Short Term Rental
Management

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

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Siesta Key, Florida Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Siesta Key presents an exceptional short-term rental investment opportunity driven by its world-renowned beach consistently ranked among America's top destinations, generating year-round occupancy rates averaging 75-85% with peak season rates reaching $400-800 per night for quality properties. The island's limited land availability and strict zoning regulations create artificial scarcity that maintains premium pricing power, while the destination's appeal to affluent travelers from major metropolitan markets ensures strong demand elasticity even during economic fluctuations. Current market data indicates well-positioned Siesta Key vacation rentals generate annual revenues of $80,000-$200,000+ depending on property size and proximity to the beach, with gross yields often exceeding 8-12% annually before expenses. The combination of Florida's favorable tax environment, no state income tax, and Siesta Key's established tourism infrastructure including the highly-rated Siesta Key Beach, upscale dining, and recreational activities creates a compelling value proposition where property appreciation and rental income converge to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns compared to traditional long-term rental strategies or broader vacation rental markets.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Siesta Key's short-term rental regulations involve a complex web of Sarasota County zoning requirements, state licensing mandates, and local permitting processes that are constantly evolving and can result in substantial fines, legal action, or forced closure of your rental operation if not properly managed. Property owners must navigate business tax receipts, transient rental licenses, tourist development tax collection, sales tax remittance, zoning compliance verification, and ongoing regulatory updates that can change without warning, creating significant financial and legal exposure for those who attempt to handle compliance 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 expertly handled on your behalf by specialists who stay current with every regulatory change and ensure your property remains fully compliant while you enjoy the income without the stress of legal complications.
Occupancy Rates
Siesta Key, Florida experiences distinct seasonal patterns with peak tourist seasons occurring during winter months (December through April) when northern visitors escape cold weather, and summer months (June through August) when families vacation during school breaks, typically achieving occupancy rates of 80-90% during these periods. The shoulder seasons of late spring (May) and early fall (September through November) see moderate demand with occupancy rates dropping to 60-70%, while the slowest period occurs during late fall (October-November) when hurricane season concerns and fewer events drive occupancy down to 40-60%. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, as dynamic pricing strategies must adjust rates in real-time based on local events like the Siesta Key Crystal Classic, weather patterns, and competitor pricing to maximize revenue during peak periods while maintaining competitive rates during slower seasons. Effective revenue management also involves strategic minimum stay requirements during high-demand weekends, promotional pricing during shoulder seasons, and careful inventory management to capture both leisure travelers seeking beach vacations and business travelers attending nearby Sarasota conferences, ultimately enabling property owners to maintain year-round occupancy rates above 70% despite the inherently seasonal nature of this Gulf Coast destination.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Siesta Key presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and damage their investment returns. The relentless guest turnover cycle demands precise coordination of housekeeping teams within narrow 4-6 hour windows between checkouts and check-ins, often complicated by last-minute booking changes and the area's notorious traffic congestion that can delay cleaning crews. Managing 24/7 guest communication becomes particularly demanding given Siesta Key's diverse international clientele across multiple time zones, requiring immediate responses to everything from Wi-Fi troubleshooting to emergency lockouts at 2 AM, while guests expect concierge-level service recommendations for the island's restaurants and activities. Maintenance issues escalate rapidly in the humid, salt-air environment where HVAC systems work overtime, pool equipment requires constant attention, and hurricane season brings urgent property protection needs that can't wait for regular business hours. The competitive landscape of Siesta Key's vacation rental market means that even minor service lapses—delayed responses, maintenance delays, or subpar cleaning—immediately translate to negative reviews that devastate booking rates and revenue. Full-service property management transforms these overwhelming operational burdens into a streamlined system where professional teams handle the complex logistics, emergency responses, and quality control necessary to maintain the 5-star standards that command premium rates and ensure truly passive income in this demanding but lucrative market.
Attractions and Amenities
Siesta Key's tourism revolves around four primary attractions: the world-renowned Siesta Key Beach with its powdery white quartz sand, the vibrant Siesta Key Village with its shops and nightlife, Point of Rocks for snorkeling and nature exploration, and Turtle Beach for shelling and kayaking adventures. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these specific destinations, properties must offer beach gear rentals or complimentary equipment including umbrellas, chairs, and coolers for all-day beach comfort, snorkeling gear and kayak storage for Point of Rocks and Turtle Beach enthusiasts, outdoor shower facilities and sandy foot washing stations for post-beach cleanup, beach wagons or carts for easy transport of gear across the sand, and dedicated storage areas for shells, beach finds, and wet equipment. Additionally, properties should provide high-speed Wi-Fi for guests sharing their beach experiences on social media, early check-in and late check-out flexibility to accommodate beach schedules, and partnerships with local tour operators for easy booking of water activities, while offering covered outdoor spaces where guests can relax between beach sessions and plan their next adventure to these iconic Siesta Key destinations.

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