Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Apison, Tennessee

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Apison, Tennessee Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Apison, Tennessee presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic proximity to Chattanooga's booming tourism sector and the area's limited hotel inventory, creating significant supply-demand imbalances that favor property owners. The location benefits from consistent year-round occupancy rates exceeding regional averages due to its access to outdoor recreation at Harrison Bay State Park, proximity to Ruby Falls and Rock City attractions, and positioning along major interstate corridors that attract both leisure and business travelers. Current market data indicates average daily rates in the Apison area command 15-25% premiums over traditional long-term rental income, with peak season occupancy rates reaching 85-90% for well-managed properties. The municipality's favorable short-term rental regulations, combined with lower property acquisition costs compared to urban Chattanooga while maintaining premium pricing power, creates an optimal investment environment where property owners typically achieve 12-18% annual returns on investment. Additionally, the area's growing reputation as a gateway to Tennessee's scenic attractions ensures sustained demand growth, while the limited commercial lodging options in the immediate vicinity positions private short-term rentals to capture significant market share from the expanding regional tourism economy.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Apison, Tennessee, can be a complex maze of local zoning requirements, permit applications, tax obligations, and compliance standards that vary significantly and change frequently, leaving property owners vulnerable to costly fines, legal penalties, or forced closure of their rental operations if they fail to navigate these intricate requirements properly. The risk of non-compliance is substantial, as Hamilton County and local municipal codes may impose specific licensing requirements, occupancy limits, safety inspections, noise ordinances, and tax collection responsibilities that can overwhelm individual property owners who lack the expertise to stay current with evolving regulations. However, partnering with a professional short-term rental management service eliminates these concerns entirely, as experienced managers handle all aspects of legal compliance, from obtaining proper permits and maintaining current licenses to collecting and remitting all required local and state taxes, ensuring your property operates within full legal compliance while you enjoy peace of mind and maximum rental income.
Occupancy Rates
Airbnb occupancy rates in Apison, Tennessee typically peak during late spring through early fall (May-September), when visitors flock to nearby Chattanooga attractions, outdoor recreation areas, and the scenic Tennessee Valley region, often achieving occupancy rates of 70-85% during summer months. The shoulder seasons of March-April and October-November see moderate demand with occupancy rates dropping to 45-60%, while winter months (December-February) represent the slowest period with occupancy often falling below 40% as tourism decreases significantly due to cooler weather and reduced outdoor activities. Professional revenue management becomes crucial in this market through dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during peak demand periods while strategically lowering prices during slower months to maintain competitiveness and attract budget-conscious travelers. Effective revenue management also involves adjusting minimum stay requirements, implementing seasonal promotions, and optimizing listing visibility during low-demand periods, ensuring that properties maintain steady cash flow year-round rather than experiencing the dramatic revenue swings that can occur when hosts rely on static pricing models that fail to account for Apison's distinct seasonal tourism patterns.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Apison, Tennessee presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their investment returns. The remote location, situated between Chattanooga and the Georgia border, makes coordinating same-day guest turnover extremely difficult, especially when cleaning crews cancel last-minute or maintenance issues arise during the critical window between checkout and check-in. Managing 24/7 guest communication becomes particularly taxing when dealing with visitors unfamiliar with the area's rural roads, spotty cell service in certain pockets, and limited late-night dining or emergency service options, often resulting in panicked calls at 2 AM about everything from WiFi connectivity to wildlife encounters. Maintenance challenges are amplified by Apison's limited pool of reliable local contractors, seasonal weather impacts on HVAC systems and outdoor amenities, and the need for immediate response to issues like plumbing failures or security system malfunctions that can instantly trigger negative reviews. In this increasingly competitive short-term rental market where guests expect hotel-level service and instant problem resolution, attempting to juggle these demands while maintaining other professional or personal commitments inevitably leads to delayed responses, subpar guest experiences, and declining reviews that directly impact booking rates and revenue. Full-service property management transforms these overwhelming operational burdens into a streamlined, professional operation that ensures consistent 5-star experiences, protects your property's reputation, and delivers the truly passive income that makes vacation rental investment worthwhile.
Attractions and Amenities
Apison's primary attractions center around the scenic Ocoee River for whitewater rafting and kayaking adventures, the expansive Cherokee National Forest offering extensive hiking trails and camping opportunities, nearby Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park for Civil War history enthusiasts, and Harrison Bay State Park on Chickamauga Lake for fishing and boating activities. To effectively serve guests visiting these outdoor recreation destinations, rental properties must provide essential amenities including secure storage for rafting gear, kayaks, and fishing equipment, outdoor shower facilities or mudrooms for cleaning off after river and trail activities, high-speed Wi-Fi for guests to share their adventure photos and plan daily excursions, spacious drying areas for wet gear and clothing, early check-in and late check-out flexibility to accommodate varying adventure schedules, and outdoor spaces like fire pits or grills where guests can relax and prepare meals after long days exploring the natural attractions that define this Tennessee mountain region.

Why choose Surge?

Surge is local Airbnb management that’s reliable, affordable and the best for your property.
Cost
Guest communications
Host Communications
Insurance
Contract
Cost
Starting at 15% fee
Guest communications
Guest response within 10 minutes, 24 hours a day
Host Communications
Designated host call in phone line
Insurance
Full damage protection for every reservation
Contract
No annual agreements
Other Property Mangers
Cost
25-40% fee
Guest communications
Sporadic guest communications
Host Communications
Bot response assistants
Insurance
Unreliable insurance coverage
Contract
Contract lock-ins

Understand Your STR Income

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Surge is geared towards maximizing potential

Be at ease with the knowledge that your vacation rental is being optimized to its fullest potential.
30%
In gross revenue
150 M
Potential guests
4.9
Superhost status
7+
Booking platforms
1
Property manager
The house was great. It accommodated our large group nicely. The owner was responsive and checked in on us throughout the trip. The gate around the home added privacy and security. The beds were comfortable as well. Extra linen, towels and washcloths. We are looking to book this home in the future!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
We really appreciated Surge. He was responsive, attentive, and went above to make sure our stay was seamless. You can tell he takes pride in providing a clean/organized place. Everyone loved the pool table and shuffleboard. This place is also very close to great restaurants. The place we went to had the best catfish. Would definitely rent from Surge again!!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
Our group really enjoyed our long weekend stay here! The property was very clean and spacious but also provided some privacy to accommodate our large family. Surge was responsive when we reached out to them and also accommodated an early check-in. We felt secure given that the property was gated and had smart locks on both entry doors. We strongly recommend this property and would love to stay here again!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
My family and I were here for my daughter’s graduation from UofH. Surge was very upfront, kept us informed and accommodating. The place was clean and fit my entire family comfortably. We have already made plans to come back. Great location, private and safe environment. Would highly recommend! Thank you Surge for making this stay memorable and stress free for our family!
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
Great stay that accommodated all our needs for a successful for trip to Houston, i hope to Book in the coming future.
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers
The host was great, he responded quickly when needed and checked in on us from time to time throughout the whole day. He was awesome and the place was great for my family of 16. Definitely will book with him in the future.
Airbnb Guest Hosted by Surge
Head of Design, Layers

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
Does Surge Property Management allow pets in its short term rentals?
Surge Property Management leaves that decision to the property owner. While allowing pets can be a big perk for some guests, Surge does not have any requirements for the property owner to allow it. Service animals are a different case. Surge is prohibited to refuse a reservation, charge pet fees, hold guests to different rules, apply differential treatment or use discriminatory language if a guest is accompanied by a service animal. A guests service animal must not be out of control, un-housebroken, left alone at the listing without prior approval, allowed into areas that are considered unauthorized by the guest and allowed in a public space without being harnessed, leashed, or tethered and not under the guests control.
Do I get access to an owner portal?
Surge Property Management has a tech leading owner portal to keep its property owners in the loop, instead of on the outside looking in. In the owner portal you can reserve days for personal use, see pending reservations, nightly pricing rates, owner statements, expense receipts, guest messaging and more!
Do you screen the guests that are staying in my property?
Our intelligent Guest Screening technology allows us to screen vacation rental guests before they enter your property, making it easier to keep bad guests out. We proactively assess the risk posed by each guest, through legal, non-discriminatory checks. Guests will be asked to submit some personal details including their name, date of birth, physical home address and contact details. We then verify by having the guest take a live selfie and submit a photo of their ID(either a drivers license or passport). This information will then be processed to determine the true identity of your guest, including whether the ID is fraudulent and if the provided details match those on the ID. This process will generate a risk report for us to review before the guest arrives.
Do you provide insurance for guest damages?
We partner with the premier provider of short term rental protection also offering guest screening and comprehensive insurance coverage. Our partner brings confidence and peace of mind to both Surge Property Management and its clients(homeowners). Our third party partner has protected over 60 billion in homeowner liability coverage and 1 million guest nights. Ask your Surge sales representative for more details.
What happens if there is guest damage to my property?
Each guest is required to make a $500 security deposit. Any damage above $500 we are able to document, submit, and follow a claim through on your behalf with our short term rental insurance partner covering up to $5,000,000.
How does Surge compare to a national provider like Vacasa?
While both Surge and Vacasa both have a full service model designed to be hands off from the property owner, Surge stands out above the rest by being more intentional and selective with the properties we decide to accept into our management portfolio. This allows us to give the required attention to the properties we manage instead of just "setting it and forgetting it" like the other property managers do. Once you go onboard with them you just become another number.
Does Surge handle the maintenance of the vacation rental?
Yes, Surge is able to handle any property maintenance(including hot tub & pool) for your property. We have a large network of service providers, additionally, if you have a preferred vendor we can assign and coordinate maintenance with them as well.
What services does Surge Property Management offer?

Surge is a full-service property manager and provides the following service to property owners:

  • Listing creating and management across multiple channels
  • Calendar management
  • Cleaning
  • Laundry
  • Restocking
  • Maintenance
  • Dynamic Pricing
  • Lock automation
  • Guest Portal
  • Owners Portal
  • Listing optimization
  • Photography
  • 24/7 guest communication
  • Check-in/out support
  • and more!
Is Surge Property Management a Superhost on Airbnb?
Yes, Surge Property Management is a Superhost on AirBNB. Airbnb defines a Superhost as a Host who goes above and beyond to provide excellent hospitality. Guests can easily identify a Superhost from the badge that appears on their Airbnb listing and profile. Superhosts have more visibility and earning potential.
How and when do I get paid?
Surge Property Management initiates ACH payment to its property owners once a month by the 10th day of the next month. Along with the ACH deposit sent to you, you also receive a highly detailed statement for review.
Are there any hidden fees?
Surge Property Management has the most transparent pricing in the industry. Our property owners are our Partners in business which is why we hold transparency at a very high standard. With your monthly statements you will be able to trace every dollar from when the guest paid for their reservation to when it was deposited into your bank account. Contact your Surge sales rep for a personal walk through of our statement structure.
Can I still use my property?
Yes of course. The biggest perk of a vacation rental is still retaining personal use of the property for your personal use. Inside of our Owner’s Portal you can reserve days for personal use.
How do you market my property?

We list your property on the major platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Google Vacation rentals and more! We also allow direct bookings very popular among returning guests. Our integration technology is second to none and was awarded the following:

  • Airbnb Preferred + Software Partner
  • VRBO Elite Partner
  • Booking.com Premier Connectivity Partner
How do you handle complaints or disputes?
We aim to resolve issues quickly and fairly, protecting both the guests and the property owner’s interests. We mediate disputes and ensure a smooth resolution process.
How do I get started with your service?
Contact us to schedule a consultation. We'll discuss your property, our services, and how we can help you achieve your rental goals.
How do you handle waste management?
We coordinate with local services to ensure proper waste disposal and recycling, maintaining cleanliness and environmental responsibility.
What safety measures do you implement?
We ensure the property has functional smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and complies with all local safety regulations.
What does Surge’s full service property management mean?
Surge's comprehensive property management service allows property owners to be completely hands-off with the daily operations of their Airbnb properties. Surge takes care of all the daily tasks, including listings, guest interactions, cleanings, restocking, and maintenance, ensuring a stress-free experience for the property owner.

Still have questions?

Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Please chat to our friendly team.
Get in touch
(713) 853-9573