Handing Over Your Property to a Management Company: What Actually Happens in the First 30 Days

Week 1: assessment, agreement and photography

The first week is groundwork. The property gets walked properly, comparable listings are reviewed, and the agreement is signed with the fee, the scope and the exit terms all in plain language.

Photography gets booked in this week too, along with any small styling fixes that need doing before the camera arrives. Photos shot before the property is ready are the most common early mistake.

Week 2: listings go live and pricing gets calibrated

Listings are written and published across Airbnb, Booking.com and LekkeSlaap with calendars synced from day one. Opening rates are set for the market rather than guessed, and the first bookings usually arrive during this week.

Expect early rates to sit slightly below where they will settle. New listings need a first run of reviews before they can hold a premium.

Weeks 3 and 4: first stays and the first report

The first guests are hosted, the changeover routine is tested with a real cleaner on a real deadline, and any gaps in the property, from a missing kettle to a slow geyser, surface quickly.

The first reporting cycle should land at the end of this period with occupancy, revenue and a short list of recommended adjustments.

What good communication looks like

You should hear from your manager without having to chase. A message when the listings go live, a note after the first stay, and a report that explains itself. Silence in the first month is the thing to worry about.

Red flags in a handover

A disorganised start rarely improves on its own.

• Photos taken before the property was ready
• Listings live on one platform only, with the rest promised later
• No written record of what was agreed on pricing or house rules
• Nobody who can tell you who physically met your first guest