Most folks were staying far away from the ice-glazed roads during last month’s intense ice storm. Kerhonkson resident Erika Sampaio, however, braved the bitter cold to help her clients, all of whom are Airbnb hosts, preserve their peace of mind.

“They felt powerless,” Sampaio said. “You can imagine how thankful they were once they realized everything was taken care of before they even got on the phone.”

Since November 2020, Sampaio has run Manage This Home, which helps Airbnb owners design, market, and manage their rentals while offering expert advice to make them as profitable as possible.

Sampaio spent seven years working for the Hilton hotel company as a sales manager before deciding to open three hotels of her own in New York City. Sampaio had to abandon her most recent hotel, which she owned for nine years, after the March 2020 lockdowns stopped most folks from visiting.

But Sampaio wouldn’t let her life’s work go to waste. Today, you will find her sitting behind a desk in her at-home office offering investment advice for prospective Airbnb owners and holding their hand through every step of operating one. She says she loves living less than 30 minutes from most of the Ulster County properties she manages, allowing her to be present whenever her clients need her.

“When I started Manage This Home, I wanted to have a personal relationship with my clients,” Sampaio explained. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive.”

One of the biggest challenges you may face when first operating a short-term rental like an Airbnb is getting folks to look at your rental in the first place. Sampaio can take care of all marketing needs, from putting your sales pitch online to curating a list of things to do on the property and in the local area. The company takes the most attractive and lucrative features of your home to highlight, which will catch the eye of potential visitors. Sampaio also offers interior design services, helping folks curate a cute look for their Airbnbs and even order linens or other furnishings. These features are complimented by professional interior photographs from the company, if folks want to buy them.

Sampaio also helps folks adjust the asking price for their Airbnbs based on various economic factors. Some folks have a rough idea of how much they would want to charge for their rental, she said, but most folks don’t utilize a strategy she called “dynamic pricing.” This pricing formula factors in the demand for Airbnbs in the area, popular tourist seasons (which bring higher rental prices), the character of the surrounding neighborhood, and the money that owners invested into beautifying the property. All of these factors help Airbnb owners maximize their profits while still remaining competitive, Sampaio explained.

On top of the above services, Sampaio often manages the properties for months at a time while the owners are busy with their daily lives. She arranges services such as house cleaning, snow removal, landscaping, pest control, and even firewood. Sampaio also offers grocery deliveries for the Airbnb visitors if they don’t want to leave the house (a delivery service that’s paid for by the homeowner).

“Most of my clients wouldn’t even have an Airbnb without someone to manage it. Even if they could, they might find out that they don’t know everything about the local laws, permits and marketing,” that will be needed, Sampaio said. “These are difficult for someone with a full-time job to navigate.”

Sampaio added that she likes the small scope of her work — communicating with homeowners, teaching tips of the trade, and enriching her own mind by chatting with her small list of clients. Sampaio doesn’t want to manage more than 20 homes for the time being, but there is still room to become her client if you’re interested. The best part? The first consultation is free. Her services can be found at managethishome.com.

“Reach out and let’s see if we are a good fit!” Sampaio said.