Short Term Rental
Management

Surge offers local full service vacation rental management for busy vacation rental owners and Airbnb hosts in Taos, New Mexico

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Taos, New Mexico Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Taos, New Mexico presents exceptional short-term rental investment opportunities driven by its unique positioning as a year-round destination combining world-class skiing at Taos Ski Valley with rich cultural attractions and outdoor recreation. Property owners can capitalize on average daily rates ranging from $150-$400 depending on property type and season, with occupancy rates consistently exceeding 65% annually due to the area's diverse appeal to both winter sports enthusiasts and summer adventure seekers. The market benefits from limited hotel inventory relative to demand, creating a supply constraint that drives premium pricing for well-positioned vacation rentals. Taos's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site, coupled with its thriving arts scene and proximity to Santa Fe, generates consistent booking demand from affluent travelers willing to pay higher rates for authentic Southwestern experiences. Recent market data indicates gross rental yields of 8-12% are achievable for strategically located properties, particularly those offering mountain views or historic charm, while the area's growing reputation as a remote work destination has extended traditional peak seasons and reduced vacancy periods, maximizing annual revenue potential for property owners who optimize their listings for the platform's algorithm.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Short-term rental regulations in Taos, New Mexico involve a complex web of city ordinances, county zoning requirements, and state tax obligations that are constantly evolving, with violations potentially resulting in hefty fines, forced closure of your rental operation, and legal complications that could jeopardize your investment. The city requires specific business licenses, occupancy permits, and compliance with strict safety standards, while the county enforces zoning restrictions that vary by location, and the state mandates proper registration for gross receipts and lodgers' tax collection—all of which can change with little notice as local officials respond to community concerns about housing availability and neighborhood impacts. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing requirements, permit renewals, tax filings, and regulatory compliance are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the income from your property while staying fully protected from the costly risks of inadvertent non-compliance.
Occupancy Rates
Taos, New Mexico experiences distinct seasonal patterns in Airbnb occupancy rates, with peak tourist seasons occurring during summer months (June through August) when visitors flock to enjoy outdoor activities, art galleries, and the famous Taos Pueblo, and during winter ski season (December through February) when Taos Ski Valley attracts snow sports enthusiasts. Spring (March through May) and fall (September through November) represent shoulder seasons with moderate demand, while late fall and early spring typically see the lowest occupancy rates as weather conditions are less favorable for both skiing and summer outdoor activities. Professional revenue management and dynamic pricing strategies are crucial for Airbnb hosts in Taos to maximize occupancy year-round, as they must strategically adjust rates to capture premium pricing during peak ski weekends and summer festivals while offering competitive rates during slower periods to attract budget-conscious travelers and maintain steady bookings. Effective revenue management involves analyzing local events, weather patterns, and competitor pricing to optimize rates daily, ensuring properties remain attractive to guests during low-demand periods while maximizing revenue during Taos's predictable seasonal peaks.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Taos presents formidable operational challenges that can quickly overwhelm property owners and devastate their investment returns. The remote mountain location means that coordinating same-day turnovers between guests often requires frantic drives up winding roads to handle forgotten cleaning supplies, broken amenities, or last-minute cancellations, while the area's limited service provider network makes finding reliable housekeeping and maintenance staff exceptionally difficult. Guest communication becomes a 24/7 burden as visitors encounter everything from altitude sickness questions to emergency heating failures during Taos's harsh winter months, demanding immediate responses that can interrupt family time, work commitments, and sleep. Maintenance issues are particularly problematic given the region's extreme weather conditions, aging adobe construction, and the need for specialized knowledge about high-altitude plumbing, heating systems, and seasonal property winterization—challenges that often require emergency repairs costing thousands when handled improperly. Without professional property management, owners frequently find themselves trapped in a cycle of declining reviews due to delayed responses, maintenance oversights, and inconsistent guest experiences, ultimately destroying their passive income dreams and forcing them to compete in Taos's saturated market with subpar ratings that make their property virtually unbookable during peak seasons.
Attractions and Amenities
Taos attracts visitors primarily to four major destinations: Taos Ski Valley for world-class alpine skiing, the historic Taos Plaza and its surrounding art galleries and cultural sites, the ancient Taos Pueblo UNESCO World Heritage site, and the dramatic Rio Grande Gorge Bridge offering spectacular canyon views and outdoor recreation. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these attractions, properties must offer ski equipment storage, boot drying areas, and hot tubs for après-ski relaxation to serve Taos Ski Valley visitors, while providing secure parking for art purchases, high-speed Wi-Fi for researching galleries and cultural events, and comfortable common areas for guests exploring the Plaza's shops and restaurants. Properties should also feature early breakfast options or grab-and-go snacks for guests visiting Taos Pueblo during its limited operating hours, along with hiking gear storage and outdoor equipment cleaning stations for those exploring the Rio Grande Gorge trails, plus heated pools or spas for post-adventure recovery. Additionally, offering local area guides, trail maps, and concierge services for booking cultural tours or outdoor excursions directly connects property amenities to the specific experiences that draw travelers to Taos, ensuring guests can fully enjoy these unique attractions while generating premium rates for well-equipped accommodations.

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