Why We Don't Manage Short-Term Rentals (And Who We Send Them To)
Every so often we get asked if we manage Airbnbs or other short-term rentals. The answer is no — and it's not because we don't understand the model. It's because we understand it well enough to know it's a different business entirely.
"Passive Income" Rarely Is
There's a persistent myth that short-term rentals are easy, passive income. Set it up, list it, and let the money roll in.
That's not what actually happens.
We saw a good example of this recently — an owner on Reddit describing his experience three years into running an Airbnb. He'd bought the property expecting exactly that: set it and forget it. Instead, he found himself coordinating cleaners between every guest, fielding complaints about noise or the WiFi, and handling maintenance issues on no notice. At one point, a guest left the AC running at 60 degrees for a week while they were out of town, and the unit froze up — resulting in a $900 emergency repair call on a Saturday night that he hadn't budgeted for.
His conclusion: it's less like passive income and more like a second job that pays minimum wage.
He's not wrong. Short-term rentals can be one of the least passive forms of real estate ownership out there — arguably second only to a hands-on flip. The turnover is constant, the guest expectations are high, and the operational demands (cleaning, restocking, guest communication, emergency response) never really stop.
Why We Stay Out of It
We're not in the hotel business, and we don't try to be. Managing a long-term rental and managing a short-term rental require different systems, different staffing, different vendor relationships, and a completely different rhythm of work.
Long-term rentals are what we've built our entire operation around — tenant screening, lease enforcement, maintenance coordination, inspections, compliance. Trying to bolt a short-term rental operation onto that would mean doing both things at a lower standard.
So instead, when a short-term rental owner comes to us, we don't try to force them into a model we don't run. We refer them to a couple of companies we've partnered with who specialize specifically in short-term and vacation rental management. They do it well, because it's the only thing they do.
Staying in Our Lane
We'd rather be excellent at one thing than mediocre at two. Long-term rental management is what we do best, and staying focused on it is exactly why our clients get the level of service they do.
If you own a short-term rental and it's starting to feel like the second job nobody warned you about, we're happy to point you toward a management company built for that. And if you're looking at converting a short-term property into a long-term rental — or just want a property manager who treats your investment like their full-time job — that's where we come in.
Own a rental and not sure if it's the right fit for long-term management?
Whether you're tired of playing landlord, thinking about converting a short-term rental, or just want a management company that treats your property like a full-time job instead of a side hustle, let's talk. Blair Allen Property Management serves owners across South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona.
Chris Twiggs
President, Blair Allen Property Management
📞 605-545-1218
✉️ chris@blairallen.com