See my property · Melbourne short stay
What could your apartment earn?
Run our earnings model on your apartment. It compares short stay with a long lease, month by month, after channel fees, management, cleaning, utilities and upkeep. When the numbers look right, ask us for a written appraisal of your apartment.
The numbers
Run the numbers on your apartment.
This is the model we use to assess apartments. Nightly rates come from a PriceLabs export for a Melbourne CBD apartment, and every cost an owner pays is deducted on both sides. Change any input and the figures update.
What a long-term tenant would pay today.
Rates and occupancy as modelled from the PriceLabs export.
Average share of nights booked across the year. We budget on 65 to 75% in the CBD.
Short stay, net to you
$47,213
After every cost, per year
Long lease, net to you
$35,454
After agent fees, vacancy and insurance
Breakeven occupancy 55% The model books 72%. Every point above 55% is upside over the lease.
| Short-stay line items | Per year |
|---|
Estimate only. Figures are modelled from a PriceLabs rate export for a Melbourne CBD apartment and typical Melbourne operating costs, scaled for size and location. They exclude income tax, GST on turnover above $75,000, mortgage costs, and the Victorian Short Stay Levy where it applies. Actual results depend on the apartment, the building, the season and the market. Nothing here guarantees a return or replaces financial advice. Ask us for a written appraisal of your apartment.
Seasonality
A Melbourne year, night by night.
The same PriceLabs export, month by month. CBD nightly rates rise when the city fills, and daily pricing is how those nights get captured. Tap or hover a month to see its figures. The marked months are event windows.
Listed nightly rate · 2-bed, before discounts · $487 in Jan
Occupancy · share of nights booked · 80% in Jan
See the monthly table
| Month | Listed rate | Occupancy |
|---|
Rates are listed 2-bed nightly prices from the PriceLabs export, before the average booking discount. Occupancy is the modelled share of nights booked. The calculator applies both, plus every cost, to your inputs.
Fees
One fee. 16.5% including GST.
Charged on booking revenue after cleaning costs are paid. There is no onboarding fee, listing fee or letting fee, and no charge for the hours we spend answering guests at midnight.
| Item | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Management: listings, pricing, guests, housekeeping coordination, reporting | LTPM fee, 16.5% incl. GST, on revenue after cleaning |
| Listing setup, copywriting, channel connections, Smoobu and PriceLabs licences | Included |
| Cleaning between stays | Recovered from the guest cleaning fee |
| Channel commission (Airbnb, Booking.com, Trip.com) | Owner, deducted at source |
| Furnishing and fit-out, professional photography, initial linen | Owner, typically $8,000 to $12,000 for a two-bedroom |
| Utilities, internet, contents and host insurance | Owner |
| Owners corporation, council rates, water service | Owner, unchanged from a long lease |
| Repairs and replacements | Owner, quoted above an agreed threshold |
Prefer not to fund the fit-out yourself? We also co-invest in furnishing alongside owners under a separate joint-venture arrangement. Ask us for the terms.
Furnish and style
From an empty room to a listing that books.
Skyline's living room, photographed from the same spot before and after fit-out. Scroll and it furnishes itself.
The one-off cost
What the fit-out costs, and how fast it comes back.
Furnishing is the only real cash outlay. Below is the itemised version of the $8,000 to $12,000 we quote for a two-bedroom, scaled to your apartment. It also shows how many months of short-stay uplift it takes to earn the cost back.
Durable mid-range pieces, the spec we use in our own apartments.
Follows the calculator above, currently 2 bed. Change it there and this budget moves with it.
Fit-out budget
$10,000
Paid back by uplift in
10.2 months
| Item | Budget |
|---|
Payback uses the calculator's current uplift (short-stay net minus long-lease net) on your inputs. The budget is indicative. Your appraisal itemises it for your floor plan, and the furniture stays yours.
Onboarding
From your call to your first guest in about four weeks.
The steps run in order and most of the work is ours. We need two things from you: a decision and a set of keys.
Appraisal
Send us the address and floor plan. You get a written projection back with nightly rates by season, expected occupancy, net income against your current rent, and the fit-out budget.
Agreement and consents
We sign the management agreement, then check your owners corporation rules and any planning or levy obligations for your building before any money is spent.
Furnish and photograph
We specify, order and install the fit-out to a consistent standard, stock linen and consumables, fit a smart lock, then photograph the apartment professionally.
List and launch
We write and publish the listings on every channel, connect them to Smoobu and PriceLabs, and open with an introductory rate to build early reviews.
Operate and report
Guests arrive. You receive a monthly statement and payout, and we review pricing and performance with you each quarter.
Compliance
Short stay in Victoria, done properly.
Accounted for on every booking
Victoria's 7.5% Short Stay Levy has applied since 1 January 2025. We track what is payable on your bookings so it never arrives as a surprise.
Checked before we list
Some buildings restrict short stays and some councils require planning permission. We read your OC rules first and tell you plainly if your apartment is unsuitable.
Three layers of cover
Platform host protection, our own cover, and a security deposit or damage waiver on every booking. Photographed condition reports give any claim its evidence.
Short-stay regulation in Victoria changes. What we tell you about your building is our operational assessment. For legal or tax advice, speak to your solicitor and accountant.
Is short stay really better than a long lease?
Usually in the CBD, though not for every apartment. It depends on your nightly rate, your building, your outgoings and how much of the year you want the apartment occupied. If the appraisal shows a long lease suits your apartment better, we will tell you. An apartment that does not work is a bad deal for both of us.
How much does furnishing cost?
Around $8,000 to $12,000 for a two-bedroom, furnished to a standard that photographs well and survives short stays. A studio or one-bedroom costs less. You get an itemised budget with the appraisal, and on the base case it pays for itself inside the first year of uplift.
How and when do I get paid?
Monthly. The channels collect the bookings, costs are settled, and the balance is paid to your nominated account with a statement showing every booking and every deduction.
What if it doesn't work and I want out?
After the initial term you can give notice. We hand back the listings, the calendar and the review history. There is no clawback or exit fee, and the furniture is yours because you paid for it.
Free, no obligation
Get a written appraisal of your apartment.
Send us the address and we will reply within two business days with projected nightly rates by season, expected occupancy, net income against your current rent, and an itemised fit-out budget. If the numbers do not beat a long lease, we will say so.