Celebrating Its 10th Anniversary, SkyRun’s Growth Emulates Park City’s Nightly Rental Market

SkyRun Park City, one of Google’s highest rated vacation rental companies in Park City, is celebrating a decade of excellence in the industry. Founded by Michael and Fonda LeClerc in 2014, SkyRun has grown from managing a single property to over 100 properties, boasting an impressive 97 percent owner retention rate and a perfect 5.0 rating on Google.

The Leclerc’s are part owners in the SkyRun Corporation and additionally own three franchise locations: Park City; Breckenridge, Colorado; and Kiawah Island in South Carolina’s low country. The SkyRun brand operates in 50 destinations in 16 states. Michael’s extensive experience in the vacation rental industry, coupled with his three decades as a Park City resident, grants him unique insights into the local market.

“Although Park City’s popularity has continued to climb, over the years we’ve had to overcome economic and pandemic challenges that have required that we lean into the data to adapt our business model,” said LeClerc. “Studying the market drivers, embracing technology, and continuing to hone our quality standards have driven our success.”

Market Drivers

The real estate market has frequently driven a shift in the nightly rental market. For example, during the 2008-09 financial downturn, homeowners struggled to sell their homes, so they opted to put them in nightly rentals which drove up the supply and drove the market for management companies. A similar trend is happening again as the real estate market has slowed.

Another boost occurred four years ago when AirBnB’s popularity exploded luring many homeowners with the prospect of making easy money only to be overwhelmed by the amount of management nightly rentals require. Fifteen of these property owners have contracted with SkyRun to manage their rentals in the last two years and have benefited financially and with far less headache.

LeClerc points out that property management requires a range of expertise, from marketing to maintenance to housekeeping and customer service. Today, a team of 15 professionals manages a diverse portfolio of properties, including ski-in/ski-out studio condos and luxurious eight bedroom homes in Old Town and Deer Valley.

Pandemic Travel Fever

The travel market is still reverberating from the Covid pandemic. As the pandemic fear eased, the nightly rental market took off with many vacationers seeking the control of their indoor environment and to whom they were exposed.

In 2023-24 the trend flipped with beach vacations, European travel and cruises being the favored option. SkyRun’s bookings for the 2024-25 ski season are demonstrating that the nightly rental market is again the favorite with reservations for properties up 2 to 4 times over the previous season.

The Unique Attributes of Nightly Renters

As vacationers become more accustomed to the nuances of choosing a vacation property, SkyRun has become more adept at responding to their desires. Many guests prefer digital engagement in the form of virtual videos of the property, keyless check-ins, and detailed property information online. “We know we’ve provided excellent service when the only phone call we receive is from guests thanking us for a wonderful stay and letting us know they’re checking out,” said LeClerc.

Earning a 5-Star Ranking

Paying extra attention to customer satisfaction has really paid off. Of SkyRun’s 330 Google reviews, 315 are 5 stars.

“When someone books a vacation rental, they have a responsibility to ensure their group has the experience they expect. When guests arrive, they want the property to match the online description and create excitement for their stay. Cleanliness is also a top priority. That’s why we meticulously maintain our properties to exceed guest expectations,” said LeClerc.

His vision is not to become the largest vacation rental company in town but to be the best, providing exceptional service and experiences to both property owners and guests.