What a Short-Term Rental Manager Actually Does for a Birmingham Homeowner
If you own a home in the Birmingham area and you're renting it short-term, or thinking about it, the question usually isn't whether the house can earn. It's who answers the phone at 11 p.m. when the guest can't find the door code. That's what a property manager is for. Here's what the job covers, and what to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring.
The three jobs a manager takes off your plate
Guests. A manager screens guests before they book, answers every message from first inquiry to checkout, and handles check-in. This is the part owners underestimate. Guests write at all hours, and how fast and how well you answer shows up in your reviews.
The house. That means a professional cleaning between every stay, regular inspections so small problems get caught early, and someone local to coordinate repairs when something breaks.
The money. Nightly rates should move with the market: higher for a concert weekend or a big game, lower for a slow Tuesday in January. A manager sets that pricing, then sends you a monthly statement that shows what the house earned and exactly what was taken out.
Five questions to ask before you hire anyone
Are you local? A manager two states away can't check on your house.
What do your guests say? Ask for the review score across every home they manage, not their best one.
Who talks to my guests, and when? Find out who answers at night and on weekends.
What does my statement look like? Ask to see a sample. Every fee should be listed.
How do you set my rates? "We look at it once a season" is the wrong answer.
How Wake Up Stays answers those
We're based in Birmingham and have managed short-term rentals here since 2020. Today we look after 30+ homes, from apartments off Highway 280 to seven-bedroom houses near downtown.
In 2026, AirDNA named Wake Up Stays the top-rated short-term rental property manager in the Birmingham market, with a 4.94 out of 5 guest rating across 790 reviews. That ranking is built only on guest review scores, across every listing a company manages. Read about the ranking
Your guests can also book direct at wakeupstays.com, so your home isn't dependent on a single booking site.
Want to know what your home could do?
Tell us about your property and we'll take a look. There's no cost to ask, and we'll tell you plainly if we don't think short-term renting fits your house.
Tell us about your property or call (205) 656-1144.
