 2.7/5 stars from 73 reviews
Positive AvantStay reviews highlight the 5-star experiences, the top locations, the excellent properties that are well-designed, well-maintained, and well-stocked, the amazing amenities, the accurate listings, the always available team, and the great customer service. On the other hand, in their negative reviews of AvantStay, unsatisfied customers complain about poorly maintained properties and outdoor areas, significant material damages to homes, unreasonably low nightly prices, financial losses due to inadequate pricing and management, bug problems, unexpected fees, and frustrating cancellation policies.
With operations in a few different states, it’s likely that the quality of AvantStay services varies from one location to the other, depending on the expertise and dedication of the local team. Considering the discrepancies in AvantStay customer reviews, it’s a good idea for hosts to try to connect with owners working with the company in their market to learn about their experiences.
How to Get Started with AvantStay Airbnb Management
To get started with AvantStay, vacation rental owners can book a meeting with the team to discuss their needs or call/text the company directly.
Top AvantStay Alternatives and Competitors
According to our review of AvantStay, this Airbnb manager might be a good option for those investing in big, luxury vacation rentals. The company is able to provide services to high-end customers that competitors don’t. However, some strongly negative customer reviews of AvantStay indicate that hosts might be better off opting for an alternative short-term rental property manager to receive high-quality, comprehensive services.
The top 3 AvantStay alternatives in the US market are:
AvantStay vs Checkmate Rentals
Checkmate Rentals provides end-to-end property management services to short-term rentals across the US. Unlike AvantStay and other competitors, Checkmate Rentals’ services are fully personalized and flexible to meet the exact needs of each Airbnb property and its owner. Another unique value proposition of the company is that it co-hosts rentals with the owner, so that you retain full ownership of your listings forever, even if you decide to stop working with the manager.
Checkmate Rentals services include but are not limited to listing creation with high-resolution photography and custom copywriting, listing distribution and targeted digital marketing, dynamic Airbnb pricing and revenue optimization, 24/7 guest service, guest screening, professional cleaning, supply restocking, property inspections, ongoing maintenance, short-term rental insurance, and more. Owners can use their property for personal reasons as much as they want, with no annual limits. In addition, property management contracts are flexible and can be canceled at any time.
Checkmate Rentals works with vacation rentals in any US market, no matter how small or remote it can be. This nationwide coverage is achieved via the establishment of local teams of vetted STR professionals before signing properties in an area. Meanwhile, the company charges industry-low fees starting at only 15% of revenue for full-service Airbnb management.
AvantStay vs Vacasa
Vacasa is the largest vacation rental property manager in North America, which makes it the biggest AvantStay competitor. In addition to full-service Airbnb management, the company offers half-service short-term rental management (via Vacasa Guestworks) and full-service long-term rental management (via the Extended Stay Program - ESP) too.
Vacasa Airbnb management services include listing properties, Airbnb SEO optimization, distribution, marketing, dynamic pricing, guest support, guest screening, housekeeping, inspections, maintenance coordination, payment processing, and payment processing. Additional services cover linen provision, swimming pool and hot tub maintenance, smart home management, and accommodation protection, but they are paid separately. Meanwhile, Vacasa does not offer Airbnb design and furnishing.
Vacasa operates in popular tourist destinations across 41 US states as well as in a few places in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize. Property management fees depend on the market, the property size, and the range of amenities. Hosts report that monthly fees frequently exceed 35% of booking revenue, which is more than how much typical Airbnb managers charge.
AvantStay vs Awning
Awning is another alternative solution for rental property owners, which unlike AvantStay, works with both short-term and long-term rental properties. Besides, Awning also offers half-service Airbnb management via RedAwning, which acquired it a year ago.
Awning full-service vacation rental management services cover design and furnishing, smart home automation, linen service, listing, marketing, guest guidebooks creation, guest communication and services, housekeeping, hot tub and swimming pool maintenance, Airbnb insurance, and owner support. Similar to AvantStay, Awning does not help with STR permits and licenses or taxes. This range of services makes Awning a very close competitor of AvantStay.
Awning is able to onboard properties across the US market via local teams. The current company portfolio does not go much above 100 rentals, so it remains a relatively small vacation rental manager. Awning Airbnb management fees start at 10% of revenue, but end-to-end management costs more.
Bottom Line
Our AvantStay review shows that this full-service Airbnb management company could be a good solution for the owners of large, high-end, luxury short-term rentals in select US markets. The firm offers more specialized services, such as concierge services, than most competitors. However, the limited geographic presence and some very negative customer reviews indicate that AvantStay might be suboptimal for hosts who want to provide top-quality services to guests and optimize the performance of their short-term rental business.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for top-ranked, customized, flexible vacation rental management, check out Checkmate Rentals. We co-host properties with you so that you own your listings forever, while providing real end-to-end management services that help you boost performance as never before. As your trusted Airbnb management partner, we charge industry-low fees starting at only 15% of revenue.
