OUR MISSION
“We’ve been helping families create their dream beach vacation for more than three decades and as a leading property management company, strive for the same excellence with our owners.”
ABOUT OWNERS
Brian Harris
HEAR FROM THE OWNER OF HARRIS VACATIONS
Hello, I’m Brian Harris – the owner and founder of Harris Vacations. For over 9 years, I have worked hard to provide only the top-quality property management and vacation rental services in Gulf Shores, Alabama. However, though the history of Harris Vacations began in 2013, my experience in the vacation rental industry goes back much further.
FOUNDING HARRIS VACATIONS
Though I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, my parents bought our first Gulf Shores beach cottage in 1983 and named it “SH 59.” This is where it all began. I was just 4 months old when they bought SH 59 with my brother and I’s college fund, and we still have that cottage today (though it’s been renamed to Catalina). In other words, I have literally grown up in the business.
Armed with a lifetime of experience in the property management industry, I got my real estate license in 2010, with the sole goal of beginning the process of becoming a broker and starting a management company. I really felt like there was a need in the marketplace for a management company that focused on the owner/investor. As such, in 2013 we officially launched Harris Vacations and began adding owners onto the rental program. Since then, I became a licensed real estate broker in 2013, have been quoted in the WSJ and have been invited to be a member of the National Association of Vacation Rental Managers.
Hear more about the history of Harris Vacations here.
A Different Point of View
Being able to see the industry for so long and to see it from the owner’s perspective on such an intimate level gives me a different perspective. I was able to see the frustrations my parents had both as independent owners and as owners in management programs. I started thinking of ways to make it better from a very early age.
Now, as an investor myself, I have felt the same stress that my owners feel when they launch a new property. A few years ago, we invested in our first two properties. I knew my math was right on the investment side. I knew they would book. I trusted our systems and our team, but there I was every morning seeing if we had gotten any booking nervous as I could be. So, it’s easy for me to understand where the owners are coming from. That mortgage bill is coming, and we better have the rental income to cover it!
Local Expertise
Born and raised in Birmingham, I’ve been in Alabama all my life and in the Gulf Shores area since 2009 (currently we live in Fairhope). Throughout our time here, we’ve experienced everything – from the best restaurants to the most underappreciated local attractions – and are always on the lookout to find worthy hot spots to recommend to our guests.
At the end of the day, you need a local perspective when looking for a property manager for your vacation rental, as well as someone who can truly understand what it means to be an owner. That’s why I founded Harris Vacations.
ABOUT OUR PROPERTIES
Harris Vacations Properties
Today, Harris Vacations has grown to include more than 170 vacation homes. From Fort Morgan beach cottages and condos at full-service resorts like Martinique, to beach homes in the West Beach area of Gulf Shores, and on Little Lagoon, the company maintains its customer-focused business practices and beliefs.
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