How to Build a Passive Airbnb Management Business

Managing properties on Airbnb is a great way to earn extra income. But for many, Airbnb property management is a lot of work. It’s a full-time job, and as rewarding as that might be, it’s not an option for everyone. Many people want to earn relatively passive income on Airbnb, either as a second job for extra income or because they want steady cash flow and to work less.

It is possible to build a passive Airbnb property management business, but you need a step-by-step plan to get started and create success. If you are just getting started, you’ll want to be sure to get the foundation of an easy-to-run property management system in place right from the beginning.

1. The first step is to get systems in place that make it possible for you to manage your rental property efficiently. This looks different for different people, but any property manager can benefit from the automation of their systems. The more organized you are and the more effort you put into automating things at the beginning, the more hands-off your business will become.
2. The next step is to reach out to Airbnb property owners who you think need your assistance. They might be operating more than one Airbnb rental or struggling to get their first listing off the ground. Wherever you identify a need for assistance, you can step in and help.
3. Finally, you’ll want to track the success of the processes you have in place. Long-term, this is the bulk of your work. Passive Airbnb income is about setting up systems and operational routine to ensure you can step back and have the day-to-day activities run themselves long-term.

If you’ve been managing Airbnb listings for a while and you’re ready to grow your business and better manage your time, you can use this approach too, but you won’t be starting from scratch.

Here are a few examples of activities that you can outsource or automate when it comes to passive Airbnb property management:

Outsource Cleaning Responsibilities

Cleaning a property before and/or after a guest’s booking is one of the most time-consuming aspects of operating an Airbnb rental. Guests have certain expectations, and you and the property owner should as well. You’ll want the properties you’re managing to be as clean and prepared as possible, but there’s only so much you can do in a day.

If you are handling all of the cleaning responsibilities yourself, you’ll eventually run out of time and be limited as to how many properties you can handle. By outsourcing the cleaning service and creating an automated system for staying on top of what’s going on, you’ll be able to scale your passive Airbnb management business to handle more and more properties.

Hire Someone to Handle Maintenance and Other On-site Property Issues (Your “Gofer”)

Having a “gofer” is a great way to take on the management of more properties without running yourself ragged. An assistant who handles onsite property issues means someone is there to help guests when it’s most needed. It also opens up the opportunity for you to manage properties in areas that are geographically further away from where you live.

Outsource Guest Communication to Virtual Assistants

Communicating with guests is an essential part of managing an Airbnb, but it can also be one of the most time-consuming. This is especially true if you are managing several properties. There just isn’t enough time in a day to speak to everyone staying at your properties if you are a manager of multiple listings.

This is where a virtual assistant (VA) can help. They can reduce some of the burdens you face when it comes to guest communication. Serious communication issues can still be passed on to you to handle. But a VA can handle the basic issues that tend to arise or the standard communication you have with all guests. This saves you time, money, and frustration, and enables you to balance several properties at once without having to worry about the quality of someone’s stay being jeopardized. Somebody is there to ensure guests never feel forgotten about or neglected during their stay.

How Automating Your Work as a Passive Airbnb Property Manager Means More Success

In addition to the systems you put in place to take care of the necessary property work, you can also automate a lot of the communication you need to do with guests. Being a great Airbnb host means staying on top of the needs of guests and it is your responsibility as the Airbnb property manager to handle this. You are the bridge between the property owner and guests, and you are the “face” of the property that guests have to deal with. A great short-term rental management software saves property managers a lot of time and money. It reduces a lot of the headaches that arise when you are running an Airbnb property.

Automating as much of your workload as possible with the right software system means you can expand your passive Airbnb property management business without cramming more obligations into your workday. Investing in management software for scheduling cleaning, updating prices, and sending guests automated messages such as check-in instructions is one of the best ways to make your job more efficient.

With software like iGMS, you are removing a lot of the hands-on work most property managers deal with. It’s a great way to put a lot of your responsibilities on auto-pilot and it lets you leverage what you’ve already created and earn passive income on Airbnb. There are a lot of great Airbnb tools out there to help you grow your business and this is one of the best.

 About the Author:

By  James Svetec, BNB Mastery Program and LearnBNB.com

James is the founder of BNB Mastery Program, where he teaches students how to earn a full-time income managing other people’s properties on Airbnb. In addition, James is also the co-author of Airbnb for Dummies, and co-runs the popular Airbnb blog LearnBNB.com.