The Daytona area is a unique real estate market with a higher proportion of part-time vs full-time residents than many other parts of the country. While the area is a destination for many vacationers, homeowners here travel extensively outside the area. This combination of factors leads many homeowners to consider working with a qualified and trustworthy property management company.
SkyRun is a nationally recognized vacation home rental property management company with a new local franchisee who is bringing a portfolio of services to the area. The services available to homeowners are designed to deliver real estate investment income and to provide concierge-level experience for the homeowner when they are not in residence.
Darnell Hatcher of SkyRun has been visiting the Daytona Beach area his whole life. When it came time to retire from his 30+ year career in asset and facilities management with the City of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, he knew exactly where he wanted to go. He hit the road in the Summer of 2025 and headed south. “I’m a road-tripper by nature. I’ve always enjoyed travel,” Darnell says. “I recognize the value of having someone trustworthy looking after my property while I am on the road. There’s nothing worse than coming home to find your new refrigerator’s ice machine has leaked all over the kitchen floor – yes, that has happened to me personally. I am dedicated to providing peace of mind to road trippers, snowbirds, and world travelers alike.”
Daytona’s SkyRun franchise is a family-run operation that Darnell shares with his oldest son, Darnell, who was already living in the Daytona area. “I’m very family-oriented and, in fact, I have a lot of family down here. Settling in Daytona felt like coming home to me – I was really looking forward to being near my son,” says Darnell. In preparation for the move, he decided to rent out his home in Pennsylvania instead of selling. “I started researching property management companies. I already had many highly qualified contractors to turn to, but I knew I needed someone local to personally oversee my property.”
Darnell realized this was exactly the kind of business he could run in his new hometown. He turned to an entrepreneur matchmaking consultant to test out the idea. “Owning a property management company was a natural extension of my professional experience.” After looking at the franchise opportunities found by the matchmaker, he knew SkyRun’s Daytona opportunity was exactly what he had been looking for. “Not only am I near family, I am literally in one of the most beautiful vacation areas I could imagine living. I have dreamt of driving A1A and living near the beach for so long – it’s great to finally relax and enjoy the ride.”
Darnell is a world traveler and knows many people turn to companies like VRBO and Airbnb which are Online Travel Agents (OTAs) for short-term rentals. Homeowners who are thinking about renting out their homes look to SkyRun as the ultimate answer for a variety of reasons. “We list the homes we have under management through almost all the OTAs – currently about 65 – so we’re already expanding the options for homeowners who work with us vs. directly with one OTA.” People also turn to SkyRun because it’s a full turnkey operation so homeowners don’t have to worry about their property when they go on vacation or head to another of their properties. A sampling of the full suite of high-end property management services include:
- Pre-rental and post-rental housekeeping and cleaning
- Compliance with local laws and regulations
- Appliance repairs and utility breakdown response
- Damage protection
- People management – renters and contractors
“With a national brand like SkyRun you can expect to see we have the systems in place to maximize homeowners’ revenue,” says Darnell. “You will ultimately work with Adam Fleckless who is our corporate director of owner satisfaction.” Adam provides corporate support in his role managing property owner relations and will walk potential clients through onboarding for a smooth experience.
Homeowners interested in testing out the waters can get a good idea of the rental income they could realize using SkyRun’s website-based INCOME ESTIMATOR tool
At this point in our lives, we’re ready for a more relaxed lifestyle—with a trusted team that makes travel and managing multiple homes easier.
Homeowners seeking meaningful investment returns on their property choose SkyRun for its full turnkey approach - allowing them to go on vacation or spend time at their other homes without the demands of preparing, managing, or recovering from property rentals.