Surge Airbnb Management

Fees: Contact for consultation; fee % not listed publicly
Email: hello@gowithsurge.com
Phone: (281) 612-4152

❓ Who Surge Is

Surge (also called Surge Airbnb Management, Surge Investment Realty in some contexts) is a short-term rental / vacation / Airbnb property management company based in Texas, with a strong local focus. They operate in Houston and surrounding areas and only take on properties in Texas. The company emphasizes offering full-service management, meaning they want owners to be hands-off, while Surge handles most or all operational tasks. Their management team includes people with experience in real estate operations, short-term rentals, listing optimization, and guest services.

Surge pitches itself as a locally rooted firm: the founder (Humberto) and the team are Texas natives or highly familiar with the local market, which they present as an advantage when it comes to knowing guest expectations, city regulations, local demand, vendor networks, etc.

💪 What Surge Does Well (Strengths)

From what I could gather, Surge has several areas of strength, especially compared to some generic property managers. These are points that tend to come up positively in descriptions, what they advertise, or in guest/owner feedback.

1. Local Expertise & Focus

   Because they operate only in Texas, and particularly Houston and its nearby zones, Surge has better local knowledge than many national or non-local management firms. They understand the short-term rental laws/regulations, neighborhood demand, seasonal variation, and events that affect bookings. This gives them an ability to set more realistic rates, anticipate peaks (or lulls), and manage properties in ways that are aligned with local guest expectations.

2. Full Service Hands-Off Management

   Surge offers a “full-service” arrangement: handling property setup, listing creation, guest communication, cleaning and restocking, maintenance coordination, regulatory compliance, and more. For property owners who do not want to worry about daily guest messages, coordinating cleaners, maintenance, etc., this structure is very attractive.

3. Good Guest & Host Communication / Responsiveness

   Surge advertises fast guest response times (within minutes), 24-hour guest support. On the host side, they emphasize individual attention: dedicated property managers or host contacts, real-time updates, owner portals, etc. Owners who want to maintain some visibility into how things are going but without being deeply involved generally benefit from that.

4. Transparent, Simpler Contracts / No Lock-Ins

   Surge claims to have “no annual agreements” etc., meaning you aren’t locked into long-term contracts in many cases. This can reduce risk for property owners who want flexibility. Also, their fee structure is relatively transparent (starting at about 15% of booking revenue), which is competitive in the market of full-service management. Owners appreciate knowing what they will pay, and not getting surprised by overly high fees or hidden terms.

5. Focus on Quality & Property Selectiveness

   Surge appears to be selective about which properties they accept. They prefer properties that are in good shape, in desirable locations, or with potential to perform well, rather than simply anything that signs up. This means that properties under their management are more likely to be maintained to a certain standard, which tends to produce better guest reviews and more sustainable income over time.

6. Owner Transparency & Reporting

   They provide owner portals, monthly statements that show where revenue comes in and where expenses go, so owners can trace how the property is doing. Also, Surge states that the owner retains use of the property for personal stays via their system (owner booking / blackout days etc.), which is a useful perk for many hosts who want both investment income and occasional personal use.

7. Strong Retention & Reputation in Local Markets

   Surge claims that since their founding, no client has left to go to a competitor (meaning client retention is very high). While these kinds of claims should be taken with some caution, they suggest that owners are at least relatively satisfied and see value in staying with Surge. Also, guest reviews for properties managed by Surge are often cited as being positive — particularly in cleanliness, location, and responsiveness.

👎 Weaknesses, Risks, and Things to Watch Out For

As with any property management company, Surge also has potential weaknesses or risk areas. These are things I found in statements, some less positive feedback, or in comparing their promises with what is typical in the industry.

1. Fee Level vs. Net Profit

   While a starting fee of ~15% is competitive for full-service management, it is still a significant cost. Especially in off-peak seasons, or with lower nightly rates or high maintenance/utility costs, that 15% plus cleaning and restocking and repair expenses can cut deeply into net profit. Owners should run careful projections.

2. Quality & Consistency of Vendors

   Surge handles cleaning, restocking, maintenance via local vendor networks. The quality of these vendors (cleaning staff, maintenance contractors) can vary, especially during busy periods. Good vendor network and supervision are essential; if not tightly managed, guest complaints or service lag can happen.

3. Selectivity Means Not Everyone Gets Accepted

   Because Surge is picky about properties they manage, if your property is older, in a less desirable location, or not very well furnished, you might find it difficult to get accepted or to get good performance. Surge’s model works best when the property already has or gets some investment in presentation and amenities.

4. Potential for Expectation vs Reality Gaps

   Surge advertises high occupancy, fast response, good revenue, etc. In practice, your experience will still depend heavily on the property’s condition, neighborhood saturation, pricing strategy, and how competitive your listing is. If the listing photos, amenities, or guest experience are weaker (or if there is negative feedback you don’t correct), then performance can be lower. Always ask for performance benchmarks for properties similar to yours.

5. Risk During Maintenance or Emergencies

   While Surge claims to coordinate maintenance and respond to issues, in real life some delays or cost overruns may occur, especially for serious problems. It’s important to ask how long their response is for urgent issues (plumbing, HVAC, safety), how vendor authorization works (do they fix immediately or wait for your approval?), and how damage / guest misuse is handled and paid for.

6. Regulatory & Legal Compliance Burdens

   Houston (and Texas in general) has rules for short-term rentals (zoning, occupancy, safety, taxes, permits). These rules can change. Surge says they stay up-to-date, but regulatory risk is a real factor: fines, needed permits, safety inspections etc. You’ll want clarity on whether they help with permit applications, tax filings, and ongoing compliance.

7. Unexpected Costs or Hidden Fees

   Even with transparent fee percentages, sometimes cleaning fees, restocking (linens, supplies), utility overuse, damage repairs, guest cancellations, etc., can add up. Ask Surge how those are handled, what is included in their fee and what isn’t.

🤔 What to Verify / Questions to Ask Surge Before Signing

If you’re considering Surge, here are key questions (beyond what they usually advertise) that you should ask so you understand what you are getting, when, and what your returns might realistically be.

• What is their projected occupancy rate for your specific property (given its location, size, amenities) and what average nightly rate they believe is realistic? Ask for data from comparable properties.

• How they manage guest complaints, emergencies, damage, and vendor coordination. What is the average response time when something urgent comes up? Who pays for emergency fixes, how is cost authorization handled?

• Details around cleaning and restocking: how often, how thorough, and who handles supplies. If there are mid-stay cleans, what do those cost? What about linen replacements (towels, sheets etc.) over time?

• Contract terms: cancellation policy, notice period, exit costs (if any), whether you retain your listing / reviews / account if you leave.

• Owner usage: how many days can you block for personal use, and how does that affect revenue or operations?

• Reporting and transparency: frequency of statements, what they show in terms of revenue, expenses, maintenance, damage costs etc. Do you get detailed statements? Access to a portal?

• Insurance and guest damage protection: what kind of insurance Surge provides (or helps you get), how security deposits/damages are handled, whether guests are screened and what limits or protections are in place.

• Regulatory compliance support: which permits or certifications are required in your area, whether Surge will handle them or just advise you, licenses, safety devices (smoke detectors etc.), taxes and occupancy taxes.

• How Surge markets the listings: which platforms (Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com etc.), whether they invest in photos, staging, SEO of listing, pricing tools, dynamic adjustments, etc.

📈 Overall Assessment & Who Surge Is Best For

Based on what I found, here’s how Surge seems to fit different kinds of property owners, and when they are likely a strong match vs when you might look elsewhere.

✅ Surge Seems Like a Strong Match If You:

• Want a full-service property manager so you can be hands-off—don’t want to deal with guest messages, cleaning schedule, vendor calls etc.

• Have a property in a reasonably good location, well furnished, with amenities, or are willing to invest in those things to make it competitive.

• Value responsiveness and communication, both toward guests and toward yourself. If you want to know what’s happening, have an owner portal, get regular updates, etc.

• Want flexibility (not locked into long-term contracts), and prefer transparent fees and clearer accounting of revenue vs expenses.

• Prefer dealing with someone with local knowledge, especially in Houston or Texas more broadly, rather than a national or remote management firm.

❎ Surge Might Be Less Ideal If You:

• Your property is in a less desirable or less well-serviced location, or in a neighborhood where amenities / presentation are lower; or if you’re unable or unwilling to invest in making the property competitive. In such cases, the return after fees may be modest.

• You are very cost-sensitive and want to squeeze every penny—full-service management always eats into revenue via fees, cleaning, restocking, maintenance, etc. If you want to DIY many of those tasks, a lower-fee co-hosting or leaner model might make more sense.

• You want super premium / luxury guest experiences or bespoke amenities; to the extent Surge promises quality, at higher tiers you may need to check whether their service level matches what you imagine (luxury finishes, exceptional personal service).

• Regulatory or legal risk is a concern for you, and you want to ensure every single compliance issue is handled. If local laws are uncertain, changing, or strict, you’ll want to confirm Surge’s experience in handling those in your specific area.

💭 Bottom Line & Verdict

Surge Airbnb Management looks like one of the stronger local options in Houston / Texas for short-term rental owners who want a reliable, full-service operator with good responsiveness, transparent fees, and local expertise. If your property is in decent condition or has potential, and you want someone to handle the operational burden, Surge seems to deliver much of what you’d want.

However, success is not guaranteed, and your net income will depend heavily on your property’s location, condition, presentation, guest reviews, local demand, and hidden costs. To decide with confidence, you’ll want to collect data (projections, comparable properties, recent performance for Surge-managed homes), review their contract carefully, ask about all the extra costs (cleaning, repairs, restocking, damage), and get references from other owners.

If I were you, I’d probably lean using Surge if my property is in a desirable area, I have a budget for decent amenities and furnishings, and I value peace of mind over squeezing every dollar. But I’d still run a few scenarios (best case, average case, worst case) to see what my net profit might look like under their fee and cost structure.