Revenue management, answered

Should I use a different comp set for high season than for low season?

Yes, use separate comp sets by season. High season comps should reflect full-demand competitors who actually fill calendars at peak rates. Low season comps should include properties that actively compete for the thinner demand pool, which is often a different mix entirely.

By Jack Murphy, Head of Revenue Management at UpRev. Running pricing for US vacation rental managers since 2017. Last updated September 1, 2026.

Why Your Peak Comp Set Misleads You Off-Season

Properties that dominate high season often pull back pricing or go owner-blocked in shoulder and low periods, making them irrelevant benchmarks when demand softens. If you anchor to those comps year-round, you will either overprice into dead air or miss compression signals from units that actively compete off-season. Identify which properties in your market stay aggressive and well-reviewed through slow periods and build a separate comp set around those.

How to Structure the Seasonal Split

Define your seasons clearly first, typically peak, shoulder, and low, then audit comp set occupancy and review velocity for each period. In high season, weight comps toward properties with similar amenity profiles and bedroom counts that are consistently at or near full occupancy. In low season, expand your comp set to include properties that compete on value or flexibility, since those are the units actually moving inventory when demand is scarce.

Practical Maintenance for Your Portfolio

Review comp sets at least twice a year, once before peak and once entering low season, and document your reasoning so adjustments are defensible to property owners. Flag any comp that went dark or changed ownership, since stale comps distort your read on the market. Consistent comp set maintenance is one of the highest-leverage habits a revenue manager can build into the pricing calendar.