Local Airbnb Manager vs Vacasa: What to Compare in the Hudson Valley

Owners in the Hudson Valley often ask how a small, founder-led manager like Haus Vacation Rentals compares with Vacasa. The answer is less simple than it once was, because Vacasa itself has changed. This is a plain comparison of structure and a list of questions to ask. It is not a ranking, and we have no inside view of how any particular Vacasa market is run today.

What changed at Vacasa

Casago completed its acquisition of Vacasa on May 1, 2025, according to Casago's announcement. On August 20, 2026, Casago announced that it had completed the sale of all former Vacasa markets to local franchise owners, destination-based operators and regional managers, with the final transitions expected to finish in September 2026. Casago did not disclose the financial terms or give an updated portfolio size.

For an owner, the practical point is that "Vacasa" may no longer describe one company with one set of practices in your area. Who holds the owner agreement, who answers the phone and what the terms are can vary by market. We cannot tell you who operates the Hudson Valley today. If you are an owner with an existing agreement, read its assignment and termination clauses and ask the operator in writing who your contract is with and on what terms.

National scale and a founder-led firm

Each model has real strengths. A national or regional operator can bring larger teams, more technology and more marketing reach. A founder-led firm offers one accountable person and a smaller number of homes, and gives up some capacity in exchange. Neither is better in every case, and a larger company is not automatically careless. A small company is not automatically attentive either, which is why the comparison should rest on answers rather than on size.

What to compare

• Who is accountable. Ask for the name of the person who answers for your home, how to reach them and who covers when they are away.
• Who does the work. Find out whether cleaning and maintenance are done by employees, contractors or vendors the manager coordinates, and who inspects the result. No manager does everything alone, and the honest answer is a short one.
• How prices are set. Ask what software and rules set your rate, how often it changes and who reviews it. Our 33 questions to ask a manager goes through this in detail.
• The fee basis. Compare the commission on the same starting revenue: is it after taxes and platform fees, or on a larger figure? Add monthly and onboarding fees, charges on vendor invoices and the cleaning fee. The fee schedule shows how we state ours.
• Who owns the listing. Can you keep your own listing and reviews if you leave? Our post on listing ownership explains why this matters.
• How you leave. Read the term, notice period, fees on exit and what happens to confirmed bookings.
• Your own use. Find out how many nights you must make available and how you reserve your own stays.

Our comparison of national managers, a local manager and self-managing and the guide to Hudson Valley management companies apply the same questions across the options.

How Haus works

Haus is founder-led. Justin Feldstein, a licensed New York real estate broker, started the company in 2022 and reviews every home personally. We manage whole homes, typically three or more bedrooms, in towns such as Saugerties, Woodstock, Kerhonkson and Old Chatham, and we take on a small number of new homes each season. We are now reviewing homes for spring 2027.

To be specific about how the work gets done: Haus coordinates vendors and contracted cleaners, and one accountable person oversees them. Pricing runs through PriceLabs, which moves rates daily within the range Justin sets, and he reviews them every week. Our fees are 25% of the rent the home collects after guest-paid taxes and platform fees, a monthly management fee of $250 to $400 depending on home size, and a one-time $1,500 onboarding fee.

The agreement runs two years from the first booking and renews yearly. Either side can end it with 60 days' written notice. If the owner ends it, the management fee still applies to reservations already confirmed, and a $2,500 fee applies in the first 12 months. You keep your own listing. We state those exit terms in our FAQ because you should see them before you decide, whichever manager you choose.

Review the fit before committing

Tell us about your home and what you have today. Justin reviews every home personally and replies within 3 business days. If we are not the right fit, we will say so. Tell us about your home.