With its beautiful listings featuring sparkling blue pools, fabulous outdoor lounges, and tastefully decorated interiors, Fernway Vacation Rentals doesn’t have too much trouble attracting vacationers seeking great getaways. But reassuring neighbors in the upscale communities where it operates that vacation rentals don’t pose a threat to their comfort, or to neighborhood security and serenity? That takes some ingenuity. Which is where NoiseAware comes in.
The Challenge:
In April 2021, Charles Lei saw opportunity in a vacation-rental market that wasn’t slowing, but growing, despite restrictions bearing down on traditional travel and accommodations.
With a foundation of property-management experience under his belt, Lei launched Fernway Vacation Rentals with 22 properties, and an aggressive acquisition strategy.
That approach paid off: Over the course of the year, Fernway Vacation Rentals went from 20 to 60 properties. Right in the middle of an evolving viral pandemic.
In his words, “Covid has been very interesting, in that it weeded out people who weren’t that serious.” And Lei was nothing if not serious about drawing fine properties into the Fernway fold. The problem: “A lot of my homes are in upscale, quiet areas. The neighbors don’t want parties,” Lei says. And they definitely don’t want late-night noise and nuisances destroying the peace and quiet of the neighborhood, not to mention threatening their property values.
fernway properties grew
200%
in just 8 months
Lei credits the return of properties to the vacation-rental market, and the pandemic’s weeding out of “not serious” VR operators, to helping fuel his company’s growth.
The Solution:
Lei first discovered NoiseAware while attending the 2018 Vacation Rental Management Association international conference in Las Vegas.
Lei was impressed with the company’s dedication to solving a growing problem for vacation-rental owners and VR property neighbors: guest noise and nuisances.
He understood that without neighbor support of vacation rentals in their midst, properties simply couldn’t prosper. And he also understood that the best way to ease neighbor concerns, and gain neighbors’ support, was to win their trust.
When he began to branch out into cities including Las Vegas and Henderson, Nev., Lei knew he had to prioritize noise prevention. Like the majority of regions where Fernway Vacation Rentals operates, these areas are a big draw for larger groups, and fun-focused visitors. Lei started by testing NoiseAware in a few homes at first. The results were clear: better insight into guests in-stay (but with total guest privacy protection), and fewer complaints, even when guests were enjoying themselves in outdoor spaces.
The Results:
Having NoiseAware installed at Fernway Vacation Rental properties has helped ensure that “neighbors don’t complain to the city”—an action that could have catastrophic consequences on Lei’s rental permits and profits.
His staff also eagerly welcomed NoiseAware: “They were excited for it. Everyone was on board. They don’t want to deal with messes after [noise events], or cleanup, or having to charge for extra costs.” And with NoiseAware sensors, noise risk algorithm, and noise-event notifications stopping problems before they happen, Lei’s staff doesn’t have to.
Not only is Lei fully transparent with guests about the privacy-safe noise monitoring installed in his properties, he’s equally transparent with neighbors about the vacation rentals in their midst. Assuring them upfront that their peace and quiet are protected goes far toward alleviating neighbor concerns.
Lei is transparent about his vacation rentals with
100%
of neighbors
(and he reassures them their peace & quiet is protected)
“We let neighbors know what we’re doing—that we have noise detection, and we check on it every half hour. It’s an open thing that I’m happy to share with everyone,” Lei says. “A lot of neighbors are really happy that we’re reaching out to them.”
And it’s not just neighbors who are happy. “We had no turnovers last year. Our homeowners are making money. And we had no issues with neighbors, or with the cities where our properties are.” As for that aggressive growth approach that got Lei where he is today? He intends to continue growing his portfolio, retaining happy homeowners, and earning consistent 5-star reviews, in 2022. And he’ll be taking NoiseAware with him: “We just ordered 15 more NoiseAwares, and we plan to expand even more.”
