Frequently Asked Questions at Five Star Properties

FAQs about Managing the Finest Vacation Rentals in Florida

About Your Services

What services do you provide?

We offer comprehensive property management services, including permit/licensing applications, listing optimization, guest communication, 24/7 support, professional cleaning, maintenance, and price optimization. 

We list your property on top vacation rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, Google Vacation Rentals, Booking.com), optimize the listing for maximum visibility, and use professional photography to highlight your home. We also leverage social media marketing, email campaigns, and our own website to attract bookings. 

The default setting is to have bookings automatically accepted (instant booking). Although, Airbnb has released a new feature to only allow instant booking for guests with a certain star rating. For example, we can set up your listing to only allow instant booking for guests with a rating of 4.5 stars or higher. We have maintained a 100% response rate on all platforms. Our team will typically respond to each message within 2 minutes. 

We have a trusted network of local maintenance and repair professionals who we call upon when needed. We also provide emergency support to address issues quickly, ensuring your property stays in excellent condition and that guest experiences are not interrupted. We set a repair threshold in the agreement. If the estimated repair is under the threshold, we will make the repair and invoice accordingly. If the estimated repair is above the threshold, we will gather three quotes from our trusted vendors and wait for owner approval to make the repair. There are exceptions to this, for example, if a guest doesn’t have AC, hot water, or if there is a leak. These, amongst other repairs are considered an emergency and will be rectified as soon as possible. 

We have designed the majority of properties we currently manage. We can help design your property to maximize appeal and returns.

Estate Management

What is included in your Estate Management service?

Our management fees are typically 20% of the rental income but vary depending on expected rental income. For example, if a property’s expected rental income exceeds $20,000/month, we have a lower fee. For these properties, we decide our management fee on a case by case basis. 

Yes. We coordinate and oversee all vendors on your behalf, ensuring work is completed properly and on schedule. We communicate directly with service providers and handle any issues that arise.

We offer weekly or bi-weekly inspections depending on your preference and the needs of your home. Additional visits can be scheduled anytime.

We perform a full interior and exterior walkthrough, checking HVAC performance, water systems, leaks, windows/doors, appliances, security, pool equipment, landscaping, and overall condition. You receive a report with notes and photos after every visit.

Absolutely. We offer full pre-arrival services such as temperature adjustment, cleaning, linen refresh, grocery stocking, outdoor furniture setup, and ensuring everything is guest-ready for you.

Yes — we secure the home, reset the thermostat, coordinate cleaning, handle laundry (if needed), lock down outdoor areas, and prepare the estate for vacancy.

Our team is on call 24/7 for emergencies such as leaks, storm damage, HVAC failures, or security concerns. We act immediately and notify you with updates and photos.

We coordinate all repairs using our trusted network of contractors and service providers. We present quotes for approval before any major work is done and keep you updated throughout the process.

Yes. We secure outdoor furniture, check shutters (or arrange installation), confirm drainage paths, and perform post-storm inspections with photos and documentation.

Absolutely. Every estate is unique. We build custom plans based on your expectations, frequency of visits, home size, and service needs.

Furnishing & Design

How long does the furnishing process take?

Most properties are fully furnished, styled, stocked, and photo-ready in 10–14 days. Larger properties or custom requests may take slightly longer.

Our turnkey packages include:

  • Full furniture for every room

  • Décor and artwork

  • Rugs, linens, pillows, and bedding

  • Kitchen essentials (cookware, utensils, small appliances)

  • Bathroom essentials

  • Smart TVs and tech setup

  • Outdoor furniture & patio design

  • Wall décor and finishing touches

Everything is delivered, assembled, styled, and prepared for the first guest.

Yes. We can tailor the home to the style of the market and your preferences, including:

  • Coastal Modern

  • Florida Contemporary

  • Minimalist Luxury

  • Family-Friendly

  • Investor-Proof (durable, stylish, STR-specific)

We also offer multiple budget tiers from essential to luxury.

We select furniture and materials specifically built for high-use environments. This includes performance fabrics, durable frames, investment-grade mattresses, and washable décor elements. Everything is chosen with longevity and guest experience in mind.

Absolutely. We frequently coordinate furnishing around renovation timelines and work directly with your contractors to ensure everything is ready at the correct phase of the project.

Of course. Some owners prefer to be hands-off, while others like to review design boards or approve color palettes. We tailor the level of involvement to your style.

Yes — our team handles everything, including:

  • Ordering

  • Logistics

  • Receiving deliveries

  • Assembly

  • Staging

  • Removal of packing materials

Your property is fully turnkey by the time we’re finished.

Yes. Professional photos are included as part of the STR launch process once furnishing is completed.

Costs depend on size, number of rooms, and style. Most projects fall between $12,000–$45,000, with luxury homes ranging higher. We provide transparent quotes before starting.

Absolutely. We furnish:

  • Primary residences

  • Seasonal estates

  • Investment properties

  • Luxury rentals

  • Condos and townhomes
    Our design process is adaptable to any type of home.

 

Cleaning Services
(For STR turnover/short-term rental cleaning)

How is short-term rental cleaning different from regular house cleaning?

Short-term rental cleaning requires hotel-level precision, same-day quick turnaround, restocking, staging, and inspection reports. Timing and consistency directly impact guest satisfaction and your reviews.

Yes. Our teams are fully equipped with professional cleaning products and tools. We can manage linens either through:

  • Linen swap service, or

  • On-site laundry (if available)

 

  • Full home reset

  • Linen & towel replacement

  • Trash removal

  • Kitchen cleaning & restocking

  • Bathroom sanitation

  • Floors vacuumed & mopped

  • Beds made to STR standards

  • Patio cleaning / outdoor tidying

  • Guest-ready staging and presentation

Yes — we manage STR essentials such as:

  • Shampoo / conditioner / body wash

  • Hand soap & dish soap

  • Laundry detergent

  • Toilet paper & paper towels

  • Trash bags

  • Sponges

  • Coffee & tea (optional)

We monitor usage and report when inventory is low.

Absolutely. After every clean, our team documents:

  • Damages

  • Stains

  • Missing household items

  • Excessive dirtiness

  • Guest rule violations
    These reports include time-stamped photos and are visible in your owner portal.

 

Yes. Deep cleans are recommended quarterly or biannually depending on usage. This includes appliances, walls/baseboards, vents, windows, and a full detail reset.

Our systems sync directly with your booking calendar, ensuring cleaners are automatically scheduled after every check-out. No owner coordination required.

Yes. Our team is trained for fast turnaround and can accommodate same-day check-outs/check-ins.

We have a dedicated Quality Control team that performs random inspections and ensures all properties meet Five Star standards every time.

Yes — while STR turnover is our specialty, we also offer:

  • Residential cleaning

  • Estate cleaning

  • Move-in/move-out cleaning

  • Pre-arrival services for seasonal owners

Pricing depends on home size, number of beds, linens, outdoor areas, and turnover frequency. Most homes range from $90–$220 per cleaning.

Home Watch Program

What is the difference between Home Watch and Estate Management?

Home Watch is an affordable monthly inspection program designed for absentee owners, seasonal residents, and condos.

Estate Management is a full-service, high-touch program for luxury or larger properties requiring regular oversight and vendor coordination.

Each visit includes:

  • Interior checks (A/C, humidity, leaks, appliances, plumbing)
  • Exterior checks (windows, doors, pests, storm debris)
  • Security check
  • Mail/package collection
  • Photo report sent directly to you

We visit once per month by default. You may add additional visits at any time—especially before or after storms.

Yes. You receive a time-stamped, detailed photo report after every inspection so you know exactly what we found and when we were there.

Yes. We can replace light bulbs, air filters, batteries, and address minor issues. Larger repairs requiring licensed professionals can be coordinated through our contractor network.

We notify you immediately, send photos, and provide recommendations. With your approval, we contact the appropriate vendor to resolve the issue quickly.

Yes — and this is one of the most valuable parts of the program. We ensure the home is secured before storms and perform detailed inspections afterward.

Absolutely. We collect mail and packages and can place them safely inside the home.

No. Many of our clients use this service for condos, vacation homes, investment properties, and seasonal residences.

Neighbors can be helpful, but they are not trained or insured to look for early signs of damage, leaks, mold, pests, or system failures.

A professional Home Watch service protects you from costly surprises.

Our Home Watch service starts at $65/month with optional add-on services such as extra visits, vendor access, storm checks, and basic maintenance tasks.

About Guest Experience

How do you ensure a high-quality guest experience?

We focus on clear communication, high-quality amenities, and a personalized touch. Our team provides 24/7 support to guests, ensuring they have a seamless stay, and we actively address any concerns during their visit. 

Depending on your property type, we recommend upgrades like high-end bedding, smart home features (e.g., keyless entry), outdoor amenities (BBQ, pool), and entertainment options (game rooms, streaming services). We also recommend a detailed welcome guide with local tips. 

Yes, we offer concierge services such as airport transfers, local tours, restaurant reservations, private chefs, and more. We can also customize guest experiences based on their interests.

About Guest Experience

What is the length of the management agreement?

Our management agreements are typically for one year, but we only ask for a 30-day written notice of termination. So essentially our agreement is month to month. 

 If you decide to terminate the agreement, we’ll provide a clear process. If there are any future reservations, we will ask the guest to cancel. If the guest refuses to cancel, there may be cancellation penalties that the owner will be responsible for. 

Yes, you have full control over when you want to block dates for personal use. We can work with you to schedule times for your visits without affecting your income.

We strive to keep things simple. We charge an annual $250 marketing fee, plus 20% commission on each booking.

We utilize several online resources to list your property such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, Trip Advisor, and HomeAway.

We do. Guests are left with instructions to contact us with any issues, concerns, or maintenance requests. If a problem arises that we cannot resolve, we will be in direct contact with you to discuss and find a solution. We handle all coordination with service providers to resolve issues on your behalf.

Of course, you will have access to your property calendar where you can request days to be blocked off. You will also be able to see what days your property is booked by guests.

If your house doesn’t meet our minimum requirements, we can offer a solution to make the changes necessary to enable your property to be listed with us.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? CONTACT US! WE’RE HERE TO HELP.