Short answer: Ask every Kansas City manager the same ten questions: which cities they know the rules for, who handles registration and the quarterly city tax filing, what the fee covers and what costs extra, how fast they reply to guests, who cleans, how they price, whose account the listing lives on, what insurance applies, how you get paid and reported to, and how you leave. Get the answers in writing before you sign.
Most managers sound alike on a first call. These questions make the differences show. Ask them of everyone you talk to, us included, and compare the written answers side by side.
1. Which cities do you work in, and what are the rules there?
Short-term rental rules change at the city line in this metro. In Kansas City, Missouri, the city's STR page says non-resident short-term rentals are prohibited in residentially zoned areas unless they were permitted before June 15, 2023. Leawood doesn't allow rentals under 30 days, and Lee's Summit allows short-term rentals only in the Old Town plan area or on parcels over 1 acre, so many homes in those two cities work better as 30-night stays. Mission, Kansas has its own license and a 2-night minimum.
A good manager can tell you, for your address, whether a nightly rental is allowed at all. If they can't, or they say rules don't matter, keep looking. Our Kansas City owner's guide lists the rules city by city.
2. Who handles registration and renewals?
KCMO registrations last one year and must be renewed. The city accepts a renewal starting 30 days before the old one ends, and each renewal needs a new inspection and fresh paperwork. For a non-resident registration, the city's checklist includes notarized affidavits, one of them a Management Control and Responsibility Affidavit. Ask who prepares these, who tracks the renewal date and what happens if it lapses. The city says unregistered rentals face fines from $200 to $1,000, and each day can count as a separate violation.
3. Who files the city tax return?
KCMO's STR tax FAQ says there is a 7.5% tax plus a $3.00 per room night fee, and that Form RD-306 must be filed every quarter even when a booking platform collects the tax and even when nothing is owed. Ask whether the manager files it, or whether it stays with you. Our tax guide covers the Missouri and Kansas side.
4. What does the fee include, and what costs extra?
Get the fee and the list of extras on one page. Common extras to ask about: cleaning, linens, supplies, repairs and any markup on them, setup or onboarding charges, and photography. A low percentage with a long list of add-ons can cost more than a higher one that covers the work. Our fees guide walks through what our 15% standard fee includes.
5. How fast do you reply to guests?
Slow replies cost bookings and reviews. Airbnb's Superhost criteria ask a host to respond to 90% of new messages within 24 hours, keep a 4.8 or higher rating, host at least 10 stays (or 3 stays totaling 100 nights) and cancel under 1% of the time. Ask for the manager's actual response rate and who answers messages at night and on weekends.
One detail to know: Airbnb says Superhost status only counts listings the host owns, so co-hosted listings don't count toward it. A manager's Superhost badge tells you about their own account, not about the listings they help run.
6. Who cleans, and what happens when a cleaner cancels?
Ask whether cleaners are staff or contractors, who inspects after each turnover, and what the backup plan is on a day with back-to-back stays. A single cleaner with no backup is a risk every busy weekend.
7. How do you set prices?
Ask whether rates change with weekends, seasons and big events, and who checks them. Airbnb's Smart Pricing adjusts nightly prices automatically based on demand. Some managers use separate pricing tools on top of that. Either way, ask who looks at the calendar each week and how often prices are reviewed.
8. Whose account is the listing on?
This matters if you ever leave. If the listing sits on your own account and the manager is added as a co-host, the reviews stay with you. Airbnb's co-host page says a co-host can help manage the listing, answer inquiries and message booked guests, and that hosts and co-hosts should agree up front on how much of the income goes to the co-host. If the listing lives on the manager's account, ask in writing what happens to it and its reviews when the agreement ends.
9. What insurance covers the home?
Ask what the manager carries and what you need to carry yourself. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts lists up to $3M in damage protection and $1M in liability insurance, with exclusions. That doesn't replace your own homeowner or short-term rental policy, so ask your insurer how they treat nightly guests. We carry $1M in liability coverage and $100K in damage coverage.
10. How do I get paid, and how do I leave?
Ask how often you get a statement, what it shows, and when payouts land. Then ask about the exit: the contract length, the notice period, any termination fee, and how future bookings are handled after you give notice. A manager who answers this one clearly is usually easier to work with on everything else.
Using the answers
Put each manager's answers in a simple table and read across the rows. Gaps show up fast, especially on questions 2, 3 and 8. If you'd like to ask us these questions, we reply within one day. We've hosted 8,000+ stays over 5 years with a 4.8 star average rating.