MadeComfy x McGrath: Bringing next‑gen short‑term rentals to the Southern Highlands, NSW

MadeComfy has officially launched across the Southern Highlands, partnering with McGrath Southern Highlands to bring a new standard of professional short‑term rental management to Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale and the surrounding villages.

The collaboration combines MadeComfy’s end‑to‑end, tech‑enabled Airbnb and short‑stay management platform with McGrath’s deep local expertise, led by Principal and Licensed Real Estate Agent, Anne Stone.

As demand for flexible, fully furnished accommodation continues to grow in the region, the partnership is designed to help local investors, downsizers and second‑home owners unlock better returns while protecting the long‑term value of their assets.

Why the Southern Highlands, why now

The Southern Highlands has evolved into one of New South Wales’ most sought‑after lifestyle destinations, with strong interest from Sydney buyers, regional relocators and holidaymakers alike. Towns such as Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale have seen steady growth and high demand for both long‑term rentals and quality short‑stay accommodation, creating a clear opportunity for well‑managed, compliant, short‑term rental stock.

At the same time, owners are looking for ways to balance lifestyle use with income, without taking on the day‑to‑day workload of hosting. That’s where MadeComfy’s full‑service model and McGrath’s trusted local brand come together.

What the partnership delivers for owners

Through the MadeComfy x McGrath Southern Highlands partnership, property owners will have access to a genuinely turnkey short‑stay solution. MadeComfy provides professional listing creation, dynamic pricing, guest communication, housekeeping, maintenance coordination and performance reporting, underpinned by its technology and data platform.

McGrath Southern Highlands, under the leadership of Anne Stone, brings decades of local market knowledge, a strong property management track record and a large network of investors and homeowners across the region. Together, the partnership aims to deliver higher yielding, better‑presented and better‑managed short‑stay properties that meet the expectations of today’s guests while maintaining the long‑term condition and value of each asset.

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A shared focus on quality and guest experience

MadeComfy has built its reputation on curating well‑located, well‑presented homes that perform strongly on platforms like Airbnb, supported by professional cleaning, hotel‑grade linen and an emphasis on guest experience. Guests benefit from consistent standards, clear communication and homes that are designed for travel, work and extended stays, not just overnight visits.

McGrath Southern Highlands shares that focus on quality, operating as part of one of Australia’s most progressive real estate groups and striving to set the benchmark for service in the region. This alignment around quality is central to how new short‑stay properties will be selected, styled and operated under the joint offering.

For owners, that means you’re not choosing between a local agency and a specialist manager - you get both. McGrath remains your local, relationship‑driven point of contact, while MadeComfy powers the behind‑the‑scenes engine that drives bookings, revenue and guest experience.

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How the MadeComfy x McGrath model works

The joint service is built to be genuinely end‑to‑end. A typical journey for a Southern Highlands owner looks like this:

Strategy and assessment

The McGrath team sits down with you to understand your goals – income, lifestyle use, long‑term plans - and identifies whether your property is a strong fit for short‑term rentals. Together, we align on the right approach for your circumstances.

Income projections and planning

Using MadeComfy’s data and forecasting tools, we provide an estimate of what your property could earn on the short‑stay market versus a traditional long‑term lease. This helps you decide, with real numbers, whether a short‑term strategy suits your financial objectives.

Preparation, styling and compliance

Once you’re ready to proceed, we guide you through what’s needed to get your property guest‑ready: furniture and layout, amenities, safety and compliance requirements, photography and listing positioning. Where appropriate, we can recommend partners for styling and furnishing.

Launch and optimisation

MadeComfy handles the listing creation across key platforms, dynamic pricing, guest communication, housekeeping coordination and reviews management. Our revenue team continually adjusts pricing based on demand patterns such as school holidays, local events and mid‑week corporate travel.

Ongoing care and performance reporting

You receive regular, transparent reporting on occupancy, nightly rates and total income, alongside clear communication about property condition, maintenance and guest feedback. McGrath remains closely involved, ensuring the property is looked after as a long‑term asset, not just a booking engine.

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Designed for the “escapism” and work‑from‑anywhere era

Short‑term rentals in the Highlands today are not just about school‑holiday bookings.

Owners are now capturing value from:

Remote workers booking 5–10 night “work from the country” stays
Mid‑week escapes taking advantage of quieter towns and better value
Event‑driven demand from weddings, conferences and local festivals
Seasonal travel with guests chasing cool‑climate winters and mild summers

Our model is built for this new pattern of demand. Dynamic pricing and data‑led decision‑making mean you’re not locked into a single seasonal rate, or forced to guess when to increase or decrease your pricing. Instead, your property is continually optimised to capture both weekend premiums and strong mid‑week or longer‑stay bookings.

Protecting your asset while maximising returns

For many Highlands owners, the property is more than a line on a balance sheet. It might be a family home, a future downsizer, or a long‑term wealth‑building asset. The MadeComfy x McGrath partnership is structured with that in mind.

Key pillars of the service include:

Quality over volume - We deliberately focus on properties that can deliver a consistent guest experience and align with local community expectations.

Professional standards - Hotel‑grade cleaning, linen and maintenance processes help protect your property and keep it in top condition.

Compliance and community alignment - We operate within local regulations and work with owners to minimise disruption to neighbours and the broader community. Plus, ensure that owners can use there properties through the ease of clicking on their dashboards.

Long‑term thinking - McGrath’s ongoing involvement ensures that decisions made today support your long‑term property strategy, whether that’s holding, refinancing or eventually selling.

Ready to see what your Highlands property could earn?

If you’re curious about whether short‑term rentals could be right for your property, the easiest next step is to run the numbers.

Use our online investment calculator to get an instant estimate of what a property in your Southern Highlands suburb could earn as a professionally managed short‑stay. You’ll see indicative weekly income based on property type and size, and how that compares to a typical long‑term rental.

From there, the MadeComfy team can sit down with you to: