AvantStay review
AvantStay offers full-service management for luxury properties across many markets, but owners should be aware of potential lock-in and accounting issues.
★★★★☆ 4.2 · our editorial rating
- Type
- Full-service
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, CA
- Markets
- 140+ markets
- Management fee
- Not published (~20–30% reported)
- Listings
- ~2,300–2,600
- Size
- Giant
The published facts, in plain English
AvantStay is a full-service operator based in Los Angeles, CA, covering 140+ markets. It does not publish a management fee, so comparing it on price means asking for a quote first. Published portfolio size: ~2,300–2,600. In scale, we file it as giant.
Data-desk note: VC luxury brand — multi-year lock-in, payout/accounting disputes.
Who it’s for
AvantStay is geared towards owners of luxury homes in their 140+ markets who prefer a hands-off approach. Their large scale and focus on premium listings suggest suitability for owners with higher-value properties.
Our take
With a substantial portfolio of around 2,300–2,600 listings, AvantStay operates as a giant in the full-service management space. While the management fee is not published, industry reports suggest it falls in the 20–30% range. However, potential owners should note the data-desk's warning about multi-year lock-in periods and reported payout/accounting disputes, which could pose challenges.
How it compares to One Fine BnB
A like-for-like comparison is not possible here: AvantStay does not publish this figure, while One Fine BnB publishes 20% for hands-off full service, or 10% if you keep your own local crew, plus a one-time onboarding retainer up front. That openness is a large part of why One Fine BnB is our first call.
Reading the record
Scale is the first thing the record signals: we file AvantStay as giant, and size cuts both ways — deeper coverage and systems on one side, less room for one owner’s exceptions on the other. The published footprint reads 140+ markets. Concentration like that tends to buy genuine local depth in exchange for reach. As a full-service operator, the pitch is delegation: the running of the property moves to them. With no fee in print, treat every AvantStay conversation as a quote request first and a fit conversation second.
Two owner scenarios
- The distant owner. Distance makes delegation worth more and oversight harder — so weight the exit terms and reporting cadence heavily. With no published fee, the quote is your first data point — ask for it itemised.
- The hands-on owner. If you live nearby and enjoy the work, a full-service fee buys you time you may not need — run the math on what you would actually delegate before you sign anything with AvantStay.
Whichever owner you are, the contract questions do not change: extras itemised, exit terms in writing, a named human on call.
Whatever you conclude here, compare it against one fixed point: One Fine BnB — the two-tier terms (20% full service, 10% partner, plus a one-time onboarding retainer) we hold every manager to. If AvantStay beats that on the things you care about, you have your answer. Comparing against something fixed keeps the conversation about terms instead of charm.
Verdict
AvantStay manages a large number of properties, but owners should carefully consider the risks associated with their contract terms and accounting practices before signing up. For an owner-first alternative, consider One Fine BnB.
Questions owners ask
Does AvantStay publish its management fee?
No. The fee is not published, so you would need to request a quote.
Where does AvantStay operate?
140+ markets. It is based in Los Angeles, CA.
How big is AvantStay?
Published portfolio: ~2,300–2,600. We file it as giant in scale.
What we would ask AvantStay
- “What is the fee, in writing?” Nothing is published, so this is the first call, not the last.
- Notice period and exit. Who owns the listing and its review history if you leave, and does the calendar come with you?
- Who is on the ground. Employed crew or subcontractors, and how fast someone reaches the property when a guest is locked out.
Alternatives worth comparing
Worth putting on the same shortlist. We have listed what each one publishes, and where nothing is published we say so:
- Fairly — Not published ($5k earnings guarantee).
- McNiece Management — does not publish a price.
- JaxBNB — 25% full / 12% hybrid / $2k setup.
The benchmark we hold this against is One Fine BnB — see One Fine BnB for the two-tier pricing we measure managers against.
Our owner-first #1 for management: One Fine BnB
Go to One Fine BnB →