Short Term Rental
Management

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

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Monticello, Florida Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Monticello, Florida presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic positioning between Tallahassee and the emerging North Florida tourism corridor, where average daily rates have increased 23% year-over-year while maintaining occupancy rates above 75% during peak seasons. Property owners can capitalize on the town's unique appeal as a historic destination with Victorian-era charm, attracting both business travelers seeking alternatives to expensive Tallahassee accommodations and leisure guests exploring Florida's canopy roads and plantation tours, resulting in average annual revenues of $35,000-$52,000 for well-positioned properties. The market benefits from limited hotel inventory, creating sustained demand that allows owners to command premium rates of $150-$220 per night during football season and legislative sessions, while the area's proximity to Thomasville, Georgia expands the guest pool to include wedding parties and antique enthusiasts. With property acquisition costs remaining 40% below comparable markets in Leon County and minimal competition from corporate short-term rental operators, early investors can achieve cash-on-cash returns exceeding 12% while building equity in an appreciating market supported by Florida State University's economic influence and growing agritourism sector.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Monticello, Florida involve a complex web of local zoning ordinances, business licensing requirements, and tax obligations 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 local authorities adapt to the growing short-term rental market, making it increasingly difficult for property owners to stay current with changing permit requirements, occupancy limits, safety standards, and tax collection responsibilities. However, partnering with a professional short-term rental management service eliminates these compliance risks entirely, as experienced managers handle all aspects of licensing, permit applications, tax collection and remittance, regulatory monitoring, and ongoing legal compliance, ensuring your property operates within all applicable laws while you enjoy the income benefits without the stress of navigating the complex regulatory environment.
Occupancy Rates
Monticello, Florida experiences distinct seasonal patterns in Airbnb occupancy rates, with peak tourist seasons occurring during fall (October-November) when visitors come for hunting season and cooler weather, and spring (March-May) when travelers seek mild temperatures and outdoor activities before the intense summer heat arrives. The slower shoulder seasons typically fall during the harsh summer months (June-August) when high humidity and temperatures deter many tourists, and mid-winter (December-February) when cooler temperatures reduce demand for outdoor recreation. Professional revenue management becomes essential in this market due to these pronounced seasonal fluctuations, requiring hosts to implement dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during peak hunting and spring seasons while offering competitive pricing during slower periods to maintain occupancy. Effective revenue management involves adjusting rates based on local events, weather patterns, hunting seasons, and regional tourism trends, while also considering longer-term stays during shoulder seasons to offset lower nightly rates with extended occupancy periods, ultimately ensuring consistent cash flow throughout the year despite Monticello's inherently seasonal tourism patterns.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Monticello, Florida presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their investment returns. Guest turnover in this rural North Florida market requires precise coordination between cleaning crews who may be 30+ minutes away from the nearest major city, creating tight scheduling windows that leave no room for delays or last-minute cancellations. The 24/7 communication demands are particularly taxing, as guests expect immediate responses to questions about everything from WiFi passwords to local restaurant recommendations, while emergency situations like HVAC failures or plumbing issues require instant attention regardless of the hour or your personal schedule. Maintenance becomes exponentially more complex in Monticello's humid subtropical climate, where properties face constant threats from moisture damage, pest intrusion, and HVAC strain, requiring relationships with reliable local contractors who understand vacation rental urgency and quality standards. Without professional property management handling these intricate logistics, owners inevitably face guest complaints, negative reviews, and revenue loss from booking gaps caused by maintenance delays or poor communication, making full-service management not just a luxury but an absolute necessity for maintaining the 5-star reputation and truly passive income that separates successful vacation rentals from costly headaches in this increasingly competitive market.
Attractions and Amenities
Monticello, Florida's primary tourist attractions center around the historic downtown district with its antebellum courthouse and Victorian-era architecture, the expansive Aucilla Wildlife Management Area offering hunting and fishing opportunities, Lake Miccosukee for boating and water recreation, and the numerous canopy road tours featuring centuries-old oak trees draped in Spanish moss. To effectively serve guests visiting these attractions, rental properties must provide secure storage for hunting and fishing equipment, boat trailer parking or covered storage areas, high-speed Wi-Fi for guests researching historical sites and planning outdoor excursions, outdoor gear cleaning stations with utility sinks, early morning coffee service for hunters and anglers, comfortable outdoor seating areas for evening relaxation after day-long activities, and detailed local information packets including hunting season dates, fishing licenses locations, boat launch access points, and self-guided historical walking tour maps. Properties that align these specific amenities with Monticello's unique blend of historical tourism and outdoor recreation will capture the highest occupancy rates and command premium pricing from guests who require these specialized accommodations to fully enjoy their North Florida experience.

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