Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Desert Hills, Arizona

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Desert Hills, Arizona Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Desert Hills, Arizona presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic proximity to Scottsdale's luxury amenities and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, positioning properties to capture both leisure and business travelers willing to pay premium rates for desert resort experiences. Current market data indicates Desert Hills Airbnb properties achieve average daily rates 15-25% higher than traditional Phoenix metro rentals, with occupancy rates consistently exceeding 75% during peak season (October through April) due to the area's year-round golf courses, spa resorts, and outdoor recreation access. The location's appeal to high-income demographics seeking authentic Sonoran Desert experiences, combined with limited hotel inventory in the immediate vicinity, creates significant pricing power for property owners who can capitalize on guests' willingness to pay $200-400+ per night for well-appointed homes with desert views and resort-style amenities. Additionally, Desert Hills' rapid infrastructure development and growing reputation as a luxury destination market suggest strong appreciation potential alongside immediate cash flow benefits, making it an ideal time to optimize your property asset for short-term rental income before increased competition enters this emerging market.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Desert Hills, Arizona involve a complex web of local zoning ordinances, permit requirements, and tax obligations that can change frequently and vary significantly depending on your property's specific location and classification. Property owners face potential fines, legal action, and forced closure of their rental operations if they fail to obtain proper permits, register with the appropriate authorities, or comply with occupancy limits, safety requirements, and tax collection mandates that may include state transaction privilege tax, local bed taxes, and municipal licensing fees. The regulatory landscape is particularly challenging because requirements can differ between county and municipal jurisdictions, and non-compliance can result in costly penalties that far exceed any rental income. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing, permitting, tax collection and remittance, and ongoing legal compliance are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of your investment property without the stress and risk of navigating the ever-changing regulatory environment.
Occupancy Rates
Desert Hills, Arizona experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring during the winter months from November through March when snowbirds and tourists escape colder climates, driving occupancy rates to 75-85% and allowing for premium pricing. The shoulder seasons of April-May and September-October see moderate demand with occupancy rates around 60-70%, while the harsh summer months of June through August represent the slowest period with occupancy often dropping to 40-50% due to extreme heat that can exceed 115°F. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, utilizing dynamic pricing strategies that automatically adjust rates based on local events, weather patterns, and competitor analysis to maximize revenue during peak periods while maintaining competitiveness during slower months. Effective revenue management also involves strategic marketing campaigns targeting different demographics for each season, implementing minimum stay requirements during high-demand periods, and offering attractive packages or discounts during summer months to offset the natural decline in tourism, ultimately enabling property owners to maintain year-round profitability despite the inherent seasonality of the Desert Hills market.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Desert Hills, Arizona presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their investment returns. The extreme desert climate creates unique maintenance demands, from HVAC systems working overtime against 115°F summer heat to pool equipment requiring constant chemical balancing and filter cleaning, while monsoon seasons bring sudden flooding risks and property damage that demand immediate response. Guest turnover in this tourist-heavy market means coordinating cleaning crews within tight 2-3 hour windows between check-out and check-in, often during peak heat when outdoor work becomes dangerous, while managing the logistics of linen services, restocking amenities, and conducting thorough property inspections in compressed timeframes. The 24/7 communication burden intensifies in Desert Hills due to guests unfamiliar with desert living who panic about wildlife encounters, pool equipment malfunctions, or air conditioning issues that can become life-threatening emergencies within hours. Without professional property management handling these complex operational demands—from maintaining relationships with specialized desert-climate contractors to providing round-the-clock guest support and coordinating rapid emergency responses—owners face inevitable service failures, negative reviews, and declining bookings that transform what should be passive income into a high-stress, low-profit venture that ultimately destroys their property's 5-star potential in this fiercely competitive short-term rental market.
Attractions and Amenities
Desert Hills, Arizona attracts visitors primarily to the renowned Desert Hills Premium Outlets for luxury shopping, the nearby Cahuilla Creek Casino for gaming and entertainment, the Oak Glen apple orchards and seasonal festivals just minutes away, and the San Bernardino National Forest for hiking and outdoor recreation. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these specific attractions, properties must offer essential amenities including secure storage areas or walk-in closets for shopping purchases, high-speed Wi-Fi for researching deals and sharing social media content from outlets, outdoor gear storage and cleaning stations for hiking equipment, early check-in and late check-out flexibility to accommodate shopping schedules and outdoor activities, pool and spa facilities for post-hiking relaxation, and kitchenettes or full kitchens for storing and preparing fresh apples and local produce from Oak Glen, while also providing detailed local guides with shuttle information, discount coupons, and seasonal activity calendars to help guests maximize their time at each destination.

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