Coastal Property Turnaround: From 40% to 75% Occupancy in 3 Months

When Mr. Lim contacted iHousing about his 2-bedroom condominium at Pantai Kundur, he was frustrated. Despite its prime beachfront location, his Airbnb was sitting empty 60% of the time. Three months later, his occupancy hit 75% and monthly revenue increased by 87%.

Here's exactly how we achieved this transformation—and how your coastal property can achieve similar results.

The Challenge: Underperforming Coastal Asset

Initial Situation (Month 1)

Property Details:

• Location: Pantai Kundur, 5th floor, sea view

• Size: 850 sqft, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms

• Condition: Recently renovated, modern furnishing

• Previous management: Self-managed by owner

Performance Problems:

Metric	Performance	Industry Average
Occupancy rate	40%	65-75%
Average daily rate	RM280	RM350-450
Monthly revenue	RM3,360	RM6,000-9,000
Guest rating	4.2★	4.7★+
Platform presence	Airbnb only	Airbnb + Booking.com + Agoda

Owner's Frustration:

• "Why isn't my beachfront property booking?"

• "I'm losing RM5,000+ monthly compared to neighbors"

• "I don't have time to manage this properly"

Diagnostic Phase: Identifying Issues

iHousing Property Assessment

We conducted a comprehensive audit and identified five critical problems:

Problem 1: Flat Pricing Strategy

• Issue: Same rate (RM280) every night, regardless of season or demand

• Impact: Missing 40-60% premium on weekends and peak season

• Solution: Implement dynamic pricing (RM500 weekends, RM350 midweek)

Problem 2: Limited Platform Presence

• Issue: Listed only on Airbnb

• Impact: Missing Booking.com's last-minute business travelers and Agoda's Asian tourists

• Solution: Multi-platform listing (5 platforms total)

Problem 3: Weak Visual Marketing

• Issue: 6 photos, all taken with smartphone, poor lighting

• Impact: Low click-through rate (1.2% vs 3.5% average)

• Solution: Professional photography session (20 photos)

Problem 4: No Local Experience Marketing

• Issue: Listing described property features only

• Impact: Failed to highlight Pantai Kundur beach activities and attractions

• Solution: Created comprehensive activity guide and local experience packages

Problem 5: Poor Guest Communication

• Issue: Owner responded within 24 hours (too slow for instant-gratification travelers)

• Impact: Lost bookings to faster-responding competitors

• Solution: responsive professional response team (average 15-minute response time)

Transformation Strategy Implementation

Month 1: Foundation Building

Week 1-2: Platform Expansion

Action	Implementation	Result
Setup Booking.com	Optimized listing, competitive pricing	+6 bookings Month 1
Setup Agoda	Asian market focus, Chinese language	+4 bookings Month 1
Setup VRBO	Family-oriented positioning	+3 bookings Month 1
Setup Expedia	Corporate traveler targeting	+2 bookings Month 1

Week 3-4: Professional Photography

• Hired professional real estate photographer (RM800 investment)

• 20 high-resolution photos taken at golden hour

• Drone photography for coastal context shots

• Result: Click-through rate increased 180% (1.2% → 3.4%)

Month 1 Results:

• Occupancy: 40% → 52% (+30% improvement)

• Monthly revenue: RM3,360 → RM5,100 (+52%)

Month 2: Pricing & Content Optimization

Dynamic Pricing Implementation:

Period	Old Rate	New Rate	Impact
Fri-Sat (peak)	RM280	RM450-500	+70% revenue
Sun-Thu	RM280	RM250-300	Fill gaps
School holidays	RM280	RM500-550	+90% revenue

Content Overhaul:

• Rewrote listing description (300 words → 800 words)

• Added "Pantai Kundur Beach Activities" section

• Created in-room guest guidebook with local attraction map

• Result: 4.8★ guest rating (up from 4.2★)

Month 2 Results:

• Occupancy: 52% → 68% (+31% improvement)

• Monthly revenue: RM5,100 → RM7,200 (+41%)

Month 3: Advanced Optimization

Multi-Platform Calendar Sync:

• Implemented channel manager software

• Zero double-bookings across 5 platforms

• Automated minimum stay adjustments

Targeted Promotions: th>Bookings Generated

Promotion	Offer
Last-minute midweek	25% off 48h before	+8 nights filled
Monthly stays	40% off 28 nights	2 month-long bookings
Family package	Free beach toys	+12 weekend bookings

Month 3 Results:

• Occupancy: 68% → 75% (+10% improvement)

• Monthly revenue: RM7,200 → RM9,350 (+30%)

Results: 3-Month Transformation Summary

Performance Comparison

Metric	Before	After	Improvement
Occupancy rate	40%	75%	+87.5%
Average daily rate	RM280	RM415	+48%
Monthly revenue	RM3,360	RM9,350	+178%
Annual projection	RM40,320	RM112,200	+178%
Guest rating	4.2★	4.8★	+14%
Platform presence	1	5	+400%
Owner time required	15-20 hrs/week	0 hrs	-100%

Financial Impact Breakdown

Additional Revenue Generated:

• Monthly increase: RM5,990

• Annual increase:RM71,880

• Investment in improvements:RM2,500 (photography + setup)

• ROI on improvements:2,875% in first year

Management Cost:

• iHousing flat fee:RM250/month

• Commission saved:RM1,400/month vs competitors (20%)

• Net owner income:RM9,100/month

Key Success Factors

What Made the Difference

1. Multi-Platform Presence (+40% bookings) Listing on 5 platforms instead of 1 captured diverse guest segments:

• Airbnb: International tourists, families

• Booking.com: Last-minute business travelers

• Agoda: Asian tourists (Singapore, China, Indonesia)

• VRBO: Extended family stays

• Expedia: Corporate contracts

2. Dynamic Pricing (+35% revenue) Flexible pricing adapted to demand:

• Weekend premiums: 60-70% above midweek rates

• Seasonal adjustments: 80-100% higher during peak periods

• Last-minute discounts: 25% off to fill gaps

• Monthly stay incentives: 40% off for 28-night bookings

3. Professional Marketing (+50% click-through) High-quality visual and written content:

• Professional photography (worth the RM800 investment 10x over)

• Detailed local activity guide

• Keyword-optimized description

• Compelling guest reviews showcased prominently

4. responsive guest communication (+20% conversion) Instant response to inquiries:

• Average 15-minute response time (vs 24 hours before)

• Professional, friendly communication in English + Malay

• Proactive pre-arrival information

• During-stay support for any issues

Owner's Testimonial

From Frustrated to Thriving

"Before iHousing: I was ready to sell the property. It was losing money every month and I couldn't keep up with guest messages. I dreaded the phone notifications."

After iHousing: "Now I look forward to the monthly reports. Seeing RM9,000+ in revenue when I used to get RM3,000—it's incredible. And I haven't replied to a guest message in 3 months because iHousing handles everything."

- Mr. Lim, Property Owner since 2023

Your Property Can Achieve Similar Results

iHousing's Proven System

Every coastal property we manage receives:

Complete Platform Setup:

• Optimized listings on 5 platforms

• Professional photography included

• SEO-enhanced descriptions

Daily Revenue Management:

• Dynamic pricing adjustments

• Calendar synchronization (no double-bookings)

• Strategic promotions for low-demand periods

Full Guest Management:

• responsive communication in multiple languages

• Check-in/check-out coordination

• Cleaning and maintenance supervision

• Review management and responses

Transparent Reporting:

• Monthly revenue breakdown by platform

• Occupancy and ADR analysis

• Optimization recommendations

Start Your Transformation Today

Ready to turn your underperforming coastal property into a revenue-generating asset?

WhatsApp iHousing Melaka for:

• Free property assessment and revenue potential analysis

• Custom transformation plan tailored to your property's challenges

• ROI projection based on similar Pantai Kundur properties

• No obligation consultation—we earn our fee through results

Don't let your coastal property sit empty another month. Let iHousing implement the same proven strategies that took Mr. Lim's property from 40% to 75% occupancy in just 90 days.

Our coastal properties average 75%+ occupancy within 3 months. What could your property achieve?

[WhatsApp iHousing Melaka for Free Property Assessment]

Transformations professionally managed. Results maximized fully. Stress eliminated entirely.