Evolve Vacation Rental Review : Wheelhouse Blog

Evolve Vacation Rental Review

September 28, 2022 | Hailey Friedman

Today’s property owner and vacation rental provider needs the right tech in their arsenal.

Vacation rental sites like Airbnb or VRBO are a good start. But property management support from a company like Evolve might be even better.

In fact, Forbes called Evolve an Airbnb and vacation rental industry “interrupter.” They described it as both a supplementary platform to Airbnb – and a potential replacement.

So is Evolve worth it for property managers? Can they help you fill up an entire summer calendar?

Let’s dive into our full Evolve review to see how.

Evolve vs. Airbnb vs. Vacasa

Evolve positions itself first and foremost as a hospitality company, not a short-term rental marketplace like Airbnb or Vacasa.

We can see that distinction in how Evolve compares with each competitor in terms of support and services.

Property owner support

You can see the hospitality lens from the dedicated support Evolve gives each property owner. Forget waiting on hold to speak to an already burdened support representative. Evolve offers each client a dedicated home cleaning team and 24/7 access to a world-class customer service and marketing team to answer any questions and resolve any issues.

On the flip side, Airbnb customer service representatives are notorious for being bureaucratic and unhelpful — the furthest thing from personalized or convenient.

Vacasa prides itself on offering local, dedicated support similar to Evolve.

Property Locations

When it comes to locations, it’s hard to compete with Airbnb’s 220-country portfolio. Evolve offers property management services to U.S.-based vacation homeowners, but they also provide an element of exclusivity and excellent customer service. Plus, they offer newly renovated homes with pools, mountain views, waterfronts, and other diverse features to meet any vacationer’s needs.

Vacasa falls somewhere in the middle, with accommodations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Belize, and Costa Rica.

Insurance

Airbnb offers up to $1,000,000 coverage with its insurance plan, AirCover. Evolve also has a $1,000,000 liability coverage, plus a $3,000 damage protection for each booking.

Vacasa trumps both by including the million-dollar liability coverage, $25,000 damage protection, and dedicated $15,000 for protection from bed bugs. However, their insurance plan isn’t part of the management fee, and property owners must pay extra.

Management Fees

Evolve takes a 10% management fee and only charges property owners after a booking. Airbnb operates similarly, albeit at a doubled rate of 20% for most properties.

Vacasa is less transparent, citing specific quotes for each client. However, some reviewers note Vacasa’s exorbitant pricing, even describing it as 3X the cost of Evolve’s management fee!

Management services

Airbnb offers no vacation management services, so marketing, guest support, maintenance, and cleaning are your responsibility.

Vacasa and Evolve both offer vacation management services, though the offerings vary slightly.

Evolve pretty much offers the complete package. Each property owner gets a dedicated home team to take care of any onsite issues, from cleaning to maintenance. The company also has organized online marketing services complete with professional photography to make your home shine on any vacation rental site. Property owners can rest easy knowing Evolve’s team handles guest support, bookings, smart pricing, inquiries, and insurance.

Vacasa offers similar services and adds a few extra perks like hot-tub maintenance, smart home thermostats and noise detectors, and a dedicated app. However, Evolve provides a more competitive rate that embodies everything a property owner needs in the service.

Evolve Review

Now that we’ve covered Evolve vs Airbnb vs Vacasa, let’s take a look at some other areas where Evolve stands out.

Evolve for Guests

Guests have a wealth of verified, freshly-renovated units to choose from on their hunt for the perfect vacation. Whether you’re traveling with pets, family, or on business, Evolve has a perfectly catered option for you.

We also applaud the company’s flexibility. Right on the homepage, guests receive assurance that Evolve will accommodate them if their original plans change, hinting away from the harsh cancellation policies of Airbnb.

Evolve also offers a generous guest engagement strategy every year. You can upload a social media photo with specific tags at an Evolve property for the chance to win $5,000 every year to travel.

Evolve for Vacation Rental Management

Now, is Evolve worth it for property managers? Armed with extensive liability insurance and damage protection, stellar marketing touches, 24/7 guest support, and dedicated maintenance teams — we think so.

And so do guests, with predominantly positive views for vacation rentals across the US.

Evolve vacation rental management benefits include:
- A dedicated, local maintenance team for your property
- Booking services
- Insurance coverage of up to $1,000,000 in liability and $3,000 in damage protection
- World-class marketing with listings on the top vacation sites like Airbnb, Vrbo, Google, Hopper, and Booking.com
- Custom property listing with professional photography
- Evolve vets each property to ensure they meet the four core standards of safety, cleanliness, guest-ready, and presenting as advertised
- Low management fee that kicks in only after bookings are secured
- Quick and easy onboarding process
- 24/7 customer support

Plus, any vacation management company that offers smart rates is A-OK in our books. Evolve goes that extra step to track competition and market data to help inform prices.

But if you want to take it to the next step, check out Wheelhouse’s dynamic pricing software — a must-have in today’s competitive vacation rental landscape.

Evolve Vacation Rental Company Reviews

Evolve generally has positive reviews from vacation homeowners on its website. Many homeowners praise the company’s high occupancy rates, improved profits, and convenience:

“[Evolve] has kept my vacation rental occupied for eight straight years.”
- Jay, Evolve Homeowner
“I am very happy that I decided to let Evolve take care of managing my home. It took my property from being a headache to a positive, easy experience.”
- Pat A., Evolve Homeowner
“I love Evolve! Our cabin is booked most of the year. Great customer service and are always very helpful! I have had other rental companies in the past and Evolve is the best for sure!”
- Kathy H., Evolve Homeowner
“I've been working with the Evolve Management team for 3 years now and have never had an issue we couldn't overcome easily. They are trained professionals and work as hard for the homeowner as well as the guests. And I don't get penalized for using my own property when I need it, unlike AirBnB's system, which I feel is totally on the guests side and not the homeowner who is taking the risks of the rental business.”
- Bob Goethe, Evolve Homeowner

Google Reviews

Evolve doesn’t have Google reviews, but you’ll find thousands of authentic reviews on TrustPilot. Most reviews are positive, with a couple about unresponsive customer service and unkempt homes. However, Evolve usually responds to negative reviews and seems to care about fixing each issue.

But remember that issues like these are always bound to happen with a vacation rental company with thousands of properties. We’re happy to see the majority are positive, like these:

“Evolve was absolutely wonderful to my family. We booked a trip and the weather for the week we were supposed to visit was absolutely terrible. I reached out to Evolve and they let us reschedule with no problem whatsoever. 10/10 would definitely recommend! We hope to book through Evolve in the future.”

– Danielle Arnett

“Booking with Evolve was a breeze! The house was just as described, check in and check out was very easy and the list of things to do prior to leaving was simple! Everything was provided at the house that we could have needed and communication with Evolve was on point!”

– Hailee Wright

We loved this house. It was perfect for my family just to relax for a few days. Everything was great and Gayle was quick to answer questions before and during our visit. We hope to be back soon.

– Julie Sencion

Reddit Reviews

Reddit reviews for Evolve are mixed and usually from homeowners. Some cite dissatisfaction with having to deal with more serious maintenance issues, while others prefer specific Evolve managers over others.

However, many Reddit reviews note quite positive aspects about Evolve. One highlight is the company’s insurance promises. A reviewer cited receiving two brand-new, queen-sized mattresses after a guest damaged them. Another cites satisfaction with the price point, noting comparable services to Vacasa at a third of the price!

Here’s one helpful review from a Redditor:

We have been very happy with Evolve. We also considered Vacasa, but they take three times as much for their commission than Evolve does. Evolve notifies my cleaning crew of new bookings and the cleaners can log in and look at my calendar in real time. Customer service has been great. We’ve never needed to file an insurance claim, but I’m confident they would do the right thing if I needed to. I love not having to manage the bookings, schedule the cleaners, etc. It’s worth the 10% to me.

So, is Evolve worth it?

YES! Evolve has one of the most competitive vacation management fees with better customer service and comprehensive guest support, insurance, and individual home teams for guests.

Have questions? Ask Evolve’s helpful staff for clarification before you book or list your property. Otherwise, enjoy the convenience, booked-up calendar, and flowing income!

Are you ready to take your vacation rental to the next level? A company like Evolve is an excellent choice for convenient management services. But if you want to strategize revenue, you need a dynamic pricing tool.

Get started with Wheelhouse for free, and get the most out of your vacation rental!

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