If you live far from your listing and can't be there when a guest arrives, it's natural to think you need a full-service property manager. Often the first thought is to either hire a manager who takes a share of every booking, or to hire a remote assistant who works for a salary. The two jobs overlap less than they seem to. An assistant works on a laptop, handling messages, calendars, listings and records, while a manager also looks after the building itself.
Key Takeaways
- An assistant covers the digital side of hosting, and a property manager covers that side plus the physical property.
- Managers usually take a percentage of each booking, while an assistant hired through us costs a one-time $1,997 fee plus a monthly salary.
- A remote assistant can't visit the property, so repairs and in-person problems need a local manager, cleaner or handyman.
- Ask either option about insurance, logins and the contract before you sign.
- You can pair a remote assistant with a local cleaner and handyman, and bring in a manager only for properties you can't reach.
Scope of Services
A virtual assistant works on the digital side of hosting: guest messages, booking requests, calendars, listing updates, reviews and weekly reports. A property manager does all of that too, and also runs the physical side, from cleaning and restocking to repairs and the key handover.
That gap shows on a bad day. When a pipe leaks at midnight, an assistant can message the guest, call the plumber and keep you posted. Turning off the water takes someone who is physically at the property, and a manager with a local team can either send a person or go in person.
Our comparison of in-house staff and a virtual assistant looks at the hiring side of the same choice.
Cost and Pricing Structures
Percentage fees are common for managers, and they vary based on the market, the size of the property and how much the manager does. Because the fee grows with your revenue, a busy year costs more than a quiet one, and the contract should say which costs come out of your share, such as cleaning, supplies and repairs.
An assistant is paid for time. Freelancers often bill by the hour. We charge a one-time recruitment fee of $1,997 for finding the assistant, and you then pay the assistant a monthly salary directly, which stays the same whatever the calendar looks like. For the salaried-employee side of the comparison, see our cost comparison of a virtual assistant and a full-time employee.
Communication and Responsiveness
A guest who asks about parking wants an answer quickly. An assistant works a shift in your time zone, watches the Airbnb inbox and replies from templates you have approved. A manager answers the same messages and can also meet a guest at the door when the lock won't open.
The difference shows up in four places:
- Messages: The assistant answers from your saved replies and passes anything unusual to you.
- Arrivals: A manager can greet a guest in person, and an assistant sends the entry code and confirms that it worked.
- Nights and weekends: An assistant works set shifts, so agree who covers the hours outside them.
- Emergencies: A fire, a gas smell or a medical problem goes to local emergency services first, and either one then handles the follow-up with the guest and with you.
Local Knowledge and Expertise
A manager who works in your city knows which plumber answers on Sundays and what a fair price is for a turnover clean. That knowledge comes from years in one market, and a remote assistant can't match it in the first month.
Ask your cleaner and your handyman for the quirks of the building and the best places to eat nearby, and have the assistant put them in the guest guide and the vendor list, so the knowledge reaches the remote side of the business.
Flexibility and Customization
A manager can shape a plan around your property, because a mountain cabin with a hot tub needs different checks than a downtown apartment. An assistant is flexible in another way. You can start with a few hours a week and add more as you add listings, and we recruit for the hours you need.
A property manager is the better fit when:
- You live far away and nobody you trust is near the property.
- The property has equipment that needs regular checks, such as a pool or a hot tub.
- You want one company to answer for cleaning, repairs and guests.
- You are adding properties in a city you don't know.
An assistant is the better fit when you already have a cleaner and a handyman, and the pile on your desk is messages, calendars and listings.
Liability and Risk Management
Check the paperwork before you decide. Many managers carry their own liability insurance, and a good one will show you the policy. An individual assistant working from another country may not have any cover at all, so ask.
An assistant can keep the deadline in view. Airbnb asks hosts to file a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center within 14 days of the guest's checkout, after documenting the damage with photos and repair estimates. An assistant who reviews the cleaner's photos after each checkout and gathers the evidence the same day keeps that deadline from slipping.
Limit what an assistant can touch. Airbnb's hosting team settings give each person a login of their own, and you choose what each one can do, so nobody has to borrow yours.
Technology Integration
Both options run on software, and an assistant can work inside the same tools a manager uses. Our post on virtual assistants and management software compares the two in more detail.
Whichever you choose, ask about calendars, messages, access and reports:
- Calendars: how bookings sync across Airbnb and any other site you list on.
- Messages: where guest messages are answered and who can see them.
- Access: which logins they use and what each login can change.
- Reports: what you will see each week, such as bookings, payouts and open tasks.
Write the answers down and compare them side by side before you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Typical Qualifications of an Airbnb Virtual Assistant?
Experience with guest messaging, clear written English and attention to detail matter most. Ask for samples of past replies and test each candidate on a practice inbox. Ask for references as well, and speak to at least one of them.
How Do I Ensure the Privacy and Security of My Airbnb Property With a Virtual Assistant?
Set the assistant up with a login of their own and only the permissions the job needs. Keep door codes and passwords in a password manager, keep them out of chat messages, and change lock codes when anyone leaves the job.
Can an Airbnb Virtual Assistant Help With Tax Preparation and Accounting?
Yes, with the record-keeping. An assistant can log income and expenses, collect receipts and prepare a monthly summary. Choosing deductions and filing the return belong to your accountant.
How Do I Evaluate the Performance and Track Record of a Property Management Company?
Ask for references from owners with properties like yours, and read the contract before the sales pitch. Look at the reviews on the listings they run, ask how long their cleaners have stayed, and find out whether your state or city requires a license for property managers.
What Happens if I’m Not Satisfied With the Services of My Airbnb Virtual Assistant or Property Manager?
Start with the contract. For a manager, check the notice period and any exit fee before you sign. If a hire made through us doesn't work out in the first three months, we replace them at no extra cost. In both cases, give feedback in writing, with a date for the improvement you expect, so everyone is on the same page.
Final Thought
Write down the five jobs that take most of your week. If every one of them happens on a screen, an assistant can take them over. If two or more need someone at the property, price a manager, or pair an assistant with a local cleaner and handyman who can go there.