Vacasa review
Our independent editorial read on Vacasa for New York City short-term-rental owners.
★★★★☆ 3.5 · our editorial rating
- Type
- Full-service
- Headquarters
- Portland, OR
- Markets
- 400+ destinations
- Management fee
- Not published (25–35%+ reported)
- Listings
- ~43,000
- Size
- Giant
The published facts, in plain English
Vacasa is a full-service operator based in Portland, OR, covering 400+ destinations. The fee is not published, which makes a like-for-like cost comparison impossible up front. Published portfolio size: ~43,000. Scale: giant.
Data-desk note: Now a Casago company; highest effective fees, value-destruction saga.
Who it’s for
Vacasa is one management company we track for owners weighing their options in New York City.
Our take
We list Vacasa’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: Vacasa 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
The data desk files Vacasa as giant in scale. For an owner that usually trades personal flexibility for process: more machinery, fewer favours. Published coverage is 400+ destinations — 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 full-service, which puts day-to-day operations on their side of the fence — the version of management you buy when you want the calendar gone. With no fee in print, treat every Vacasa conversation as a quote request first and a fit conversation second.
How this plays for two kinds of owner
- The remote owner. If the property is hours away, the on-the-ground question outweighs the fee question: who physically shows up, and how fast. Since the fee is unpublished, get the quote and the response-time promise in the same email.
- 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.
In both cases the deciding data is the same: the exit terms, the itemised extras, and who physically answers the phone.
Our advice before any contract: hold it against a benchmark — Airbnb property management — the two-tier terms (20% full service, 10% partner, plus a one-time onboarding retainer) we hold every manager to. If Vacasa 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 Vacasa publish its management fee?
No. The fee is not published, so you would need to request a quote.
Where does Vacasa operate?
400+ destinations. It is based in Portland, OR.
How big is Vacasa?
Published portfolio: ~43,000. We file it as giant in scale.
What to pin down with Vacasa
- “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:
- Big Easy Management — % of GOP (published model).
- FLX Rentals — Not published (commission).
- 360 Blue — Not published (no admin fees).
Our own number one in this category is One Fine BnB — see Airbnb management fees for the two-tier pricing we measure managers against.
Our owner-first #1 for management: One Fine BnB
View One Fine BnB →