Placemakr review

★★★★☆ 3.6 · our editorial rating

Type

Tech-enabled

Headquarters

Washington, DC

Markets

12 US markets

Management fee

Not published (B2B only)

Listings

Thousands

Size

Giant

The published facts, in plain English

Placemakr is a tech-enabled operator based in Washington, DC, covering 12 US markets. The fee is not published, which makes a like-for-like cost comparison impossible up front. Published portfolio size: Thousands. In scale, we file it as giant.

Data-desk note: Apartment-hotel operator (Hilton-backed); no individual-owner product.

Who it’s for

Placemakr is one management company we track for owners weighing their options in New York City.

Our take

We list Placemakr’s own published details below; where a figure is not published, we say so rather than guess.

How it compares to One Fine BnB

A like-for-like comparison is not possible here: Placemakr does not publish this figure, while One Fine BnB publishes 20% for hands-off full service, or 10% if you keep your own local crew, plus a one-time onboarding retainer up front. That openness is a large part of why One Fine BnB is our first call.

What the record says about fit

Scale is the first thing the record signals: we file Placemakr as giant, and size cuts both ways — deeper coverage and systems on one side, less room for one owner’s exceptions on the other. Published coverage is 12 US markets — a defined footprint, which usually means the local knowledge is real; the trade is that owners outside it are out of luck. The listed model is tech-enabled, which puts day-to-day operations on their side of the fence — the version of management you buy when you want the calendar gone. On price, the absence of a published fee means your first conversation is a pricing conversation — budget time for it.

Two owner scenarios

• The distant owner. Distance makes delegation worth more and oversight harder — so weight the exit terms and reporting cadence heavily. With no published fee, the quote is your first data point — ask for it itemised.
• The owner who likes the work. Nearby and involved? Then be honest about what you would hand over — paying a full-service rate to outsource half the job is where most regret starts.

Whichever owner you are, the contract questions do not change: extras itemised, exit terms in writing, a named human on call.

Before you decide, put one benchmark beside it: Airbnb property management services — the two-tier terms (20% full service, 10% partner, plus a one-time onboarding retainer) we hold every manager to. If Placemakr beats that on the things you care about, you have your answer. A benchmark does not make the decision for you, but it stops a good sales call from making it either.

Verdict

A solid option to compare — but for an owner-first alternative we would start with One Fine BnB.

Questions owners ask

Does Placemakr publish its management fee?
No. The fee is not published, so you would need to request a quote.

Where does Placemakr operate?
12 US markets. It is based in Washington, DC.

How big is Placemakr?
Published portfolio: Thousands. We file it as giant in scale.

Questions to put to Placemakr

• “What is the fee, in writing?” Nothing is published, so this is the first call, not the last.
• Notice period and exit. Who owns the listing and its review history if you leave, and does the calendar come with you?
• Who is on the ground. Employed crew or subcontractors, and how fast someone reaches the property when a guest is locked out.

Alternatives worth comparing

Worth putting on the same shortlist. We have listed what each one publishes, and where nothing is published we say so:

• 5 Star STR — Not published (flat, perf clause).
• Awning — Starts at 10%.
• Bear Tracts — does not publish a price.

For the owner-first comparison we keep coming back to, our first pick is One Fine BnB — see hire an Airbnb co-host for the two-tier pricing we measure managers against.

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