Getting Bookings - Advertising Your Vacation Home For Rent
According to David Koenig Dallas Associated Press, more and more people are turning to online websites to advertise their vacation home because it works. Of course he was comparing it to using a local realtor which is never works well.
The truth of the matter is that there are many websites where an owner can advertise, but only a few that really work. Testing each site can be expensive. The cost can be from nothing to over $300 a year. On some sites the more you pay, the better position you obtain; thus, hopefully, more bookings.
In Florida there has been a glut of vacation homes spreading the available guests very thin. Some vacation home owners have turned to dropping the price as their sole means of capturing the few guests. This is a bad idea for rental owners, but a bargain for travelers. Some travelers have been bold enough to offer half the normal rate and if they don't get it, keep calling owners until they find one hungry enough to take it.
Here are some thoughts about what owners should and should not do when trying to keep their rental full.
Don't compete on price. You have to competitive, but competing only on price makes you a discounter and you'll attract less qualified guests. Don't ever rent below your operating costs per day. Guests use power, water, and gas, plus they are hard on everything from carpets to appliances.
Compete on features and amenities. There must be something unique about your property that you can compete on. Location, amenities, services, or little extras that are unique to your property should be featured.
Websites can get you business… Unfortunately if you are new, you'll simply have to test each site and see which one brings you business. After a year you can drop those that do nothing for you, but initially it's going to cost you. You can get a heads up on which sites perform the best by asking other owners. Yahoo Groups has a few vacation owner groups that are quite active and share such information.
Get a professional photographer to take shots of your home. That is money well spent. All guests have to judge your property, unless they've been there, are the photos.
Supplement your paid listings with free listings. Yes, there are sites that let you advertise your vacation home free.
