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A new service says it will provide property management for short-term property stays, primarily focusing on Airbnbs, in a bid to rid mum and dad investors of an “impossible” task.
Currently only offered in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Alice’s Home assists investors looking to manage any short-term rental properties within their portfolio.
According to platform managing director, Seiko Ma, investors with a short-term rental under their care have found managing the property to be a full-time job because of Australia’s current rental crisis.
“A tighter rental market means there are a lot more things to do other than just take bookings,” she said, adding a landlord’s duties extend beyond ensuring accurate remuneration is achieved to ensure tenants and the property are cared for.
Australia’s tightening rental market has seen rental enquiries climb 31.1 per cent, according to data from PropTrack, as more families delay purchasing a home in response to soaring interest rates.
“Managing so many enquiries can be overwhelming for someone who was looking after their Airbnb listing as a hobby. This situation is just one example where a property manager can take it on professionally, charge the market rate, and then look after payment and arrival.”
Ms Ma said ensuring each property meets industry standards is paramount given Airbnb’s lack of such guidelines, resulting in “two properties listed may say they are ‘clean’ but this differs greatly between both properties, and what one owner may say is clean, may not be clean at all compared to the other.”
As part of its offerings, Alice’s Home provides on-site property management, a primary reason why the service is only available in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, despite expansion plans. Ms Ma said this is the case as it ensures homes can be personally visited by property managers, who are able to determine the accuracy of the property’s description and “ensure all standards such as cleanliness, safety, and other maintenance remain to scratch.”
Brisbane is one of two Queensland councils to crack down on short-term holiday rentals amid the state’s increasingly tight rental market, with the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) stating the state’s vacancy rate of 0.8 per cent is far from healthy.
Last year, Brisbane council announced a suite of punishments, including a 50 per cent increase in council rates for short-term rental proprietors.
More recently, popular destination the Sunshine Coast announced its own crackdown on short-term rentals when the local council revealed certain properties need approval before operating in this manner.
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