In this episode of The Vacation Rental Show, host Lynell Gordon speaks with Ann Marie O'Rourke, owner of Sandpiper Management, about building a boutique property management company through superior cleanliness standards, transparent owner communication, and personal touches that create repeat guests who eventually become property owners themselves.


What You'll Learn:

• Why cleanliness is the most overlooked aspect of property management and how one unclean discovery makes guests search for every other problem
• The controversial staffing decision that transformed Ann Marie's business: replacing all cleaning teams and paying staff more to ensure everyone became more profitable
• How to balance owner loyalty and guest satisfaction without sacrificing either relationship through customized management approaches
• Small personal touches that cost almost nothing but create lasting memories: handwritten notes, tailored recommendations, and celebration gifts
• Communication strategies that build trust even when you don't have immediate answers to owner questions
• Why treating properties as customized investments rather than one-size-fits-all assets creates competitive advantages against corporate competitors
  
  

Ann Marie O'Rourke purchased Sandpiper Management without traditional property management experience, bringing instead a background in clinical social work and freelance writing. Drawing on her father's forty years in commercial cleaning, she understood the difference between appearing clean and truly clean. She made the bold decision to replace her entire inherited cleaning staff and pay new teams more than competitors, betting that superior cleanliness would drive profitability for everyone. Six years later, many original team members remain, creating consistency that generates reviews consistently stating "this is the cleanest property I've ever stayed in." Her company now manages properties across Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island near Charleston, South Carolina, competing successfully against larger corporations by focusing on quality over quantity and relationships over scale.


This episode is sponsored by Lynbrook Group.

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Previous guests include: Jim DeVos of Best Beach Getaways, Stacy Wesson of Cascara Vacation Rentals, Michael Friedman of The Simple Life Hospitality, Steve Caron of Inhabit, John An of TechTape, Jessica Gillingham of Abode Worldwide, Justin Ford of Breezeway, Mahwussh Alam of One Perfect Stay, Sofia Rossato of Inhabit, and many more.

Check out the three most downloaded episodes:

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