Vacation Rental Information

Following is a continuation of an article written by "The VR Guy" who has experienced the ups and downs of the Vacation Rental business.  "The VR Guy" has gained his experience by owning and operating a few Vacation Rentals on the beautiful island of Maui…

6) I wish someone had told me how to handle the “What is your cancellation policy question?” when a potential guests asks, to have a firm cancellation policy, and to suggest vacation insurance when guests bring up this topic. Furthermore, I wish they told me to tell customers who inquire about this policy to think twice before making a reservation if they think they will need to cancel.
 Renting one’s house is not like renting a room in a hotel. For the most part people rent VR homes in advance; therefore, last minute cancellations are bad news for the VR Owner! The vacation or travel insurance is a very reasonable cost and limits the risk and pain for both parties when that rare cancellation does occur.

7) I wish someone had told that there will that there will always be that one “guest from hell” who will complain about everything. And wish they told me that this person will always have some agenda that will be unknown to you, the VR Owner. In the 10+ years of being a VR Owner I have had only experienced one, and am very glad it was only one! My advice when this one special guest arrives at your door is to be firm with your policies, but fair and honest in the way you deal with them. If you provide sufficient information about your product (your VR) in the beginning, you should rarely have this type of experience. But the law of averages will reach all of us sooner or later. 

I wish someone had told me about the value of marketing to a specific kind of vacation traveling customer. I am almost embarrassed to admit that t took me many years to figure out that wedding parties were a natural fit for my VR. Once I did come to this conclusion it made a HUGE difference in the amount of overall inquiries and bookings that I enjoy today. I have increased my occupancy rate dramatically. Today, all of marketing efforts are solely focused on wedding parties. So look for your niche and put your efforts into it. This will pay off handsomely.

9) I wish someone had told me about the importance of great quality pictures on my Internet listings and web site. Inherently I knew this; and, I started with pretty good pictures. But, after making the investment to hire a professional photographer for my web site, the increase in inquiries for my property was very noticeable.

And……..saving the best for last!
 
10) I wish someone had told me to get into the VR business many years earlier than when I started. I have enjoyed it very much. There are many great aspects of it that I enjoy. As an example, it new people have come into my life & I have learned new skills. And, it has been very profitable for me. I can only guess what I might have accomplished had started when I was younger.

 These are just a few of the things that I wish someone had told me. My VR business is a work in progress. I learn something new all the time. Today, there is quite a bit more information available than there ever was when I started. For anyone interested in getting into the VR business. I suggest that you just go online and/or go to your local Border’s or Barnes& Noble bookstore. You will be pleasantly surprised by the books and information that are out there for you today.
 Happy Renting

The VR Guy!