New Business Launches in Cape Charles

The founder of Vacasa is starting a new company in the vacation rental space, and they’re launching in Cape Charles.  

“It’s been four years since I ran Vacasa, and in that time, I experienced property management both as a guest and a homeowner. I’m not impressed with the direction the industry has taken,” says Eric Breon, Founder & CEO of Fairly.  “Companies have been squeezing housekeeper pay while living costs grew. Excessive fees are rampant. And increasingly, when you call a property management company, you end up having your call routed to someone who isn’t local.”

“Local companies have started adopting the worst practices of large management companies, like excessive guest fees, and outsourcing calls to virtual assistants who aren’t familiar with the properties nor location. And across the board, companies are underpaying their housekeepers,” Breon explains.

The new company isn’t a property management company, at least not in the traditional sense. Breon describes it saying, “Fairly is a platform for empowering local professionals: specifically, real estate agents and housekeepers. We help them build their business.”

Fairly shares half of their fee with local partners: 25% to the housekeeper (in addition to the cleaning fee they negotiate directly with the homeowner), and 25% to the Advisor, typically a real estate agent who also helps clients get started renting.

“We’re excited to be partnering with local real estate agents. Real estate sales have been slow, and for most of us, it’s hard to even imagine the ~50% pay cut many of them have experienced in the past year,” notes Breon.  “Exceptional local real estate agents are a tremendous resource for people looking to buy a vacation home that they intend to rent. Historically, they’ve bowed-out as soon as the property closes. With Fairly, they take them one step further, helping their owner get started renting.”

“I know vacation rentals are a controversial topic in many towns. We want to be a responsible partner on this front. With Fairly, more of the money stays local, and our rentals in Cape Charles can help support other businesses in the community, creating jobs and bringing in tax revenue,” says Breon.

With Fairly’s launch in Cape Charles, they are actively recruiting exceptional housekeepers that are interested in earning as a caretaker with Fairly, as well as real estate agents, especially those who frequently help buyers find vacation rentals.