Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Ramos.
Hi Caroline, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I am Marketing Executive that left Corporate America during Covid after 15 years in leadership roles. I finally gave myself the opportunity to follow my passion for Travel, Real Estate and Design. I Founded Host and Keep after a lot of self-reflecting, identity searching and a drive for working in a state of flow, rather than friction. I love to travel the world, always staying in funky and unique Airbnb’s when I do. I truly believe in achieving wealth through real estate investments and at the same time, I love sharing this beautiful city with my own guests so I completely recognize the importance of details in hospitality.
My company Host and Keep marries all of this into one company. We specialize in Vacation Rental Investments and Management. We handle all the details from start to finish for our clients and investors; from finding the property, renovating, designing, booking, guest communications, property inspections, turnover and cleaning – all the way to concierge services so our guests have nothing short of a five star worthy stay. The returns are so much better on these kinds of investments, but there is a lot of work that goes into it. The right partner and team is everything.
Your guest’s perception is all that matters and I have worked hard to understand how we can improve and run our short-term rentals in the most efficient ways. I believe in systems and processes that make seamless management possible. We’ve learned a lot through my own investment properties over the years in order to develop a tightly run operation. I have an amazing team built around me and have fun everyday in the process.
It feels very natural and organic to share this with my clients as we take on the management of their vacation rentals. I only hope that my clients can as a result, travel freely and move forward with their own business and goals not feeling the weight of managing their properties and rotating guests.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Vacation rental management is like property management on steroids, I like to say. I have seen it all in Miami! If you can imagine it, it’s happened! I don’t mean to scare investors looking to get into the space, but you do need to have a great team in place and be as ahead of things as possible so you can always have bandwidth for the unexpected. Reacting quickly and effectively is the most important part. The pros very much outweigh the cons. I have learned so much managing my own properties that I can apply these hacks and tactics to my client’s properties saving them the learning curve I went through.
As you know, we’re big fans of Host and Keep. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Host and Keep is a Vacation Rental Investment and Management Firm. We offer turnkey services so our clients can be hands-off but still enjoy the benefits of owning a short-term rental investment.
Our services include:
Listing Management: Carefully crafted listing that makes your property stand out and shine. We’ll setup your listing and manage it to make sure you have all the relevant information visible and optimized.
Photography: A picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why we’ll send over one of our professional real estate photographers to capture your home from its best angle. We work with the best real estate photographers to style and show your property.
Nightly Rate Optimization: Our team dives deep into the data to ensure your occupancy and profit rates are fully optimized. Boost prices on weekends and holidays with our management
Communications Management: From the very first contact to constant on-site support – we’ll make sure your home is safe and your guests are well taken care of throughout their stay. We answer questions as they come up and make sure your guests are happy and taken care of.
Guest Vetting: We vet potential guests to ensure only the most reputable guests will be staying in your home. All guests must have a rating and review history before being accepted to book.
Linens & Towels: Commercially washed hotel grade whites on the bedding and towels for the home and the beach ready for guests to relax in. Never worry about laundry again!
Maintenance: We’ll take care of basic handyman tasks and will be on call throughout your guest’s stay. Expect to never worry about little things. From plumbing to paint, we can get the job done
Housekeeping: Empowered with our team of professional housekeepers with years of experience, we will add a touch of home to your property. Expect an impeccably clean place each time. We take a video of each cleaning to log the condition it’s in and maintain our impeccable standards
Easy Check In / Check Out: A convenient arrival is sometimes all a guest needs after a long flight. We will organize a seamless check-in process and instructions for every guest upon their arrival and departure.
Concierge Services: Get those 5 star reviews for going the extra mile. We offer your guests access to boat rentals, in room massages, custom cakes and more. Access to 27 different types of concierge services are at their fingertips.
Toiletry Replenishment: We keep you stocked after every cleaning on 17 different toiletries and necessities, from paper goods and sponges to shampoo and kitchen basics, so your guest feels right at home
Real Estate Counseling: Our team of real estate experts will help you search for and purchase your next cash-flowing investment property. We can set up searches and help you identify short-term rental-friendly properties to buy or rent. We can even help with financing and lending programs.
Interior Design: We can offer interior design services to make your place stand out and tell a story visually where your guests feel like your place is unique and special. We’ll add fun accents, wall coverings, furniture and elements that make the place fun and tell a story.
Renovation Services/Construction Management: We will act as owner representatives and oversee the project and all subcontractors.
Worn Item Replacement: We will routinely inspect the property and advise on what needs to be replaced, and handle the item’s replacement
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
The biggest lesson I learned during Covid was that if you’re on an island and your boat sets on fire, you need to learn to swim! I was forced out of Corporate America and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had no more excuses, rationalizations or reasons to keep working for someone else – this was my time to take the leap and chase the entrepreneurial spirit I’ve always had but was too scared to pursue. I am so grateful for Covid, actually because I was too comfortable to burn my boat and swim, but the universe did it for me!
Pricing:
- 18% Management Fee
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@hostandkeep.com
- Website: www.hostandkeep.com
- Instagram: @hostandkeep
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HOSTANDKEEP
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CAROLINEJRAMOS
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/host-and-keep-miami
