Many owners start on their own, with an Airbnb listing and a neighbour handing over the keys. It works, until the season fills up. Here is what each option really involves, so you can choose the right one for you and your home.

The work behind every stay

For every booking, even a two-night one, the same sequence repeats:

  • Answering enquiries and messages, often in several languages and at any hour.
  • Welcoming guests and registering them with the police within 24 hours (all the requirements are in our guide to CIN and SUAP).
  • Cleaning, changing the linen and checking the home between guests.
  • Handling the unexpected: a boiler that stops, a lost key, an arrival in the middle of the night.
  • Updating prices and calendars on every platform.

In high season on Lake Garda there can be two or three changeovers a week: if you live far from the home, you notice quickly.

Managing it yourself: when it makes sense

  • You live near the home and have time, especially at weekends.
  • You only rent it out for a few weeks a year.
  • You have someone you trust for cleaning and check-in.

The upside is that all the revenue stays with you. The cost is your time, plus what you lose without noticing: prices that never change all season, slow replies, reviews that aren’t quite perfect.

What a professional manager does

  • Well-crafted listings, with professional photos and texts in several languages.
  • Prices updated every day based on season, events and demand.
  • Publishing on several platforms with a synchronised calendar.
  • Welcoming guests, cleaning, linen and minor maintenance.
  • Paperwork and notices: CIN, police registration, ISTAT, tourist tax.

The fee is usually a percentage of revenue: the manager only earns more if your home earns more.

How to choose the right manager

  • Transparency: a clear monthly statement with bookings, costs and payout.
  • Local presence: someone who knows the area and can step in quickly.
  • No hidden ties: ask about set-up fees, contract length and the notice period to leave.
  • Personal use: you should be able to block the weeks when you want to use the home.
  • Reviews: ask to see the listings they already manage and their ratings.

What about your home?

If you’d like to know how much it could earn with professional management, start with the free valuation below: you get a first figure straight away, then we talk it through on the phone, with no obligation.