Short-Term Rental Owner Call Script: 18 Questions on Rules, Revenue and Goals

Eighteen questions, with follow-ups, for the first call with an owner who runs, or wants to run, a short-term rental. Start with the current listing, the license and the revenue, then the rules.

Before you dial

• Pull the county record and your MLS data: owner or entity, last sale, size, estimated rent, comps. Do not ask what you can look up.

• If it looks already hosted, search for the Airbnb or Vrbo listing first. Ask the owner to confirm, not to research it for you.

Goal of the call: find out the rules, what they need to earn, and how involved they want to be. Do not quote income or fees until Questions 1, 2, 3 (or 5 if it is not hosted yet) and 9 are answered and we have comps.

A. Where it stands today

1. Is the property already hosted as a short-term rental, and what is the Airbnb link?

• Which platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, direct)? Get every listing link.

• Who runs it today (you, a co-host, a manager), and is there a contract or booking we would need to honor? If it is not hosted yet: personal use, long-term rental or vacant?

2. Is the property currently licensed for short-term rental?

• License or registration number, who holds it, and is it current?

• If not licensed: is a license possible here? Check the HOA CC&Rs and city or county rules before you pitch anything.

If the HOA, city or county does not clearly allow short-term rental, do not pitch STR. Move to MTR, LTR or sell.

3. If it is a current STR: what has revenue been like?

• Last 12 months of revenue, occupancy and nightly rate? Can you share a dashboard or payout screenshots?

• Is it trending up or down? Best and slowest months?

4. Have you had any issues with it?

• Guest complaints, bad reviews, damage, cleaning or turnover problems?

• Complaints, fines or violations from neighbors, the HOA or the city?

5. If it is not hosted yet: what do you expect to earn, and where did the number come from?

• Listing screenshots, a friend, a market report? Compare it with comps before we agree.

• What if the first year comes in below plan?

B. Goals and motivation

6. What made you reach out now?

• What changed recently (results, a manager, burnout, a new purchase)?

• Was there a moment you thought 'I need to do something different'?

7. What were you hoping we could help with, and who else have you talked to?

• What did they say? What was missing?

• How did you find us, and what did you search for?

8. What would a great result look like 12 months from now?

• More income, less work, better reviews, higher occupancy, protecting the property?

• If you could only pick one, which matters most?

9. What do you need the property to earn, and what is it for?

• Is that net, after mortgage, taxes, HOA, insurance, utilities and cleaning?

• What happens if it falls short of that number?

10. How much will you use the property yourself?

• How many nights, and when? Holidays, events, summer?

• How do you want to handle personal guests and last-minute stays?

11. How hands-off do you want to be?

• Guest messages, cleaning, supplies, repairs: what do you want to approve? What repair amount can we approve without a call?

• How do you want reports: monthly statements, a portal, texts?

12. Have you considered other options?

• Would mid-term or long-term rental fit better? Or selling?

• Would a sale be a large gain? Are you working with a CPA? Do not advise. If it is an investment sale, bring in an investment specialist and note any 1031 interest.

C. The home, the money and the owners

13. What condition and setup is it in?

• Furnished? Quality, beds, linens, kitchen, smart lock, pool or hot tub?

• Smoke and CO detectors, extinguisher, pool safety, anything to fix before guests?

14. What are you willing to invest to launch or improve it?

• Furnishing, decor, photos, upgrades? Budget and timing?

• Would you want a furnishing plan?

15. Who owns it, and who has to sign off?

• Entity, trust, co-owner? (Check the county record.)

• Does a CPA or attorney need to weigh in?

16. What do you owe, and what does it cost to hold each month?

• Loan balance, payment, rate. Taxes, HOA, insurance, utilities, internet, supplies?

• Look the loan up first. Confirm it, do not interrogate.

D. Decision and next step

17. What matters most in choosing a manager, and who else is part of the decision?

• Revenue, reviews, communication, fees, reporting, protecting the property?

• A co-owner, partner or advisor who needs to approve?

18. What is your timeline, and what do you need from us to decide?

• When do you want guests in or the handover done? What happens if nothing changes?

• Walkthrough, revenue analysis, written proposal? Confirm best phone, email and time. OK to text?

Which way does this lead go?

• STR. Rules clearly allow it and the license is in hand or obtainable. Owner will furnish, accepts turnover and personal-use blocks. Comp-backed net beats MTR or LTR by enough to justify the work.

• Take over. Already hosted and wants help. Review the results first. Confirm no other manager contract. Do not promise a lift before the numbers.

• MTR instead. STR not allowed or too risky, but 30+ day stays are. Owner will furnish.

• LTR instead. Rules need a long lease, or the owner wants hands-off and steady.

• Sell. The property cannot meet the goal. Repairs, distance, fatigue or a wish to exit. Bring in an investment specialist. Ask about the gain and the CPA.

• Not ready. No license, rules unclear, or no clear timeline. Log it, set a follow-up date, and keep in touch.

Red flags: rules unclear or only a verbal OK. Income quoted before comps. Expectations based on one great month. Heavy personal use with a high income goal. Unresolved complaints or fines. A decision-maker is not on the call.

After the call (within the hour)

• Log a note in your CRM: their motivation in their words, income goal, rules, numbers, options, next step. Save your call notes or recording with it.

• Update the lead status in your CRM. If STR is not possible, do not leave it at consultation complete: set a clear next step or a follow-up date.

• Ask for the listing links and dashboard screenshots. If the license or rules are unclear, check the CC&Rs and the city or county before any proposal. Selling or buying an investment property: bring in an investment specialist.

Sending a client to Las Vegas? Refer them at cgvegas.com/refer.