What to Consider Before Doing a Vacation Rental by Owner

Every year, we do a summer family vacation. This normally involves planning for the “whine factor.” What would my husband and I like to do that we think the kids would like with the least amount of whining?

We settled for a vacation in the mountains around the Tennessee area, visiting underground caverns and waterfalls. As always, I shopped around for the best deal for hotels for a family of four and found vacation rentals by owners to almost always be much cheaper and at the same time giving us more space. We have been using vacation rentals for a few years, and as I talk to friends about our experience, below are some of the things I tell them to consider before choosing a rental property:

What equipment is available for use? We rented a condo for a beach vacation, and I brought everything for the perfect vacation: beach chairs, toys, and towels. Had I asked in advance, I would have found out that the condo owner supplied everything.

In fact, her chairs were better than ours. The owner of the condo even had body boards and large water guns – a huge hit with my kids. Before lugging a bunch of stuff that will just take up space, contact the property point of contact and verify what equipment they have that’s available for use. Also, confirm what kitchen items will be provided, if any, such as utensils, napkins, plates and mugs.

What is the cancellation policy?  What if someone gets sick or there is a weather-related issue? Do you get your deposit back? Can you re-book? Ask for clear details on how long you have to cancel and the policies for emergency cancellations before you book.

Who do you call if you have an emergency? We accidently got locked out of one of our rentals. Luckily, we were able to quickly get back in, but I realized later, I would not have known who to call if there was an emergency. (The owner of our condo was out of the country). Find out in advance who to call if something breaks down.

What do former renters have to say about their stay? Read the reviews. People are NOT shy about telling others what they think of their experience. They will tell you about whether the pictures do not match what the rental actually looks like, the cleanliness of the property, noisy neighbors, slow response time, and basically everything else you need to know to make the most informed decision. I particularly look for comments from parents such as concerns about the property not being child-friendly or having nearby parks.

Vacation rental properties by owner can be a fun way to save money. Do your homework though. Taking the time to thoroughly review them will go a long way into making your vacation as peaceful as possible.

 

 

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