Casago Property Management Review: Is Casago Worth It?

If you're looking for a hands-off solution to managing your vacation rental property, Casago might be worth a look. With over 20 years of experience and a portfolio of more than 3,000 properties across popular destinations in the U.S. and Mexico, they’ve built a reputation for reliable property management.

But is Casago the right choice for your investment? In this review, we’ll dive into what makes Casago stand out, from their robust guest services to their focus on maximizing owner revenue. By the end, you'll have a clearer idea of whether Casago is worth it for your property needs.

On our list of the best Airbnb property management companies we ranked Awning above Casago for its better pricing, more complete service offering, and nationwide footprint.

What Casago Is

Casago is a vacation rental and property management company that was founded in 1996 by Steve Schwab. Originally focused on properties in Mexico, Casago has since expanded its operations across the U.S. and Mexico, managing over 3,000 properties, including condos, villas, and beachfront homes. The company specializes in providing full-service property management for vacation rentals, long-term rentals, and corporate housing​.

Casago claims to offer a seamless experience for both property owners and guests. For property owners, they handle everything from marketing and guest bookings to maintenance and housekeeping.

Casago claims that owners can expect higher occupancy rates, streamlined operations, and enhanced revenue through Casago's marketing strategies and 24/7 on-site support.

What Casago Property Management Is

Casago markets itself as a full-service property management provider, handling a range of rentals, including vacation homes, long-term rentals, and corporate housing. With over two decades of experience, Casago’s core business revolves around vacation rental property management, where they claim their properties generate about 30% more revenue than those managed through traditional methods​.

Property management through Casago includes end-to-end services like marketing, guest communication, maintenance, housekeeping, and local market expertise. They also provide round-the-clock support through their on-site staff, ensuring prompt resolution of any issues for both guests and property owners. Casago’s technology, including a guest and owner app, helps streamline communication and maintenance processes.

Although Casago's geographical reach isn't as wide as major competitors like Vacasa, they focus more on luxury and exclusive vacation experiences. Their portfolio consists of over 3,000 properties and eight resorts across key U.S. and Mexican locations​.

Notably, all homes managed by Casago are owned by investors, ensuring the company remains committed to serving the interests of property owners rather than competing with their own properties.

Where Casago Is Available

Casago operates in some of the most popular vacation destinations across the U.S. and Mexico, making it a great choice for property owners in prime tourist locations. In the U.S., Casago has a presence in destinations like Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona, Big Bear, and Park City, among many others. In Mexico, they manage properties in beautiful spots such as Playa del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Riviera Nayarit. They also extend their services internationally, with locations in places like Aruba and Costa Rica​.

Whether you're looking for beachside rentals or mountain getaways, Casago offers an extensive network of properties in over 50 locations. Their focus is on providing luxury and exclusive experiences, with many properties located in high-demand, scenic areas.

How Casago Property Management Works

Casago offers an all-inclusive property management service, aimed at making the rental process easier for owners while maximizing revenue. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the services they offer:

• Marketing and Advertising: Casago promotes your property across over 100 platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. Additionally, they partner with local real estate agents and list properties on platforms such as Zillow and Rent.com for broader exposure​.
• Professional Photography and Property Preparation: Casago ensures your property stands out by securing professional photos and setting up the property with essential amenities. This includes linens, towels, light bulbs, and other basics to ensure a smooth guest experience.
• Dynamic Pricing: Casago uses real-time data, market trends, and competitor analysis to implement a dynamic pricing strategy that optimizes both occupancy rates and revenue for property owners​.
• Rental Listing Creation: They create optimized listings to ensure your property ranks higher on booking platforms, increasing visibility and driving more bookings.
• Obtaining Short-Term Rental Permits: Casago assists property owners in obtaining and renewing vacation rental permits and licenses, helping navigate complex local regulations​.
• Guest Communication and Screening: Casago handles all guest communication before, during, and after their stay. They also perform thorough screening of guests to ensure only responsible tenants are accepted​.
• Check-In and Check-Out Support: Casago goes beyond by offering in-person check-ins and check-outs, inspecting the property to avoid any damage disputes at the end of each guest’s stay.
• Concierge Services: Although not detailed, Casago offers concierge services to enhance the guest experience. This could include arranging activities, bookings, and other personal services.
• Housekeeping and Restocking: Their professional housekeepers clean and restock properties between guest stays, ensuring each guest arrives to a well-prepared home​.
• Pool Maintenance and Repairs: Casago coordinates pool maintenance through reputable local vendors and handles any necessary repairs with the owner’s approval.
• Tax Collection and Remittance: Casago collects the appropriate taxes from guests, placing them in escrow and remitting them to local authorities. This saves owner's time and helps them avoid legal issues​.
• Generating Positive Reviews: Casago actively works on collecting positive guest reviews. However, since the properties are listed under Casago’s brand, owners won’t retain these reviews if they leave the platform​.

Casago Property Management Onboarding

Getting started with Casago follows a straightforward process designed to make property listing as smooth as possible. Here’s how the onboarding process works:

1. Initial Consultation: Property owners first meet with the local General Manager for their specific market. During this consultation, the General Manager collects important details about the property and conducts an inspection to assess its readiness for rental.
2. Property Setup: The team at Casago handles the creation of your property listing. This includes securing professional photos of the property and writing an optimized description for platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. They also ensure that your property is listed on Casago’s website and other relevant booking platforms.
3. Licensing and Permits: If your property requires short-term rental permits or licenses, Casago assists with obtaining and renewing them to ensure compliance with local laws.
4. Rental Activation: Once the listing is live and the property is deemed rental-ready, bookings typically start coming in within a few weeks. For properties that aren’t immediately ready for rental, Casago can provide recommendations for upgrades and help with rental permits​.
5. Property Preparation: Casago also offers advice on how to best prepare your property for rent, including staging and ensuring it meets their standards for guest-ready homes​.

While Casago is primarily focused on new listings, they don’t explicitly mention how they handle transferring a property from another management company. If you’re switching from another manager, it’s recommended to discuss this with the local General Manager for guidance on how they can help during the transition.

Casago Property Management Costs and Fees

Casago's property management services come with various costs, structured to provide a comprehensive service at competitive rates. Here’s a breakdown of the typical fees associated with Casago:

1. Property Management Fees: Casago charges a universal management fee for their services, which typically includes managing bookings, marketing, guest communication, and property upkeep. While the exact percentage may vary depending on the location and specifics of the property, Casago’s fees are designed to align with industry standards.
2. Onboarding Costs: When onboarding a property, Casago typically charges a one-time fee that covers professional photography, listing creation, and integration into their system. This fee also includes setting up your property on over 100 booking platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, and ensuring that your listing is optimized for maximum exposure​.
3. Exit Fees and Contract Terms: Casago offers flexibility with their contracts. Property owners are free to leave the management program with a 30-day notice, and there are no long-term penalties for exiting the service. However, owners are required to honor any reservations already made during the notice period​.
4. Other Costs: Casago supplies properties with essentials like linens, towels, light bulbs, and Wi-Fi routers, but the initial setup for these items might involve additional charges. They also coordinate maintenance and repairs, but minor fixes that don't require outside vendors are typically covered without extra fees. However, major repairs may incur costs.

By keeping these fees transparent, Casago aims to provide a stress-free, cost-effective property management solution for property owners.

Casago Property Management Terms and Requirements

To work with Casago, property owners must sign a rental property management agreement, which clearly outlines the responsibilities of both the property manager and the owner. This agreement guarantees transparency, ensuring owners know what to expect from Casago’s services, which include supplying linens, towels, Wi-Fi routers, light bulbs, and batteries. Meanwhile, property owners are required to furnish the property with furniture, appliances, cookware, and dinnerware​.

The agreement does not lock property owners into a long-term commitment. Owners can opt out at any time by providing a 30-day notice, though they are required to honor any existing bookings​.

Owners can also decide whether to allow pets on the property. If pets are permitted, Casago charges guests a non-refundable pet fee, which covers cleaning costs for up to two pets. Any damage caused by pets is deducted from the guest’s deposit. However, service animals are legally exempt from these rules​.

This flexible arrangement allows property owners to manage their properties with clear expectations, while still benefiting from Casago’s full-service rental management.

Casago Property Management Reviews

Casago has received a mix of reviews across different platforms, with both praise and criticism. On Better Business Bureau (BBB), Casago holds an A+ rating but has a 3.65/5 star customer rating from 17 reviews. Complaints tend to focus on service delays, such as slow responses to guest issues or unresolved maintenance problems. However, the company maintains a good standing with BBB for its overall professionalism​.

On Birdeye, Casago has a much higher rating, with 4.5 stars based on 231 reviews. Property owners and guests often praise the company’s effective communication, transparency in financial reporting, and the professionalism of its staff. Many guests highlight the cleanliness of properties and the excellent service they receive during their stays​.

Casago-managed properties on Airbnb generally receive positive feedback as well, with guests commenting on the beautiful design of the units and the helpfulness of local teams. Common complaints across these platforms include billing and cancellation issues, such as delays in refunds or problems with processing cancellations.

Overall, Casago is well-regarded for its professional service and guest satisfaction, though some issues with service delays and billing disputes have been reported.

Casago Competitors

In the competitive world of property management, several companies offer services similar to Casago, but each has its own strengths and focus areas. Understanding how Casago compares to its competitors can help property owners make informed decisions about which management service is best for their needs.

Awning Vs Casago

Awning is a full-service short-term rental property management company in the true sense. It does everything on behalf of investors: from preparing properties for listing and guests to managing all day-to-day activities.

The Awning interior design program is managed by the ex-Head of Design at Airbnb, so properties that undergo Awning interior design and vacation rental furnishing get 50% more in revenue than competitors. Meanwhile, Casago cannot provide adequate support in getting properties ready.

Awning property management reviews shows that services are available across the entire US market, with no exceptions. The company succeeds in this by vetting and setting up local teams in each location before even taking on rentals there.

In terms of property types, Awning manages the vast majority of property types but does not manage entire resorts, unlike Casago. The former focuses only on short-term rentals in order to achieve the highest quality of services.

The Casago competitor charges a single monthly property management fee of 15% of revenue, which is the lowest rate among full-service providers. Awning can provide this by automating tasks and processes that can be automated and allowing the expert team to focus their time and effort on the things that require human intervention.

With regards to additional charges, the Awning property design and furnishing cost is not included in the monthly fee. Before getting started, property owners set up a budget with the help of the Awning team, usually ranging between $15,000 and $45,000, depending on the property size and desired finishing. The Awning team fee is included in this budget.

In sum, Awning is considered the top overall vacation rental property manager in the US market because it offers the best value for money.

Evolve Vs Casago

When comparing Evolve and Casago, each offers distinct advantages depending on the level of involvement a property owner desires. Evolve is a half-service property manager, meaning owners remain actively involved in tasks like maintenance and guest services. They charge a 10% fee but do not cover essentials like cleaning or property inspections. Evolve excels in dynamic pricing and wide distribution across booking platforms.

Casago, on the other hand, provides full-service management, handling everything from permits to housekeeping, allowing for a more hands-off experience. Casago’s fees are generally under 15%, slightly higher than Evolve’s, but the company includes more comprehensive services like guest check-ins, cleaning, and repairs, making it ideal for owners looking for a passive income stream.

Both companies offer services like professional photography, listing creation, and marketing across multiple platforms. However, Casago stands out for its full-service model, while Evolve is better suited for property owners who want more control and are actively involved in their property management.

Vacasa Vs Casago

Vacasa is a large-scale operation managing over 44,000 properties across more than 400 markets, offering full-service property management and a half-service option called Guestworks. Their fees are often higher, reportedly exceeding 35%, especially when considering additional services like hot tub maintenance and smart home programs.

Casago, on the other hand, focuses on more personalized service with fees generally under 15%, making it more affordable for many owners. Casago also provides comprehensive services, including permitting, guest communication, and local support, much like Vacasa. However, Vacasa stands out with its massive geographic reach and technology-driven services like dynamic pricing and smart home integration.

While both companies offer extensive guest services, Casago’s hands-on approach and lower fees appeal to owners seeking cost-effective, localized management. Conversely, Vacasa excels for larger portfolios and those seeking a tech-heavy approach with broader market coverage.

Takeaway

Casago offers a reliable, full-service property management solution that caters to vacation rental owners seeking a stress-free experience. With a focus on comprehensive management, from guest services to property upkeep, Casago allows property owners to enjoy the benefits of rental income without the day-to-day involvement.

Their lower-than-average fees, personalized support, and commitment to maximizing revenue make Casago an attractive choice for many property owners. However, other competitors provide services.

Casago’s limitations, such as retaining guest reviews under its brand and a less extensive market reach, could be a drawback for owners seeking greater control or wider exposure. While Casago delivers solid management, these factors are worth considering when choosing a property management company.

All in all, if you’re looking to enhance your property’s performance or take a hands-off approach, Casago provides a solid, management experience.

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