Renting a vacation home is a very big step, especially if it is something you want to do as a long-term investment. That being said, making a good first impression is incredibly important for your future guests. We have gone ahead and compiled a list of tips and tricks that you can use to market your vacation rental and make sure it is accessible as a long-term investment for years to come.
Make sure all amenities are updated:
This should be the most obvious, but make sure that all the amenities work. The last thing you want your guests to experience is a leaky faucet or anything else of that magnitude. Make sure all of your amenities are updated and easy to use, as it may be the make-or-break factor for your guests. Make sure that everything is spotless to the best of your ability. You always want to make sure your first impression is always a good impression. Don’t disappoint!
Leave a detailed manual:
While it may not be necessary, it is always nice to leave a detailed manual of everything included in your rental. In your detailed manual, you could add small little tidbits of information that could help your guest maneuver their way through your vacation rental. This will add a nice and light personal touch to your rental. That said, this could prove to be a very sweet gesture that goes without getting any credit, but just out of the goodness of your own heart. Many guests take that into consideration and it brings more closeness into that home. It makes the home a friendlier place to stay in.
Respond promptly to all inquiries:
Responding to all inquiries is incredibly important for communication purposes. Many guests may have questions regarding the home or regarding the location. Such questions could include what kind of fun things there are to do in that area or even questions about the home. Either way, being an open book and responding to queries will always work in your favor as people will be more inclined to ask questions and in turn, they’ll build a good rapport with you. One of the easiest ways to get clients to lose interest in your property is by not being accessible when there are any questions or concerns.
Take professional photos:
Please take professional photos. It will save you a lot of headaches and heartache in the long run. Take professional photos of your rental home to highlight your home’s main features. For example, if you have a really nice back patio area or a very grand marble kitchen, that may be something that is incredibly important or appealing to future guests. Make sure that all photos have good lighting. While you can take the photos yourself with a smartphone, getting professional photos done will give the photos of your home an added oomph. That oomph could be just the right amount to get your home rented.
Target your audience:
To piggyback off of taking professional photos, make sure that you are taking pictures that could be tailored to your target audience. If there is a particular clientele that you really want to market your house to, it will definitely catch their eye. You could even enlist the help of an interior designer or even someone that stages homes to help you pick out house decor so that you are able to tailor your home for the perfect renters. While it may be an added step in marketing, it’ll definitely pay off once those who are interested start catching on to how amazing your home is.
Research your state laws or city ordinances:
In addition to all that has been mentioned above, please make sure that your decision to rent your vacation home is prohibited by any state laws or city ordinances. This is incredibly important as you could pay a huge fine or could face some serious repercussions for not carefully reviewing any laws against renting your home. While this may not always be the case, it may be a good idea to enlist the help of a real estate agent or someone who is familiar with laws or policies that could get in the way of you renting your property.
All in all, making the decision to rent your vacation home could be a very exhilarating and exciting experience. However, there is a lot that goes into making sure that your home is prepared to become a rental home. While it could be a great acquisition, the factors listed in this article are some great ways to take into consideration what goes into renting a home. And while it is not an easy feat, it will definitely be worth it in the long run. That said, we hope the tips outlined in the article are helpful.
