Frequently asked questions
Fees, exclusions, vendors, taxes, reservations, onboarding and property standards — answered directly, the way we would answer them on a call.
Fees and pricing
What does the 20% management fee include?
The management fee covers our active management work: revenue management and rate strategy, listing and channel management across Airbnb, VRBO and direct bookings, guest communication from inquiry through post-stay, cleaning scheduling and approved cleaner coordination, approved maintenance vendor coordination including HVAC and pool service, supply and inventory oversight, review and reputation management, and monthly owner statements.
What is excluded from the management fee?
The 20% fee is not applied to cleaning fees, taxes, refundable security deposits, damage reimbursements or insurance proceeds.
Separately, property operating costs are not included in the fee. Owners pay for cleaning, maintenance, repairs, supplies, utilities, insurance, licenses, vendor invoices, capital improvements, and taxes and tax filings.
Why is there a monthly platform fee?
The $249 monthly Revenue and Marketing Platform Fee covers the ongoing cost of the systems your property runs on: our revenue platform and market data, multi-channel listing distribution and calendar control, the direct-booking presence, guest communication systems and owner reporting infrastructure. It is charged per property, per month, and it applies whether the month is peak or slow because the systems run continuously.
What does onboarding cost, and what does it cover?
Onboarding is a one-time fee of $2,495 to $3,495 per property. The final amount depends on property size, condition and operational complexity. It covers the on-site inspection and condition documentation, listing build or rebuild, photography direction and presentation review, pricing strategy and calendar rule setup, cleaning and vendor onboarding, and the initial inventory and supply baseline.
Vendors, cleaning and maintenance
Do I have to use Magic Manor's cleaners?
Yes. Turnover consistency directly drives review scores, guest complaints and property condition, so managed properties use Magic Manor-approved cleaners. We coordinate scheduling, confirm completion and hold the work to a defined standard.
Do I have to use Magic Manor's maintenance vendors?
Yes. Reliable response times and accountable workmanship require vendors we know and can schedule. Managed properties use Magic Manor-approved maintenance vendors, including for HVAC and pool service.
Who pays the cleaners?
The owner pays cleaning expenses. We schedule and coordinate the cleaners and review turnover quality; the cost of the clean is a property operating expense, and the guest cleaning fee collected on a reservation is not subject to the management fee.
Who pays for maintenance and supplies?
The owner. Maintenance, repairs, supplies, consumables, utilities, insurance, licenses, vendor invoices and capital improvements are all owner expenses. We recommend maintaining an operating reserve so nothing is delayed while a guest is in the home.
How much maintenance can Magic Manor authorize?
Your management agreement sets a specific authorization limit. Work at or under that limit — routine repairs and urgent guest-impacting issues — proceeds immediately so problems are resolved fast. Anything above the limit requires your approval before work begins, except where immediate action is necessary to protect health, safety or the property from further damage.
Taxes and compliance
Who files property taxes?
The owner. Owners are responsible for all applicable taxes, tax registrations and tax filings, including property taxes and lodging or sales taxes where applicable. Magic Manor Property Management does not prepare, file or remit tax returns for owners and does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. We recommend working with a licensed Florida tax professional.
What happens to taxes collected from direct bookings?
Taxes collected from direct-booking guests are separately identified on your statement and transferred to the property owner. Remitting those taxes to the appropriate authorities remains the owner's responsibility.
What properties does Magic Manor accept?
We manage single-family vacation homes, resort homes, pool homes, themed vacation homes and larger family or group accommodations in Greater Orlando — Davenport, Kissimmee, Clermont and Disney-area resort communities — where short-term rental is permitted.
We generally do not take on properties with severe deferred maintenance, properties that are not properly licensed or insured, properties in communities where short-term rental is prohibited, or owners who require guaranteed revenue, refuse approved vendors, or insist on controlling every nightly rate.
Listings, reservations and revenue
Will Magic Manor manage my existing reservations?
Yes. Reservations booked before the management agreement are transitioned to us during onboarding, and the management fee applies to reservations we actively manage, including those pre-existing stays. The fee also applies to reservations generated during the agreement, reservation extensions, retained cancellation revenue and other covered lodging-related guest charges.
Do I need an Airbnb listing?
No. If your property already has one, we take it over, restructure the content and manage it. If it does not, we build one during onboarding as part of the setup and optimization step.
Can Magic Manor create a VRBO listing?
Yes. VRBO is an important channel for large family and group bookings in the Orlando market, and we create and manage listings there as part of onboarding when the property does not already have one.
Does Magic Manor guarantee revenue?
No. We do not offer guaranteed rent, guaranteed occupancy or guaranteed performance, and we do not publish projected revenue figures as promises. Results depend on market conditions, property condition and presentation, licensing, seasonality, competition and pricing decisions. What we commit to is disciplined revenue management, professional guest experience and transparent reporting.
How long does onboarding take?
It depends on the property. Timeline drivers include property condition and readiness items from the inspection, licensing and insurance status, photography needs, furnishing or inventory gaps, and how quickly owner decisions and documents come back. A property that is licensed, insured, well-furnished and photo-ready moves through onboarding materially faster than one with open readiness items. We give you a specific timeline after the inspection.
Owner experience
Can I use the property personally?
Yes. Owner-use dates are supported, subject to existing reservations and the notice terms in your management agreement. Request dates as far ahead as possible — blocking peak periods at short notice has a direct revenue cost, and we will tell you what that cost looks like before you decide.
How do owner statements and payouts work?
You receive a monthly owner statement per property showing reservation-level lodging revenue, management fees and, for direct bookings, the owner payout with taxes identified separately. Payout timing and method are defined in your management agreement, and the management team is available to walk through any line on the statement.
What if we are not a good fit?
We will say so. A strategy call is a fit assessment in both directions. If your property or expectations are not aligned with how we operate, we would rather tell you early than take on management that will not work for either of us.