8 things to know about Vacasa’s local operations

How you and your guests benefit from local vacation rental support
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At your vacation rental, anything and everything can happen. Guests can get locked out at midnight. Air conditioners can break down on a sweltering summer day. Pipes can spring a leak.

For homeowners working with Vacasa, these issues aren’t high-stress situations. That’s because they have a dedicated local support team to handle it all. Included in our full-service vacation rental management, these local teams are the key to getting glowing reviews and repeat business.

We chatted with five Vacasa local team members, from Lake Tahoe to Belize, to find out how they support you, your vacation home, and your guests.

Meet some of our local team members

How many years have you lived/worked in Lake Tahoe?
I grew up visiting my family’s South Lake Tahoe cabin since 1975 and finally moved here 25 years ago.

What should every visitor experience?
The black bears catching and eating Kokanee salmon at Taylor Creek as they fatten up before winter. It’s quite the show.

What every Lake Tahoe vacation homeowner should know:
Fires can happen. Make sure to maintain a sizable defensible space—the space between your home and an oncoming wildfire.

How many years have you lived/worked in Belize?

I’m proud to say I’m a native Belizean, born and raised. My first job was as a barber in the only professional barber shop in the city. That’s where I got my attention to detail.

What should every visitor experience?

Cave tubing in our limestone caves—located deep inside the rainforests—are a must. Also, snorkel or scuba the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest of its kind in the Northern Hemisphere.

What every Belize vacation homeowner should know:

Three things: 1. Our high season is mid-November through Easter. 2. The tropics pose different challenges, like insects, humidity, and possible hurricanes. 3. You’ll need to collect 9% tourist accommodation per booking, which goes towards sustaining Belize’s tourism industry.

How many years have you lived/worked in Edisto?

13 years

What should every visitor experience?

Boating, you can't beat the Edisto views and wildlife from a boat.

What every Edisto vacation homeowner should know:

Three things:

  1. f you own on the beachfront, add door and window sensors to your HVAC thermostat. Most guests leave the windows open to hear and smell the ocean.
  2. Edisto has a limited number of local contractors, so we urge our homeowners to schedule their projects ahead of time.
  3. Outdoor showers aren’t just a guest perk, they help prevent sand from entering your interior plumbing.

How many years have you lived/worked in Panama City Beach?

20 years

What should every visitor experience?

Gulf World Marine Park and the St Andrews State Park.

Best reason to visit Panama City Beach:

Our beautiful beaches.

How many years have you lived/worked in Belize?

I’ve lived in Belize all my life. I grew up in Belize City and my family is from Placencia.

What should every visitor experience?

Snorkeling with the turtles and nurse sharks at the Silk Cayes marine reserve is quite a sight. The underwater world is truly fascinating and it’s wonderful to see these creatures in their natural habitat.

What every Belize vacation homeowner should know:

Belize cares deeply about the welfare and safety of travelers. We even have special tourism police who patrol busy tourism areas.

Modern vacation rental management.

Your home is a success waiting to happen. We'll show you how.

How does your local Vacasa team help you and your home?

Behind every successful Vacasa vacation rental is a team of local hospitality and home care professionals working behind the scenes to keep you and your guests happy.

1. They act as an extension of you—caring for your guests and maintaining your investment

From housekeepers to maintenance technicians to local managers, every local support team member delivers two things:

On-the-ground vacation home care

“Homeowners entrust the local teams to take care of their assets,” Allen explains. “It’s a truly important responsibility that we take seriously. “We are a homeowner’s eyes and ears on the ground.”

Even better, Vacasa has systems in place to take care of issues as quickly as possible. For repairs under a certain amount, Vacasa will go ahead and fix it immediately and bill the homeowner. Or, if a major repair comes up, we’ll alert the owner and suggest one of our preferred local vendors—or we’ll schedule a vendor on the homeowner’s behalf.

We also offer the Accommodation Protection Program, supplemental damage protection exclusively for vacation rentals.

24/7 guest service

“Our local teams are the go-to people for basically anything guests need,” Len says. The oven breaks or WiFi goes down? The local team overseeing that area knows every home, has trusted vendors on speed dial, and can quickly jump in to help. Having guest service within immediate reach not only makes guests feel safer—it’s critical for garnering a five-star review once they leave.

2. They focus a lot on prevention

Prevention is the name of the game, in more ways than one. “One of our most important responsibilities is thwarting guest problems (and bad reviews) from happening in the first place”, says Sheldon. A lot of our day-to-day efforts are aimed at avoiding future problems for both our guests and homeowners.”

In fact, every time a local Vacasa team member is at your home—no matter if they’re cleaning or checking out a potential issue—they use their visit to conduct a visual inspection of the home.

Some preventative measures our local teams take:

  • Thorough cleanings following every stay. Vacasa housekeepers are trained in a four-step cleaning process and adhere to our Vacasa Premium Clean standards
  • Pre-arrival inspections, which include checking appliances and amenities, plus testing WiFi speeds
  • Routine maintenance checks
  • A text to guests upon arrival to gauge their satisfaction with the home and see if they need anything
  • Providing all the pertinent information—such as door lock codes—in one place and making sure it’s sent to guests early
  • Stocking homes with essential supplies, such as hand soap, laundry detergent, and garbage bags

3. They’re prepared for anything

From spotting a bear outside a mountain cabin to a child who locked themselves in the bathroom (both true stories), our local teams have seen it all. With decades of experience assisting travelers in their destination, our local operations teams are ready to tackle whatever issue comes their way. In Panama City Beach, Rachel and her team are accustomed to helping guests navigate situations typical for their region.

“We’ll call guests ahead of time letting them know if a nearby road is closed or if the beach entrance closest to the property is blocked off,” Rachel explains. “We’re always armed with alternate options for them to enjoy their stay.”

Meanwhile, across the country, Len and his Lake Tahoe staff are primed to help guests find their cabin nestled in the woods and deal with extreme snow or nearby fires.

Some situations our local Vacasa teams are prepared to handle:

  • Broken appliances, air conditioners, and heaters
  • Plumbing and water heating issues
  • Extreme weather conditions
  • Internet issues
  • Guests who are lost and can’t find the vacation home
  • Early check-ins and late check-outs
  • Guests locked out of the property
  • Spotting a wild animal onsite
  • Disruptive guests or house parties

“Maintenance problems happen wherever you’re staying,” Allen says. “It’s our job to jump on the issue right away and come ready with solutions. The faster we fix any problems, the less impact it will have on the guests.”

“It’s all about making your guests feel safe and comfortable by simply being there for them”, Kaprie says. “I want them to feel like they made the right choice when they booked with us.”

4. They move quickly to resolve issues

Swiftly jumping in with solutions is another way local teams prevent bad reviews.

In Lake Tahoe, Len and his team can be at any home to deal with guests’ issues within 15 minutes on slow days and about an hour on busy days. “Homeowners love that we respond rapidly and take immediate action to remedy guest issues,” Len says. “In most cases, our quick response can save homeowners from paying fines and having damage to their home.”

Kaprie says that speed is paramount to getting 5-star reviews. “When an issue arises, we don’t dawdle,” she explains. “Our local team is always on call to quickly fix problems so guests can enjoy the rest of their trip worry-free.”

”It’s all about making your guests feel safe and comfortable by simply being there for them.”

The kitchen and dining room with elegant design at a Port Aransas, TX vacation rental.
quote-mark Created with Sketch.
”It’s all about making your guests feel safe and comfortable by simply being there for them.”
—Kaprie Dawson, Local Operations Manager, Belize

5. Their team is larger than you think

Most of our homeowners will only interact with one person at Vacasa—their local operations manager. However, there are so many other team members working behind the scenes.

Market size can dictate how large your local team is. For example, the local Vacasa team in the Panama City area in Florida consists of 21 staff members, including maintenance technicians, inspectors, property caretakers, and homeowner relations managers.

In South Lake Tahoe, about 50 local team members service our vacation homes.

Robust local teams are vital for successful vacation rentals—so much so that local operations teams make up the majority of the Vacasa workforce.

6. They can save you a lot of money

With so many local Vacasa team members looking out for your vacation home and guests, they can more easily spot and react to concerns before they grow into expensive emergencies.

Len recalls a time when water was gushing out from underneath a Lake Tahoe vacation home. Turns out, one of the main water lines had cracked. “We were able to prevent the water from getting inside and damaging the home,” he says. “We had the city shut off the main line, fixed the issue, and had the guest back in the house in about three hours. We also bought them a pizza for lunch.”

Rachel and her team also prevented a flood in a Vacasa vacation home, thanks to regular inspections. After a team member noticed a small leak was getting bigger and bigger, they investigated and found that the hot water heater in the condo unit above was leaking, Rachel explains. “Since that home above is not rented out, the leak would have worsened and damaged our vacation rental, too. It pays to have a steady local team looking out for you and your home.”

“We protect every owner’s vacation home like it’s our own,” Sheldon says. “We understand how much it can cost to repair damage, and we jump in immediately to minimize the impact.”

The exterior of a cabin rental in Gatlinburg, TN.
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”It pays to have a steady local team looking out for you and your home.”
Sheldon Arnold, Senior General Manager, Belize

7. They have strong relationships with trusted local vendors

Local relationships matter. Vacasa’s standards are high and our teams have a network of trusted vendors they’ve thoroughly vetted. Two of the major traits we look for in every vendor:

  1. They respond quickly and show up on time
  2. They consistently deliver quality work to avoid more issues

“Strong relationships with our area partners are extremely important,” Kaprie says. “We need to resolve issues quickly and rely on trusted experts to help us.”

“Our connections with local professionals are one of the biggest deciding factors for new homeowners to work with us,” Rachel adds.

An example of vendors we have on speed dial in many of our destinations:

  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • Pool cleaners
  • Hot tub technicians
  • Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians
  • Arborists
  • Pest control
  • Roof repair

8. They’re pivotal to your success

How good (or bad) your local team is can impact your success as a vacation rental owner. Read some of our reviews from vacation home owners just like you:

Dig in to more of our vacation homeowner stories to see how Vacasa has helped them and their guests.


Vacasa’s local teams protect guests’ vacations and your assets. Not only are they responsible for ensuring each vacation home is ready for guests, but they prevent problems in the first place. The majority of the local teams work behind the scenes, but their impact on your success is unmistakable.

Want to learn what the local Vacasa team in your region can do for you? Get in touch today.

Vacasa property management FAQ

Vacasa offers local property management services everywhere our vacation rentals are located, from San Diego to the Smoky Mountains, Montana to Mexico. Local team sizes depend on how large the market is. Explore all of our destinations.

We’re here to help. Speak with us directly by calling 888-711-0781. Or, fill out this form and we’ll contact you shortly.

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California licenses
Vacasa Seasonals Inc.
California DRE #02160171


Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc.
California DRE #01523013

Vacasa offers property management and other real estate services directly through Vacasa LLC and through Vacasa LLC's licensed subsidiaries. Click here for more information about Vacasa's licensed real estate brokerage/property manager in your state. Vacasa’s licensed real estate brokerages/property managers include: Vacasa Alabama LLC; Vacasa Arizona LLC; Vacasa of Arkansas LLC; Vacasa Colorado LLC (Micah Victory); Vacasa Delaware LLC, 302-541-8999; Vacasa Florida LLC; Vacasa Illinois LLC 481.014072, Micah Victory Managing Broker Lic# 471.021837; Vacasa Louisiana LLC, Dana MacCord, Principal Broker, ph 504.252.0155 (Licensed in LA); Vacasa Michigan LLC, 602-330-9934; Vacasa Missouri LLC, Vicki Lyn Brown, Designated Broker; Vacasa Nevada LLC; Vacasa New Hampshire LLC,45 NH-25, Meredith, NH 03253, Susan Scanlon, Broker of Record; Vacasa Minnesota, Broker: Micah Victory, license #40877637; Vacasa New Mexico LLC, 503-345-9399; Vacasa New York LLC, 888-433-0068, Susan Scanlon, Real Estate Broker; Vacasa North Carolina LLC; Vacasa Oregon LLC; Vacasa Pennsylvania LLC; Vacation Palm Springs Real Estate, Inc., California DRE #01523013, Mark Graham, California DRE #00700720; Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Texas, Debra Brock, Designated Broker); Vacasa Real Estate LLC (licensed in Washington, Robert Brush, Designated Broker); Vacasa Seasonals Inc., California DRE #02160171, Lisa Renee Stevens, California DRE #01485234; Vacasa South Carolina LLC; Vacasa South Dakota LLC; Vacasa Tennessee LLC; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Hawaii LLC, 69-201 Waikoloa Beach Dr. Ste. #2F17, Waikoloa, HI 96738; Vacasa Vacation Rentals of Montana LLC, Terah M. Young, Licensed Property Manager; Vacasa Virginia LLC; Vacasa Wisconsin LLC; Vacasa Wyoming LLC. In Canada, this advertisement is provided by Vacasa Canada ULC, CPBC lic. number 75826, 172 Asher Rd. V1X 3H6 Kelowna, BC.