Hello, and welcome!
We're so appreciative of your interest in working with Beckon Homes, and hope you'll find all the information here you'll need. We like to be transparent, upfront, so you know exactly how we work and what to expect. Our video below is a good introduction to our company and the culture our owners and property investors can expect while working with us. Under that, you'll find the answers to many Frequently Asked Questions, as well as transparent information about our fees, processes and people.
We're so appreciative of your interest in working with Beckon Homes, and hope you'll find all the information here you'll need. We like to be transparent, upfront, so you know exactly how we work and what to expect. Our video below is a good introduction to our company and the culture our owners and property investors can expect while working with us. Under that, you'll find the answers to many Frequently Asked Questions, as well as transparent information about our fees, processes and people.
About Us
"Wherever you go, be the heart of that place."
Beckon Homes was founded in 2015 by husband and wife team, Isabeau Miller and Shaun Balin, on the principle that a vacation should feel like home, only better. We believe in doing right by our team, our clients and our guests, and lead with respect, kindness, hustle and heart to ensure a seamless and top-notch experience for anyone who crosses our path.
Beckon Homes was founded in 2015 by husband and wife team, Isabeau Miller and Shaun Balin, on the principle that a vacation should feel like home, only better. We believe in doing right by our team, our clients and our guests, and lead with respect, kindness, hustle and heart to ensure a seamless and top-notch experience for anyone who crosses our path.
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Isabeau moved to Nashville in 2006, and quickly turned around to film NBC's, "The Biggest Loser" in Los Angeles. Her appearance on national television, partnered with other opportunities in the media launched her first business- a series of "Fitcamps" where Isabeau shared her life-changing knowledge with people from around the world in seminar structure getaways. After selling that business in 2009, Isabeau spent 5 years working in finance and real estate. A family investment in a single Nashville property inspired Isabeau to fill a void for high end property management, outfitting and hospitality professionals, and Beckon was born.
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Shaun moved to Nashville in 2007- the year after Isabeau- and immediately found success as a musician, hopping on a tour bus to play fiddle/violin, banjo, guitar and mandolin almost immediately. Being gone mostly weekends, Shaun found himself as the recipient of job requests to help manage Beckon homes when he was home- everything from fixing broken items to cleaning the homes to greeting guests and all in between! In 2015 Shaun took over as COO of Beckon Homes, overseeing the intricacies of running the business and maintaining each property to its owners' exacting standards.
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Isabeau, CEO, and Shaun, COO lead a team of incredible employees in multiple sectors and markets throughout Nashville, The Smoky Mountains, Cape Cod, Florida, California and the other markets they're rapidly expanding into. They are real estate investors and Airbnb home owners themselves, now, as well as investors in startup companies, varying in nature. Isabeau and Shaun have three young sons- Beckham, Luca and Hadley, and host a podcast on what it takes to run a business with your partner. They still have music in their lives and have found success as songwriters, and are incredibly passionate about building the Beckon brand around the country by helping to create interesting, unique and noteworthy spaces that travelers can't wait to visit, and owners can't wait to invest in!
Contacting Us
Isabeau Miller, CEO
Direct Email: isabeau@beckonhomes.com
Shaun Balin, COO
Direct Email: shaun@beckonhomes.com
Team
Our team is compromised of excellent and committed individuals who make Beckon the amazing company it is. You can reach the whole group at team@beckonhomes.com so you never have to worry about tracking down the "right" point of contact.
Direct Email: isabeau@beckonhomes.com
Shaun Balin, COO
Direct Email: shaun@beckonhomes.com
Team
Our team is compromised of excellent and committed individuals who make Beckon the amazing company it is. You can reach the whole group at team@beckonhomes.com so you never have to worry about tracking down the "right" point of contact.
Our TeamIncludes:
Hospitality Professionals who provide 5 star service to our guests.
Operations Managers who oversee the day to day maintenance and oversight of our business and your properties.
Special Projects Leads who get your property to a Beckon level to appeal to our luxury travelers through thoughtful, functional and beautiful design and acute attention to detail.
Administrative Assistants who support our business and respond to guests regularly.
Quality Control Managers who execute all things on the ground for our properties.
Cleaning + Staging Specialists who "flip" properties between stays, readying them for the next guests.
Handymen and Women who regularly service problem reports, perform preventative maintenance, paint touch-ups, etc.
After Hours Call Center, which is Denver-based and 100% English speaking, ready to dispatch after-hours emergencies to the correct on-call source.
Hospitality Professionals who provide 5 star service to our guests.
Operations Managers who oversee the day to day maintenance and oversight of our business and your properties.
Special Projects Leads who get your property to a Beckon level to appeal to our luxury travelers through thoughtful, functional and beautiful design and acute attention to detail.
Administrative Assistants who support our business and respond to guests regularly.
Quality Control Managers who execute all things on the ground for our properties.
Cleaning + Staging Specialists who "flip" properties between stays, readying them for the next guests.
Handymen and Women who regularly service problem reports, perform preventative maintenance, paint touch-ups, etc.
After Hours Call Center, which is Denver-based and 100% English speaking, ready to dispatch after-hours emergencies to the correct on-call source.
Property Location and Acquisition Information
Many of our Property Owners are sophisticated investors, who are consistently looking to grow their portfolio. We help in one of two ways:
Using Our Real Estate Team: If you're interested in purchasing property, we can partner you with a member of our Real Estate team. Our team knows local legislation and requirements inside and out, and the focus is on finding an investment that is profitable as a rental, but also has the possibility of sizable capital appreciation. Using our real estate team costs nothing as a buyer of real estate when our Realtors are paid the standard commission by the Selling Agent.
Using Your Real Estate Team: We can work with your real estate team to find properties for which short term rentals will be their highest and best use. We help Realtors comb through zoning maps, MLS listings, land use and other legislation concerns to find properties that are able to be permitted and profitable. Our fee to work with your realtor is paid by you, the client, to us, and is equal to 1% of your budget or 1% of your final purchase price, whichever is greater.
Using Your Real Estate Team: We can work with your real estate team to find properties for which short term rentals will be their highest and best use. We help Realtors comb through zoning maps, MLS listings, land use and other legislation concerns to find properties that are able to be permitted and profitable. Our fee to work with your realtor is paid by you, the client, to us, and is equal to 1% of your budget or 1% of your final purchase price, whichever is greater.
Design and Furnishing Information
A well-designed rental property is a necessity to ensure maximum profitability as a short term rental. We are able to take a rental property from "empty to rental ready", most often in 4 weeks or less.
We source all furniture AT COST to you- meaning, we pass along any bulk or designer discounts we're eligible for. We do not mark up items for an additional internal profit. Our current suggested budgets and fees are as follows:
We source all furniture AT COST to you- meaning, we pass along any bulk or designer discounts we're eligible for. We do not mark up items for an additional internal profit. Our current suggested budgets and fees are as follows:
Whole Property Design (Empty to Rental Ready)
2 bedrooms or less:
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $25,000*
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $8 per square foot.
3 bedrooms:
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $36,000*
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $7 per square foot.
4+ bedrooms:
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $52,000*, with an estimated cost of $7,500 per each additional sleeping space
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $6 per square foot.
*Furnishing and Decor Budget includes all items necessary to complete a functional, beautiful vacation rental, including towels and linens, electronics, kitchen supplies, blankets, pillows, etc. Any extraordinary requests such as renovations or custom items should not be included in this budget.
**Furnishing, Design and Installation include design with up to 2 revisions, ordering, assembly, installation, and placement of all items necessary for a functional, beautiful vacation rental. Trash hauling and removal, design requests, structural renovations or the need for skilled or licensed professional labor such as electrician, plumber, contractor, painter, wallpaper installer or other professional is NOT included in this fee.
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $25,000*
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $8 per square foot.
3 bedrooms:
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $36,000*
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $7 per square foot.
4+ bedrooms:
Proposed furnishing and decor budget: No less than $52,000*, with an estimated cost of $7,500 per each additional sleeping space
Furnishing, Design and Installation Fees to Beckon: Beginning at $6 per square foot.
*Furnishing and Decor Budget includes all items necessary to complete a functional, beautiful vacation rental, including towels and linens, electronics, kitchen supplies, blankets, pillows, etc. Any extraordinary requests such as renovations or custom items should not be included in this budget.
**Furnishing, Design and Installation include design with up to 2 revisions, ordering, assembly, installation, and placement of all items necessary for a functional, beautiful vacation rental. Trash hauling and removal, design requests, structural renovations or the need for skilled or licensed professional labor such as electrician, plumber, contractor, painter, wallpaper installer or other professional is NOT included in this fee.
Partial Property Design and/or Consulting
If your property is "almost" there, but needs final touches, we can be contracted on an hourly basis at a rate of $250/hour with a 5 hour minimum to design, order, assemble, install or complete anything that needs to be finished before guests visit the property.
All-Inclusive Management
Our All-Inclusive Management Program is likely the reason you sought us out, and is the bread-and-butter of our company. The majority of our owners prefer a "set it and forget it" approach, enabling us to take care of everything, simply providing them with a statement and ACH Direct Deposit every month. Our services include regular communication with your guests, guest access to a 24/7/365 call center, scheduling cleanings and basic necessary maintenance, the oversight of regular maintenance of all marketing and advertising across any and all requested booking platforms, responding to guest requests, restocking your property with consumable goods (sustainably and ethically sourced whenever possible), regularly completing property walk-throughs, contracting service providers, collecting all rental revenue, basic bookkeeping, remitting net revenue via direct deposit monthly, and filing all necessary taxes on your behalf. We have two options for owners, and highly recommend our Beckon Based Marketing for best and fastest cash flow:
Beckon Based Marketing
This package includes the marketing of your property on our platform. The benefit to this, besides a slightly lower cost, is that your listing will be linked to our business profile, which has over 4,700 reviews, approximately 98% of which are 5 stars. These listings are non-transferrable to other management companies, as they are embedded within our hosting profiles, and therefore do not retain reviews or information should you decide to self-manage or transfer to a different company.
Brand Based Marketing
This package includes the marketing of your property on platforms that are 100% your own. EVERYTHING stays the same- we still take charge of everything outlined above, but should you, down the road, decide to transfer your listing to another management company, self-manage, etc, you will get to retain your listing, your reviews, and all other proprietary information.
Fees and Costs
This package includes the marketing of your property on our platform. The benefit to this, besides a slightly lower cost, is that your listing will be linked to our business profile, which has over 4,700 reviews, approximately 98% of which are 5 stars. These listings are non-transferrable to other management companies, as they are embedded within our hosting profiles, and therefore do not retain reviews or information should you decide to self-manage or transfer to a different company.
Brand Based Marketing
This package includes the marketing of your property on platforms that are 100% your own. EVERYTHING stays the same- we still take charge of everything outlined above, but should you, down the road, decide to transfer your listing to another management company, self-manage, etc, you will get to retain your listing, your reviews, and all other proprietary information.
Fees and Costs
Beckon Based Marketing..................20% of pre-tax rental revenue*. 18% of pre-tax rental revenue for 5 or more properties.
Brand Based Marketing....................22% of pre-tax rental revenue with a $2,000 management fee minimum* + $150/month/property.
Cleaning Fees......................................Varies, and is paid by the guest. Cleaning fees are marked up to account for necessary management expenses incurred, including a cleaning dispatching and tracking software, supplies and a Quality Control inspection.
Restocking Fees..................................Varies, based on the needs of the property. Our current restocking fee schedule is listed here. These are deducted from owners' monthly payout.
Maintenance Fees.............................Owners may either be charged a monthly maintenance fee, typically ranging from $100-$250/month, or may pay a la cart maintenance fees. Monthly maintenance fee includes:
For those who would prefer an a la carte maintenance program, you can expect that your services would remain the same, with the following changes:
To view our current management contract, click here.
To view an example of a monthly statement, click here.
*20% is our base fee. For properties located in remote areas, or that require very specific care instructions, our fees may vary.
Brand Based Marketing....................22% of pre-tax rental revenue with a $2,000 management fee minimum* + $150/month/property.
Cleaning Fees......................................Varies, and is paid by the guest. Cleaning fees are marked up to account for necessary management expenses incurred, including a cleaning dispatching and tracking software, supplies and a Quality Control inspection.
Restocking Fees..................................Varies, based on the needs of the property. Our current restocking fee schedule is listed here. These are deducted from owners' monthly payout.
Maintenance Fees.............................Owners may either be charged a monthly maintenance fee, typically ranging from $100-$250/month, or may pay a la cart maintenance fees. Monthly maintenance fee includes:
- Maintenance project management up to 10 hours per month (the oversight of annual or biannual inspections, the oversight and arranging of vendors, etc)
- Trash roll out and roll in by our team where applicable.
- Tidying of exterior spaces such as sweeping decks and entry walls, blowing leaves/cobwebs, positioning patio furniture after big storms.
- Salting driveways and walkways during cold months
- Regularly changing HVAC filters (every 3 months during winter, every 1 month during high season) at cost (no labor charge).
- Regularly replacing standard height light bulbs at cost (no labor charge).
- Regularly replacing standard height smoke detector and CO detector batteries, as well as batteries for other household appliances at cost (no labor charge).
For those who would prefer an a la carte maintenance program, you can expect that your services would remain the same, with the following changes:
- All vendor services would be billed at cost (i.e. a $70 lawn mow, three times a month would reflect as a deduction of $210 for lawn care).
- All maintenance services performed by our staff OUTSIDE of our basic management scope of serving your property and guests would be billed at a rate of $45/hour during business hours, and $85/hour after hours.
- All scheduled handyman and maintenance work would be billed at market rate (as of summer 2022 around $75/hour).
- We would adjust the cleaning fee by 10% to allow for our cleaning staff to spend extra time on the outside area, rather than including that as part of a "maintenance plan".
To view our current management contract, click here.
To view an example of a monthly statement, click here.
*20% is our base fee. For properties located in remote areas, or that require very specific care instructions, our fees may vary.
A La Carte Management Options
While we're known for, and best execute our full-service, all-inclusive management program, it is our pleasure to offer A La Carte Management Services to extraordinary properties and owners:
Initial Permitting (Nashville)..................................................................................................................................................$350
Investment Property Pro Forma..........................................................................................................................$150 per property
24/7 Call Center and Dispatch Access With YOUR Dispatch Contacts..................................................$425/month
24/7 Call Center and Dispatch Access with OUR Contacts.....................................................................$650/month +
$75/hour for any of our service providers dispatched (3rd party professional vendors like plumbers, electricians or others will be dispatched at your expense)
Cleaning Management and Dispatch with YOUR Cleaning Contacts...................................................................$250/month
Cleaning Management and Dispatch with OUR Cleaning Contacts.....................................................................$550/month + cost of cleanings due upfront.
Monthly Consulting Package.........................................................................................................................................$650/month. Includes up to 2 hours of phone or in-person meetings and up to 6 email checkins monthly to include things like setting up listings, creating guest communication strategies, optimizing your work flow, staffing independent contractors, staying compliant with local laws, and any other items you may need guidance on or assistance with.
Consulting (hourly)..............................................................................................................................................................$200/hour with senior member of our staff; $450/hour with owner of our company.
Custom Services Designed and Quoted by Request
Initial Permitting (Nashville)..................................................................................................................................................$350
Investment Property Pro Forma..........................................................................................................................$150 per property
24/7 Call Center and Dispatch Access With YOUR Dispatch Contacts..................................................$425/month
24/7 Call Center and Dispatch Access with OUR Contacts.....................................................................$650/month +
$75/hour for any of our service providers dispatched (3rd party professional vendors like plumbers, electricians or others will be dispatched at your expense)
Cleaning Management and Dispatch with YOUR Cleaning Contacts...................................................................$250/month
Cleaning Management and Dispatch with OUR Cleaning Contacts.....................................................................$550/month + cost of cleanings due upfront.
Monthly Consulting Package.........................................................................................................................................$650/month. Includes up to 2 hours of phone or in-person meetings and up to 6 email checkins monthly to include things like setting up listings, creating guest communication strategies, optimizing your work flow, staffing independent contractors, staying compliant with local laws, and any other items you may need guidance on or assistance with.
Consulting (hourly)..............................................................................................................................................................$200/hour with senior member of our staff; $450/hour with owner of our company.
Custom Services Designed and Quoted by Request
How Our Cleanings Work
Our average clean is 3-6 hours in length, depending on property size, which ensures your property is given adequate attention and small details are rarely overlooked.
We require each property we work with to invest in 3 sets of white sheets for each bed (including sofa beds), enough towels for your maximum occupancy guests to have 2 towels, 1 hand towel and 1 wash cloth per person, and prefer owners to also provide 2 sets of plain dish towels, 2 sets of plain bathmats, and 2 sets of duvet covers. Our cleaners ALWAYS launder towels onsite, and will sometimes take a second set of sheets or duvets OFFSITE to launder, to enable an efficient "flip" and allow incoming guests to arrive on time.
For small properties that are turned often and quickly, we sometimes contract with 3rd party cleaning companies, and manage them similarly to how we manage our contracted and employed cleaners, though they often do send multiple cleaners into one property to clean quickly and efficiently, taking ALL laundry offsite. In this circumstance, we require a property to have doubles of everything.
We can work with owners to provide all initial linens and towels at a bulk rate. We will often audit the quality of the linens and towels onsite and replace at cost to owners (or billed to guests in obviously destructive situations).
Of course, if you have cleaners you love, we work with you and them to onboard them into our systems.
Cleaners are assigned jobs via a Smartphone app, and are required to take pictures of their completed jobs or report problems, which our owners are able to view at anytime once the job has been completed.
We require each property we work with to invest in 3 sets of white sheets for each bed (including sofa beds), enough towels for your maximum occupancy guests to have 2 towels, 1 hand towel and 1 wash cloth per person, and prefer owners to also provide 2 sets of plain dish towels, 2 sets of plain bathmats, and 2 sets of duvet covers. Our cleaners ALWAYS launder towels onsite, and will sometimes take a second set of sheets or duvets OFFSITE to launder, to enable an efficient "flip" and allow incoming guests to arrive on time.
For small properties that are turned often and quickly, we sometimes contract with 3rd party cleaning companies, and manage them similarly to how we manage our contracted and employed cleaners, though they often do send multiple cleaners into one property to clean quickly and efficiently, taking ALL laundry offsite. In this circumstance, we require a property to have doubles of everything.
We can work with owners to provide all initial linens and towels at a bulk rate. We will often audit the quality of the linens and towels onsite and replace at cost to owners (or billed to guests in obviously destructive situations).
Of course, if you have cleaners you love, we work with you and them to onboard them into our systems.
Cleaners are assigned jobs via a Smartphone app, and are required to take pictures of their completed jobs or report problems, which our owners are able to view at anytime once the job has been completed.
Property Maintenance Expectations
Just as we are not a cleaning company, we are also not a maintenance company, though we have contracted maintenance providers and are happy to arrange for maintenance for your home, by request.
We expect all properties and property owners to:
Our providers do a broad visual quality check of your property check, and report all issues to our managers, who will address anything that would impact a property's ability to be rented. Issues that are not emergent, exceed your allotted management spending limit and do not need immediate attention will be reported to you as observed, on a monthly basis, along with your monthly statement. Emergent issues that would impact a guest's stay or the integrity of the property will be addressed immediately, regardless of cost and our ability to acquire your permission. All expenses will be deducted from revenues reported. Should an owner prefer to reimburse us separately for expenses and services rendered, they may do so via credit card, which will incur a 3% transaction fee. All maintenance issues that require skilled, licensed or insured handy people will be billed at market rates (as of 2022 between $75-$100 hourly).
Owners understand that we reserve the right to re-home, or extend appropriate refunds, rebates or future discounts to guests in the instance of a property's systems not functioning properly or not meeting reasonable expectations during their stay.
We also strongly suggest the use of programmable thermostats to ensure the proper temperature settings in each property, preventing guests from taxing the systems. We do require access to those systems (i.e. Nest) to ensure we can troubleshoot as necessary with guests. We do require the purchase and use of specific smart locks that are compatible with our systems and have codes that can be easily changed remotely and between guests.
We expect all properties and property owners to:
- Invest in 2 HVAC inspections each year (one in spring, one in the fall).
- Complete 2 thorough property walk throughs each year, or contract with us to complete.
- Invest in regular paint touch-ups.
- Regularly replace pillows, blankets, duvets or rugs as necessary.
- Contract with pest control providers.
- Maintain structural integrity of the property and all household appliances and systems.
- Periodically review aesthetic of the interior and exterior and update as necessary, so as to stay competitive with other listings.
- Periodically review household items (i.e. pots, pans, glasses, cups, etc) to ensure a high quality and replace/repair as necessary.
- Maintain functioning cable, internet, devices to play music, etc. for guest use.
Our providers do a broad visual quality check of your property check, and report all issues to our managers, who will address anything that would impact a property's ability to be rented. Issues that are not emergent, exceed your allotted management spending limit and do not need immediate attention will be reported to you as observed, on a monthly basis, along with your monthly statement. Emergent issues that would impact a guest's stay or the integrity of the property will be addressed immediately, regardless of cost and our ability to acquire your permission. All expenses will be deducted from revenues reported. Should an owner prefer to reimburse us separately for expenses and services rendered, they may do so via credit card, which will incur a 3% transaction fee. All maintenance issues that require skilled, licensed or insured handy people will be billed at market rates (as of 2022 between $75-$100 hourly).
Owners understand that we reserve the right to re-home, or extend appropriate refunds, rebates or future discounts to guests in the instance of a property's systems not functioning properly or not meeting reasonable expectations during their stay.
We also strongly suggest the use of programmable thermostats to ensure the proper temperature settings in each property, preventing guests from taxing the systems. We do require access to those systems (i.e. Nest) to ensure we can troubleshoot as necessary with guests. We do require the purchase and use of specific smart locks that are compatible with our systems and have codes that can be easily changed remotely and between guests.
Bookkeeping, Revenue and Reporting
Pleased be advised that we are NOT a bookkeeping company, and strongly recommend all our clients and property owners partner with a knowledgable CPA or bookkeeper prior to embarking on any real estate investment.
We maintain basic monthly statements (view sample here) and deposit your net revenue into your specified account monthly by the 20th of the month FOLLOWING the revenue period. At each year's end, we file a 1099 for your GROSS post-tax rental revenue. It is your responsibility (and benefit) to report the deductions of tax paid to the state, fees paid to us, expenses spent on your property (even though they were paid BY us on your behalf), and any other expenditures that are paid by us on your behalf, or by you, towards the functioning of your property as a rental. We cannot issue 1099s for the NET value direct deposited to you. MANAGER will provide W9 to OWNER by request to allow for the issuing of yearly 1099 to MANAGER for any fees paid and expenses retained.
We do NOT pay utilities or other regular bills, but do require account information to ensure we're able to problem solve and troubleshoot as necessary. We highly recommend owners put these expenses on auto-draft to ensure disconnection is not an issue. In the instance utilities are not functional for a guest's stay, we reserve the right to re-home, or extend appropriate refunds, rebates or future discounts to guests, at our discretion and at the expense of the owner.
We maintain basic monthly statements (view sample here) and deposit your net revenue into your specified account monthly by the 20th of the month FOLLOWING the revenue period. At each year's end, we file a 1099 for your GROSS post-tax rental revenue. It is your responsibility (and benefit) to report the deductions of tax paid to the state, fees paid to us, expenses spent on your property (even though they were paid BY us on your behalf), and any other expenditures that are paid by us on your behalf, or by you, towards the functioning of your property as a rental. We cannot issue 1099s for the NET value direct deposited to you. MANAGER will provide W9 to OWNER by request to allow for the issuing of yearly 1099 to MANAGER for any fees paid and expenses retained.
We do NOT pay utilities or other regular bills, but do require account information to ensure we're able to problem solve and troubleshoot as necessary. We highly recommend owners put these expenses on auto-draft to ensure disconnection is not an issue. In the instance utilities are not functional for a guest's stay, we reserve the right to re-home, or extend appropriate refunds, rebates or future discounts to guests, at our discretion and at the expense of the owner.
Owner Access
We work best with owners who want their home to be a full-time vacation rental, but have a few owners who use their homes on occasion. In any circumstance, we ask owners to understand we MUST honor all guest reservations first. Owners will be assessed a cleaning fee for their stay, which is non-negotiable, to ensure the proper quality is upheld for any future guest. Owners are able to request access to an owner platform where they can see the financials and calendars of all their bookings and properties. For full-service management, owners are not able to view guest correspondence.
Guest Agreements and Safety
We require all guests to sign an extensive rental agreement prior to their arrival. Rental agreements vary based on property. We also require guests to purchase a rental insurance package to ensure if they damage the home, we can collect up to $3,000 without recovering from the guest directly.
Quick Takes
Some information below may be repetitive based on the above, but in the event you need succinct answers to our most asked questions, please find several helpful items below!
What kind of commitment is your contract?
Our full-service management contract is a 90 day minimum, with a 90 day notice for contract termination.
What are your fees?
We highly recommend you review the different options we list above which goes into great detail around our fees, but as a general rule, our management fee is 20% of pre-tax revenue, with maintenance and restocking fees.
Do I need a permit for you to manage my property?
In areas where a permit is required, you absolutely must have a permit or be willing to acquire one in order for us to work together. We are not willing to put you, our company or our other clients at risk by working on a property that is not properly licensed.
Another company quoted me less to manage my property. What makes you worth more?
There are many amazing companies out there- some of whom we partner with or recommend when we cannot service a client. Here are some of our favorite differentiators of Beckon as a brand:
Also, while basic, we are fully licensed in each state we operate in, and we carry not only Errors and Omissions insurance (as required by law), but also general business liability insurance up to $1 million which, unfortunately, is rare.
- Our commitment to our people: We maintain a 5 to one property to W2 employee ratio, meaning our employees have adequate time off, your properties have more than enough eyes on them, and our people won't be too burnt out to provide you and your guests with extraordinary service. Our employees are given 3 weeks minimum vacation yearly, generous benefits package and paid parental leave up to 6 months. Our lowest paid full-time W2 employee is paid no less than $20/hour, and many of our employees are salaried and enjoy a flexible schedule or 4 day workweek.
- We are a decidedly matriarchal company: The voice of our brand towards our guests and the public is one of a Ritz Carlton concierge meets the lady next door who bakes you homemade cookies. We are women-led and a voice of compassion, empathy and polish echoes throughout all of our decisions and communications.
- We are committed to doing the right thing: This manifests in many ways. First, we are on a journey of sustainability in how we source consumable products, select furnishings and finishes for our homes and how we route our employees and service providers. Secondly, we understand the effect short term rentals and investment properties can have on affordable housing and the displacement of original, rooted or vulnerable residents. We actively work and donate to organizations that counteract the potentially negative implications of our industry.
- We are tangential, and thus, a one-stop-shop: We can help you find properties to build out your portfolio, furnish your rental properties or any other kind of home or establishment, assist with your property rentals and even manage your residence or estate. No other company we know puts their kind of heart and hard work into a fully developed, robust 360-degree relationship the way we do.
Also, while basic, we are fully licensed in each state we operate in, and we carry not only Errors and Omissions insurance (as required by law), but also general business liability insurance up to $1 million which, unfortunately, is rare.
What markets are you in?
We grow wherever our clients go! We have presences in Nashville, The Smoky Mountains, Cape Cod, Florida, California, Arizona and are steadily growing!
How do you keep me booked?
Depending on your choice, we market on Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Expedia and Marriott Homes and Villas, as well as several other sites and regularly ride rates, meaning, we keep an eye on seasonality and event trends and follow suit. We do use a state of the art pricing algorithm software, but by no means do we "set it and forget it". We regularly update listings and pricing manually (on a weekly basis) to ping the various platforms you'll be featured on and alert them to the fact that we are still active. We always want to get you top dollar, and that is our first priority. Our second is ensuring that vacancies are few and far between. we also work with local realtors and relocation specialists to offer homes as short-term furnished rentals during low seasons. Every hosting platform has booking and processing fees that vary in amount, for which the owner is responsible.
How do you know my house won't be damaged?
We screen guests thoroughly by getting to know them, the reason for their trip, and continuing conversations throughout their entire stay. Our track record for respectful guests is strong, but of course, no house is immune to the occasional reckless guest. In those instances, we work with either the damage deposit (Airbnb) or required purchased insurance (VRBO/Homeaway) to replace or repair any damage done during a guests' stay. In some instances, if we're not able to recover the full amount necessary of the damages done by a guest. As a precautionary measure, we require our guests to invest in damage insurance that covers up to $3,000 in damages if the guest won't. If we're unable to collect damages from the guest or insurance, or the extraordinarily rare situation that the damages incurred surpass that dollar value, the owner is responsible financially for any additional cost incurred.
Is there any situation in which you would not manage a property?
Absolutely. Unfortunately, we've had to "break up with" clients a couple times, and it's always hard. Most of our owners are attentive, responsive and business-minded who see rental income as a long game with short term benefits, and we make great partners. We're not the right fit for owners who are unwilling to invest in the upkeep, maintenance or safety of their property, or for properties that need some TLC but don't necessarily have the budget. We want to give every owner and property we work with 110% of our attention and effort, and if we have a property or owner that is more problematic than it is profitable, it's not something we can commit to, so we're free to service properties and owners that are limitless in their potential and are on the same page as us. We are also not a good fit for anyone who needs the income of their short term rental for their survival. While maximum revenue is ALWAYS the goal, it's not always possible to ensure a property's immediate profitability. We like our clients to remember that like any business, short term rentals take time to build a reputation and really shine!
What's the next step?
If you're interested in working with us, the first step is a 20 minute introductory call that can be booked here. The next step is a no-obligation 60-minute, in-person consultation so we can meet and see your property. We charge $200 for this, but the entire charge is put towards your onboarding fee. The reason we charge for consultations is because we've, unfortunately, had owners book a free consultation and them take our strategies and advice and self-manage. Whether or not we decide to work together after this consultation, we will provide you with our detailed suggestions, ready to rent checklist, and any additional information so you're ready to make your property a vacation rental!
Do you have any specific requirements for properties you manage?
Yes!
The rest varies by property, but we will be happy to give specific suggestions once we meet.
- Internet or live cable television, or a way for guests to connect to internet TV (i.e. Smart tv, Hulu Live, Apple TV, Roku, Sling, etc)
- Triple sheets and two plentiful set of towels (all white)
- Electronic lock compatible with our systems (we can advise/provide/install)
- Entire property dedicated to short term rental (not just one room)
- Adequate comfortable seating and sleeping arrangements for guests
- A place for guests to hang clothes and place a suitcase
- Thoughtful, relevant decor
- High speed internet
- Fully functional home systems (HVAC, plumbing, electric, appliances, etc)
- Hair dryers in each bathroom
- Iron/ironing board
- Keypad on any garage/carport
- Adequate trash disposal provider
- Appropriate window coverings
- Vacuum and basic cleaning supplies for guest use
- Onsite washer and dryer for guest and cleaner use
- All utilities turned on and on auto-pay
The rest varies by property, but we will be happy to give specific suggestions once we meet.