How to Find Properties to Manage on Airbnb: 7 Proven Strategies

The most common question we get from aspiring STR managers is some version of: "How do I find properties to manage?" It's the right question to ask early, because the answer shapes everything else about how you build your business. Here are the seven strategies we used — and still use — to find new management clients.

1. Start With Your Personal Network

Before you spend a dollar on marketing or build a website, exhaust your personal network. Every real estate investor you know is a potential client. Every homeowner who travels frequently is a potential client. Every person who has ever mentioned owning a cottage, vacation property, or investment condo is a potential client.

The pitch is simple: "I'm building an STR management company and I'm looking for my first few properties to manage. I'll handle everything — guest communication, pricing, cleaning coordination, the works. Would you be open to a 20-minute conversation about what that could look like for your property?" Most people will say yes to a conversation, even if they're not immediately ready to hand over management.

2. The Airbnb Co-Host Marketplace

Airbnb has a built-in co-host marketplace where property owners actively search for management help. Creating a strong profile on the marketplace — with a clear service description, your experience, and your approach — is one of the best free acquisition channels available. We've onboarded multiple clients through the marketplace who found us while searching for co-hosts in our markets.

To maximize your visibility on the marketplace, maintain a high response rate, collect co-host reviews as quickly as possible, and keep your profile updated with specific details about the markets you serve and the services you offer.

3. Real Estate Investor Meetups and REIN Events

Real estate investor meetups — including REIN (Real Estate Investment Network) events in Canada and local REI clubs in the US — are among the highest-leverage networking opportunities for new STR managers. The room is full of people who own investment properties and are actively looking for ways to maximize returns. You are the solution to their management headaches.

Come prepared with a clear 30-second explanation of what you do, a few data points on the returns you've achieved (or the market opportunity if you're just starting), and business cards or a simple one-page overview of your services. Follow up within 24 hours of every conversation.

4. Social Media Content

Instagram and TikTok are the highest-leverage platforms for STR managers looking to attract property owner clients. The content that works best is behind-the-scenes and results-focused: property turnovers, before-and-after listing photos, guest review screenshots, revenue milestone posts, and educational content about STR management.

The goal is to position yourself as the obvious expert in your market. When a property owner in your area is thinking about hiring a manager, you want to be the first name that comes to mind — and social media is how you build that top-of-mind awareness over time.

5. Direct Outreach to Underperforming Listings

One of the most underused client acquisition strategies is direct outreach to property owners whose listings are underperforming. Search Airbnb for properties in your target market that have low review counts, poor listing photos, inconsistent pricing, or long gaps in their calendars. These are owners who are struggling — and who are the most likely to be receptive to professional management help.

Airbnb doesn't make it easy to contact hosts directly, but you can often find property owners through local real estate records, Facebook groups, or by searching for the property address online. A thoughtful, personalized outreach message that identifies a specific problem with their listing and explains how you could solve it will convert at a much higher rate than a generic pitch.

6. Referrals From Existing Clients

Once you have your first few clients, referrals become your most powerful acquisition channel. A single happy property owner will refer you to their entire investor network — and those referrals come with built-in trust that no amount of marketing can replicate. Prioritize client satisfaction above everything else in your first year, and ask for referrals explicitly. Most satisfied clients are happy to refer you; they just need to be asked.

7. Local Real Estate Agents

Real estate agents who specialize in investment properties and vacation homes are natural referral partners for STR managers. They work with buyers who are specifically purchasing properties to use as short-term rentals — and those buyers need a management company from day one. Building relationships with two or three agents in your target market who can refer their investor clients to you can be a consistent source of new business.

The pitch to agents is simple: "When your investor clients buy a property they want to run as an STR, I'd love to be the person you refer them to. I'll make sure they have a great experience, which reflects well on you." Offer to co-host a client event or provide market data they can use with their clients to deepen the relationship.

The Bottom Line

Finding properties to manage is a sales and marketing challenge, not an operations challenge. The operators who build large portfolios quickly are the ones who treat client acquisition as a core business function — not an afterthought. Start with your network, build your social media presence, and show up consistently in the spaces where property owners gather. The clients will follow.

Our mentorship program includes a full module on client acquisition — the exact scripts, outreach templates, and channel strategies we used to grow our portfolio. If you want a structured path to your first 10 managed properties, that's where to start.