Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Joshua Tree, California

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Joshua Tree, California Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Joshua Tree's short-term rental market presents exceptional revenue opportunities driven by its proximity to Joshua Tree National Park, which attracts over 3 million annual visitors generating consistent year-round demand for alternative accommodations. Property owners in this desert market typically achieve 65-80% occupancy rates with average daily rates ranging from $150-$400 depending on property size and amenities, significantly outperforming traditional long-term rental yields by 200-300%. The area's limited hotel inventory creates a supply-demand imbalance that favors short-term rental operators, while the destination's appeal to diverse demographics—from outdoor enthusiasts and music festival attendees to wellness retreats and stargazing tourists—ensures multiple revenue streams throughout seasonal fluctuations. Recent market data indicates Joshua Tree Airbnb properties generate average annual revenues of $35,000-$75,000, with premium desert retreats featuring pools, hot tubs, and architectural distinction commanding rates exceeding $500 per night during peak periods, making this location particularly attractive for investors seeking to maximize their property's income potential in California's robust vacation rental economy.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Joshua Tree, California, involve a complex web of San Bernardino County ordinances, zoning restrictions, and permit requirements that can change without notice, creating significant legal and financial risks for property owners who fail to maintain proper compliance. Violations can result in hefty fines, forced closure of your rental operation, legal liability, and potential criminal charges, while navigating the maze of business licenses, transient occupancy taxes, health department requirements, and neighbor complaint procedures can quickly become overwhelming for individual owners. However, professional short-term rental management services specialize in handling all aspects of legal compliance on your behalf, from obtaining and maintaining proper permits and licenses to ensuring timely tax remittance, staying current with regulatory changes, and managing all required documentation, allowing you to enjoy the income from your investment property while having complete peace of mind that your operation remains fully compliant with all local, county, and state requirements.
Occupancy Rates
Joshua Tree, California experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring during the cooler months from October through April, when temperatures are ideal for outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing, and stargazing, with March and April being particularly strong due to wildflower blooms and perfect weather conditions. The shoulder seasons of May and September see moderate demand as temperatures begin to rise or fall, while the summer months of June through August represent the slowest period due to extreme desert heat that can exceed 100°F, significantly reducing tourist appeal and occupancy rates. Professional revenue management and dynamic pricing strategies are crucial for Joshua Tree Airbnb operators to maximize revenue year-round by adjusting rates based on demand fluctuations, local events like music festivals, astronomical events, and weather patterns, while also implementing minimum stay requirements during peak periods and offering competitive rates during slower summer months to attract heat-tolerant guests and maintain cash flow. Without sophisticated pricing strategies that account for these dramatic seasonal variations, property owners risk leaving substantial revenue on the table during high-demand periods while struggling to achieve acceptable occupancy rates during the challenging summer season.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Joshua Tree presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their reputation. The remote desert location means that handling guest turnover requires extensive coordination with cleaning crews who may be hours away, while the extreme temperature fluctuations and harsh desert conditions accelerate wear on HVAC systems, plumbing, and outdoor amenities that guests expect to function flawlessly. The 24/7 nature of guest communication becomes particularly demanding when dealing with visitors unfamiliar with desert living who may panic about wildlife encounters, power outages from desert storms, or equipment failures in an area with limited immediate repair services. Without professional property management, owners find themselves constantly fielding emergency calls about everything from scorpion sightings to broken air conditioning units during 110-degree summer days, while simultaneously trying to coordinate same-day maintenance in a region where qualified technicians are scarce and expensive. The competitive Joshua Tree market demands consistent 5-star experiences, but self-managing owners often struggle to maintain this standard when faced with the logistical nightmare of ensuring rapid turnover cleaning, proactive maintenance of desert-stressed systems, and immediate response to guest needs in an isolated location where even basic supplies require advance planning. Full-service property management becomes essential not just for convenience, but as the only viable way to maintain the operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and truly passive income that successful Joshua Tree vacation rentals require.
Attractions and Amenities
Joshua Tree's primary attractions include Joshua Tree National Park with its iconic rock formations and hiking trails, the renowned music venue Pappy & Harriet's in nearby Pioneertown, the artistic community of Twentynine Palms, and the area's world-class stargazing opportunities due to its designation as a Dark Sky area. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these specific draws, properties must offer essential amenities including secure gear storage for hiking and climbing equipment, outdoor shower facilities for post-adventure cleanup, fire pits or outdoor seating areas for evening relaxation after park visits, blackout curtains and comfortable outdoor lounging spaces for astronomy enthusiasts, reliable Wi-Fi for guests sharing their desert photography and experiences, and robust air conditioning systems to provide relief from the intense desert heat that builds up during day-long park explorations. Additionally, properties should feature outdoor kitchens or grilling areas since many visitors prefer to prepare meals after long days hiking rather than driving to distant restaurants, and ample parking for the larger vehicles and RVs that many Joshua Tree visitors use to transport their outdoor gear and accommodate group travel to this remote desert 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