VA vs Doing It Yourself: Which Strategy Boosts Your Short-Term Rental Success

Managing short-term rentals (STRs) can bring in solid income, but it demands a lot of time and effort. From handling bookings and guest messages to coordinating cleaning and maintenance, the workload can quickly pile up. Many property owners face a key decision: should they manage everything themselves or hire a virtual assistant (VA) to help? This post explores the pros and cons of both approaches to help you decide which strategy fits your goals and lifestyle.

Doing It Yourself: Full Control but High Time Commitment

Taking charge of your short-term rental means you handle every detail. This approach offers several advantages:

• Complete control over pricing, guest communication, and property upkeep.

  
  

• Deep understanding of how your property operates and what guests expect.

  
  

• No extra costs for outsourcing management tasks.

  
  

For example, when you respond personally to guest inquiries, you can tailor answers based on your knowledge of the property and local area. You also decide exactly when to adjust prices or offer discounts, giving you flexibility to react quickly to market changes.

However, managing STRs on your own comes with challenges:

• It is time-intensive. Expect to spend hours daily answering messages, troubleshooting issues, and coordinating cleaning.

  
  

• It limits your ability to scale beyond one or two properties without burning out.

  
  

• The constant demand for availability can lead to stress and fatigue.

  
  

Consider a host who manages two listings in a busy city. They might spend 3-4 hours daily just handling guest communication and logistics. This leaves little time for marketing or expanding their portfolio.

Using Virtual Assistants: Building a Business with More Freedom

Hiring a virtual assistant can transform how you manage your rentals. A trained VA can take over many routine tasks, allowing you to focus on growth and strategy.

Key benefits include:

• Scalability: One VA can manage multiple listings, freeing you from day-to-day operations.

  
  

• Efficiency: VAs handle inquiries, guest support, check-in instructions, and review management promptly.

  
  

• More freedom: You gain time to acquire new properties or improve existing ones.

  
  

• Cost-effective: Skilled VAs overseas often charge $5–10 per hour, much less than traditional property managers who take 20–30% of revenue.

  
  

For instance, a host with five properties might hire a VA to respond to guest messages and schedule cleaning. This setup allows the host to spend time finding new investment opportunities instead of juggling daily tasks.

On the downside:

• You must invest time upfront to train your VA and create clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

  
  

• Initial oversight is necessary to ensure quality and consistency.

  
  

Training might involve sharing checklists for guest communication, instructions for handling common issues, and guidelines for pricing updates. Over time, the VA becomes more independent, reducing your workload significantly.

Which Strategy Fits Your Goals?

Choosing between doing it yourself and hiring a VA depends on your priorities and growth plans.

• If you want hands-on control and are managing one or two properties, doing it yourself might work well. It helps you build experience and understand every aspect of your rental.

  
  

• If you aim to scale your business beyond a few listings, a VA can save time and reduce stress. This approach builds a system that runs smoothly even when you’re not involved in every detail.

  
  

For example, a new host might start by managing their first property alone to learn the ropes. After gaining confidence, they could hire a VA to handle guest communication and cleaning schedules, freeing them to add more properties.

Tips for Working with a Virtual Assistant

To get the most from a VA, consider these best practices:

• Develop clear SOPs covering guest communication, cleaning coordination, and maintenance requests.

  
  

• Use tools like shared calendars, messaging apps, and property management software to keep tasks organized.

  
  

• Set up regular check-ins to review performance and provide feedback.

  
  

• Start with a trial period to ensure the VA fits your style and standards.

  
  

By investing time upfront, you create a reliable system that lets your VA handle daily operations with minimal supervision.

Final Thoughts

Managing short-term rentals yourself builds valuable experience and gives you full control. Yet, it demands significant time and energy, which can limit growth and lead to burnout. Hiring a virtual assistant requires initial effort to train and oversee, but it unlocks scalability, efficiency, and freedom.

Think about where you want your rental business to go. If you plan to expand and reduce daily stress, a VA is a smart investment. If you prefer to stay hands-on with a small portfolio, managing yourself may be the right choice.