Hometime vs. local Airbnb agents

Choosing the right short-term rental manager can be the difference between a high-performing investment and an underwhelming one. Most property owners find themselves weighing two options: a local Airbnb agent or a modern, scalable partner like Hometime.

Local agents offer familiarity and a personal touch. But Hometime provides a powerful blend of national infrastructure, technology, and on-the-ground care, without sacrificing human connection.

Let’s explore how these two models stack up.

What local Airbnb agents offer

Local Airbnb agents often wear many hats. They might be juggling several short-term rentals (STR) with one or two staff members managing everything from check-ins to burst pipes. People often choose a local Airbnb agent for their:

• Personal service: Local agents often build strong relationships with homeowners and are available for face-to-face meetings or quick chats. A homeowner could feel comfortable asking, “Where are you?” assuming the property manager is readily available. A local property manager will often know the neighbourhood well and may already be involved in local real estate.

• Familiarity with the area: Their local presence means they’re often aware of events, seasonality, and community quirks that can affect bookings or operations.
• Established connections: A long-term local agent may have an established network of contacts for trades and services they know and trust.

• One point of contact: Homeowners deal with one person who handles everything — from arranging cleans to responding to guest messages.
• Close physical distance to property: Local Airbnb agents are likely to live nearby and can help in any emergencies. 

The challenges faced by local Airbnb agents 

Local agents win business by being present, available, and personable. But that same structure also has its limitations: 

• Limited resources: With just one or two people managing multiple properties, it’s easy for things to fall through the cracks, causing slower response times or inconsistent attention to detail.

• Manual pricing and management: Where is your local property manager sourcing their numbers from? Some STR property managers use outdated, fixed pricing models, so rates are set for all periods of time, missing opportunities to earn more during high-demand periods. One missed pricing opportunity during high demand can result in thousands in lost revenue. Alternatively, they may overly rely on external tools like Airdna or PriceLabs and lack the internal expertise a national property manager can provide. 
• Inconsistent guest experience: Quality can vary depending on who’s cleaning or handling a booking. One missed clean or slow reply can impact reviews and repeat bookings.

• Low booking visibility: Many agencies only list properties on Airbnb and depend on that single channel for exposure. This limits your property’s reach and potential income.

• Risk of burnout or error: Relying on one person to manage every aspect — guest queries, repairs, cleaning, and pricing — increases the chances of mistakes or miscommunication. In worst-case scenarios, we’ve heard of agencies going silent or mismanaging homeowner funds.
• Lack of transparency: A local Airbnb agent may not have an accessible online portal where you have live access to your property’s performance, from revenue to your bookings calendar and more. 

While local agents offer trust and a personal touch, the lack of structure, technology, and scale can hold your property back, especially if you’re aiming for consistent income and five-star guest experiences. Some agencies may even fall short on basic expectations like cleaning standards, guest communication, or calendar management — pain points our team hears about regularly.

The benefits of partnering with Hometime

National Airbnb management companies in Australia offer more than just a friendly face — they deliver structure, scale, and consistent performance across every part of your hosting journey. While local agencies operate reactively, national STR managers have the resources to proactively optimise every stage of your property’s performance.

When comparing our local, on-the-ground hosts at Hometime vs local Airbnb agents, here’s what sets a national STR manager like us apart:

• Strategic revenue management

Unlike local operators who may rely on fixed pricing or occasional tweaks, national STR managers use sophisticated pricing systems. At Hometime, we have a specialised revenue management team that combines third-party tools, AirDNA and PriceLabs, with several years of internal data to leverage market-wide and property-specific insights. Our revenue specialists take the time to provide you with a fair and accurate revenue estimate so you have a better understanding of your expected earning potential compared with similar properties in the area. We don’t overinflate numbers to get your attention — our dedicated revenue analysts deliver on their promise. When choosing Hometime, you can expect the following:

• Our algorithms consider seasonality, booking windows, local events, and competitive listings to adjust prices weekly.
• Strategies are tailored per property, not a generic one-size-fits-all model.
• We monitor performance year-round, maximising both occupancy and average nightly rates.

Properties managed this way can earn more revenue and maintain stronger occupancy rates than the broader STR market.

• Multi-channel marketing and distribution

National managers don’t limit you to one booking platform. Instead, they promote your property across multiple channels where guests are already looking. At Hometime, we take a multichannel marketing approach, including the following:

• We publish listings on Hometime, Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo.
• Our team of booking platform insiders showcases our professional photography and property styling to make sure your listing captures attention and boosts bookings. 

This multichannel presence increases your exposure and booking potential, especially during off-peak periods.

• Consistent guest experience

Guest expectations are higher than ever. National STR managers can provide a professional, repeatable experience that builds better reviews and a long-term reputation. At Hometime, we have a dedicated team of over 30 local, on-the-ground hosts spanning across Australia. Our local hosts hire staff to take care of your guests and manage your properties as if they were their own. We carefully select our hosts to make sure the highest standards of quality service are maintained. Our local hosts handle:

• check-ins, cleans, restocking, and emergency support,
• standardised Airbnb cleaning protocols to meet high-quality control measures,
• guest vetting systems to make sure every booking is safe, and protecting your investment, and
• 24/7 support to manage last-minute issues or booking disputes.

This translates into better reviews, fewer cancellations, and a more reliable income stream.

• Tech and transparency

Many national managers offer a homeowner dashboard or portal that provides access to your property’s performance in real-time. Our Hometime Homeowner Portal allows you to:

• see current and future bookings across platforms,
• track net revenue, nightly rates, and occupancy,
• view and download financial statements for accounting, and
• update availability, block out dates, or communicate directly with your local host.

This transparent level of insight helps you stay informed and see everything at a glance, without needing to do the work yourself.

• Higher-quality listings

Your online presence is everything. National Airbnb managers have the resources to optimise Airbnb listings from day one to make sure they’re discoverable and appealing. At Hometime, our:

• professional photography boosts bookings by up to 24%,
• listings are written by copywriters who know what guests search for,
• SEO-optimised titles, captions, and amenities make your property easier to find, and
• backend settings are fine-tuned for Airbnb search algorithms and multi-channel compatibility.

We regularly review listing performance and make adjustments to stay competitive.

STR property manager vs local Airbnb agents: How they compare

Which option suits you best?

Local agencies may suit you if you:

• want regular, in-person contact,
• only rent occasionally and aren’t focused on ROI, and
• prefer minimal change and manual control.

A national property manager like Hometime is better if you:

• want to maximise your Airbnb earning potential,
• need higher occupancy and visibility,
• prefer hands-off management without compromising on quality,
• live remotely or don’t want day-to-day stress, and/or
• are expanding your property portfolio.

Many hosts start with a local agent for familiarity, but switch when they encounter growth roadblocks or service issues.

Make short-term rental hosting easier with Hometime

Choosing between a local Airbnb agent and Hometime isn’t just about geography — it’s about goals. If you want a trusted local presence backed by technology, strategy, and guest-first care, Hometime gives you both.

Book a chat with our friendly team at Hometime to get free Airbnb revenue projections and learn more about how we can maximise your property potential:

You can also read our Airbnb management blog to learn more about what an Airbnb manager does and why professional Airbnb listing optimisation is worth it.