If you own a vacation home in Sardinia, you probably have many questions about managing short-term rentals.
You’re not alone: we’ve gathered the 7 most common questions homeowners ask us, with clear answers to help you understand how professional property management works—and why it might be the right choice for you.
Discover everything you need to know, from costs to platforms, and how BAYA Rentals can turn short-term rentals into a profitable and rewarding experience.
What are the costs of hiring a property manager?
Hiring a property manager involves a commission on booking revenues. Generally, management companies charge a percentage fee on the rental income. This typically ranges from 25% (for basic services) to 40% or more for full-service, turnkey management.
In return, the property manager takes care of everything—and often increases your revenue through effective pricing and marketing strategies.
How are guests and property security handled?
A good property manager handles everything from booking to check-out, while also ensuring your property’s safety. At BAYA Rentals, we manage communication and guest reception: we answer inquiries, provide guidance and assistance before arrival, and are available 24/7 during the stay.
At check-in, we verify guest identities (as required by law, registering their documents with Public Security) and inform them of the house rules. For security, we implement various measures: we request security deposits when appropriate and provide insurance coverage for potential damages.
In addition, we conduct inspections after every check-out to ensure everything is in order. If any issues arise, we respond immediately—coordinating repairs and, if necessary, withholding part of the deposit or activating the insurance coverage.
Can I rent out my home if I don’t live in Sardinia?
Absolutely. Many of our homeowners live outside Sardinia or even abroad. One of the biggest advantages of working with a local property manager like BAYA Rentals is exactly that.
We take care of everything: key handovers, guest reception, organizing cleaning and linen changes, minor maintenance, and handling emergencies (e.g., if something breaks or guests have urgent needs).
We also manage all the bureaucracy (such as tourist taxes, guest registrations with local authorities, etc.), which would be difficult to handle remotely. You’ll be able to monitor bookings and income through a dedicated online dashboard.
In short, you can rent out your property worry-free from anywhere—while we handle everything on the ground in Sardinia.
What happens in case of damage to the property?
It’s completely normal to have this concern. With BAYA Rentals, your home is in good hands. First, we carefully vet guests and communicate house rules to prevent improper behavior. Even so, small incidents can happen (a broken glass, a damaged chair, etc.).
How do we protect you as a homeowner?
Security Deposit:
For certain bookings, we apply a security deposit held through the booking platform, which can be used to cover damages.
Insurance:
Your property will be covered by specific short-term rental insurance (liability and damage), which protects against unpleasant events. Many platforms like Airbnb offer additional coverage, and we help enforce these when necessary.
Contract & Inspection:
We have guests sign a contract making them liable for any damages. We also document the property's condition with photos before and after each stay.
In the event of damage, we handle everything: we document the issue, retain the deposit if necessary, support you with the insurance claim, and coordinate repairs or replacements (we work with trusted maintenance teams and artisans across Sardinia). Our goal is to restore the home quickly and ensure you receive proper compensation.
Thankfully, serious damages are rare with proper management. Still, knowing there’s a solid protection plan in place gives you peace of mind.
How long does it take to start earning?
Very little time! Once the house is ready (furnished and compliant with legal requirements), we launch the online advertising immediately.
With BAYA Rentals, the onboarding process is fast: we conduct an inspection, prepare the listing (photos, descriptions, pricing), and publish it online within a few days. Visibility on platforms begins instantly.
Often, the first guests arrive within weeks. It depends on the season and demand, but some owners have received bookings on the same day their listing went live! On average, expect the first bookings within 1–2 weeks.
Naturally, Sardinia’s high season (June–August) has very strong demand, so if you list your property just before summer, your calendar could fill up quickly. In the low season, it may take a few more weeks, but in the meantime, we can activate promotions or adjust pricing to boost demand.
From the moment you entrust your home to us, you’ll typically start receiving your first rental payments within a month.
What’s the difference between Airbnb, Booking, and other platforms?
Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia, and HomeAway are all platforms where you can promote your vacation home, but each has distinct features:
Airbnb:
Designed for short-term rentals between individuals, it emphasizes host-guest interaction (with profiles, reviews, Superhost badges). Payments are handled by the platform, which deducts a fee and pays the rest after check-in. Popular for unique stays and private homes.
Booking.com:
A leader in hotel bookings, it has long included homes and apartments. Guests may pay online or at check-in depending on settings. Owners typically pay a commission (around 20%) and manage payments and deposits themselves. It has strong international reach, and many bookings happen without guest interaction (more of a “hotel-like” experience).
Vrbo (formerly HomeAway):
Focused on entire vacation homes for families, with commission structures similar to Airbnb. Primarily attracts Anglo-American travelers.
Other platforms (Expedia, Holidu, Tripadvisor, etc.):
Each has its own rates and audiences. Some act as metasearch engines, aggregating listings from other platforms.
Audience types also vary: Airbnb is popular with young couples and tech-savvy travelers; Booking.com draws many last-minute bookings and European tourists; Vrbo is known among American families.
A property manager like BAYA Rentals uses a channel manager to list your property on all platforms simultaneously. This means your home has maximum visibility: it appears on Airbnb, Booking.com, and others without you managing multiple accounts. We sync calendars and pricing across platforms to prevent double bookings and keep everything up to date.
In summary, we handle platform differences to your advantage—so you can get the most bookings possible by leveraging the strengths of each channel without the hassle.
How do you maximize bookings?
Great question! Getting lots of bookings (and maximizing profits) requires a combination of strategies that an experienced property manager knows well. Here are the key factors:
Optimized Listing:
Presentation is everything. After home staging, we provide professional photos (at our expense), detailed and persuasive descriptions (in multiple languages), and attention-grabbing titles with the right keywords. A high-quality listing attracts more clicks—and more bookings.
Dynamic Pricing:
The right price at the right time. We use software and revenue management techniques to adjust prices based on demand: discounts to fill short-term gaps, higher prices for high-demand periods (concerts, events, holidays like Ferragosto, etc.). This ensures maximum occupancy without leaving money on the table.
Multi-platform + Online Visibility:
As mentioned, being on multiple platforms increases bookings. Online reputation is also crucial: we respond to reviews and aim for high guest ratings (happy guests = better rankings in algorithms = more visibility).
Excellent Service:
It may seem obvious, but it’s vital. Providing a flawless guest experience (on-time check-in, spotless cleaning, welcome extras, quick assistance) encourages 5-star reviews—and often repeat visits. Positive reviews are gold for ongoing bookings.
Targeted Promotions:
When needed, we launch special offers (early booking discounts, weekly deals) and use internal platform advertising tools to boost visibility during slower periods.
In short, maximizing bookings requires a mix of marketing, pricing, and service quality. Doing it solo takes a lot of time and industry knowledge. With BAYA Rentals, you have a dedicated team doing it professionally. The result: high occupancy, happy guests, and great profits for you.
We hope these answers helped clarify your main doubts. If you have more questions, feel free to reach out—we believe in transparency and empowering property owners.
And if you’re curious about how we can make your Sardinian property thrive, contact us!
Request a free, no-obligation consultation: we’ll analyze your specific case and show you a custom plan to maximize bookings and earnings.
