Every year, hundreds of excited buyers become property owners in the resort town of Whistler, BC. Whether they buy to bring family together, hit the slopes on a regular basis, or augment their real estate holdings, all are faced with one intimidating factor: a huge mortgage.

Their excitement quickly morphs into feelings of anxiety. How will they make their monthly payments? Or worse, what if they lose the property?

It’s at this stressful point that most homeowners begin considering renting out their property to guests looking for Whistler vacation rentals. But just like commitments to property upkeep and renovations vary, so do the options for vacation rentals in Whistler.

There are 3 ways for Whistler homeowners to rent their properties:

1-Use a locally-based rental manager
2-Self manage their own rentals and be their own rental manager
3-Use an owner-assisted rental management program, where an owner and a rental manager share in the rental management responsibilities.

At the top of the list and at one extreme, there’s the oft-used, full blown rental management option.

What are the pros and cons of using a Whistler rental manager?

Upkeep, Advertising and Administration: The Benefits of a Whistler Rental Manager

By using a rental manager, owners relieve themselves of the burden of paperwork, phone calls, payment methods, check-in procedures, damage deposits and basic property maintenance. Usually a part of a larger company, rental managers advertise properties, book them, supervise cleaning and maintenance and accept payments. Representatives are available to help guests access properties in Whistler and cope with emergencies.

Owners are actually responsible for very little, and can limit their involvement to waiting for their cheque in the mail. Rental managers take a commission out of the nightly rates guests pay. Overseas residents often use because they believe they can’t manage their property while living a great distance away.

High Costs and Unpredictability: The Downsides of a Whistler Rental Manager

Although employing a rental management company can ease the burden, it often forces owners to unwillingly relinquish control over the management of their company. Owners are often unable to choose the dates they wish to use their own property, and must agree to accept guests the company has picked out for them. Longtime owners will often recount incidents of arriving at their property for a weekend away, only to find it occupied by unplanned guests, or even the rental managers themselves.

As well, that cheque they wait for so eagerly in the mail is often much, much smaller than they anticipated. This, coupled with the unpredictability of their property’s availability, might leave owners wishing they’d never used a rental manager in the first place.

Choose the Whistler Vacation Rental Option That’s Best for You

Whatever your preferences when it comes to property management in Whistler, BC, try to choose the option that best suites your personality and will leave you feeling safe, successful and secure.

In our next article, we will assess the owner-direct rental management route.

Devon O'Malley is a staff writer with AlluraDirect.com, a vacation rentals website offering powerful search results and instant booking features for guests and property owners. If you’re a Whistler homeowner, check out our Whistler property management resources and our all-inclusive owner-direct or owner-assisted Whistler accommodation rental programs.