Short-Stay property manager (home-based)
Run bookings, guest messages and cleaner rosters for a handful of owners' holiday apartments, from home.
- A$500-4k
- Side hustle
- From home
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
You manage a small number of short-stay apartments or houses for owners who don't want to deal with guests. You list the property, answer enquiries, organise cleaners and linen, and handle problems. You work from home and visit properties when needed.
Your first three steps
- Check your local council and state rules for short-term rentals, then pick a suburb or holiday area to focus on
- Write a simple management agreement and commission structure, and have it reviewed by a solicitor
- Approach local owners and ask to manage one property at a reduced rate to build photos, reviews and a track record
Who pays
Owners of investment apartments, holiday homes or spare properties who want a hands-off income but live elsewhere or are too busy.
How it makes money
A commission on each booking, often a percentage of nightly revenue, sometimes plus a fee for set-up or extra services like restocking.
Skills that help
- Quick, friendly communication
- Organising people and schedules
- Comfortable with booking platforms and spreadsheets
Watch out for
- Short-term rental rules differ by state and council, and some buildings (strata/owners corporation) restrict or ban short stays, so check each property first
- Some states require real estate or property agent licensing for managing rentals or collecting rent on behalf of owners, so check with your state's fair trading or licensing body
- Public liability and professional indemnity insurance, and check that the owner's insurance covers short stays
- Being on call for guest issues, lockouts and cleaning no-shows, including evenings and weekends
- Income depends on a few owners, so losing one property has a big impact
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: short-stay property manager (home-based)
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start managing short-stay properties from home?
Startup costs are typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on the software, insurance, supplies and marketing you need. Check what insurance you need, including whether each owner's cover includes short stays.
How much can a home-based short-stay manager earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on how many properties you manage and your fees. Income relies on a few owners, so losing one property can have a big impact.
What rules should I check before managing short-stay properties?
Short-term rental rules differ by state and council, and some strata buildings restrict or ban short stays, so check each property. Some states require real estate or property agent licensing, so check with your state's fair trading or licensing body.
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