Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Bonneau, South Carolina

Schedule a Call

Bonneau, South Carolina Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Bonneau, South Carolina presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic positioning along Lake Moultrie and proximity to Charleston's growing tourism market, creating a supply-constrained environment where property owners can capitalize on premium nightly rates averaging 40-60% above traditional long-term rental yields. The area's unique combination of waterfront recreation, fishing tournaments, and outdoor activities generates consistent demand from weekend warriors and vacation renters willing to pay $150-300+ per night for lakefront or near-lake properties, while the limited inventory of quality short-term rentals ensures minimal competition and high occupancy rates exceeding 70% during peak seasons. Property owners benefit from Charleston's tourism overflow, as visitors seek authentic South Carolina experiences beyond the city, positioning Bonneau rentals to capture both leisure travelers and corporate retreats seeking tranquil settings within 45 minutes of major business centers. The market dynamics favor early movers, as local zoning remains favorable for short-term rentals while nearby markets face increasing restrictions, creating a window for property owners to establish market presence and achieve ROI potential of 12-18% annually through optimized pricing strategies and seasonal demand management.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Bonneau, South Carolina, involve a complex web of local zoning ordinances, business licensing requirements, and tax obligations that can vary significantly and change without notice, leaving property owners vulnerable to costly fines, legal penalties, and potential shutdown of their rental operations if they fail to maintain proper compliance with evolving municipal codes and state regulations. The risk of inadvertently violating occupancy limits, parking requirements, noise ordinances, or failing to collect and remit the appropriate accommodations taxes can result in substantial financial liability and damage to your investment property's reputation. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, permit applications, tax collection and remittance, and ongoing legal compliance monitoring are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the income from your property while eliminating the stress and risk of navigating the constantly shifting regulatory landscape.
Occupancy Rates
Bonneau, South Carolina experiences distinct seasonal patterns in Airbnb occupancy rates, with peak tourist seasons occurring during late spring through early fall (May-September) when visitors flock to nearby Lake Moultrie for fishing, boating, and water recreation activities, driving occupancy rates to 75-85% during these months. The shoulder seasons of March-April and October-November see moderate demand at 50-65% occupancy as weather remains pleasant for outdoor activities but lacks the intense summer draw, while winter months (December-February) represent the slowest period with occupancy dropping to 30-45% as cooler temperatures and shorter days reduce recreational lake activities. Professional revenue management becomes crucial in this market through dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during peak fishing tournaments and summer weekends while offering competitive pricing during slower periods to attract extended stays and off-season visitors. Effective revenue management also involves adjusting minimum stay requirements, implementing seasonal pricing calendars that account for local events like bass fishing competitions, and strategically lowering rates during weekdays in shoulder seasons while maintaining premium pricing for peak summer weekends, ultimately enabling property owners to achieve year-round occupancy rates of 60-70% despite the inherent seasonality of this lake-focused tourism market.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Bonneau, South Carolina presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their investment returns. The remote location near Lake Moultrie means coordinating same-day guest turnovers becomes a logistical nightmare, especially when cleaning crews are limited and guests arrive expecting pristine conditions after long drives from Charleston or Columbia. Managing 24/7 guest communication while juggling personal responsibilities creates constant stress, as visitors frequently need immediate assistance with everything from Wi-Fi troubleshooting to emergency lockouts, often during weekends or holidays when local services are unavailable. Maintenance issues in this rural area compound rapidly due to limited contractor availability and the humid coastal climate that accelerates wear on HVAC systems, dock structures, and outdoor amenities that guests expect to be fully functional. Without professional property management handling these critical touchpoints, even minor oversights—like delayed responses to guest inquiries or postponed repairs—quickly spiral into negative reviews that devastate booking rates in a market where travelers have numerous Lake Moultrie alternatives. Full-service property management transforms these operational burdens into seamless systems that protect your 5-star reputation while ensuring the truly passive income that makes vacation rental investment worthwhile.
Attractions and Amenities
Bonneau's primary tourism draws center around Lake Moultrie's expansive waters for fishing, boating, and water sports, the Francis Marion National Forest offering hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities, Bonneau Beach providing swimming and picnic areas, and the nearby Santee Cooper lakes system attracting serious anglers and recreational boaters. To effectively serve guests visiting these attractions, rental properties must provide boat trailer parking and easy lake access, fishing equipment storage and cleaning stations, outdoor gear drying areas for wet clothes and equipment, high-speed Wi-Fi for guests researching fishing conditions and sharing their outdoor experiences, outdoor grilling facilities and picnic equipment for lakeside dining, kayak or canoe storage racks, coolers and ice makers for extended fishing trips, and outdoor shower facilities to rinse off lake water and sand. Properties should also offer early check-in and late check-out flexibility to accommodate fishing schedules, provide local fishing guides and boat rental contacts, and include outdoor furniture for relaxing after active days on the water, as these specific amenities directly address the practical needs of visitors engaging in Bonneau's water-based and outdoor recreational activities.

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

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

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