Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Seabrook Island, South Carolina

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Seabrook Island, South Carolina Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Seabrook Island presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its unique positioning as a private, gated resort community with limited inventory and consistently high demand from affluent travelers seeking exclusive coastal experiences. Property owners can capitalize on average daily rates ranging from $400-800 during peak season, with occupancy rates frequently exceeding 75% due to the island's restricted access creating artificial scarcity in the vacation rental market. The location's premium amenities including championship golf courses, pristine beaches, and upscale dining establishments attract high-spending guests willing to pay premium rates for luxury accommodations, while the island's proximity to historic Charleston (45 minutes) positions properties to capture overflow demand from one of the Southeast's most popular tourist destinations. Recent market data indicates Seabrook Island short-term rentals generate 15-25% higher revenue per square foot compared to neighboring Kiawah Island properties, with many owners achieving gross rental yields of 8-12% annually before expenses, making this a compelling opportunity to maximize asset performance in a supply-constrained, high-demand luxury vacation rental market.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Seabrook Island's short-term rental regulations involve a complex web of local ordinances, zoning restrictions, and permitting requirements that can change without warning, leaving property owners vulnerable to significant fines, legal action, and forced closure of their rental operations if they fail to maintain proper compliance. The town requires specific business licenses, occupancy permits, and adherence to strict noise ordinances, parking limitations, and guest capacity restrictions, while also mandating regular inspections and detailed record-keeping that many owners find overwhelming to manage independently. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, tax obligations, permit renewals, and regulatory compliance issues are handled expertly on your behalf, protecting your investment and ensuring your property operates legally and profitably without the stress and risk of navigating these complex regulations alone.
Occupancy Rates
Seabrook Island, South Carolina experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak occupancy rates typically occurring during summer months (June through August) when families flock to the beaches, and spring break periods (March-April) when the weather becomes favorable for outdoor activities and golf. The shoulder seasons of late fall (November-December) and winter months (January-February) see significantly lower occupancy rates as cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather deter many vacationers, though some visitors still come for the island's renowned golf courses and peaceful winter ambiance. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, requiring dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during high-demand periods while offering competitive pricing during slower months to attract budget-conscious travelers and extend stays. Effective revenue management for Seabrook Island Airbnbs involves adjusting rates based on local events, weather forecasts, competitor pricing, and booking lead times, while also implementing minimum stay requirements during peak periods and offering attractive packages during shoulder seasons to maintain consistent cash flow and optimize annual revenue despite the inherent seasonality of this coastal resort destination.
Vacation Rental Management
Managing a vacation rental on Seabrook Island presents unique operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners attempting to self-manage their investment. The island's remote location, 45 minutes from Charleston, makes coordinating same-day guest turnovers 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 luxury market. The 24/7 communication demands are particularly taxing, as guests expect immediate responses to questions about gate access codes, beach club privileges, golf cart rentals, and emergency situations, regardless of time zones or personal schedules. Maintenance challenges are amplified by the coastal environment's salt air corrosion, hurricane season preparations, HVAC systems working overtime in humid conditions, and the limited pool of qualified local contractors who understand the island's specific building codes and HOA requirements. Without professional property management handling these intricate details—from coordinating with the island's security gate for seamless check-ins to maintaining relationships with vetted local vendors who can respond quickly to urgent repairs—even minor operational hiccups can cascade into major guest satisfaction issues, ultimately destroying the 5-star reputation essential for commanding premium rates and achieving true passive income in Seabrook Island's competitive luxury rental market.
Attractions and Amenities
Seabrook Island's primary attractions center around its pristine 3.2-mile Atlantic Ocean beach, two championship golf courses (Ocean Winds and Crooked Oaks), the Seabrook Island Equestrian Center, and extensive nature trails through maritime forests and salt marshes, making it essential for rental properties to offer beach equipment storage and outdoor shower facilities for sandy guests, golf club storage and early morning coffee service for golfers who book dawn tee times, secure bike storage and repair stations for guests exploring the 200+ acres of trails, and outdoor gear cleaning areas for visitors returning from horseback riding or nature photography excursions. Properties must also provide high-speed Wi-Fi for guests sharing their coastal experiences on social media, outdoor dining spaces with grills to accommodate the fresh seafood and local produce guests purchase, and flexible check-in/check-out times to align with tidal schedules for beach activities, golf tournament times, and guided nature tour departures, as these specific amenities directly support the island's unique combination of beach relaxation, championship golf, equestrian activities, and eco-tourism that drives year-round visitation and justifies premium nightly rates.

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