Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Orange Beach, Alabama

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Orange Beach, Alabama Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Orange Beach, Alabama presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its strategic Gulf Coast location, robust tourism infrastructure, and consistently strong occupancy rates that average 65-75% annually across peak and shoulder seasons. Property owners can capitalize on average daily rates ranging from $200-400 depending on proximity to beach access and property amenities, with well-positioned vacation rentals generating gross revenues of $60,000-120,000 annually. The market benefits from Orange Beach's year-round appeal, featuring peak summer demand complemented by strong fall and spring bookings for fishing tournaments, festivals, and mild-weather getaways, while the area's limited high-rise development restrictions maintain property values and rental demand. The destination's established tourism ecosystem, including The Wharf entertainment district, championship golf courses, and deep-sea fishing charters, ensures consistent visitor flow that translates to reliable booking velocity, while the city's business-friendly short-term rental regulations and growing reputation as a premier Gulf Coast destination position property owners to achieve premium pricing and sustained occupancy rates that significantly outperform traditional long-term rental yields.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Orange Beach, Alabama involve a complex web of city ordinances, zoning restrictions, and permitting requirements that can change frequently, leaving property owners vulnerable to costly fines, legal penalties, and potential shutdown of their rental operations if they fail to maintain proper compliance with business licenses, occupancy taxes, safety inspections, and neighbor notification procedures. The intricate nature of these evolving regulations, combined with the serious financial and legal consequences of non-compliance, makes it extremely risky for individual property owners to navigate the regulatory landscape alone. However, professional short-term rental management services specialize in handling all aspects of legal compliance, from obtaining and maintaining the necessary permits and licenses to ensuring timely payment of all required taxes and fees, allowing property owners to enjoy the benefits of their investment while having complete peace of mind that their rental operation remains fully compliant with all local, state, and federal requirements.
Occupancy Rates
Orange Beach, Alabama experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring from March through August, when families flock to the Gulf Coast for spring break, summer vacations, and warm weather beach activities, often achieving occupancy rates of 80-90% during these months. The shoulder seasons of September through November and February see moderate demand as temperatures remain pleasant for outdoor activities and fishing tournaments, while December and January represent the slowest period with occupancy rates often dropping to 30-50% due to cooler weather and reduced tourist activity. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, as property managers must implement dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during peak demand periods while strategically lowering prices during slower months to maintain competitive occupancy levels. Effective revenue management involves analyzing local events like fishing tournaments, festivals, and holiday weekends to capitalize on demand spikes, while also offering attractive winter rates and extended-stay discounts to attract snowbirds and off-season visitors, ensuring properties remain profitable year-round despite the inherently seasonal nature of this coastal vacation rental market.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Orange Beach presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners, particularly during the peak summer season when guest turnover occurs every 2-3 days and maintenance issues spike due to sand, saltwater, and heavy usage. The constant cycle of cleaning, inspecting, and preparing units between guests becomes exponentially more difficult when you're dealing with beach-specific problems like HVAC systems working overtime against humidity, plumbing issues from sand and sunscreen buildup, and outdoor furniture requiring frequent replacement due to coastal weather conditions. Maintaining 24/7 communication with guests who expect immediate responses about everything from WiFi passwords to emergency AC repairs during Alabama's sweltering summers becomes nearly impossible for individual owners, especially when managing multiple properties or living out of state. The competitive Orange Beach market demands flawless execution—a single negative review about a broken beach shower, unresponsive host, or dirty condo can devastate bookings and revenue in a destination where travelers have dozens of similar options. Full-service property management transforms these operational nightmares into truly passive income by providing local teams who understand coastal maintenance requirements, professional cleaning crews experienced with sand removal and salt air damage, and round-the-clock guest services that ensure every visitor receives the five-star experience necessary to command premium rates and secure repeat bookings in this saturated market.
Attractions and Amenities
Orange Beach's primary tourism drivers include the pristine Gulf Shores beaches with their sugar-white sand and emerald waters, The Wharf entertainment district featuring shopping, dining, and the iconic Ferris wheel, deep-sea fishing charters departing from the marina, and Gulf State Park offering hiking trails and nature activities. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these attractions, properties must provide essential beach-focused amenities including beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers, and beach towel service for beachgoers, secure fishing rod storage and fish cleaning stations for charter fishing enthusiasts, reliable high-speed Wi-Fi and charging stations for guests sharing their Wharf experiences on social media, outdoor shower facilities and sandy foot washing stations for post-beach cleanup, early check-in and late check-out flexibility to accommodate fishing charter schedules, and bicycle rentals or easy parking access for guests exploring Gulf State Park's extensive trail system. Properties that align these specific amenities with Orange Beach's core attractions will command higher nightly rates and occupancy levels by directly addressing the practical needs of visitors engaging in the destination's most popular activities.

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