RealJoy Vacations review: Do not book: severe health hazards and horrendous management

Property: Sand Prints, Miramar Beach, FL
If you value your health, safety, and peace of mind, absolutely do not book this property. Our stay was an unmitigated disaster from the moment we arrived, completely exposing RealJoy Vacations as a management company that neglects its properties and disregards guest safety.
Deceptive Listing & Immediate Disrepair
Within 15 minutes of check-in, we found numerous undisclosed issues. Active road construction directly outside made parking nearly impossible. Inside, we were greeted by water damage on the bathroom ceiling; unsecured fixtures; crumbs and black debris throughout; a heavily soiled, curled-up living room rug that posed an immediate trip hazard and a foul musty odor coming from the kitchen.
Relentless Noise
There is zero peace and quiet here. The upstairs unit (A8) sounded like an active construction zone, with what sounded like furniture being dragged and walls being knocked down daily. Furthermore, the community pool is just steps from the back door, and with no enforcement of quiet hours, loud pool noise continues well into the night.
Filth & Cockroach Infestation
The lack of basic hygiene in this unit is a severe health hazard. Upon arrival, we found hair in the shower, old food left in the kitchen drawers, and floors so grimy they instantly turned our bare feet black.
Far worse, a few days into our stay, we discovered an active cockroach infestation. We then horrifyingly realized that the "black debris" we found throughout was cockroach droppings, and the strong musty odor in the kitchen was the smell of the infestation. As an asthma sufferer allergic to cockroaches, my respiratory health was put in direct danger by being exposed to this contaminated environment. We had to meticulously inspect our luggage to avoid bringing pests home and had to vacate the property.
Abysmal Customer Service
RealJoy’s automated emails claim they "strive for a 5-star review," but their actual service is practically non-existent. When I first reported the filth, they sent custodians with vacuums but no mops—completely failing to clean the hazardous floors. When I reported the severe issues and the infestation, a representative named Jess promised a manager would call within 24-48 hours. That call never came.
Even Airbnb Support failed to appropriately handle this health hazard. A representative named Bernard promised a resolution that never materialized, and days later, another rep named Sue offered a laughable partial refund that barely covered the cleaning fee.
The Bottom Line: RealJoy Vacations is mismanaging this severely neglected property and clearly does not care about the health or safety of its guests. Learn from my horrific experience: save your money, protect your health, and only book with accountable private hosts. Avoid RealJoy at all costs.