Rule #1: Respect The Hosts Time
This pertains to checking in and out on time. My time as a host is valuable, and so is yours. Guests should show respect for the amount of time and effort it takes to provide a top-notch vacation experience by arriving and departing on time. Most booking websites allow you to charge late check out and early check in fees if you so choose.
Turning Inquiries Into Sales
People who inquire about your property are called leads in the marketing world. Inquiries are critical to vacation rental revenue success.
Here are some tips for turning the highest number of inquiries into paying guests:
a. Respond to inquiries quickly. This is self-evident. If you take one week to respond, people will have likely found another property. Besides, they wont be impressed with your customer service.
b. Respond with a personal touch: Dont rely entirely on canned responses. Customize and personalize it. Review the profiles of inquirers. If a travelers profile mentions they love skiing, consider mentioning in your response that the local skiing is very good this year . You want to connect in a genuine and sincere way.
c. Be polite and professional: While responding with a personal touch helps, avoid being too long-winded. You need to give off a hint of professionalism and ALWAYS be polite.
How To Rent Out Your House Or Vacation Property
Have you ever thought about renting out your home while you’re on vacation? Or are you looking to make some extra income from a second property or empty room?
It’s never been easier with Web sites like Airbnb and VRBO that allow home owners to rent out their properties at a click of a button.
According to Kim Rubey, director of communications at Airbnb, more people are turning to renting to avoid foreclosure, help finance college, or even pay for an amazing honeymoon or vacation. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors, 27% of vacation home buyers plan to rent out the property.
At the same time, renters are choosing to rent personal homes over hotel rooms to save money and have a completely different type of travel experience. Renters can feel like they are part of a local community or have their entire extended family under one roof.
So how do you do it? Here are the basic steps and tips to making your property stand out from the rest.
Pricing: The first step to having a successful property is to determine the correct pricing of your home or apartment. Owners may also want to change prices depending on the season for instance beachfront properties in New England will rent for much cheaper in the winter and your price needs to reflect that. Be sure to include a security deposit and cleaning fee, it can protect homeowners from any small spills or larger problems.
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Give Your Home A Deep Clean
Before you can start letting guests visit your property, you must do a deep clean.
A thorough cleaning requires much more than just washing the sheets on every bed and scrubbing the counters a little harder than usual. A true deep clean is a top-to-bottom wash of your entire property. Download our free cleaning checklists to help streamline the process.
While some homeowners take care of this on their own, cleaning companies are a great resource to have as you start your vacation rental business. If youre looking to hire a company to not only do the initial deep clean, but also to do the cleaning between stays, then use this as an opportunity to explore different options. This way, youll understand what to budget for and youll have time to find service partners you trust and can rely on.
Premium Property Management For Your Rental Home
Property management is key when it comes to generating revenues from rentals, whether it’s a regular rental or a luxury property. If you are venturing into high-end vacation rentals, you will need the help of a reliable property manager.
The property management services you need to look for must focus on the best interests of owners, guests, and neighbors. You should also look for a service that will bring you the most profits from your investment.
At TurnKey, this is made possible using smart technologies to generate more revenue for homeowners. Everything to do with home care and housekeeping will be taken care of by local property experts. So, if you have a rental property in another state, then you can rest assured that it is kept clean and is always ready to accommodate the next guests.
Vacation rentals have become more exciting with the entry of Marriott into the home-sharing market. You can elevate your property investment by tapping into this opportunity, with the help of the right partner by your side.
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What Are The Vacation Rental House Rules
Every owner or property manager has a list of things they dont want to happen in their vacation rental, and its completely understandable! The vacation rental house rules are to maintain order and make not only the guest happy but also the hosts feel more confident when it comes to welcoming strangers into their property.
Vacation rental rules are usually a list of actions that guests should or should not do during their stay. These rules can be of all kinds according to the preferences of the hosts. But the reality is, most vacation rentals have rules included for safety reasons. These rules may be related to noise, the number of people allowed on the property, smoking, etc.
What is clear is that if you receive a large number of guests in your vacation rental, it is likely that at some point problems of different types might arise, and dealing with guests complaints is not an easy job. Find here a guide about how to deal with not-so-satisfied guests. Therefore, having a well-thought-out and established list of rules will reduce the risk of having misunderstandings with clients. A happy host means a happy guest!
Financing A Vacation Rental Property
Most investors will have to seek out a source of financing for their new rental property. Luckily, there are several options ranging from short-term to long-term. Conforming loans, portfolio loans, multifamily loans, and short-term contracts like a bridge loan or hard money are all available to you.
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When Is The Best Time To Buy
If youve come this far in your guide, chances are, youre getting serious about buying a vacation rental. Now comes an important decision: when to buy your vacation rental.
Some experts will say that its best to buy your vacation rental during the slow season because thats when youre most likely to get a great deal. On the contrary, you may want to consider buying during peak season instead. This will allow you to experience the property as your guests would. Not only will you personally witness the homes selling points, but it also allows you to identify any potential issues that you might not detect otherwise.
For example, lets say that you buy a vacation property in a remote mountain village. Although the area is quiet in the spring and summer, the colder months draw a large tourist population for skiing and other winter sports. If you had purchased the home over the summer, you might not pick up on critical cues such as the need to keep the driveway clear of ice or that the heating system needs an upgrade. By experiencing the property first-hand during peak season, youll be able to make the necessary adjustments to provide your guests a premium experience.
Are Vacation Rentals Profitable
Investing in vacation rentals is an excellent way to earn some passive income. But can you make good money with a vacation rental property? Essentially, vacation rentals can be profitable because they are popular with people renting properties for a short period.
The primary factor that affects profitability is location. Why? Profitability is based mostly on occupancy level, demand, competition, and rate, so the more attractive the location, the higher probability the vacation rental will be profitable.
Besides, short term vacation rentals can outpace long-term rental properties when it comes to potential rental income. Thats why a vacation rental is a good investment for those who want to start investing in real estate.
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Review The Property Once You Arrive
As soon as you arrive, go through the property looking for anything broken, damaged or especially worn and let the owner or agency know right away. If there are any significant problems, take date-stamped pictures for proof. In most cases, theyll know about the problem or take your word for it. Take special notice of things you might not use the first day but could put a real damper on your trip if theyre broken heating and air conditioning systems, showers, faucets, toilets, appliances, doorknobs and door locks.
Have Your Property Listed As A Marriott Home Or Villa
Vacation homeowners can bring their property under the Marriott name via the new offering by the leading hospitality company, but not all homes qualify.
It may also be a condo in a ski destination or a lodge in a charming mountain resort. A rental with a private pool or an outdoor spa-like hot tub is also a good candidate to be a featured Marriott listing.
To get your vacation home on the listings, the property must meet Marriott International’s standards for design, comfort, safety, and security. Your rental house must also be under the management of any of Marriott’s trusted property managing partners.
See if your home qualifies by contacting one of Marriott’s partners, TurnKey Vacation Rentals.
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Rule #: No Large Unauthorized Gatherings
A lot of vacation rental hosts choose to write the straightforward NO PARTIES rule very clearly. This seems fine, but some untrustworthy guests might feel they can weasel around this rule and claim that they werent technically having a party after all. For this reason, I suggest explaining that you dont allow gatherings, get togethers, group hangouts you name it. Just be extra clear about how many extra guests youll allow on the property to avoid potential loopholes.
What if your guest decides to host a party anyways? Know your rights!Believe it or not, you may be limited to when and how youre allowed to access your own property while its being rented.
Rental Recon Tip: Worried about sounding like a no-fun host? Dont be! Most people understand why rules are in place, and people looking to get around these rules will often be deterred by a no-nonsense listing description.
Im Scared That Guests Will Destroy My Holiday Home
Property damage is one of the biggest rental host concerns. After deliberating long and hard about the pros and cons of short-term rentals, many do not go ahead with the business simply to avoid the risk that guests may destroy the property.
In reality, its straightforward for hosts to prevent these Airbnb horror stories by putting a few safety measures in place and directing marketing campaigns towards certain demographics of potential guests. As well as this, youll need to buy the right vacation rental insurance and even think about taking a damage deposit which will protect you in the case of accidents.
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Vacation Homes Rented More Than 14 Days
If you rent your vacation property out for more than 14 days, you must include the rent you receive as income.
However, you can deduct part of your operating expenses and depreciation, subject to the following rules. First, you must allocate your expenses between personal use days and rental days.
Personal use includes vacation home use by your relatives and use by nonrelatives if a market rate rent is not charged.
Example
If the vacation house is rented for 90 days and used personally for 30 days, then 75% of the use is rental . You would allocate 75% of your maintenance, utilities, insurance, etc., costs to rental. You would allocate 75% of your depreciation allowance, interest, and taxes for the vacation property to rental as well.
The personal use portion of real estate taxes is deductible separately. The personal use portion of mortgage interest on a second home is also deductible if the personal use exceeds the greater of 14 days or 10% of the rental days. That is the case in our example. However, depreciation on the personal use portion isnt allowed.
- If the rental income exceeds these allocable deductions, then you report the rent and deductions to determine the amount of rental income to add to your other income.
- If the expenses exceed the income you may be able to claim a rental loss for your vacation home. This depends on how many days you use the vacation house for personal purposes.
Stock Up On Quality Amenities
If you want that 5-star review, don’t skimp on the amenities. At the very least, you need excellent WiFi and, depending on the size of your apartment, a WiFi network extender. “Test the WiFi in all parts of your home,” Rusteen says. And make sure the network name and password are clearly displayed for guests. A SmartTV is also a good bet, along with clear instructions on how to use it.
When it comes to bedding and towels, spring for linens that go beyond the basics. Take a towel, for example. Guests will likely shower almost every day they’re in your home, so it’s something they’ll use a lot. “I suggest you get the nicest, fluffiest, most pleasant feeling towels you can afford,” Rusteen says.
You should also plan to stock some toiletries such as shampoo and soap, as well as pantry staples such as salt, pepper and condiments. Of course, you could provide many more amenities â from ironing boards to wine openers. You may need to feel it out over time and add items as needed by your guests.
“You never want a guest to show up and say:‘Shoot. I need to go run to the store,’” Fletcher says. Being prepared to help out guests with little can help make your rental really successful.
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Stock Up On The Necessities
When you decide to turn your home into a short-term rental, you actually have an advantage over those who are just starting out with a new property. Guests will need essential supplies to make their experiences comfortable, and youll likely have a number of key items already on hand. Nevertheless, its important to go room by room and make sure youre supplying the proper inventory for every stay.
House Rules For Vacation Rentals: A Guide For Hosts
by | Aug 23, 2021 | Property Management tips, Rental Sites |
Opening the doors of your house to strangers is something that can generate distrust. As an administrator or owner of a vacation rental, you do not want to have problems with neighbors, find broken vases, discover that things are missing in the house, etc. That is why owners and property managers include rules in their vacation rental homes.
In this article, you will discover why rental house rules are needed, examples of rules that you cannot miss in your vacation rental, and how to add them to Airbnb, Vrbo and the main rental platforms.
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You Can Always Negotiate
Almost every cost of a vacation home rental is negotiable, from the amount of the deposit to the weekly or monthly rent. If the person renting the home out is unwilling to budge on either of these items, see if theyll throw in an extra days or weeks rental at a slightly lower price. If the property isnt booked and you know it, this can be a great leverage point when negotiating.
What Are The Main Cities To Discover In Canada
Whether you’re travelling with family or friends, here are the cities with the largest selection of vacation rentals for a holiday trip or just for a weekend in Canada:
- Canmore: 815 rentals
- The Blue Mountains: 569 rentals
- Mont-Tremblant: 735 rentals
- Whistler: 2,007 rentals
- Sun Peaks: 266 rentals
For other cities, please use our search bar to access the selection of vacation rentals available.
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Airbnb Wont Set Your Tiny Houses Value Fairly
Airbnb has its own algorithm that it uses to calculate your propertys per night value. While it makes sense most of the time, it doesnt really account for the novelty of the tiny house experience.
Dont settle on the calculated price that Airbnb gives you after you input your propertys details look around, find similar properties in your area and check their prices, and price your place accordingly.
Rule #: No Drugs Or Prohibited Items
Again, it shouldnt need to be said but say it anyways. Since illegal substances vary by state and sometimes even city, giving explicit examples is helpful as well. Be sure to state that the presence of any of these substances or items is grounds for termination of the rental agreement effective immediately.
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