From Good to Great: What Makes a Top-Earning Vacation Home

Your home’s success starts with design and presentation — ACME manages the process, but your choices shape the product.

Understanding the Projection Range

Your revenue projection reflects a range of gross rent potential. Homes with competitive amenities and great presentation consistently reach the upper half of that range, while homes that feel average tend to perform closer to the middle or lower end. For example, if your home’s projection range is $90K–$120K, the difference between landing near $95K or exceeding $115K often comes down to presentation, furnishings, and amenities.

ACME works hard to ensure maximum ROI with our First 90 Day Marketing Strategy and our Ongoing Revenue Management Process but we can only market what you give us. The difference is in how you furnish, equip, and present your property.

At ACME, we set high standards for amenities, inventory, and maintenance because we’ve learned what makes a listing successful.

Note: 3BR/2BA homes are the most common configuration , so they have an outsized amount of competition. Half of the STR’s in PS are 3BR’s. So, a 3BR home must really stand out as a premium option to rise above the competition. Having a third bathroom can help, as it provides bed/bath parity. Nobody likes to share a bathroom.

Market Conditions Play a Major Role:
Record-high competition and softer demand can drive nightly rates down, as guests often “trade up” to more premium homes that were previously out of reach. In this environment, standing out visually and experientially is what moves a home from average to exceptional performance.


Two Paths: Premium vs. Just Average

Premium Property – Positioned for Maximum Success

These homes stand out online, book first, generate 5-star reviews, and build loyal repeat guests.

Premium features in Palm Springs today include:

Result: Higher occupancy, faster bookings, stronger reviews, repeat guests, and rates that rise over time — adding up to superior revenue.


Average Property – Competing in the Middle of the Pack

These homes are clean and functional but feel like “just another rental.” They get bookings but often lose out to more visually appealing options.

Common traits of average properties:

  • Amateur photos that fail to capture the home’s best features — professional photography is essential. If it looks ordinary, performance will be ordinary or lackluster. 

  • Outdated, mismatched, or overly generic décor can quickly turn guests away. Budget furnishings from big-box stores. Even recent styles can appear dated or overdone; guests now prefer warmer neutrals and natural textures.

  • Incomplete setups — not enough inventory, seating, or bed/bath balance.

  • Uninspired outdoor spaces — older pool equipment, limited shade, no fire feature, or sparse lounge seating. Or worse yet, no pool (a deal breaker in Palm Springs).

  • Few entertainment options — missing games, activities, or small luxuries that enhance the stay.

Result: Slower bookings, lower rates, and reduced visibility as guests scroll past to higher-value homes.


Why It Matters

Guests consider your property based on what they see in photos and how your home compares to the competition. Guests compare homes visually — first through photos, then reviews. On sites like Airbnb and Vrbo, listing algorithms track how often a property is viewed and booked. Those with great conversion rates (people are looking at it and then booking it), are rewarded with higher rankings in the search results (they’re seen as popular). Those with a lower conversion rate sink lower in the search results going forward, as the algorithm sees it as an unpopular listing. The better your home looks and the more complete its amenities, the conversion rate should improve, and revenue performance will follow.

  • Competitive/premium properties get picked first → better occupancy
  • Faster booking pace → allows higher rates
  • Better reviews & repeat guests → long-term revenue growth

The Takeaway

ACME House Company provides superior marketing, revenue management, maintenance and guest services.

But your property is the product. How you equip and present it determines where you land in the projected revenue range.

We’re happy to provide tailored recommendations to help your home reach its full potential. Contact your Portfolio Manager for personalized improvement tips and a roadmap to maximize success.