Congratulations, you've just gotten a new property that you need to add to OwnerRez! Now... how do you actually do that and what's involved? Many different things need to be configured from amenities to photos, to writing descriptions, configuring rates, calendar, etc. Once you've got it all set up, don't forget to test! How does it look on your website, are quotes and rates correct, is it pushing out to all of the channels you want?
There are a couple of different routes to get started, depending on where the property is coming from.
If you have a property already listed on Airbnb or Vrbo, you can import property content directly from the public listing pages. You can import the amenities, descriptions, photos, etc., with our import tool. You can do this with any publicly listed property! Watch the videos linked below to learn how to do that.
Duplicate Your OwnerRez Property
Is it similar or identical to a property you already have in OwnerRez? If so, you can go into that other property and use the Duplicate tool on the upper right menu to copy the property you've already set up to a new property and get a head start.
-
Don't forget to check the checkbox to "include listing data" in order to import everything.
- If it's completely new, just go to the Properties section in OwnerRez and add a new property there.
Once you've got the base property set up, the next step is to fill out all of the additional info:
- Properties > General Info - enter the Name/Phone/URL for the property
- Properties > Rules - enter the payment rules, occupancy, availability, rules, etc
- Properties > Location - enter the address and then click on Calculate latitude and longitude from address and select how you want your property displayed. Then, be sure to check everything on the page that can apply to your property to help guests find your listing, local attractions, nearby places, etc.
It's essential to get your address and latitude/longitude settings correct in OwnerRez before pushing your new property to any listing channel. Generally, they do not allow addresses or locations to be changed once created in their systems.
- Nightly Rates and Seasons. If you've got rates already on Airbnb or Vrbo, you can import them using our Spot Rate import tool. Rates also come in during the Listing Content Import.
- If not, configure any seasons and holidays along with default rates you want to use, and/or configure calendar rates.
- Add any surcharges & discounts you need, or if you've already got them set up for other properties, make sure they apply to this one.
- Configure taxes to include the property. If you already have taxes set up for other properties you may be able to add this property to your existing configuration.
- Set up the calendar. If it's completely open, there's nothing you need to do. If there are blocks or bookings you need to pull in, you may need to do one or more of the following depending on the data source:
- If they are on a channel you have access to, you can map the property on that channel and the bookings will be merged in during the setup process.
- If the bookings are on somebody else's channel (like if you bought a property and are moving it to your account), you can set up iCal imports or do a one time calendar import (if it doesn't need to be recurring). You can also ask them to use Channel Bridge to download the details from their account and send the file to you so you can import it into your OwnerRez account.
- If you've got other direct bookings or blocks, you can Import them from Excel if you've got a lot. Or just go and manually create bookings and blocks directly if there are just a few to do.
- If this property is related to another where it needs to be blocked when another is booked, configure the mutual blocking settings to enforce that relationship.
- Upload your photos. If you've already imported from the channel you may not need to do this step, but also keep in mind that channels tend to use lower quality photos -- you may want to upload your own higher quality photos.
- Write your descriptions on the Descriptions tab of the property.
- Populate Amenities on the Amenities tab, and also mark the suitability and expectations for your listing there.
- Configure the Rooms & Accommodations tab to include your beds and baths and other details about staying at your property.
The bed count contributes to the Sleeps (max) number.
- King = Sleep 2
- Queen = Sleep 2
- Double = Sleep 2
- Twin = Sleep 1
- Crib = Sleep 0
- Bunk Bed = Sleep 2
- Toddler = Sleep 0
- Couch = Sleep 1
- Hammock = Sleep 1
- Sleeper Sofa/Futon = Sleep 2
- Cot/Murphy = Sleep 1
- Air Mattress = Sleep 1
- Floor Mattress = Sleep 1
- Water Bed = Sleep 1
- Make sure you've got a renter agreement set up to cover the property
- Make sure your payment methods apply to the property
Once that's all done, you're ready to review and test!
- First go to Tools > Listing Quality Analyzer. LQA is an automated tool that will look through general recommendations and specific per channel requirements and tell you if anything needs to be fixed. Check out this video about how Listing Quality Analyzer works.
- Review the calendar and rates in Settings > Rates.
- Run a few tests in Tools > Direct Rate Tester to see if the quotes look good.
- Verify that you've mapped your door lock integrations to this new property.
- Verify that any custom field codes also include this new property.
- Extra credit: run a direct quote with yourself as the guest, change the charges to $1, and run it through to a booking
Listing Channels
Now that everything is set up in OwnerRez, the next step is to add it to any API-integrated channels you have:
- Airbnb and TripAdvisor
- Go to the channel in Settings > API Integrations and use the Change Property Mapping button to map the property and enable the sync. You can map to an existing listing if there is one, or choose the "Create New Listing" option to create a new one.
- Wait a few minutes for the initial sync to go through. Your listing isn't live yet, just pushed to the channel in an unpublished state.
- Once the sync is complete, go over to the channel site and review to make sure everything looks good. Make any needed changes in OwnerRez, and wait a few minutes to update.
- Go back to the channel in Settings > API Integrations and use the Activate Listings button to publish and activate the listing.
- Open a new incognito or private mode browser and go look at the guest view of the listing -- make sure the descriptions, photos, amenities all look right, do a couple of quotes and look at the numbers, calendar, etc.
- Vrbo
- Go to the channel in Settings > API Integrations and use the Change Property Mapping button to include the new property in the feed.
- Wait 24-48 hours for the property to feed across to Vrbo. It's not a push integration like Air/TA so you have to wait for this step. If you're still in the integration phase with Vrbo, you can contact your integration specialist and have them do an immediate pull.
- Log in to Vrbo and find your new property on the "Incomplete Listings" tab. Do a subscription there, pay the listing fee, and finish. Your new property should now be visible on Vrbo and syncing with OwnerRez via the API like your other properties.
- Booking.com: there isn't currently a way to push content from OwnerRez to Booking.com. So go to Booking.com and create the listing over there. Once the listing has been created on Booking.com, follow the Connect OwnerRez to Booking.com instructions to link the two.
Add a New Listing to Airbnb from OwnerRez
Adding a new listing to Airbnb is done entirely from the OwnerRez side.
- If you haven't already, first create the new property in OwnerRez.
- Open the Airbnb API dashboard under Settings > API Integration > click Airbnb.
- Click the Change Property Mappings button, and select "Connect Properties".
- Next to the new property, click on the drop-down and select "Create New Listing" and select the sync type to the right. You probably want the "Everything" option. Then click Save at the bottom.
- When the page saves, OwnerRez will create a new listing on the Airbnb side and it map it back to your OwnerRez property.
- Go have a coffee while the new property uploads - it will take a few minutes, but not normally more than 15.
- Click the "Change Listing Status" button and "Publish", then select your property's checkbox and save. This will make it live on Airbnb's site.
For more information about property mappings, read the Mapping Properties section on the Setup and Connecting support document. Make sure to fill out the property content, rates and rules in OwnerRez on your new property so that the new listing on Airbnb is fully fleshed out. As you fill in property content, OwnerRez will push over that data to Airbnb in real time.
Add a New Listing to Vrbo from OwnerRez
- Create the property in OwnerRez and make sure it is fully filled out with listing content (photos, amenities, rules, etc.) and that it has rates. Read the Preparing to go API support doc where it talks about the tools to use for completeness.
- Modify your Vrbo API integration in OwnerRez to include the new property in the Vrbo property mappings. Go to Settings > Channels >Vrbo API > change property mappings. Click the "Included" checkbox, and Save your change.
- It may take up to 48 hours or longer, but the new property will eventually show up on the Vrbo side after their system does a fresh pull. If you don't see it, don't panic for a day or two.
It is normal for Vrbo to throw spurious errors during the process of setting up a new API connection or new property - these can normally be ignored unless they continue for more than a few days.
- Log in to your Vrbo dashboard.
- Navigate to "See properties list"
- Find your new property. You may need to alter your Filter settings to show inactive and archived properties:
- Select “Review plan”:
- Choose from PPS (if an option), or PPB or Professional, pay the listing fee if applicable, and finish.
- Your new property should now be visible on Vrbo, and syncing with OwnerRez via the API like your other properties.
Troubleshooting
If users experience difficulties or delays adding their property to Vrbo, we recommend that they perform a full sync to force a push to Vrbo. To accomplish a full sync, navigate to that specific Vrbo API connection and, from the Actions dropdown menu, click on Request Full Sync.
If your property does not become active after 48 hours or longer, contact the Helpdesk.