Comparent Releases Annual Ranking of North America’s Vacation Rental Management Companies

Database tracks 100 property management operators by portfolio size with operational metrics and executive profiles

Comparent has released the Comparent 100, an annual ranking of North America’s vacation rental management companies by number of properties under management. The database includes operational profiles of 100 operators in the sector.

The ranking provides guest ratings, owner reviews, founding teams, key executives, and company profiles. Property management companies can claim and update their listings at no cost through Comparent’s platform.

Database Development and Methodology

Brooke Pfautz developed the ranking after frequent inquiries from industry participants about the largest operators in the vacation rental management sector. No comparable resource existed.

“I’ve always asked people. People have always asked me, who are the largest companies out there? Nobody had it,” Pfautz explained. “I said, I’ll just build it myself.”

Comparent maintains a database of vacation rental homeowners and professional property managers, accumulated through marketplace connections with management companies. This existing data infrastructure enabled the ranking project.

“We are positioned to make this happen,” he said. “If we didn’t do it, nobody was going to do it.”

The Comparent 100 will update annually each October, timed to coincide with industry conference season. The format provides snapshots of industry standing at specific moments rather than constantly shifting real-time data.

Consolidation Patterns in Vacation Rental Management

The ranking reveals consolidation trends driven by institutional capital in the vacation rental management sector. Multiple operators in the top 20 represent rollups of formerly independent management companies.

“You’re going to see more private equity coming in here and consolidating management companies,” Pfautz said, projecting the trend will accelerate over the next five to seven years.

The ranking highlights operational metrics that enable comparison across operators. Pfautz advocates for standardized measurements including lifetime value to customer acquisition cost ratios and gross booking revenue per employee as industry benchmarks.

“If you’re doing $10 million in revenue, how many employees do you have?” Pfautz noted as an example of efficiency measurement. “You’re going to see some portfolios with just five back office employees.”

Industry Context and Evolution

Pfautz sees the Comparent 100 release against a backdrop of industry transformation. Institutional investors are purchasing vacation rental inventory directly rather than managing properties for individual owners.

“Right now, most of the inventory is owned by individuals,” he explained. “You are going to see more institutional money actually buying the inventory, owning the inventory.”

Purpose-built vacation rental communities represent another trend the ranking will help track. These developments design properties specifically for short-term rental optimization rather than converting primary or secondary residences.

“Most vacation rentals currently were either somebody’s primary residence or secondary residence,” Pfautz noted. “It wasn’t designed to optimize the return for the homeowner and optimize the guest experience.”

Listing Claims and Updates

Property management companies can claim and update their listings through Comparent’s platform. Pfautz acknowledges the current ranking may not include all qualifying operators, estimating some mid-tier companies managing 300-plus properties may not appear on the debut list.

“It’s not perfect, but it’s the most accurate list out there,” he said, inviting companies to submit their data.

Extensive FAQs on the Comparent platform address common questions about methodology, inclusion criteria, and how companies can ensure accurate representation in future editions.

For operators wondering where they stand relative to competitors, the Comparent 100 provides comparison data. For investors evaluating acquisition targets, it offers performance metrics. For the industry overall, it establishes baseline measurements.

The release positions Comparent as an industry data source while advancing Pfautz’s mission of connecting vacation rental homeowners with qualified management companies through data-driven comparison.

About Brooke Pfautz

Brooke Pfautz is the founder of Comparent and Vintory. He has 18 years of experience in the vacation rental industry, previously scaling Vantage Realty to 500-plus properties before its acquisition.

About Comparent

Comparent is a marketplace connecting vacation rental homeowners with professional property managers. The platform aggregates reviews, metrics, and operational data for homeowners selecting management partners.

Company Details

Organization: Comparent

Contact Person: Heather Hook

Website: https://comparent.com/

Email: heather@keycrew.co

City: Baltimore

State: Maryland

Country: United States

Release Id: 15112537144