VR SPEAK

Top 8 Vacation Rental Misconceptions, Debunked

It's easy to become overwhelmed with the millions of vacation rental choices online, many of which are from companies or are vacation rentals by owner that offer different strengths and weaknesses. Here, our experts address and answer the most common myths surrounding the vacation rental experience:

Vacation rentals are for the wealthy – I could never afford it, especially during today’s economy.

In fact, vacation rentals often provide a huge cost savings as compared to the typical hotel stay for a variety of reasons, and many rental properties cost less than even one single hotel room. First, by allowing guests to make just one reservation rather than multiple, groups and/or families can save on the costs associated with booking multiple hotel rooms. Rates for some three-bedroom vacation homes start at just $120 per night, but sleep up to 8 travelers versus just one or two.

Next, having a fully equipped kitchen in-home offers great value to travelers who want to save on dining out for every meal. Rather than spending hard-earned vacation dollars on a full restaurant breakfast every morning, vacation rental guests have the exclusive ability to simply stock up from the supermarket on their favorite cereal, snacks, eggs, or pancake mix.

Vacation rentals aren’t secure or reliable forms of lodging – the quality of services and facilities are always a gamble.

On the contrary – When choosing a vacation rental from an established property management company, one that is a member in good standing with the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA), travelers can be assured that there’s a reputable business maintaining and servicing the property and its guests each day. This includes all of the proper inspections, housekeeping, landscaping, laundry, reservations and much more. Furthermore, when staying in a vacation rental that’s managed by a professional, guests often experience better guest and concierge services they’d expect in a hotel stay.

Guests are encouraged to look for the AAA Ratings of vacation rentals when seeking accommodations, as well as a designation of membership with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the long-standing Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA).

If I need assistance during my trip, I’ll have to handle it myself.

When choosing a vacation rental through a professional management company, guests are offered an emergency contact to call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for any questions, maintenance issues and more. Nearly all members of the VRMA staff a team of both customer care and maintenance professionals solely to assist with guests’ needs.

Someone will approach me and ask if I want to buy something, watch a two–hour presentation, or worse, pressure me if I rent from a management company.

Vacation rentals are not like timeshares, as they don’t involve any type of ownership, maintenance fees, or commitments of any sort. Travelers can simply rent a vacation home for their getaway rather than staying in a hotel, with no pressure and no presentations.

However, if a renter is interested in receiving information about owning a second home, whether for investment or leisure, many professional management companies can assist in this regard.

I’m going to have to make my bed, cook and do my own dishes through my whole trip.

While each vacation rental is thoroughly cleaned and prepared for guests’ arrivals, management companies often offer mid-stay or daily housekeeping services, upon request, for an additional fee. However, because of the convenient, comfortable and money-saving qualities provided by the vacation rental category, most guests don’t consider this privacy and freedom to be a negative element.

In fact, many travelers choose vacation rentals, in part, for the ability to dine in-home rather than out on certain days during their trip. It can be as simple as an oven-baked lasagna, breakfast cereal, sandwiches or snacks on some days, which require little to no, or even disposable, dishes and flatware.

Only large families and groups find the best value in vacation rentals.

While there are some vacation home rentals that accommodate scores of travelers under one roof, there are many options offering value for single travelers, couples and small groups of just two or three guests. Available options range from studio-size condo rentals in metro areas to one- or two-bedroom town homes and bungalows fit for any accommodations lifestyle or occasion.

I’ll have to stay for a minimum of seven nights – Weekend trips need not apply!

As the habits and preferences of travelers change through the passage of time, the vacation rental category has adapted, as well, to best meet the needs of today’s traveler. Guests seeking a two- or three-night getaway can often find established rental companies with little to no minimum stay requirements – especially during off-season time periods, when booking last-minute specials or even in specific rental properties.

I can’t get the same luxuries in a vacation rental as I can in a hotel.

Professional vacation rental management companies provide guests with the opportunity to experience all the benefits of a traditional hotel stay with additional amenities and an inherent value that can’t be matched by even the highest quality resort, often including a concierge, as well as options for in-home massages, spa treatments, butlers, a personal chef to cook meals, pre-arrival grocery delivery services, child care and more.

Most vacation rental management companies also boast partnerships with local vendors to offer guests discounts on area activities, shopping, restaurants, golf courses, as well as special rates on car and equipment rentals, to name a few.

This article is from DiscoverVacationHomes.com

VRMA Conference

Peter Yesawich, President and CEO of the partnership, the PR agency used by the VRMA, gave a very informative presentation on how the consumer travel landscape is changing. These changes are giving the vacation rental industry a huge opportunity! The statistics below were taken from his presentation.

...Travel is down from the peak:
- 55% of households took 1 trip/year75 miles or more from home.
- That number has dropped from a peak of 66% in 1999 and 63% as recently as 2007.
- the Web is the dominant way people are planning travel

How do people plan and purchase travel:
- 61% use the Internet exclusively
- 24% use a travel agent and the internet
- 7% use a travel agent
- 8% use neither

- % of people using the web was 53% of people in 2002. That number has increased to 66% by 2009. This number will continue to increase as cell phones with internet become the norm as they have in other countries i.e. the iPhone. 1st screen was TV; 2nd screen was the PC; 3rd screen is the cell phone.

- Cell phones are becoming dominant, in 2004 5% had only a cell phone and not a land line; by 2009 that was 19%. And among 25-29 year olds that number is 35%.
- 1/5 of phones are Internet enabled in the US. But compare that to ~half in Germany and 80% in Japan and South Korea.
- Get ready for "intercept marketing" where offers are delivered at the right time based on the GPS location information available via the cell phone.

... what do people think is important on a Web site
- 87% lowest fares and rates
- 74% easy booking
- 72% photos
- 46% user reviews Notice the top two points; lowest fares and rates and easy booking. Whether or not you choose to work with a property manager you need to make sure your rates are low and your booking process is easy. To a guest this is everything from special offers, availability calendars, quick responses to email or phone calls, and most importantly payment! In this day in age it is important to accept credit cards. Please visit eCom Merchant Solutions for a quote. ... Special life events are also important travel drivers
- 70% of travelers have taken a trip around a special life event.
- Main two events are birthdays and anniversaries.
- Milestone years are any that are divisible by 5.
- Disney has made a major investment in that by launching a marketing campaign and program to give free entrance to their parks on someone's birthday. They found that the total amount spent on entrance fees, hotel and food by other travelers makes it all worthwhile.

Statistics are already showing an increase in people interested in renting a VR in the near future. Make your home one of those choices.

The previous article was gleaned from the Escapia blog and our notes from the conference.

PRESIDENT OBAMA CHOOSES VACATION RENTALS OVER HOTEL STAY

Family importance and bonding is not a thing of the past anymore! The % of people taking trips with kids in 2000 was 25%; by 2009 it was 38%. But only 1/3 of households have kids, so how is that possible? Answer is multi-generational travel. 35% of leisure travelers are grandparents. 28% of grandparents took at least 1 trip with their grandkids in the past year.

When family interaction and bonding become important again vacation rental homes by owner are the answer! They provide all of the amenities that a guests home has plus more. There is no need to separate the kids from the parents. Most homes have pools, decks, large family rooms and areas that encourage family interaction.

... How much do people use vacation homes? - 8% of all households have stayed in a vacation home.
- That percent increases to 11% when it is measured as a % of leisure travelers in 2008; and the % has increased to 14% in 2009.
- For households with income over $150k, 46% say they are interested in renting a vacation home in the next two years.

KAILUA, Hawaii - The beachfront estate that will serve as the holiday-season headquarters for President-elect Barack Obama and his entourage should offer all the comforts of home-and then some.

Workers on Saturday were busily preparing the property for the future president, his family and a group of friends from Chicago in advance of Obama's arrival in Hawaii during what was Saturday evening on the U.S. mainland.

Nestled along a white-sand beach rated among the best in the world and with a view of a lush mountain range, the home they are believed to be vacationing in has a stone privacy fence.

So what does the President of the ages know that many other travelers' may not know? Obama, the Blackberry toting President and his family understand the advantages of renting a vacation home as opposed to staying a hotel.

SkipJump.com

SkipJump.com is holding a contest for property owners/agents that post their properties. Just by posting your property (for FREE), you can enter to win $1000! Here's how it works:

Post your property, free: http://www.skipjump.com/register
SkipJump.com editors choose one winner each month
Winner is booked for a weekend at published rates - or owner's can choose $1000 cash!

KABA Lodging Systems

Thanks to KABA managing your vacation rentals has never been easier or safer! And you can do that from anywhere in the world via the internet with no software! In other words security is greatly enhanced; you cannot be exposed to viruses, network problems or even power failures. Furthermore, our locks have withstood hurricanes, tropical storms, and extreme cold, with over 12,000 locks installed in the past 7 years with 2/3 of our locks in use on ocean front properties, it is a proven product.

Our unique web based locks that have been developed with North American technology allows you to trace any activity. It's the only one on the market that will provide you and your guests the peace of mind you deserve!

Call us today and learn more about our unique locks:

Vanessa Pavillet
Sales Representative - Oracode
KABA Lodging Systems
www.ilcolodging.com
Email: vpavillet@kim.kaba.com
T.(514) 735.5410 x224
F. (514) 787.0911

A few suggestions for touching your customers are:

Note for what occasion they rented your rental and send a follow up each postcard/letter each year a few weeks before the anniversary of your guests stay
Send emails, postcards, small gifts one a few times a year thanking them and wishing them well. This is great for birthdays, anniversaries, and holiday occasions.
Create an email newsletter with useful information. Talk about the festivals or special events in the area. Don't forget items such as special prices for the low season.

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Try the free plan which allows you to manage and list up to 10 properties with 10 photos each for free or try a free trial for managing more properties, with gigabytes of space for photos, complete website hosting, file sharing, and other additional features.

http://www.easybroker.com
http://www.moveglobally.com
Eric Northam eric@easybroker.com

Social Media, Trust, Value and the Second Porch Relationship

It's a renters market when it comes to finding a vacation rental. This should come as no surprise to those well seasoned in the vacation rental market as owners or as rental guests. And newbie owners and rental guests are quickly becoming well versed in the mantra of "what's your best price".

The glut of vacation rentals in Southwest Florida, as one example, is due to some degree to owners who previously did not rent. They do so now because they are hurting financially and they have filled the cup of vacation rentals to the top. The trend of vacation home becoming vacation rental is prevalent in many other parts of the country as well as in locales out of the country. With such an expansive inventory of vacation rentals, one would think that finding a good rental value is a slam dunk. But it truly is not, at least it is not so when you take a good hard look at the word "value".

And, with the proliferation of websites catering to vacation rentals, there are no end of ways to promote a vacation rental. But for the renter and the owner, there is one thing that often stands in the way of a transaction. And it is not price necessarily.

An owner would like to think that the person inquiring is legitimate, reasonable and offers a worry free stay. A renter would like to think that the property is as it is advertised and offers a worry free stay. The obstacle for both is trust.

The subject of trust enters the picture when a potential rental guest is looking for some way to validate that what they are seeing and reading about is represented in the most transparent way. What is being left out may be as important as what is being said and shown. You know what I mean. The tranquil "view" looks great in the photo, but it does not show the construction work being done right next door. Just try relaxing when the construction workers start their tasks at 7 a.m.!

Even those websites that offer the owner "testimonials" from prior guests come with all kinds of challenges about the integrity of the review. That becomes extremely problematical when a negative review is posted based on what could be an unfair bias (or down right fabrication) on the part of the reviewer. The renter also has a challenge in accepting as gospel the authentic nature of the review. Is this person lauding a property truly a past rental guest?

But a new Facebook application called Second Porch could be the answer for both owner and renter. Based on the social networking premise that we believe more fully what we read or hear from people we know----or at least know of----Second Porch is the contact point where people can find homes for rent (or trade) in an environment of trust.

Having listed on dozens of websites for my vacation rental properties on Sanibel Island and having perused dozens of websites for vacation rentals all over the world, I can say with absolute objectivity that the Second Porch approach is the preferable way to go. In fact, I have said so much.

Go to the Second Porch home page and you'll see my name right there offering a "view of the future": http://secondporch.com/pages

So why the endorsement?

Well, it's the nature of social media. If someone comes to me as an owner based on the recommendation of a past rental guest or a friend or colleague, I have much greater confidence that the person is both sincere and educated, at least to some degree, on my properties. If I am seeking an accommodation, I have a much higher degree of confidence in one that comes recommended by someone I know, even if I don't know them well.

Second Porch not only provides an environment of trust, it is user friendly for the owner and renter. It is easy to give a review. It is easy to get a review. It is the best measurement tool for considering not only price, but value as well. The best price should never be confused with the best value, and only the authentic details will reveal value.

Best of all, the Second Porch basic listing is free.

What more can you ask for?

Sylvia Guarino
Seaside Properties
www.sanibel-rentals.net

We Speak VR!

Come see the first blog entry for http://wespeakvr.blogspot.com! Faith Sanchez is the author of this helpful blog and the Office Manager for eCom Merchant Solutions, a leading provider of online credit card processing for VR Owners. She has close to 5 years of experience in the world of online credit card processing and will provide helpful information on everything regarding this necessary aspect of online business.

In addition to providing helpful tips on credit card processing the entire eCom staff, who is well versed in the VR industry, will offer knowledge any VR owner can use for all aspects of their business. Other senior staff members of eCom Merchant Solutions include; Jennifer Noffsinger, Assistant Manager, April Navarro, Senior Sales Executive, and last but not least, Kristie Kliese, President/CEO of both eCom Merchant Solutions and KK Investments. Kristie Kliese is an owner of 3 VR rentals and is happy to share valuable information she learned while making her businesses a success.

Combined the eCom Merchant Solutions staff members make up an incredible task force of VR specialists who are happy to guide you through the sometimes daunting task of running your own business. This blog is yet another way to offer useful resources for VR owners.