There are a few different approaches that can be used when trying to rent out your vacation home. You can either do everything by yourself or hire a property manager that can do the work for you – for a fee of course. If you have some time to put in to promoting your rental property then it would be a good idea if you managed the property yourself. If you do not have the time then hiring a property manager could be a good idea for you.

Most people that rent out their homes have multiple property’s and the rental income from those property’s help to pay off the mortgage, taxes and other costs associated with owning a home. However, due to owner’s careers and personal lifestyles they do not necessarily have the time to manage their properties.

Benefits of a Property Manager

A property manager has many advantages that may be utilized if you find yourself short on time these days. A property manager can answer all booking questions and make the bookings, advertise your property for you, maintain and keep your property clean, among many other irreplaceable activities. You do not have to be bothered when a sink is leaking, or a toilet gets clogged, or when a tenant locks there selves out of your vacation rental. You can effectively run the property and free up your time for other important jobs that need to be completed.

Just because you have a property manager does not mean that you have lost any control of your vacation rental property. Property managers can be hired to do only a select number of tasks like check-ins, check-out, cleaning and maintenance; while you focus on marketing, advertising and bookings. You can contract out as many tasks as you want or just a few tasks you want.

Costs

A property manager can be paid on an hourly basis, per booking basis (most common) or per maintenance request such as a broken toilet. It’s important to outline exactly what the property manager should do and when they should do it along with all terms of monetary compensation.

If you want to increase the amount of bookings that you receive there are a few things that you can do instantly. It’s important to get inquiries and people interested in your property of course, but your ability to close on a deal will be what actually makes you money. So what can you do right now that will increase your vacation rental bookings? Here is a brief list for you to consider.

Information

Potential renters do not know your area so any extra information that you can supply them with will drastically increase your chances of getting a booking. Have you done upgrades to your property recently? Tell them. Is there a fun seasonal event they may want to see? Tell them about it. What activities are in your area? Tell them. Increasing renter’s awareness of your surroundings will significantly increase your bookings.

Pets

You may be hesitant to accept pets in your lovely, beautiful home but did you know that 29 million people bring their pets on trips with them? That’s a huge market that you could easily tap into if you are willing to allow pets in your home. You can always request an extra fee for having pets, or require a security deposit that can be kept it damage is done.

Response Time

We are a society that likes immediate gratification and vacation rental properties are no exception. In most cases a potential renter is interested in a handful of properties and they are willing to make a commitment with the first person that gets back to them. Respond quickly – the early bird gets the worm!

Photos

Take as many photos of your vacation property as possible. People like to see what they are buying before they buy. So take pictures of everything and put them in your listing.

Polite and Enthusiastic

It’s good to be excited about your property but don’t go overboard. Also, if a renter contacts you and asks a question that you already answered in your listing be polite and answer the question again directly. Don’t simply tell them to read the listing again. Your personality needs to shine through.

Your main objective when listing a vacation rental property is to minimize your costs. That means you should not be looking for sites that charge you to list your vacation rental property for rent. You want to generate revenue – not another expense. Maximizing your exposure while minimizing your costs is what our website is all about! So to get started on your listing there is a few things that you should do before publishing your listing to the general public.

Pictures

A picture is worth 1,000 words right? You will never rent out your vacation property if there are no pictures. People are very visual and they need to see what they are spending their money on before they commit to a rental. Pictures will sell your property because potential renters are given a sneak preview in a sense. Take pictures of every area of your home. If your vacation rental has good views of the beach, mountain, lake, etc. take a picture of it and bring renters into your life style. Let them see what it’s like to rent your property before committing.

Ad Content

It’s time to put on your sales cap and get to work! Your ad content is a big part of getting your vacation property rented out. Take a look around at your competition to see what kind of expectations you need to exceed. Then create your own content that is better than the competitions. A good sales pitch will capture your audience’s attention and your competition will need to go back to the drawing board.

When writing the content do not lie! There is nothing worse than renting out a property that is not as described. It will hurt you in the long run and will deter future renters from choosing your property over the competition.

Describe everything as accurately as possible and use words that are pleasing to hear or read in this case. Use some varying types of font enhancers like bold and italics. Things that will catch your readers eye immediately.

Pricing

Research your market. It’s pretty simple to do. You can either look online for vacation rentals near you or look in your local paper to see the prices that people are getting. You can even call other vacation rental owners in the area and pretend to be a potential renter so you can find out their pricing. It’s important to not be too high and definitely not too low either. Price your rental comparatively to your competition.

Your thinking this is about how to ensure that your vacation rental is ready for the winter month’s right? Well you’re right, but it’s not what you may be thinking. If you own a vacation rental property then you’ll want to rent it out all year round to maximize your profit and minimize your costs. How do you do that?

Vacation rental homes that are not in a high demand during the off-peak month’s can still entice vacation seekers with some simple marketing tactics. It can be hard to rent out a property during off-peak times so it’s essential that you offer as much of an incentive as you possibly can to potential renters. If you want to increase your vacation rental bookings during off-peak times then here are a few ways that you can do just that.

Winterize

What kind of activities are there in your general surroundings during off-peak months? Communicate these in your listing and you will be surprised at how many people will inquire about your property.

Always Advertise

Never stop advertising your property for rent; even during off-peak times. Often time’s renters will look at listings months in advance so if you take down your listing during off-peak times you could be losing bookings during the peak times and vice versa.

Save Your Money and Time

Use websites to advertise your vacation rental property. Take advantage of all the free listing websites such as ours before you spend a penny of your money on advertising. You will be surprised that we have a very loyal following and we don’t even charge for it! This will save you a lot of money.

Nightly Rates

Decrease your minimum stay requirement and you will drastically increase your bookings during off-peak times. Offer a nightly rate so renters can easily compare your property to the cost of a hotel. They will see the benefits instantly.

Special Offers

Think of a list of potential incentives that you can give a renter. For instance you may run a “rent for 5 nights and get one free” or you may offer them a gift certificate to a very good local restaurant. You can be as creative as you would like.

The key to properly pricing your vacation rental is to keep your prices comparable to other vacation rental homes in your area. This means you do not want to be too much higher than them or too much lower. Unfortunately there is no real set in stone strategy to pricing your vacation rental property. It’s important to recognize that the price of your vacation rental will directly affect the amount of inquiries that you will receive.

Getting Started

The very first thing that you should do when determining a rental price is to compare your home to other short-term rental homes in your area. This process is very similar to what real estate agents do when deciding what price to list your property at. Compare your property to those that are similar. If you have a condo, compare your condo to others in the area to get the most accurate pricing. Also compare the amenities that are being offered then determine how your rental property stacks up against the competition. How much are they charging for nightly rentals, weekly rentals and monthly rentals?

Comparing your vacation rental to local hotel prices can be a good way to attract guests that were seeking a hotel stay but found out that your vacation rental costs on a nightly basis are actually cheaper.

Seasonal Pricing

Pricing varies depending on what time of year it is. You should determine what weeks and months of the year are peak, shoulder and off-season. The peak season will be your busiest time usually and you can capitalize on the demand by increasing your rates for those periods of time and requiring a rental minimum of a week if you can get it. During shoulder times and off-peak times you should charge a lower rate and lower your minimum rental length to at least 3 days to capture the most demand.

The rental seasons tend to coincide with school calendars. To be sure of when your peak, shoulder and off-season time periods are you should look at other vacation rentals in your area and see what times of year they adjust their pricing and rental term minimums.

Organization

This is the key. Get a yearly calendar and mark down which dates are peak, shoulder and off-season, determine a rate for each one and mark it down on the calendar. If a renter wants your property during a specific week you will know exactly what to charge them. Furthermore, as you begin renting out your vacation rental mark down the days that are already taken so you do not double book.

Before taking a vacation it’s a good idea to determine what kind of a budget you are working with. This will really dictate where you can rent a vacation home and what kind of activities you can do in the area.

There are a lot of expenses that you may not have considered so it’s important to think about your trip in as much detail as possible. There are luggage fees, car rental fees, pet boarding fees, etc. The list goes on and on! Well here are a few tips that can help you save some money on your vacation rental and your entire trip.

Shop Around

It’s a good idea to look for a vacation rental online and compare the listings in a particular area of interest. You may be able to negotiate with a property owner of a vacation rental that you prefer over another that is more expensive. It doesn’t hurt to contact them and ask if they will price-match the competition.

This also means you should shop around for the best prices on air fare and car rentals as well.

Be Realistic

When selecting which vacation rental property would be best consider how much space you really need and what kind of amenities are necessary. You may be paying for some features that you do not need or want. You will be able to pack fewer clothes if your vacation home has a washer and dryer. Think about it.

Book Early

Sometimes you can get a good deal if you are able to wait till the last minute to make vacation plans. However it’s a good idea to book in advance and if you are really flexible off-peak times offer the best deals.

Transportation

Consider if it’s really worth it to rent a vehicle from the airport or if you can catch a shuttle to your destination. Usually car rentals from an airport are really costly and can drastically increase your budget. A better idea is to see if the vacation home owner would be willing to pick you up and drop you off at the home. Then rent a car from there.

Seek Value

What kind of a deal are you really getting? Is the vacation home owner offering you any extra benefits for choosing their home over another’s? Sometimes you can get a gift card or products that will help ease the costs of taking your trip.

After the exchange of vows and a dedication to a lifelong commitment what else is there to look forward to? Well how about a sweet and romantic honeymoon? Often time’s honeymoons consist of some traveling and a lot of expenses. Wouldn’t it be nice to finally relax after weeks of stressful wedding planning, honeymoon planning and save some money? Your honeymoon destination should be private, spacious, luxurious and comfortable. Do you really want to stay in a hotel room after getting married? Most people are looking for more.

A vacation rental will give you the privacy and seclusion that a newly married couple needs and deserves. What’s really important during a honeymoon is that you and your spouse enjoy each other’s company and do the activities that you both want to do. The best way to experience a honeymoon is in a cozy, quiet and comforting home away from home.

Your honeymoon is often times more memorable than the wedding itself. Throughout your married life you will always be able to share these moments together. Planning a honeymoon can be difficult and requires a lot of compromise in most cases. One thing is certain both you and your partner are sure to agree that you need some private time together and a vacation rental is just the thing that you need.

Your honeymoon destination is very important. Go to a location where both you and your partner can agree to. Then do some searching through our online vacation rental database. There are hundreds of exotic locations that will meet your needs. Almost anywhere you decide to go there will be vacation rentals available for you.

It’s time to stop thinking about what it took to get to where you are and time to start living in the moment as a married couple. You can now start your new life together from the comfort of a vacation rental property that is luxurious.

The vacation rentals market has thousands of people just like you that have a property that needs to be rented out. So how do you make your vacation rental listing stand out above the rest? Well you will need to do a little bit of work. Don’t run away just yet! There are actually several easy ways you can enhance your listing to be more attractive than your competitions listing.

Research Your Area

Take a look at what comparable properties in your area are being rented out at and what features are being highlighted. If you price your vacation rental too low you will NOT rent it! It seems logical to undercut the competition right? Well people looking for a vacation rental in your area will think something is wrong with your property if you are renting it for $50 a night while your competitor’s are renting for $150+ a night. So be competitive in your pricing.

Images

You must have pictures! It’s an absolute MUST! We’ve all heard the saying a picture is worth 1,000 words, right? Well it’s certainly true especially with vacation rentals. Take high quality pictures that really capture the features and benefits of your vacation rental. You can be a little creative here but remember these pictures are meant for a potential renter so you want them to be able to see themselves in your space.

Location

A lot of people will rent based on the location of the property. So describe your area in detail. There could be many places that are local to you and many activities that a potential renter does not know about. If there is some historical significance to your region then tell a renter about it! Remember a potential renter does not know your area so educate them a little and in return they will be more inclined to rent from you over anyone else.

Change Your Prospective

Look at your property through the eyes of a potential renter. Remove yourself as an owner and look at each space in detail. Does everything look good? If you were a renter could you picture yourself in this space? Once you get everything setup properly your next goal is to communicate that message to a potential renter in your listing details.

Appeal to Emotions

Most renters are not only looking for something that is eye pleasing but it also needs to sound good. Most shoppers are sold when you can appeal to their emotions. Using words like quiet, private, spacious, cozy, comforting, etc. will really go a long way. Do no exaggerate to get a renter to purchase. You should be upfront, honest and articulate in your word usage.

Hotels can cost a lot of money if there are more than two people that need a place to rest their head. Hotels are often impersonal and are simply not practical for groups of people. Utilizing a Fort Lauderdale vacation rental is much more comfortable for everyone, personal and much more luxurious. You can enjoy your vacation in a home that actually feels like home in a destination that you’ve always wanted to explore.

If you are looking for more privacy while saving some money a Fort Lauderdale vacation rental is a much better deal than a Hotel. You can relax in the comfort and privacy of a home away from home.

Vacation Rental Features

There are literally dozens of benefits to renting a vacation home. Vacation rental homes vary in size and come completely furnished so you don’t have to do a thing. Renting a home that has a kitchen is a great idea if you would like to entertain your guests and spend some quality time together. Since the size of vacation rental properties are larger than hotel rooms, you can invite over friends that are in the area and enjoy a fun night of entertaining.

The value in renting a vacation home has become evident by the increased amount of vacation home renters in the market. Fort Lauderdale vacation homes are very much unlike hotels. You can make all the noise you want (don’t disturb the peace) and since most vacation rentals come with a washer and a dryer you can do your laundry as necessary and pack less items. Some also have pools, especially in Fort Lauderdale, so after a fun filled day you, your family and friends can all enjoy yourselves in pool.

Vacation rentals are really the ideal way to get away from it all which is the real reason for taking a vacation isn’t it? You will be able to come and go as you please and can invite over whomever you would like. You vacation is completely in your hands and you can easily do whatever you want.

Enjoy a great vacation in the Fort Lauderdale area that you will never forget. The housing option that you choose will go a long way towards creating an enjoyable, long lasting and memorable vacation.

If you are having a hard time renting out your vacation property there are several strategies that can be used to help improve your chances of renting. If you are just starting out in the vacation rental industry then here are some tips that can get you going instantly.

Vacation Rental Benefits vs. Hotel Benefits

There are a ton of advantages to renting a vacation property as opposed to staying in a hotel room. Sometimes renters do not understand the full benefits.

·         Per-Night Fees – Sometimes when potential renters view a vacation property online they get scared away by a large sum of money. However if you break it down into a per-night rate they will see that costs are reasonable.

·         Amenities – Talk about all of the things the renter will receive, such as a washer and dryer, full kitchen, backyard, formal dining area, media room, bedrooms, etc.

·         Emphasis – It’s important to emphasize how many bedrooms there and how many bathrooms. The more that there are, the more people will be interested.

·         Minimum Stays – Did you know that most vacation renters actually rent for less than seven nights? Try and make your minimum requirements more flexible if you are having troubles finding renters. Remember some money is better than no money.

Offer Value

Sometimes a little incentive is all that is needed to get renters interested in your property. Renters are focused on getting value for their dollars. The more value you can offer them the more likely they will purchase from you. Value is not necessarily a cheaper price.

·         Grocery Store Gift Cards – Offer your renter a $25 or $50 gift card to a local grocery store to help them pay for some of their food expenses for the duration of their rental.

·         Gas Card – Your renter will definitely need this! They will be doing a lot of driving usually and even something like a $20 gas card will go a long way.

·         Stock Necessities – This is a huge convenience for renters. If you stock the property with some soap, detergent, shampoo, etc. Even if it is cheaper quality your tenant will be very, very happy that they do not have to go out and buy this type of stuff as soon as they arrive.

·         Travel Guides – Give your tenants a comprehensive list of the best restaurants, activities and attractions in your area. This way your tenant does not have to go out hunting and searching for things to do.

The perception of value in your renter’s eyes is much greater than the costs of you providing a little extra for them. These small incentives will motivate tenants to select your rental property over someone else’s.

 California has become a dominant producer of some of the best wines in the world. The Sonoma County and Napa Valley regions are where all of the vineyards are grown and where the wine is made. If you would like to experience some of the most outstanding wine you will ever taste and see the beautiful California country side there is now a low cost alternative for you.

The wine country of northern California consists of two long valleys that have dozens of outlets, or branches, off of them. As you may imagine everywhere you turn you will be surrounded by vineyards. One of the major problems with this region is that it is dominated by expensive resorts. Therefore it can be a very costly trip, but not anymore. Some residents are now renting out their homes as vacation rentals and there are other vacation rentals that are near to the vineyards. This will save you a considerable amount of money.

Staying a short distance from Napa Valley and Sonoma are probably a good idea if you are in to more than just wine. There are a lot of other things to do in this area. The Napa and Sonoma area is a huge tourist attraction for wine connoisseurs, but that’s about all that they have there as far as activities. While it may seem like a great idea to drink wine for 7 days or more, it is not recommended. On a more serious note you do not want to get a DUI so I suggest riding in a taxi or hiring a wine tour limo as needed so you can really, really enjoy your wine tasting experience.

Napa Valley and Sonoma are two of the most beautiful places to visit in the world! There are tons of vineyards all around you and you will get to taste the best wine this country has to offer. Check out our website for some vacation rentals in California and save some money!

The vacation rental market is in the process of a rapid incline, even in these hard economic times. So as a landlord for vacation rental property are you ready to maximize your investment? If you have a vacation rental property dedicated only for rentals there are some things that can help you make the most of your income property.

Weekly Rates

The first step is to determine a realistic number of rentals you can book per year. Your objective here is to determine how many weeks you can rent out your property on a yearly basis. This includes the summer months and the winter months. Some property’s can be rented year round while others can only be rented during summer months. So determine what your property is capable of and look at competitive pricing. Once your rentals are broken into weeks, we need to find out how much money you need to cover your expenses per month.

Example: 17 Weeks of Rental during on-peak times with no off-peak rental.

Let’s say your expenses are $2,000 a month on your property and you have 17 weeks of rentals.$2,000 x 12(months) = $24,000 a year, Divide that by 17 weeks = $1,412.

This means that in order to cover your expenses on your rental property for the year spread across 17 weeks you will need to rent for at least $1,412. If you are able to rent in off-peak times the average rent you will need in order to pay your mortgage is going to be significantly less.

The point is to know all of your numbers so you can maximize your property’s income.

Marketing Plan and Budget

Planning is very important to being successful, especially in the vacation rental market. You should have a clear detailed marketing plan detailing where you plan on marketing your vacation rental and how much money it will cost you. It’s important to also take these costs in to consideration when determining how much you should rent your property for.  Using a website like ours will save you money and get you a highly targeted customer base at absolutely no cost to you! Our services are free unlike many of our competitors.

Repeat Tenants

Make your guests feel important. Provide them with the best value that you possibly can and in return they will tell their friends and family how great of a time they had, and you will get free referrals. Ask your tenants for feedback on their stay and use it to your advantage. Send your old tenants a friendly reminder or a pamphlet with information that is beneficial to them on a regular basis. It’s much easier and cheaper to retain a customer than it is to find a new one.

Vacation rentals are like a home away from home. They offer all of the benefits that your home offers but in a new and exciting location. You can now see more places than you could ever imagine from the comfort of your new home, well at least for a week or so. The internet has made it increasingly easy to find vacation rentals that you would otherwise not know about and New England vacation properties are no exception.

Vacation rentals in New England are a great alternative to hotels, motels and other types of lodging. You can experience New England in all of its glory and live like a native to the region rather than a tourist that is just visiting. There are rental cottages, multi-family and single family homes, condos, townhouses, cabins and much more. These options are great for some seclusion and privacy, unlike what hotels and motels offer their guests.

Many rental accommodations include kitchens and laundry facilities. This can save you a considerable amount of money instead of going out all of the time to eat. If you have children then having a kitchen is an absolute necessity! It’s just too expensive to take the whole family out to eat three times a day.

New England is a vacation hot spot during the summer months. This normally means that you will have to commit to at least a one week rental. During the off-season, or off-peak times, you can usually get rentals for less than a week which is great for a nice little getaway. When considering a vacation property in New England make sure you find out everything that is included and when you can arrive as well as what day and time you will need to leave by.

You will find that we have a little something for everyone when it comes to vacation rentals in New England. We have beautiful Cape Cod cabins in Massachusetts, elegant Hampton rentals in Connecticut, a beautiful seaside cottage in Maine surrounded by pristine mountains, condos in the historic Newport Rhode Island area, a beautiful townhome located near some of the best skiing in Vermont, and a posh beach home in Pendleton New York where you can take in the views of the Twin Lakes Beach and the Santa Cruz Small Crafts Harbor with 6 of your friends and family.