Short Term Rental
Management

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

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Tempe, Arizona Short Term Rental Overview

Airbnb Market
Tempe's short-term rental market presents exceptional revenue opportunities for property owners, with average daily rates ranging from $120-180 depending on proximity to Arizona State University and downtown Phoenix, generating potential annual revenues of $35,000-55,000 for well-positioned properties. The city's strategic location creates year-round demand drivers including ASU's 80,000+ student population generating consistent parent and visitor traffic, major sporting events at Sun Devil Stadium and Desert Financial Arena, plus Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport just 10 minutes away ensuring steady business traveler flow. Market data indicates Tempe STRs achieve occupancy rates of 70-85% annually, significantly outperforming traditional long-term rentals which typically yield 6-8% returns, while short-term rentals in prime Tempe locations can generate 12-18% annual returns on investment. The Mill Avenue District and areas within two miles of ASU command premium pricing during peak seasons including football season, spring training, and major conferences, with properties near light rail stations experiencing 15-20% higher booking rates due to seamless connectivity to Phoenix and Scottsdale attractions.
Short Term Rental Regulations
Tempe's short-term rental regulations are intricate and constantly evolving, with strict permitting requirements, zoning restrictions, and compliance obligations that can result in hefty fines, legal action, or forced closure of your rental operation if not properly managed. The city requires specific licenses, imposes occupancy limits, mandates safety inspections, and enforces noise ordinances, while tax obligations include both local and state requirements that must be filed accurately and on time. Navigating these complex regulations while staying current with frequent policy changes can be overwhelming for property owners, and even minor oversights can lead to costly penalties or jeopardize your rental income. However, when you partner with a professional short-term rental management service, you can rest assured that all licensing, permitting, tax filings, and legal compliance matters are handled expertly on your behalf, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of your investment property without the stress and risk of regulatory missteps.
Occupancy Rates
Tempe, Arizona experiences distinct seasonal patterns in Airbnb occupancy rates, with peak tourist seasons occurring during the cooler months from November through April when visitors escape harsh winter weather elsewhere, coinciding with Arizona State University's academic calendar and major events like spring training baseball. The shoulder seasons of May and September-October see moderate occupancy as temperatures become more manageable, while the summer months of June through August represent the slowest period due to extreme heat that can exceed 115°F, significantly reducing leisure travel demand. Professional revenue management becomes crucial during these fluctuations, requiring dynamic pricing strategies that maximize rates during high-demand periods like ASU football games, Fiesta Bowl events, and winter months while strategically lowering prices during the scorching summer to attract heat-tolerant travelers, business guests, and extended-stay visitors. Effective revenue management systems must account for local events, university schedules, weather patterns, and competitor pricing to automatically adjust rates daily or even hourly, ensuring properties maintain competitive occupancy rates year-round rather than suffering from extended vacancy periods during Tempe's challenging summer season.
Vacation Rental Management
Self-managing a vacation rental in Tempe presents overwhelming operational challenges that can quickly destroy profitability and guest satisfaction in this highly competitive market dominated by ASU events, spring training, and year-round tourism. The relentless guest turnover cycle demands same-day cleaning coordination between departures and arrivals, often complicated by Arizona's extreme heat making midday turnovers nearly impossible, while guests frequently arrive early or leave late due to flight schedules from Sky Harbor Airport just minutes away. Managing 24/7 communication becomes exhausting as guests need immediate responses for everything from AC failures during 115-degree summers to pool heating issues, late-night lockouts, and constant questions about ASU game day parking restrictions, all while you're trying to maintain your own work-life balance. Maintenance emergencies are particularly brutal in Tempe's desert climate where HVAC systems fail without warning, pool equipment breaks down frequently, and the intense UV exposure rapidly degrades outdoor furniture and fixtures, requiring immediate professional intervention to prevent negative reviews that can tank your listing in a market where guests have hundreds of alternatives within miles. Without full-service property management handling these complex, time-sensitive operations with local expertise and 24/7 support systems, maintaining the 5-star reputation essential for premium pricing and consistent bookings becomes virtually impossible, transforming what should be passive income into a demanding second job that often generates more stress than profit.
Attractions and Amenities
Tempe's tourism centers around Arizona State University's sprawling campus which draws thousands of visitors for sporting events, graduations, and campus tours; Tempe Town Lake offering water activities, festivals, and scenic recreation; Mill Avenue District providing vibrant nightlife, dining, and shopping; and Papago Park featuring hiking trails, the Desert Botanical Garden, and outdoor recreation just minutes away. To maximize revenue from guests visiting these attractions, properties must offer high-speed Wi-Fi and dedicated workspace areas for business travelers and families coordinating campus visits, outdoor gear storage and bike rentals for lake and park activities, late-night check-in flexibility and noise management systems to accommodate the nightlife crowd from Mill Avenue, early breakfast options and grab-and-go snacks for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, plus reliable air conditioning and pool facilities to provide relief from Arizona's intense heat after full days exploring these sun-exposed attractions.

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