Short Term Rental
Management

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

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Rachel, Nevada Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Rachel, Nevada presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its unique positioning as the gateway to Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway, generating consistent high-demand tourism that commands premium nightly rates of $150-300+ due to limited accommodation supply in this remote desert location. Property owners can capitalize on year-round occupancy rates exceeding 75% as the town attracts a diverse mix of UFO enthusiasts, adventure tourists, and curiosity seekers willing to pay substantial premiums for authentic desert experiences, with peak periods during alien-themed events and festivals driving rates up to 400% above baseline. The scarcity of lodging options within a 50-mile radius creates a natural monopoly effect, allowing owners to maintain pricing power while benefiting from Rachel's growing social media presence and viral marketing appeal that consistently drives booking demand without requiring significant marketing investment. Conservative projections indicate annual gross revenues of $35,000-55,000 per property, with net yields often exceeding 20% annually due to low property acquisition costs, minimal local competition, and the town's established reputation as a must-visit destination for domestic and international travelers seeking unique American experiences.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Rachel, Nevada can be particularly complex due to the town's unique location in Lincoln County and its proximity to restricted federal lands, with local zoning requirements, permitting processes, and tax obligations that are subject to frequent changes and strict enforcement measures that could result in hefty fines, legal action, or forced closure of your rental operation if not properly managed. The intricate web of county ordinances, state tax requirements, transient occupancy taxes, business licensing, and compliance with both local housing codes and federal regulations creates a minefield of potential violations that can quickly escalate into costly legal problems for property owners who attempt to navigate these requirements on their own. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, permit applications, tax filings, regulatory compliance, and ongoing legal obligations are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the income from your property while maintaining complete peace of mind that your operation remains fully compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.
Occupancy Rates
Airbnb occupancy rates in Rachel, Nevada experience dramatic seasonal fluctuations driven primarily by UFO tourism and astronomy enthusiasts, with peak seasons occurring during summer months (June-August) when clear desert skies and warm weather attract stargazers, and again during major UFO conventions or Area 51-related events that can create sudden demand spikes. The shoulder seasons of spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) see moderate occupancy as temperatures become more comfortable for outdoor activities, while winter months (December-February) represent the slowest period due to harsh desert conditions and limited daylight hours for sky watching. Professional revenue management becomes crucial in this unique market, requiring dynamic pricing strategies that can capitalize on sudden demand surges from viral social media trends about Area 51, space-related news events, or organized UFO tours, while maintaining competitive rates during slower periods to attract the steady stream of curious travelers and conspiracy theorists who visit year-round. Successful hosts must implement sophisticated pricing algorithms that account for local events, weather patterns, and the unpredictable nature of pop culture interest in extraterrestrial phenomena, adjusting rates sometimes daily to maximize revenue during peak periods while offering attractive pricing during off-seasons to maintain consistent bookings and positive reviews that drive future demand.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental in Rachel, Nevada presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their reputation. The town's remote location, 150 miles from Las Vegas with limited cell service and no local infrastructure, makes coordinating guest turnover extremely difficult when cleaners or maintenance workers fail to show up or encounter access issues. The 24/7 communication demands become particularly problematic given the area's spotty connectivity and the fact that guests visiting this UFO hotspot often arrive at odd hours expecting immediate responses to questions about amenities, directions, or emergency situations. Maintenance issues in Rachel can escalate rapidly due to the harsh desert climate, extreme temperature fluctuations, and the nearest hardware store being hours away, meaning a simple plumbing problem or HVAC failure can result in cancelled bookings and scathing reviews. Without local expertise and established vendor relationships, property owners find themselves scrambling to coordinate repairs from hundreds of miles away, often paying premium emergency rates while guests suffer through subpar conditions. Full-service property management becomes essential in this environment, providing local presence, established maintenance networks, professional communication systems, and the operational expertise necessary to maintain the consistent 5-star experience that commands premium rates and generates true passive income in Rachel's niche but highly competitive extraterrestrial tourism market.
Attractions and Amenities
Rachel, Nevada's primary tourism draws center around the mysterious Area 51 military installation, the iconic "Black Mailbox" (now white) landmark along the Extraterrestrial Highway, the Little A'Le'Inn restaurant and gift shop, and the annual Alienstock festival site, all of which attract UFO enthusiasts, conspiracy theorists, and curious travelers from around the world. To effectively serve guests visiting these unique attractions, properties must offer essential amenities including reliable high-speed Wi-Fi for guests to share their UFO hunting experiences and research conspiracy theories online, ample secure parking for RVs and vehicles loaded with stargazing equipment, outdoor lighting controls or blackout curtains to accommodate serious night sky observation, climate-controlled storage for sensitive photography and detection equipment, and robust backup power systems since the remote desert location experiences frequent outages that could disrupt guests' planned nighttime alien-watching activities. Additionally, properties should provide detailed local maps, stargazing chairs or outdoor seating areas, and 24-hour check-in capabilities since many visitors arrive at odd hours to maximize their chances of witnessing unexplained phenomena during optimal viewing times.

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