Short Term Rental
Management

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

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Lake Montezuma, Arizona Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Lake Montezuma presents exceptional short-term rental investment opportunities driven by its strategic positioning between Sedona's premium tourism market and Phoenix's metropolitan demand, creating year-round occupancy potential that significantly outperforms traditional long-term rental yields. Property owners can capitalize on average daily rates 40-60% higher than comparable Arizona markets due to the area's proximity to Oak Creek Canyon recreational activities, Verde Valley wine country, and Sedona's world-renowned attractions, while maintaining substantially lower acquisition costs than direct Sedona properties. The location's unique appeal to both weekend getaway seekers and extended-stay remote workers generates consistent booking patterns across peak and shoulder seasons, with market data indicating annual revenue potential of $35,000-$55,000 for well-positioned properties compared to traditional rental income of $18,000-$24,000 annually. Current supply constraints in the immediate area, combined with increasing tourism infrastructure development and limited new construction, position early-entry investors to capture premium market share while benefiting from accelerating property appreciation driven by Sedona's spillover demand and Phoenix's northern expansion patterns.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Lake Montezuma, Arizona, involve a complex web of local zoning ordinances, county permitting requirements, and state tax obligations that can change without notice, leaving property owners vulnerable to costly fines, legal action, and forced closure of their rental operations if they fail to maintain proper compliance. The intricacies of Yavapai County's specific requirements, combined with Arizona's transaction privilege tax laws and potential homeowner association restrictions, create a regulatory minefield where even well-intentioned owners can inadvertently violate multiple regulations simultaneously, risking thousands of dollars in penalties and potential criminal liability. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, permit renewals, tax filings, and legal compliance issues are handled by experienced professionals who stay current with every regulatory change, monitor compliance deadlines, and maintain all necessary documentation, allowing you to enjoy the income from your investment property while completely eliminating the stress and risk of navigating the complex legal landscape on your own.
Occupancy Rates
Lake Montezuma, Arizona experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring during the spring months (March-May) and fall season (September-November) when temperatures are most comfortable for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and exploring nearby Sedona attractions, while summer months see reduced demand due to extreme heat despite lower pricing strategies. The slower shoulder seasons include late summer (July-August) when temperatures soar above 100°F and winter months (December-February) when cooler weather deters many visitors, though some properties still attract guests seeking affordable desert retreats. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, requiring dynamic pricing strategies that maximize revenue during peak periods while maintaining competitive rates during slower months to sustain occupancy levels. Effective revenue management involves adjusting nightly rates based on local events, weather patterns, and regional tourism trends, while implementing minimum stay requirements during high-demand periods and offering attractive discounts during shoulder seasons to ensure consistent bookings throughout the year, ultimately enabling property owners to achieve optimal annual revenue despite the inherent seasonality of this desert market.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Lake Montezuma, Arizona presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm self-managing owners and jeopardize their investment returns. The remote desert location, over an hour from major metropolitan areas, makes coordinating same-day guest turnover extremely difficult when cleaning crews are delayed or maintenance issues arise unexpectedly, often resulting in frustrated guests and negative reviews that can devastate bookings in this highly competitive market. The 24/7 communication demands become particularly burdensome given the area's spotty cell coverage and the fact that many guests are unfamiliar with the region's quirks, from well water systems to wildlife encounters, requiring immediate expert responses that self-managing owners simply cannot provide while maintaining their primary careers. Maintenance challenges are amplified by the harsh desert climate, monsoon seasons, and limited local contractor availability, where a broken HVAC system or plumbing issue can escalate into costly property damage and guest relocations if not addressed within hours. Full-service property management becomes essential rather than optional in Lake Montezuma, as professional managers maintain local contractor networks, provide round-the-clock guest support with area expertise, and ensure seamless turnovers that preserve the 5-star ratings necessary to command premium rates and achieve true passive income in this demanding but lucrative vacation rental market.
Attractions and Amenities
Lake Montezuma's primary attractions center around Montezuma Well National Monument with its ancient Sinagua ruins and natural limestone sinkhole, the Verde River for kayaking and fishing, Bell Rock and Cathedral Rock formations for hiking and spiritual retreats, and the nearby Sedona vortex sites just 20 minutes away. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these specific destinations, properties must offer early morning coffee service and grab-and-go breakfast options for sunrise hikers, secure storage for hiking gear and fishing equipment, outdoor gear cleaning stations with hoses for muddy boots and wet kayaks, high-speed Wi-Fi for guests sharing their spiritual and adventure experiences on social media, hot tubs or spa amenities for post-hike recovery, and detailed local trail maps with insider tips about the best photography spots at the ruins and optimal times to visit the vortex sites. Additionally, providing coolers, water bottles, and picnic supplies enables guests to extend their outdoor adventures, while offering meditation spaces or quiet outdoor areas caters to the significant number of visitors drawn to the area's renowned spiritual energy and healing properties.

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