STR Management Fees in Surfside TX: Gross vs. Net (And What to Demand)

Summer on the Brazoria County coast starts quietly, then detonates. One week you’re watching storm-chaser forecasts; the next, your Surfside beach house calendar is filling up for peak weeks. And it’s exactly when the management fee structure your property manager uses matters most.

Many owners never check which number their management fee is calculated on. This post breaks down the math, walks through a hypothetical peak-season booking under different fee structures, and tells you exactly what you should demand from any property manager you hire.

The Gross vs. Net Problem 💡

The single most important thing to understand about STR management fees is what the percentage is calculated on. Industry guides commonly cite full-service management fees of roughly 20–35% of revenue, and many managers calculate their percentage on the gross booking total (source). Gross usually means the total booking amount before anything is deducted, including the booking platform’s fee and the cleaning fee.

Hooray Stays charges starting at 20% of NET nightly revenue. Net means the nightly rate after the booking platform’s host fee, with cleaning fees and taxes excluded. Depending on the agreement there may also be a monthly technology fee, and exact terms vary by property. You are not paying a management commission on your cleaner’s labor. You are not paying a commission on Airbnb’s cut. That distinction, compounded across a full summer calendar, is the difference between keeping your income and giving it away.

A Hypothetical Surfside Peak-Season Example

Hypothetical example: a Surfside beach house booked for a peak July weekend with $3,000 in nightly-rate revenue plus a $200 cleaning fee. Here’s what the fee math looks like side by side.

Gross booking total: $3,200 ($3,000 nightly + $200 cleaning, before taxes)
Platform host fee on the nightly rate (illustrative 15.5%): $465
Cleaning fee (excluded from net): $200
NET nightly revenue: $2,535

• Hooray Stays at 20% of NET: $507 management fee.
• A manager charging 25% of GROSS: $800 management fee.
• A manager charging 30% of GROSS: $960 management fee.
• A manager charging 35% of GROSS: $1,120 management fee.

On this one hypothetical booking, the difference in management fees ranges from about $293 to $613. Your own numbers will depend on your rates, your fees and the agreement you sign.

It’s also worth asking any manager what is not included, things like consumables, damage protection, and smart-home setup, and whether those are billed back to you separately.

What You Should Actually Get for Your Management Fee 🏠

A low percentage means nothing if the manager is running a stripped-down operation that bills you for every roll of paper towels and every time a lock battery dies. Here’s what Hooray Stays includes (consumables with no markup; depending on the agreement, a monthly technology fee covers the smart lock, exterior camera and guest WiFi system):

• Consumables fully stocked on every turn: soaps, shampoos, conditioners, coffee, paper goods
• Daily human revenue management, not just automated pricing software
• Quarterly in-person property walk-throughs (an actual person, actually at your house)
• A $1,500 damage waiver included on every reservation
• Yale smart lock with a unique door code per guest
• Ring camera coverage (exterior only) for arrival awareness
• Signed rental agreement and government-issued photo ID from every guest before check-in
• Breezeway safety certification
• STR permitting guidance
• A proprietary guest WiFi portal that can capture guest emails into your marketing list for future direct bookings

That last one deserves its own moment. When a guest connects to the WiFi at your Surfside property, they’re added to your owner’s marketing list. Hooray Stays can then remarket to those guests directly, driving future bookings that bypass Airbnb entirely. That means no platform fee, no commission cut to Airbnb, just revenue. Over time, that WiFi portal can help build repeat direct bookings.

Comparison: Hooray Stays vs. Questions to Ask Any Surfside Manager

Why Surfside Specifically Matters Right Now 🌊

Surfside Beach sits in Brazoria County, a laid-back Gulf beach village that draws loyal repeat visitors who love its slower pace compared to Galveston. It’s not trying to be a resort town, and that’s precisely why families keep coming back. Peak season here is real and it’s compressed. Summer weeks typically see much stronger demand than the off-season.

If you’re entering peak season with the wrong management company, you’re not just losing a small rounding error. You’re losing a meaningful percentage of your best-performing weeks of the entire year. And if your manager is using fully automated pricing tools without a human reviewing rates daily, you’re also probably leaving occupancy on the table during high-demand windows when a real person would have caught the opportunity and adjusted.

For a deeper look at how Gulf Coast revenue stacks up across markets, the 2026 revenue breakdown for Galveston beach house owners gives a useful baseline for what well-managed Gulf Coast properties can realistically earn.

What to Ask Any Manager Before You Sign ✅

Whether you hire Hooray Stays or someone else, these are the questions that protect you:

1. Is your commission based on gross or net? If they hesitate or say gross, ask them to calculate a sample booking so you can see the real dollar amount.
2. What’s included in the fee? Consumables, damage protection, and smart-home setup should not be separate invoices.
3. Who handles guest communication, and how quickly do they respond? Ask who you and your guests will actually reach when something goes wrong.
4. Do you own any short-term rentals yourself? Operators with real skin in the game make different decisions than pure management companies.
5. How often does someone physically visit the property? A manager who never steps inside your beach house is not catching the maintenance issues before guests do.
6. What are the contract terms? Month-to-month flexibility and longer-term incentive options (like a waived setup fee) should both be on the table.

If you want to see how this same conversation plays out for Bolivar Peninsula owners nearby, the Crystal Beach management guide covers the same fee math with Peninsula-specific context.

The First 30 Days Are Free 🎉

For new Surfside owners coming on with Hooray Stays, the first 30 days are currently commission-free. The setup fee is waived on select longer-term agreements. Matt Codd answers his own phone at (832) 224-6713. He and his wife Carissa own and operate their own short-term rentals, so the advice you get is the same advice they apply to their own properties.

Ask us for a free property-specific revenue analysis, and see our Surfside Beach vacation rental management page and what’s included in Hooray Stays property management.

Frequently Asked Questions ❓

How are STR management fees calculated in Surfside TX?

Industry guides commonly cite full-service management fees of roughly 20–35% of revenue, and many managers calculate their percentage on the gross booking total. Hooray Stays’ commission starts at 20% of net nightly revenue: the nightly rate after the booking platform’s host fee, with cleaning fees and taxes excluded. Always ask what the percentage is calculated on.

What is a fair management fee for a vacation rental in Surfside Beach?

There is no single standard. Industry guides commonly cite full-service fees of roughly 20–35% of revenue, so compare what each fee is calculated on (gross or net) and what is included, such as consumables, damage protection and property visits. Hooray Stays starts at 20% of net nightly revenue.

Does Hooray Stays manage properties in Surfside TX?

Yes. Hooray Stays manages vacation rental properties in Surfside Beach and the surrounding Brazoria County Gulf Coast communities, including Freeport. The company is based in Katy, TX, and is owned and operated by Matt and Carissa Codd.

What does Hooray Stays include in its management fee?

Hooray Stays includes stocked consumables with no markup, a $1,500 damage waiver per reservation, daily human revenue management and quarterly in-person property walk-throughs. Properties also get a smart lock, exterior Ring camera and guest WiFi; depending on the agreement, a monthly technology fee may apply.

How much money can a Surfside TX beach house lose to high management fees?

It depends on your rates and what the fee is calculated on. In our hypothetical $3,000 peak weekend booking, 20% of net nightly revenue comes to about $507, while a manager charging 35% of the $3,200 gross total would collect $1,120. Ask any manager to calculate a sample booking for you.

Is there a contract required to work with Hooray Stays?

Hooray Stays agreements can be cancelled with 30 days’ notice. The setup fee is waived on select longer-term agreements, and new owners currently receive their first 30 days commission-free. Exact terms vary by property and agreement.

Keep reading 📚

• Best Airbnb Management Companies in Galveston TX: What Local Owners Should Know Before Hiring
• How Much Can a Galveston Vacation Rental Make? 2026 Revenue Breakdown for Beach House Owners
• Best Airbnb Management Companies in Sargent TX: What Gulf Coast Cabin Owners Need to Know Before Hiring

Written by Matt & Carissa Codd, owners of Hooray Stays and active Texas Gulf Coast short-term rental operators. Last updated June 17, 2026. Questions? Call 832-224-6713.