Short Term Rental
Management

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

Schedule a Call

Ely, Nevada Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Ely, Nevada presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic position as the gateway to Great Basin National Park and its role as a critical stopover along the Loneliest Road in America (US Highway 50), generating consistent year-round demand from outdoor enthusiasts, road trip travelers, and dark-sky tourism seekers. Property owners can capitalize on occupancy rates averaging 65-75% annually, with peak summer months reaching 85-90% occupancy and average daily rates ranging from $120-180 depending on property size and amenities, significantly outperforming traditional long-term rental yields in the area. The market benefits from limited hotel inventory, creating a supply-demand imbalance that favors short-term rental properties, while Ely's proximity to world-class stargazing sites, historic mining attractions, and outdoor recreation activities ensures diverse revenue streams across multiple guest segments. With minimal competition from corporate hospitality chains and growing recognition as a premier astrotourism destination, property owners can expect gross rental yields of 12-18% annually, substantially higher than Nevada's statewide average of 8-10% for traditional rental properties, making Ely an undervalued market poised for significant appreciation as tourism infrastructure continues to develop.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Ely, Nevada involve a complex web of local ordinances, zoning restrictions, and permitting requirements that can vary significantly depending on your property's location and classification, with violations potentially resulting in substantial fines, forced closure of your rental operation, or even legal action that could jeopardize your investment. The regulatory landscape is constantly evolving as the city adapts to the growing short-term rental market, making it increasingly difficult for property owners to stay current with changing compliance requirements, tax obligations, and licensing procedures that must be meticulously maintained to avoid costly penalties. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all aspects of legal compliance are handled expertly on your behalf – from obtaining and maintaining proper permits and licenses to ensuring accurate tax collection and remittance, staying current with evolving regulations, and managing all necessary documentation so you can focus on maximizing your rental income without the stress and risk of navigating the complex regulatory environment alone.
Occupancy Rates
Ely, Nevada experiences distinct seasonal fluctuations in Airbnb occupancy rates, with peak tourist seasons occurring during summer months (June through August) when visitors explore nearby Great Basin National Park and enjoy outdoor activities, and during fall (September-October) when cooler temperatures attract hikers and leaf-peepers. Winter months (December-February) represent the slowest shoulder season due to harsh weather conditions and limited outdoor recreation opportunities, while spring (March-May) sees moderate occupancy as travelers begin planning desert excursions. Professional revenue management becomes crucial in this market as hosts must implement dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during high-demand summer weekends and special events while offering competitive pricing during slower periods to maintain consistent bookings. Effective revenue management involves adjusting rates based on local events, weather patterns, and competitor pricing, while also offering extended-stay discounts during shoulder seasons and implementing minimum stay requirements during peak periods to optimize both occupancy rates and total revenue throughout Ely's dramatically seasonal tourism cycle.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Ely, Nevada presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their reputation. The remote location, over 240 miles from Las Vegas, makes coordinating same-day guest turnover extremely difficult when cleaning crews are delayed or maintenance issues arise unexpectedly, often forcing owners to drive hours for emergency situations or disappoint incoming guests. The 24/7 communication demands become particularly stressful given Ely's limited cell coverage in certain areas and the fact that guests often arrive late at night after long drives through rural Nevada, requiring immediate assistance with lockbox codes, Wi-Fi passwords, or heating system instructions when owners may be sleeping or unavailable. Maintenance challenges are amplified by Ely's harsh high-desert climate, which causes frequent HVAC failures, plumbing freezes, and roof issues, while the limited pool of local contractors means repairs can take days or weeks to schedule, leaving properties uninhabitable and reviews plummeting. Without professional property management handling these critical touchpoints—from coordinating reliable local vendor networks to providing round-the-clock guest support and ensuring seamless turnovers—even minor operational hiccups can cascade into negative reviews, booking cancellations, and significant revenue loss, making full-service management not just helpful but essential for maintaining the consistent 5-star experience that drives repeat bookings and premium pricing in Ely's competitive vacation rental market.
Attractions and Amenities
Ely, Nevada's tourism centers around four primary attractions that create specific accommodation needs: the Nevada Northern Railway Museum with its historic steam train rides, the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park featuring 19th-century beehive-shaped ovens, the nearby Great Basin National Park with Lehman Caves and Wheeler Peak, and the area's renowned dark sky stargazing opportunities. To maximize revenue, properties must cater to these attractions by offering early morning departure accommodations for railway excursions, secure storage for hiking and camping gear used at Great Basin National Park, educational materials and maps highlighting the historical significance of the charcoal ovens, and most critically, outdoor spaces with minimal light pollution, telescopes or stargazing equipment, and comfortable seating areas for astronomy enthusiasts who travel specifically to experience some of the darkest skies in the continental United States. Additionally, properties should provide packed breakfast options for early park departures, laundry facilities for extended outdoor adventures, and knowledgeable local guidance about seasonal accessibility to these remote attractions, as guests often combine multiple sites during their stay and require flexible, adventure-focused amenities rather than typical urban hotel features.

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