1. Melbourne’s short-stay market in brief

Short-term rentals are now a normal part of Melbourne’s housing and tourism mix. Recent market data suggests:

• There are tens of thousands of active short-stay listings across greater Melbourne.
• Typical occupancy is around two-thirds of the year, with higher demand around major events like the Australian Open and the Grand Prix.
• Average daily rates move up and down with events and school holidays, rather than staying flat all year.

At the same time, Victoria has introduced a statewide short-stay levy from 1 January 2025 on most bookings under 28 days. Owners corporations also now have clearer powers to restrict or ban short-stays in some apartment buildings.

You do not need to memorise the detail. What matters is that Melbourne is:

• A strong but regulated short-stay market.
• A place where good management, pricing and compliance make a real difference.

Thinking about listing your Melbourne home as a short-stay?

2. What Airbnb management companies actually do

Every company’s brochure looks similar. In practice, the value is in the detail and consistency.

Most Melbourne Airbnb managers will cover four main areas.

2.1 Listing and pricing

This is about getting you found, clicked and booked:

• Writing and optimising your listing across Airbnb and other platforms.
• Organising professional photos.
• Setting nightly rates, discounts and minimum stays.
• Adjusting prices around events, school holidays and last-minute gaps.

Done well, pricing is not “set and forget”. It is a mix of tools, local knowledge and regular tweaks.

2.2 Guest communication and screening

Good managers take over the back-and-forth so you do not have to:

• Handling enquiries, bookings and pre-arrival questions.
• Checking guest profiles, asking the right questions and declining risky requests.
• Sharing check-in instructions and house rules.
• Being on call during the stay for any issues.

This is one of the biggest time drains for DIY hosts. It is also the part that has the biggest impact on reviews.

2.3 Cleaning, linen and maintenance

Behind every five-star review is a lot of coordination:

• Scheduling cleans between stays.
• Making sure linen and towels are fresh and on time.
• Checking for damage or missing items.
• Arranging trades for repairs and safety checks.

The best companies use clear checklists and photos, so you can see what is happening without being there.

2.4 Compliance, safety and basics

Management companies cannot give legal or tax advice, but a good team will:

• Make sure your listing reflects any building rules you share with them.
• Encourage you to keep up with smoke alarms, safety checks and insurance.
• Point you towards council or government guidance when rules change.

Your manager should never tell you to “just ignore” the levy, an owners corporation rule or a council notice. If they do, walk away.

Don’t want to juggle pricing, guests and cleaners yourself?

3. How to compare Melbourne Airbnb managers

Once you understand the services, the real question is: how do I choose between companies?

Here is a simple framework.

3.1 Fees and what you actually get

Look beyond the headline percentage.

Key questions:

• Is the fee a flat percentage of booking revenue, or does it vary by property?
• What is included in that fee (guest communication, pricing, listing, basic maintenance coordination)?
• What is charged on top (cleaning, linen, deep cleans, repairs, platform fees)?
• Are there onboarding costs or photography fees?
• Is there a minimum contract term or notice period?

Cheapest on paper is not always best value. What matters is your net income and how much time the service actually saves you.

3.2 Local expertise and coverage

Melbourne is not one market. It is many sub-markets:

• Inner-city apartments in the CBD, Docklands and Southbank.
• Character terraces in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Carlton.
• Family homes across the suburbs.
• Coastal and regional stays within driving distance.

Ask each company:

• Which areas they already operate in.
• How many properties they manage nearby.
• What demand patterns they see in your suburb.

You want a partner who already understands your neighbourhood, not someone experimenting with your home as their first test case.

3.3 Tech, reporting and transparency

You should be able to see what is happening without chasing.

Look for:

• An owner dashboard with calendar, revenue and upcoming bookings.
• Clear monthly statements and payout summaries.
• Simple ways to block dates for your own use.
• Clear rules on how and when you get paid.

If you feel “kept in the dark” during the sales process, it is unlikely to improve once you sign.

3.4 Support and relationship

Your contact with the company matters as much as their tech.

Find out:

• Who you will deal with day to day.
• How quickly they respond to owners.
• How they handle problems or disputes.
• Whether they offer regular performance reviews.

A good manager should feel like an extension of your team, not a faceless call centre.

Ready to see how a full-service manager would work for your place?

4. Checklist: questions to ask before you sign

Here is a quick list you can use when speaking with different Melbourne Airbnb managers.

About performance

• How many properties do you currently manage in Melbourne?
• What is your average occupancy and nightly rate for homes like mine?
• Can you share examples (with numbers) for similar properties or locations?

About fees

• What is your standard management fee and what does it include?
• What extra charges should I expect across a typical year?
• Do you charge onboarding or photography fees?

About operations

• Who handles guest messaging and at what hours?
• How do you vet guests and handle one-night or high-risk bookings?
• How do you manage cleaning quality and report damage?

About compliance and rules

• How do you work with owners who are affected by the short-stay levy?
• How do you handle owners corporation rules in buildings where short-stays are restricted?
• What insurance cover do you expect owners to have in place?

You do not need perfect answers to every question. What you want is clear, confident and consistent responses.

Melbourne’s short-stay levy and OC bans can feel like a moving target.

Read our Melbourne short-stay rules guide for a clear, up-to-date overview.

5. Case study: industrial chic warehouse, fully managed in Melbourne

Real stories often tell you more than any brochure.

One of our Melbourne hosts, Jim, owns a converted warehouse that he describes as “industrial chic”. It has:

• A light, open-plan layout
• Reclaimed materials from older Melbourne buildings
• A quirky, semi-outdoor bathroom that guests love once they see it in person

Jim has a busy life and no interest in managing day-to-day hosting. In his words:

“If I did not have Houst I would not be hosting with Airbnb. I do not have the time to do this myself, so for the service you get and the small amount you pay, I think it is fantastic.”

From the start, our local team:

• Visited the property, did an onboarding session and organised photography
• Answered Jim’s questions about how hosting would work in practice
• Took over all guest communication, calendar management and cleaning

The result so far:

• Strong occupancy
• Consistently positive guest feedback
• An asset that used to sit empty now earns regular income without Jim needing to “be a host” in his spare time

▶️ Watch Jim’s story

You can hear the full story, and see the property, in this short video:

6. Where Houst sits among Melbourne Airbnb managers

Houst is a specialist short-stay management company, not a traditional real estate agent. In Melbourne, our service is built around three things owners ask for most:

1. End-to-end management
   We handle listings, pricing, guest communication, check-ins, cleaning and basic maintenance coordination, so you are not on call.
2. Data-driven pricing with local input
   Our pricing team uses tools and booking data across the portfolio, then layers in local knowledge about events and seasonality.
3. Transparent reporting and support
   You get access to a host dashboard, clear statements and a local team who knows your property, not just your property ID.

If you are comparing a few Melbourne Airbnb managers, treat this guide as a checklist. Use it to structure your questions, compare offers side by side and decide who you trust with your home.

Before you commit to a manager, it helps to know the ground rules for short-stays in the city.

Check our Melbourne Airbnb rules page for a quick regulatory snapshot.

7. FAQs: choosing an Airbnb management company in Melbourne

Do I still come out ahead after paying management fees?
Most owners who switch from self-managing do so because of time and stress, not just income. A good manager aims to improve both your calendar and your pricing. Even after fees, many owners find their net income similar or higher, with far less work. The exact outcome depends on your property, location and how well it was performing before.

Will the Victorian short-stay levy wipe out my profit?
The 7.5% short-stay levy adds another cost for most non-PPR short-stay properties in Victoria. A good manager will factor this in when setting prices and building your forecast. Whether short-stays still make sense depends on your property, mortgage and personal tax situation, so always speak to a professional adviser.

Can my owners corporation ban me from using Airbnb?
From 2025, Victorian owners corporations have clearer powers to restrict or ban short-stay accommodation in some buildings. Always check your OC rules and get written clarity before you invest in furniture or rely on short-stay income. A manager can work around building rules, but they cannot overrule them.

How long am I tied in if I sign with a manager?
This varies by company. Some ask for fixed terms, others work on rolling agreements with notice periods. Make sure you understand notice, any exit fees and what happens to future bookings if you ever decide to leave.

Is Houst right for every owner?
No single company will suit everyone. Houst is a good fit if you want a professional, systemised service and you are comfortable letting a specialist team handle day-to-day operations. If you prefer to handpick every guest yourself or respond to every message personally, you may prefer a lighter-touch model.