About Butler Consultancy

Short Term Rental Peak Performance

2024 provides much uncertainty regarding consumer travel and how it will impact the short term rental (STR) market. Will consumers continue to spend money on travel? Can they afford travel through AirBnb and VRBO or will they seek out other options such as hotels? Which locations and types of rental properties are most likely to grab the attention and dollars of those still in a position to schedule a getaway or vacation? What can property investors/owners do to bring their rental to the top of the pack and beat the competition?
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Butler Consultancy is designed for short term rental property owners who desire actionable insights into how to make their property compete at the top of the rental marketplace, attract, and wow guests.  We provide focused, real-time status reports for your property, along with a succinct plan for any recommended improvements or adjustments.  Our expert level services and insights will be the secret weapon for STR owners moving forward.  

We are innovators in the STR property management industry.  Our focus is taking dead aim at current gaps of potential property neglect and missed opportunity which oftentimes blunts potential profitability and enjoyment for property owners.  

Butler Consultancy is a product designed for the Short Term Rental (STR) industry. Before we dive into our services, let’s look at the big picture containing the STR industry, rental property owners, and guest travel trends.

The Short Term Rental industry has provided travelers with luxury and custom getaway options for over 20 years. Travel platforms such as AirBnb and VRBO have grown in popularity and heavily influenced how guests schedule vacations, business outings, and adventures. As with any industry, the success of STR’s has enticed many investors to the table looking to take advantage of the potential profitability and fringe benefits of owning a rental property. Who wouldn’t want to make money on their rental property while having the option to stay there when convenient?

As with any financially successful industry, competition grows over time. AIRDNA reports over 1.7 million STR property listings in the United States alone, meaning potential guests have no shortage of options when it comes to selecting the perfect getaway. AIRDNA also predicts 2024 will provide similar Occupancy and RevPAR numbers that we endured in 2023.

STR property owners need to utilize all available options and do everything possible to prepare and maintain their STR(s). The competitive margin between what makes a property profitable and attractive to guess, can be as simple as a 4.8 or 4.9 score on AirBnb or VRBO. This is true whether you self manage your property or have hired a property management company.

Given current economic concerns, an abundance of hotel stay options, and growing STR competition in each geographic market, STR owners must consistently prepare their property for success. Consistent excellence is key to win in this game.

This leads to several important and moment of truth questions for STR owners. Does your property contain the amenities desired by most current potential travelers? What is the plan to ensure “rental sag”, wear and tear issues are addressed real time? What can be done to proactively avoid low review scores and refunds? Are the cleaning and property management companies you have hired proactively communicating concerns and property upkeep?  Does the property need to be deep cleaned?  Are filters being changed regularly?  In this competitive market we cannot hope amenities, cleanliness, and property maintenance are being addressed.  We have to check regularly to ensure the highest and best R&R (revenue and reviews)! 

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Our Story

Matt Carr and Andy Price are long time friends and founded Butler Consultancy in 2023. They had previously worked together on a team that built a successful short term rental property management company in the Smoky Mountain area in Tennessee. It only took a few years for that company to scale and manage over 200 properties in one of the top STR markets in the United States. As with any business, scaling at that level and speed provided plenty of challenges and learning opportunities. Building a team and processes that supported a top notch guest experience, communicated well with property owners, took care of the properties, and handled a multitude of critical operational tasks, provided a mastery level deep dive into the STR industry.

Matt and Andy also have a few decades combined experience setting up teams and processes in multiple customer focused industries. The duo has created and led service organizations that align with multiple large company deliverables and consumer needs. As they worked alongside hundreds of property owners, and listened, they began to see and hear common problems and frustrations that led to lower review scores on platforms like AirBnb and VRBO, missed revenue due to low Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and large refunds given to guests for things that were outside the control of the property owner.

The “aha!” moment came as the duo gained insight into these consistent gaps found in services that the property owner assumed was being handled by the cleaning or property management company. Focus on ensuring key amenity preparedness and property upkeep seemed to be missing or lacked consistent checking and follow up. As a result, frustrated property owners observe poor guest experience and reviews, far too many refunds, broken and missing amenities, and lower than expected revenue and occupancy. Many cleaning and property management companies are simply overwhelmed with time consuming and focus grabbing tasks such as cleaning and booking and communicating with guests.

Andy and Matt found common issues that could be addressed by performing focused and in person rental property reports. These snapshot reports provide proactive insights that allow a property owner to resolve issues and make improvements before guests are impacted. The reports also provide the owners a true pulse on the condition and amenities in the property.
But don’t property management and cleaning companies perform inspections? Some do, some do not. We feel you cannot take a chance in hoping your properties are being maintained well. You need an expert set of eyes in and around your properties consistently!

Butler Consultancy uses a unique approach to property reviews that allows for meaningful feedback to bubble to the top, leading to a digestible roadmap for property owners.

If you own a rental property, do you have this type of real time property status at your fingertips? If not, then you need a Butler!

Mission

To provide consistent and meaningful property status reports to investment rental property owners. Our reports will provide data and recommendations to property investors that act as a visual and real time roadmap to continuously improve the properties and make them as competitive as possible. Addressing report findings will allow properties to perform in peak condition long term, creating a favorable guest experience, while earning as much rental income as possible.

Vision

To become the trusted key to massive success for rental property investors. To wow/please guests by providing property owners with innovative and consistent property preparations and solutions.

The problem we solve

By performing consistent in person reports, we shine an accurate and detailed light on what will
elevate the performance and profitability of short term rental properties. We make your property
as competitive as possible.

Value proposition (ROI)

Providing rental property services and expertise enabling property owners to create the best
possible guest experiences, leading to highest review scores, occupancy, profitability, and
peace of mind!
The value proposition is that findings from the Butler Team will enable property investors to
complete tasks leading to amazing guest experiences and peak financial performance. Happy
guests lead to great reviews. Great reviews lead to high SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on
travel platforms such as AirBnb and VRBO. Great reviews and high SEO leads to more
potential guests seeing your property on the travel platforms, and booking your property due to
high review scores. Additionally, properties will see higher occupancy rates, because guests
more frequently book properties with high review scores. Property owners are also able to
charge premium rates in their market. Lastly, guests will ask for fewer refunds, as Butler has
helped address any potential issues with the property and amenities, prior to guest stays.

Butler Core Values

Many of our values stem from those found by observing a top notch butler. Think a combination of Batman’s Alfred and

  • Ownership
  • Attention to Detail
  • Property Experts
  • Guest Experience Focus
  • Proactive

Butler’s AI

Consistent in person checks on rental properties are required to ensure
amenities are functioning properly, the cleanings are going well, and that listings align with the
presentation of the property. It is unwise to be reactive, and only respond to issues when they
are found first by guests!

Butler reports provide easy to understand next steps to improve or repair what is needed in the property. This is similar to a checkup at your doctor or taking the car to your mechanic for regular maintenance.
Our industry expertise ensures recommendations will be focused on guest experience, making the property competitive in the market, and profitable for the property owner.
Making sure all amenities are functioning, safe, and in place.
Ensuring the AirBnb and/or VRBO listing information aligns with the reality of the property. Do the photos and verbiage accurately tell the story of the property? Are all the amenities mentioned in the listing? Provide consistent positive impressions for guests with a property that performs as advertised!
Leave your competition in the dust by providing a property that is primed and ready to host once in a lifetime moments for family and friends!
The Butler Team can help coordinate resolving many of the issues found on our reports. We will provide a quote for the issues you wish to address on the reports. We will also advise when issues are outside of our scope that may require a licensed professional, including HVAC, plumbing, and electric work.