Property Owner Resources

Jack Trice Stadium is booked. Iowa State's Oak View Group partnership is bringing concerts year round. Graduation weekend is 10 days away. And the Ames Iowa Airbnb market is in the middle of the best 5 year stretch it has ever seen. If you own a property in Ames and you are thinking about turning it into an Airbnb, or if you already have one and want to know how it stacks up, the 2026 market looks very different than it did even two years ago. Here is what property owners in

Des Moines is having a moment. With 545 active Airbnb listings and a downtown packed with conferences, concerts, and sporting events, Central Iowa's biggest city is one of the better short term rental markets in the Midwest. But there is a gap. The typical Des Moines Airbnb earns around $13,483 per year, while the top 10 percent of hosts command $274 or more per night. Same city. Same guests. Very different results. If you own a property in Des Moines and want to know how to

Iowa State's partnership with Oak View Group just turned Jack Trice Stadium into a year round event venue. Luke Combs, a packed concert calendar, and a fully booked ISU graduation weekend mean Ames is seeing booking demand most college towns only dream about. If you own an Airbnb in Ames, you have probably asked the same question lately. How much does an Airbnb property manager actually cost, and is it worth it? The short answer. Most full service managers charge between 20 a

If you own a short term rental in Iowa, 2026 is shaping up to be a year where compliance really matters. Cities across the state are tightening rules, tax enforcement is getting more aggressive, and platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are updating their host requirements. If you own a property in Ames, Des Moines, Clear Lake, or anywhere in Central Iowa, what you do not know about the rules can quietly cost you thousands. The good news. Iowa is still one of the most rental friendl

Iowa's short term rental market is maturing fast. With over 545 active listings in Des Moines alone and Ames seeing record event demand thanks to Iowa State's new partnership with Oak View Group, the gap between well managed properties and everything else is widening every month. If you are a property owner searching for the best Airbnb management company in Iowa, you have options. National platforms, regional operators, and local teams all compete for your business. But not

Clear Lake, Iowa is about to enter its busiest season of the year. The 4th of July celebration runs from July 1 through 6. Thursdays on Main kicks off May 28. Brews on the Beach, Art in the Park, and the ABATE Freedom Rally all bring thousands of visitors to a town with limited hotel inventory. If you own a property in Clear Lake and you are running it (or thinking about running it) as an Airbnb, there is one question you need to answer before summer hits: should you self man

Luke Combs is playing Jack Trice Stadium tonight. Tens of thousands of fans are flooding into Ames. And right now, some Airbnb owners in Central Iowa are charging their usual $120 a night while professionally managed properties nearby have been booked at $350 or more for weeks. That gap is the answer to the question every Iowa property owner eventually asks: is Airbnb management worth it? The honest answer is that it depends. But for most owners in Ames, Des Moines, Clear Lak

If you own a rental property in Des Moines and you are thinking about hiring an Airbnb manager, the first question on your mind is probably: how much is this going to cost me? It is a fair question. And the answer is not as simple as a single number. Management fees vary based on the service level, the company, and what is actually included. Some companies look cheap on paper and cost you more in the long run. Others charge a premium but deliver enough extra revenue to more t

Clear Lake, Iowa is heating up. Not just the weather. The short term rental market. With the 4th of July celebration running July 1 through 6, Thursdays on Main kicking off May 28, the TRI Clear Lake triathlon in August, and a packed Surf Ballroom concert calendar, this summer is shaping up to be one of the biggest for Clear Lake tourism in years. Property owners who are ready will profit. Owners who are not will watch the demand pass them by. If you own a property in Clear L

If you own a short term rental in Des Moines and you have ever searched "STR management company near me," you are not alone. That search has become one of the fastest growing queries among property owners in 2026. And for good reason. The short term rental market is more competitive than it was even a year ago. Des Moines now has over 545 active Airbnb listings. Supply keeps growing while demand growth slows. That means the gap between well managed properties and everything e

Luke Combs is playing Jack Trice Stadium this month. Iowa State graduation is right around the corner. And if you own an Airbnb in Ames, Iowa, there is a good chance you are not charging enough for either one. That is not a guess. It is a pattern we see every spring. Ames property owners set a flat nightly rate, maybe bump it up $20 for game weekends, and hope for the best. Meanwhile, professionally managed properties in the same market are pulling 2x to 3x their normal rates

If you own a vacation rental in Iowa, you already know the market is not one size fits all. A lakefront cabin in Clear Lake operates nothing like a downtown apartment in Des Moines. A property near Iowa State in Ames has completely different demand drivers than a rural retreat outside of Ankeny. That is exactly why vacation rental management in Iowa requires a local approach. National companies apply the same playbook everywhere. But owners who understand their specific subma

If you own a short term rental in Iowa and you have been thinking about hiring an Airbnb manager, you are not alone. Hundreds of property owners across Ames, Des Moines, Clear Lake, and the surrounding Central Iowa market ask this question every year. The answer is almost always the same: hire sooner than you think. Most owners wait until they are burned out, losing money, or both. By then, they have already missed peak revenue windows, collected bad reviews, or let their pro

If you own a short term rental anywhere in Central Iowa, you have probably noticed things feel different this year. The market is more competitive, guests expect more, and the tools required to stay profitable keep evolving. The question a lot of property owners are asking right now is simple: should I hire an Airbnb property manager? It is a fair question. And the answer in 2026 is different than it was even two years ago. Here is what has changed and why it matters for owne

If you own a rental property in Des Moines and you are thinking about hiring someone to manage it as a short term rental, you are asking the right question. But picking the wrong management company can cost you more than doing it yourself. Des Moines has over 500 active Airbnb listings. The market is growing. Business travelers, event visitors, and weekend tourists create steady demand across the metro. But the difference between a property that earns $14,000 a year and one t

Why Ames Property Owners Are Choosing Professional Airbnb Management Ames, Iowa is one of the most underrated short-term rental markets in the Midwest. With Iowa State University driving consistent demand from visiting families, football weekends, graduation ceremonies, and academic conferences, property owners in Ames are sitting on a significant income opportunity. But turning that opportunity into reliable monthly revenue requires more than just listing your property on Ai