Vacation Rental Management
Vacation Rental Management in Big Sky, MT
Fairly runs Big Sky vacation homes for owners who want them earning through ski season and summer alike: a vetted local caretaker close by, listings on Airbnb, Vrbo and Fairly.com, pricing tuned to powder weeks and Yellowstone traffic, and the state lodging and resort taxes collected and remitted for you.
4.8
Average review in Big Sky, MT
Fairly is an Airbnb Superhost, and our homes average 4.84 stars across 21,000+ guest reviews. 96% of our reviews are four stars or better. Better reviews attract better guests, at higher prices, maximizing your revenue.
Big Sky market overview
Big Sky is a winter market first. Guests come for the skiing on Lone Mountain, and the numbers show it: comparable homes here sell around 80% of nights in February and three-quarters in March, at the highest nightly rates of the year. January runs close behind, and the holiday weeks lift December.
Summer is the second season rather than the main one. June through August sell roughly a third to two-fifths of nights, carried by hiking, fly-fishing on the Gallatin and Madison rivers, mountain biking, and families using Big Sky as a base for Yellowstone National Park, reached south along US 191.
Between the two, the market goes quiet. Late spring and the stretch from October into November, after the trails close and before the lifts open, book only a sliver of nights. A Big Sky home earns most of its year in a few winter months, so the calendar, minimum stays and pricing in those weeks decide how it performs.
What homes earn in Big Sky, MT
Behind the chart are entire-home rentals in the Big Sky area on Airbnb and Vrbo that hold a guest review score of 4.8 or better and are available or rented at least 300 days a year: homes run as businesses, not occasional lets. Look at the shape as much as the level. February and March carry the year, summer adds a smaller second season, and the shoulder months add little. You can customize a projection for a specific home.
| Month | Total rent | Occupancy | Avg. daily rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | $11,208 | 57% | $938 |
| Feb | $16,659 | 80% | $1,150 |
| Mar | $17,716 | 76% | $1,110 |
| Apr | $1,302 | 14% | $837 |
| May | $0 | 5% | $494 |
| Jun | $3,282 | 29% | $666 |
| Jul | $5,034 | 41% | $790 |
| Aug | $3,423 | 33% | $759 |
| Sep | $1,999 | 24% | $584 |
| Oct | $0 | 8% | $378 |
| Nov | $0 | 5% | $477 |
| Dec | $3,840 | 30% | $918 |
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This is based on properties listed on Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com with an average review score of 4.8 out of 5 or higher, limited to homes available or rented at least 300 days a year. Earnings vary based on the unique amenities and qualities of each home.
A guaranteed $5,000 increase in earnings
We guarantee that homeowners coming from self management or other managers will make an extra $5,000 in their first year with Fairly.
Vacation Rental Taxes and Regulations in Big Sky, MT
Short-term rentals are allowed in Big Sky
Big Sky has no city government. It is unincorporated, and it straddles Gallatin and Madison counties, so which county's land-use rules apply depends on which side of the line your home sits.
On the Gallatin County side, the Gallatin Canyon/Big Sky zoning regulation names short-term rental as a permitted use, allowed by right with no hearing, across its single-family, multifamily, commercial and Town Center sub-districts. It is one of only two Gallatin County zoning districts that address short-term rentals at all. Gallatin County Planning will confirm in writing whether a particular parcel qualifies through a Property Information Request; see the county's short-term rental FAQs. On the Madison County side, land use runs through Madison County.
Many Big Sky homes also sit in private club or homeowner communities whose covenants set their own rental rules. Those rules bind the home whatever the county allows, so read them before you buy or list.
Lodging and resort taxes
Every stay of less than 30 days carries Montana's combined 8% lodging facility sales and use tax (4% sales plus 4% use) from the Montana Department of Revenue, plus the 4% resort tax levied by the Big Sky Resort Area District, for 12% in total. The resort tax applies across the whole district, on both the Gallatin and Madison County sides, and is charged on the full rental agreement, cleaning fees included.
Registering your rental
The sequence runs like this:
- Confirm the use is allowed: the county zoning, and any community covenants.
- Obtain a Montana Public Accommodation License. The state requires local health department review, which in Gallatin County runs through the Gallatin City-County Health Department.
- Get a Montana seller's permit for the lodging facility tax before taking a booking. Returns are quarterly.
- Register with the Big Sky Resort Area District. Every business operating in the district registers annually, rental owners included. Resort tax returns are monthly, or quarterly for smaller collectors, and are due even for a period with no rentals.
How Fairly handles it
We register your home for the Montana lodging facility tax and the Big Sky resort tax, collect and remit both on every booking, and assist with the Public Accommodation License application.
Operating a vacation rental in Big Sky, MT
Operating in Big Sky means a winter that does most of the earning. Turnovers bunch into ski weeks and holiday stays, often in snow, and a home has to be cleaned, restocked and checked between back-to-back arrivals on mountain roads. Snow removal, roof and deck loads, frozen pipes and hot tubs that guests expect to be ready all need someone close by through the cold months.
Many homes sit inside private club or homeowner communities with gated access and their own rental rules, so guest arrivals and service visits have to fit each community's procedures.
The shoulder seasons are the time for deferred work. April into May and October into November leave room for deep cleans, maintenance and repairs before the next peak. Summer brings its own wear: trail dust, bikes and gear, and guests arriving from long days in Yellowstone.
Frequently asked questions
A flat 20% commission on rental revenue, with no long-term contract and no hidden fees. Fairly is paid only when your Big Sky home books. The rate covers listings on Airbnb, Vrbo and Fairly.com, pricing, guest messaging, and collecting and remitting the state lodging tax and the resort tax. Your caretaker receives the cleaning fee guests pay and a share of Fairly's commission.
On the Gallatin County side, yes: the Gallatin Canyon/Big Sky zoning regulation lists short-term rental as a permitted use across its residential, commercial and Town Center sub-districts, allowed by right, and the county will confirm a parcel in writing. Homes on the Madison County side follow Madison County's rules. Any private club or HOA covenants apply on top of either.
12% on stays under 30 days: Montana's combined 8% lodging facility sales and use tax, plus the Big Sky Resort Area District's 4% resort tax, which covers the whole district in both counties. The resort tax applies to the full rental charge, cleaning fees included. Fairly collects and remits both on every booking.
Winter carries the year. Comparable homes sell about 80% of nights in February, three-quarters in March and well over half in January, at the year's highest rates. Summer is a smaller second season, roughly a third to two-fifths of nights from June through August. Late spring and October into November are very quiet.
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Fairly Vacation Rental Management
Serving Big Sky, MT and neighboring areas
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