A Wheelhouse case study: Frias Properties. How Frias Properties Turned a Notoriously Hard-to-Read Market Into a Data-Driven Advantage August 11, 2026 Introduction. Frias Properties manages a portfolio of roughly 170 vacation rental units across Aspen and Snowmass, spanning everything from 1-2 bedroom condos to high-end, amenity-rich, ski-in/ski-out homes. It's a market defined by sharp seasonal swings: a packed summer from mid-June through Labor Day, a still-busy but weekend-driven September, and a winter season running from Christmas through March. And it's all layered with the added complexity of unique events and holidays within each season. Reservations Manager Gwen Cohen temporarily stepped into the team's Revenue Manager role, while Marketing Director Leah Shaffran has been getting acquainted with Wheelhouse's reporting tools from the marketing side. Together, they shared how Wheelhouse has helped Frias make sense of a market that even seasoned property managers find hard to read. A market that's Hard to get a handle on. Before Wheelhouse, Frias managed pricing through other tools that let them set parameters, but couldn't deliver real pricing recommendations. Even after time spent configuring the systems, they were still making manual adjustments nearly every day, taking precious time and energy away from other endeavors, like OTA optimization. "We're in a really unique market, and even though there are some trends, it's still hard to get a real handle on the data here." They knew it was time to make a switch in their RMS tooling, and they assessed multiple options. Wheelhouse stood out as more affordable while still accommodating the nuance of a highly diverse portfolio, from budget-friendly units to luxury homes. Why Frias Properties chose Wheelhouse. For Gwen, the appeal of Wheelhouse came down to how much of the daily workload it took off her team's plate. "I just really love that there are minimal tweaks we have to go in and make, especially with major components like base rate. When we do make adjustments in Wheelhouse, they're usually very minor, and don't take us long at all." With floor rates, ceiling rates, and a base rate already in place, the revenue manager no longer has to spend the entire day making adjustments within the RMS. Gwen also pointed to Wheelhouse's easy-to-use tiered pricing options, which offer a recommended base rate, as well as aggressive and conservative alternatives. Getting up and running. Given Frias's large and varied inventory, their team was cautious about onboarding, but Wheelhouse's dedicated support put them at ease. Her team was educated on the platform, and was able to set their portfolio up for success so that when new teammates stepped in to lead their Revenue Management, things would continue to run smoothly. Leveraging Wheelhouse's events and seasons functionality allowed the team to proactively manage local happenings from day one. This initial step provided the peace of mind to execute their strategy, knowing that making adaptations as market conditions shifted would require minimal lift. The features driving daily decisions. When asked about her most-used features/settings, Gwen said that the occasional base price tweak or last minute discounting was what she clicked towards most. That reflects a shift in guest behavior that's new for Frias: a growing share of last-minute bookings in a market where guests "used to book way, way further in advance." The divide plays out clearly across the portfolio. "Our higher-end properties tend to get booked early for longer periods - people are willing to pay for the nicer properties ahead of time," Gwen explained. "For us, we see those longer stays too, because it's typically international people that are booking way far out. About 10% of our bookings are coming in within two weeks of arrival, and those are definitely more people looking for a deal - maybe just kind of driving through town, and they don't necessarily need the nicest unit with air conditioning and all the amenities." That distinction shapes how Gwen uses Wheelhouse. "When we feel like something's pacing behind, we tend to be able to fill in at the last minute," she said. "A lot of our far-future stuff, people are willing to pay the money for longer stays, so once it's set, we're not adjusting it quite as much." New reporting has added another layer of visibility. Wheelhouse offers blocked revenue potential and neighborhood occupancy metrics that compare units within a more refined radius - a welcome addition in a market where a single building can house 20 rental properties managed by 20 different companies. The Frias Properties team uses those features for everything from owner communication to marketing. By measuring their ADR against their competitors, they can strategize on better promotions and advertising that helps them stand out. Results: holding steady in a down season. The early 2026 winter was a difficult one for Colorado ski markets broadly, with a weak snow season dragging down performance across the industry. Frias felt it too - March came in soft compared to years past - but the portfolio still outperformed many of its peers. "Based on what we saw from other ski resorts this past winter, and the town in general, we ended up doing pretty well, and Wheelhouse played a huge factor there with our overall performance." The time savings have been just as significant, with their team spending less than half the time they did on other RMSs. The shift from constant manual adjustments to occasional tweaks on top of Wheelhouse's recommendations was key here. With that time back, the team - who also manages OTA channels - has been able to focus more on optimizing listings and building a clearer, portfolio-wide revenue strategy. Final thoughts. When asked what she'd tell another Property Manager who was considering Wheelhouse, Gwen spoke to the time savings, but she also mentioned how strong and informed the product is, and how much she's able to learn from it. Even with years of experience, the data still surprises her: "I kind of have an idea in my head, and sometimes I'm like, oh, that's way too high - but then it'll get booked at that higher rate, which is great!" Support has also stood out. "Everybody that we've worked with has been great. We heard the support was amazing, and that's definitely been true," Gwen said. "When our previous Revenue Manager left and I took over, I definitely had some questions on things I wasn't sure about. The support was always amazing, and they'd get back to me right away." For a team managing 170 units across a market that even industry benchmarking tools struggle to capture, that combination - minimal daily tweaks, clear data, and responsive support - has given Frias Properties the confidence to keep its revenue strategy running smoothly, no matter who's at the wheel.

Leveraging technology to improve your short-term rental business. How to use technology to manage and grow your short-term rental business in Nigeria. Whether you own one furnished apartment in Abuja or manage a portfolio across Lagos and Port Harcourt, technology is now the single biggest differentiator between rental businesses that scale and those that stay stuck. The old way is costing you money. Managing a short-term rental in Nigeria using WhatsApp messages, handwritten ledgers, and manual bank transfers might feel familiar - but it is silently draining your revenue. Missed bookings, double reservations, late responses, and inconsistent guest experiences are not just inconveniences; they are lost income and damaged reputation. The good news is that a new wave of property technology (PropTech) tools - many of them affordable and built for the African market - are making it easier than ever for rental owners and managers to run leaner, smarter, and more profitable operations. 1. Centralise your listings with a channel manager. If your apartment is listed on Airbnb, Booking.com, and your own website separately, you are one accidental double-booking away from a bad review and a refund headache. A channel manager syncs all your listings in real time - updating availability, pricing, and photos across every platform from a single dashboard. Pro tip: At Astro Homes, its AstroCare management service handles multi-platform listing distribution for property owners - so you never have to worry about conflicting calendars or outdated rates. List your property with AstroHomes 2. Use dynamic pricing tools to maximise revenue. Static pricing is one of the most expensive mistakes short-term rental owners make. Rental demand in cities like Abuja spikes during NASS sessions, government summits, and public holidays - and drops in off-peak periods. Dynamic pricing software analyses real-time demand, competitor rates, and local events to automatically adjust your nightly rate, helping you earn more when demand is high and stay competitive when it is low. Tools like PriceLabs and Wheelhouse integrate directly with Airbnb and Booking.com, giving Nigerian landlords the same revenue management advantage that large hotels already use. 3. Automate guest communication. Speed of response is a major ranking factor on Airbnb and other platforms. Guests who receive an instant reply to their enquiry are far more likely to confirm a booking. Automated messaging tools let you set up instant replies, pre-arrival instructions, check-in guides, and post-stay review requests - all without picking up your phone at midnight. This alone can push your response rate to near 100%, improving your search ranking and conversion rate significantly. Channel manager. Sync availability across Airbnb, Booking.com, and direct booking sites in real time. Dynamic pricing. Auto-adjust nightly rates based on demand, seasonality, and local events. Auto messaging. Send instant replies, check-in guides, and review requests without manual effort. Smart access. Keyless entry systems let guests self check-in securely at any time of day. 4. Invest in smart home and keyless entry. One of the most common pain points for short-term rental guests in Nigeria is check-in logistics - waiting for a caretaker, key hand-off confusion, and last-minute delays. Smart locks and keyless entry systems solve this entirely. Guests receive a unique PIN or digital key code that activates on check-in day and expires on check-out, giving them total flexibility while giving you full security control. Smart devices like automated lighting, air conditioning timers, and door sensors also reduce utility costs and protect your property between stays. 5. Track performance with a rental analytics dashboard. You cannot improve what you do not measure. Property management software with built-in analytics lets you track occupancy rate, average daily rate (ADR), revenue per available night (RevPAN), booking lead time, and guest satisfaction scores - all in one place. This data tells you when to invest in an upgrade, when to adjust your pricing strategy, and which platforms are driving the most profitable bookings. Guest turnover - the window between one guest checking out and another checking in - is where most short-term rental operations break down. A cleaning management app like Breezeway or Properly lets you schedule cleaning teams automatically based on your booking calendar, attach checklists, track task completion, and flag maintenance issues with photos. This keeps your apartment consistently five-star ready without constant back-and-forth calls. At Astro Homes & Apartment, its AstroCare service handles bookings, guest communication, cleaning, and maintenance on your behalf - so you earn consistent monthly income without the operational stress. Learn how AstroCare works The bottom line. Technology does not replace the human touch that makes a great guest experience - it creates the space for it. When manual tasks are automated, your time and energy go towards what truly matters: delivering stays that guests remember, recommend, and return for. Whether you are a first-time property owner looking to earn passive income or an experienced host trying to scale across multiple units, integrating the right tools into your rental operation is no longer optional - it is the foundation of a sustainable business. Looking for a professional team to manage your short-term rental in Abuja, Lagos, or beyond?