Vacation Rental Management
Vacation Rental Management in Galveston, TX
Fairly provides full-service short-term rental management for homeowners in Galveston — your local caretaker is a single point of contact who ensures exceptional guest experiences, while we handle everything else, including remitting the state and City of Galveston hotel occupancy taxes on every booking.
4.8
Average review in Galveston, TX
Fairly is an Airbnb Superhost, and our homes average 4.84 stars across 20,000+ guest reviews. Fewer than 4% of stays rate below four stars. Better reviews attract better guests, at higher prices, maximizing your revenue.
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Galveston market overview
Galveston is a barrier island about an hour south-east of Houston, and its rental market runs on two kinds of trip: the beach, along the Seawall and the quieter West End, and the city itself — the Victorian commercial blocks of the Strand, the historic East End neighbourhoods, Moody Gardens and the Pleasure Pier. The island is also a cruise port, which brings a steady trade in short stays before a sailing. Across the channel, a short ride on the free state ferry from the island's east end, Bolivar Peninsula is the quieter, drive-on-beach alternative for owners weighing the upper Texas coast.
The season is short and early. Spring break lifts March to nearly half of nights sold among top-performing homes, and June and July are the peak, with July near three-quarters at the year's highest nightly rates. Demand falls sharply in August as Texas schools go back, and from September through February occupancy runs between a fifth and a third, so the summer weeks carry most of the year.
What homes earn in Galveston, TX
The chart above reflects top-tier performance for vacation rentals in the Galveston market. These figures cover properties on Airbnb and Vrbo with an average review score of 4.8 or higher, limited to homes available or rented at least 300 days a year. Actual revenue will naturally fluctuate based on your home's proximity to the beach, layout, and unique amenities. You can customize a projection for a specific home.
| Month | Total rent | Occupancy | Avg. daily rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | $901 | 21% | $219 |
| Feb | $1,137 | 25% | $223 |
| Mar | $3,298 | 47% | $287 |
| Apr | $2,414 | 38% | $280 |
| May | $3,516 | 47% | $321 |
| Jun | $5,259 | 64% | $368 |
| Jul | $6,443 | 72% | $378 |
| Aug | $3,186 | 43% | $314 |
| Sep | $2,199 | 35% | $286 |
| Oct | $1,844 | 31% | $260 |
| Nov | $1,695 | 28% | $271 |
| Dec | $1,192 | 23% | $244 |
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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 Galveston, TX
Lodging and occupancy taxes
Every stay of fewer than 30 consecutive days in Galveston carries two hotel occupancy taxes: the 6% state tax, administered by the Texas Comptroller, and the City of Galveston's 9% hotel occupancy tax, collected by the City's Finance Department. The City took over short-term rental registration and the local tax from the Park Board, so both now run through the City. Returns are due monthly, and a return is filed even for a month with no bookings.
Registering your rental
Short-term rentals are allowed in Galveston with a city license. Before hosting a guest, register the home with the City; each rentable unit receives its own Galveston Vacation Rental (GVR) registration number, which must appear in every listing and advertisement. The license runs January through December and is renewed each year by December 31. It does not transfer with a sale, so a buyer registers the home again.
Local rules that affect operating
The city's short-term rental ordinance sets standing conditions rather than a cap. A local contact who lives within an hour of the home must be reachable around the clock, respond to a complaint within an hour and resolve it within two. A notice posted inside the home gives guests the maximum number of occupants, where to park, quiet hours, the local contact, flood hazards and evacuation routes, and guests receive the city's good-neighbor brochure. Owners answer for guests' noise, trash and parking violations, and repeated violations can cost a home its license. Many Galveston homes also sit within homeowners associations whose own leasing rules apply on top of the city's.
How Fairly handles it
We register your home for the state and city hotel occupancy taxes, collect both on every booking, and file and remit the returns. We also assist with the city short-term rental license and its annual renewal.
Operating a vacation rental in Galveston, TX
Galveston is hard on a house. Salt air corrodes hardware, HVAC coils and outdoor fixtures, humidity brings mildew into a home closed up between stays, and every guest carries beach sand back inside. Hurricane season runs from June through November, so a home needs someone to secure it ahead of a storm and walk it afterwards, with flooding part of that check on low-lying streets. The summer itself is short: June and July bring back-to-back turnovers, often on the same day, and the long off-season is when exterior repairs get done. The city also requires a local contact who lives within an hour of the home and responds to any complaint within an hour, around the clock. Your caretaker lives nearby and is that contact.
Frequently asked questions
Fairly charges a flat 20% commission on what your Galveston home earns in rent, with no long-term contract and no hidden fees. That covers listings on Airbnb, Vrbo and Fairly.com, pricing for the short summer peak, guest messaging, and collecting and remitting the state and city hotel occupancy taxes. Your caretaker receives the cleaning fee guests pay and a share of Fairly's commission.
Absolutely. With Fairly, you maintain complete control over your booking calendar. Whenever you want to visit the island or host friends, you can easily block out those dates. Because we require no long-term contract, you dictate exactly when your property is rented.
Your dedicated local caretaker lives near your Galveston home and serves as the primary point of contact for guests, personally handling cleanings, restocks, and minor maintenance. This local presence ensures quick responses and fantastic guest experiences.
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Fairly Vacation Rental Management
Serving Galveston, TX and neighboring areas
Available 24/7