Central Texas

Vacation Rental

    PROPERTY
     Optimization
  

Ongoing, strategic property improvements for a better guest experience and more efficient operations.

Meet Your Boots on the Ground

Hi, I’m Jennifer Kvistad, a Vacation Rental Property Optimizer based in Austin, Texas.

I work with vacation rental owners and managers to design, furnish, refresh, and make regular updates to their properties with a resourceful approach. That might mean repairing or repurposing existing pieces, incorporating secondhand items from my inventory, or adding character with paint and molding.

The goal is to make practical improvements that help the property stand out, elevate the guest experience, and generate stronger returns.

My approach grew out of more than fifteen years in the vacation rental industry, working across different markets, management companies, and roles. That experience has given me a holistic view of the business and how the physical property contributes to its success. The property sets the standard for everything around it.

Flowchart diagram showing steps for property experience, reviews, trust, health metrics, search placement, and pricing, with an explanation of how higher ADR depends on the property continuing to deliver the experience.

A vacation rental property can welcome an entirely new group of people every few days.

That constant turnover drives significant investment in online visibility and guest acquisition.

Each stay creates more data that is used strategically in marketing the property.

THE LISTING

✓ Dynamic Pricing

✓ OTA Strategy

✓ Performance Analysis

✓ Market Research

Each stay also puts the property itself through another cycle of use, creating more wear and more information about how the space is performing.

Yet regular attention at the physical level is primarily restorative–returning it to its established baseline, rather than using that information to improve it.

THE PROPERTY

✓ Cleaned

✓ Restocked

✓ Inspected

✓ Repaired

My Approach

Living room with white sofa, beige armchair, round coffee table, fireplace, sliding glass door leading to a balcony with a small outdoor table and two chairs, overlooking green hills.

Design for vacation rentals is highly specific and requires an understanding of the market, how guests use a space, how teams care for it, and how each decision serves the owner’s investment.

My approach, Vacation Rental Property Optimization, considers how the physical property looks, feels, functions, and supports both the guest experience and daily operations.

I apply this approach at every scale, from full design and substantial refreshes to smaller, ongoing improvements as the property’s needs evolve.

Firsthand evaluation, guest feedback, team insight, market data, and property history guide practical, incremental improvements grounded in how the property is used and where it falls short.

That can mean addressing recurring friction, improving comfort and convenience, replacing pieces that don’t hold up, or restoring cohesion as furnishings change over time.

Each adjustment contributes to a property that feels thoughtfully cared for, is easier to operate, and continues to deliver on the expectations set by its listing.

Flexible support at the property.

Evaluating the guest experience, targeted improvements at an individual property, or ongoing oversight across selected properties–without adding a full-time role or committing the entire portfolio.

Holistic property attention leads to better-informed decisions.

Regular in-person observation, combined with guest feedback, maintenance history, owner priorities, and recurring patterns, helps inform better property decisions.

Properties improve incrementally-and listings stay current.

Small, strategic solutions are made as needs arise, spreading improvement costs over time. Updates are photographed along the way so listing images can stay current with the property.

Services

Listed | Operating:

• Signature Service •
Keep your properties improving through regular oversight and practical updates, without adding more to your team’s workload or blocking bookable nights.
For: Vacation rental managers who want steady property improvements alongside day-to-day upkeep.
Includes:
- Monthly visits to each enrolled property to evaluate how the layout, furnishings, and amenities work for both guests and operations, and how well the property delivers on what its listing promises.
- A quarterly report for each enrolled property, with recommendations to reduce guest and operational friction and improve the guest experience.
Your team reviews and approves all proposed updates before they’re implemented.

Starting rates per property
- 1 property: $80/mo
- 2–4 properties: $75/mo
- 5 or more properties: $70/mo
The lower rate applies to every enrolled property.
Final rates depend on property size and location. Any additional travel fees are quoted upfront. Contact me for a custom quote.
For: Operating properties with a known need for a substantial update.
Step 1: Assessment
Refresh assessments are available as a standalone service and include:
- Up to 2 hours at the property for a guest experience evaluation
- A written design proposal with tiered project scopes and estimates
Assessment Only: $100, credited toward an approved project.
Step 2: Implementation
All Guest Experience Refreshes include:
- Design Manual with specifications, reorder links, and care guidance. Templates available for operations apps.
- One post-refresh Tune-Up after guests have stayed to address experiential or operational adjustments.
Depending on the property, work may include updates such as:
- Painting an accent wall or two to give the space a more distinctive look
- Refinishing a wooden dining table that’s been scratched or worn
- Adding secondhand art or decor to give the space character
- Professionally photographing changes to ensure listing accuracy
$35/hr for sourcing, design, implementation, styling, and on-site photography.
$25/photo for final, edited images, with quantity discounts.
Specialty contractor work billed separately.
For: Operating vacation rentals, to confirm that the guest experience at the property matches the expectations set by the listing.
All Experience Accuracy Refreshes Include:
- An on-site walkthrough comparing the listing description, photos, and advertised amenities with the property as guests experience it.
- A concise summary of any discrepancies and the listing details that need updating.
- Staging and new photos of rooms or features whose appearance has changed since the original listing photography.
$35/hr for walkthrough, staging, and time spent photographing updates.

$25/photo for final, edited images. Quantity discounts available.

Pre-listing | Not Yet Operating:

For: Vacant, unfurnished properties preparing to host guests.
Step 1: Assessment
Assessments are available as a standalone service and include:
- Up to 3 hours at the property for a thorough evaluation
- A written design proposal with tiered project scopes and estimates
Assessment only: $250, credited toward an approved project.
Step 2: Implementation
- Complete physical setup from the ground up, including design, furnishing, sourcing, installation, staging, and operational readiness.
- The space is developed with both the guest experience and day-to-day operations in mind, from layout, comfort, durability, and ease of use to storage, turnover needs, and portfolio standards.
- Design Manual with specifications, reorder links, and care guidance. Templates available for operations apps.
- One post-listing Tune-Up Visit after guests have stayed to see how the property performs in actual use and address early experiential or operational adjustments.
Project work is billed at $35/hr and includes sourcing, design, management, implementation, and staging.
Professional photography is strongly recommended and can be coordinated (billed separately).
Specialty contractor work is billed separately.
For: Vacation rental management companies considering bringing a new property into their management portfolio.
Includes
- Up to 2 hours on-site assessing what the property needs to meet portfolio standards, deliver the intended guest experience, and support operational ease.
- A concise written evaluation outlining priorities, recommendations, and a ballpark project range.
$100
Credited toward an approved Guest-Ready Refresh at the assessed property.
For: Partially or fully furnished properties that need updates before being photographed and listed.
Step 1: Assessment
Assessments are available as a standalone service and include:
- Up to 2 hours at the property for an assessment of existing furnishings, layout, amenities, and guest readiness. The goal is to work with as much of the existing property as possible while making sure it’s ready for consistent guest use.
- A written proposal with recommendations for what to keep, adjust, replace, add, or remove.
Assessment only: $100, credited toward an approved project.
*A Portfolio Fit Assessment already completed for this property also satisfies this step.
Step 2: Implementation
The goal is to make sure that the physical setup supports the intended guest experience.
I work with the furnishings already in place, rearrange or refinish pieces worth keeping, source what’s missing, and stage the property for photography.
$35/hr for sourcing, design, implementation, and staging.
Specialty contractor work billed separately.