Thursday, May 20, 2010

“City pondering vacation rentals” plus 3 more

“City pondering vacation rentals” plus 3 more

City pondering vacation rentals

Posted: 20 May 2010 12:23 AM PDT

The city of St. Helena is following the county's lead by reconsidering its regulations pertaining to vacation rentals.

According to City Attorney John Truxaw, the city's municipal code contains no clear prohibitions of vacation rentals — defined as residential rentals for a period of less than 30 days without a use permit — but the reading of several code sections together makes it clear they are illegal.

Property owners who rent their property for less than 30 days must obtain a use permit and pay the city a 12-percent transient occupancy tax. But as the county has discovered, violations are widespread and enforcement is difficult.

On Tuesday city staff asked the planning commission to consider revising the municipal code to more clearly address vacation rentals.

"This has been an issue in the past," Planning Director Carol Poole told the commission. "People have gone online and looked at our code and haven't gone away with the conclusion that they can't rent their houses out (for less than 30 days)."

City staff periodically troll the Internet for illegal vacation rentals.

In 2004 the city filed an enforcement action against Peter and Paulette Story to abate illegal vacation rentals at a house on Pratt Avenue. The city won and got a lien on the property for collection.

Another enforcement action on South Crane Avenue ended in a settlement out of court.

Commissioner Alan Galbraith suggested that the city farm out enforcement duties to an attorney from the private sector. Violators could be forced to cover the legal fees for enforcement, which would give the attorney a financial incentive to ferret out violators.

Meanwhile, the city could make special permits available to property owners who wish to offer short-term rentals but don't fit the rubric of a traditional bed-and-breakfast, Galbraith said.

Planning Commissioner Sandy Ericson proposed that people who have a primary residence in St. Helena could rent out their rooms short-term to help people who can't afford a hotel.

Poole will discuss the commission's ideas with the city attorney and report back at a future meeting.


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Second Home Ownership and Interest in Vacation Rentals Continue to Remain Strong Through Economic Recession, According ...

Posted: 20 May 2010 05:00 AM PDT

AUSTIN, Texas, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Second home owners who rent their homes to travelers, on average, generate more than $35,000 in rental income each year, according to HomeAway®, Inc. – the world's leading online vacation rental marketplace – which today released its quarterly "HomeAway Vacation Rental Marketplace Report."  

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090409/DA97315LOGO-a)

On average, second home owners are renting their properties to travelers 20 weeks a year, and the rental income generated is helping many owners offset mortgage and upkeep costs. In fact, the HomeAway report found 38 percent of owners generate enough rental income to cover 75 to 100 percent of their mortgage. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of owners earn enough to cover at least 50 percent of their mortgage.

"Owning a vacation property is not just for older Americans or the affluent. Many owners are discovering they can offset the costs of the home by renting to travelers when they're not using it themselves, and they're having good success lining up renters by marketing their homes online," says Tom Kelly, Real Estate expert and author of "How a Second Home Can Be Your Best Investment." "The rental income they earn can go toward paying the mortgage, home insurance, utilities and general maintenance."

According to the HomeAway report, several markets around the country have seen significant increases in new vacation rental listings. For the fourth consecutive quarter, both New Orleans and Austin, Texas, appear in the top 10 destinations with the largest increase in new listings. Sunset Beach, N.C., retains its top position from the last quarter, and Telluride, Colo., drops a spot from second to third.  

MORE SECOND HOME OWNERS TURN TO RENTING THEIR HOMES

Top Markets with Largest Increase in New Vacation Rental Listings

  1. Sunset Beach, N.C.
  2. Austin, Texas
  3. Telluride, Colo.
  4. New Orleans
  5. Sevierville, Tenn.
  6. Jackson Hole, Wyo.
  7. West Hollywood, Calif.
  8. Truckee, Calif.
  9. Whitefish, Mont.
  10. Eden, Utah


* Based on a year-over-year analysis (Q1 2009 vs. Q1 2010) of new vacation home listings added on HomeAway.com

And despite the sluggish economy, second home owners in these markets and throughout the country find that travelers are continuing to book stays, due in large part to the value afforded by a vacation home compared with a traditional hotel. Approximately 62 percent of second home owners report their bookings for this summer are about the same or higher than last summer.

Now's the Time to Buy Vacation Real Estate

Given the success second home owners have renting their homes to travelers, some are considering buying additional properties. Of the owners who cover 50 percent or more of their second home's mortgage with rental income, 38 percent of them say they had considered buying an additional vacation home within the past year.

"There's never been a better time in the past seven years to 'buy low' with the prospect of eventually 'selling high,'" says Kelly. "Prices are down in just about every location, and mortgage interest rates are hovering at some of the lowest levels in history. HomeAwayRealEstate.com has developed helpful tools for prospective buyers to help gauge the potential rental income they can generate while investigating attractive homes for sale."

Coastal Areas, Mountain and City Destinations Lure Travelers Looking for Vacation Rentals

Whether looking to buy a vacation home or just rent one for a personal vacation, finding the right destination is important. Miami and New York, again, rank in the top five most popular destinations to rent a vacation home this summer, based on traveler inquiries made on HomeAway.com between February and April 2010. The top five most popular summer travel destinations include:

  1. Orlando, Fla.
  2. New York, N.Y.
  3. Cape Cod, Mass.
  4. Miami, Fla.
  5. Myrtle Beach, S.C.


However, when it comes to the fastest growing destinations among travelers, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood reappear as emerging hot spots, growing 119 percent and 130 percent respectively – compared to the same time last year in which they had already grown by 239 percent and 196 percent.

EMERGING TRAVEL HOT SPOTS:

Top 10 Destinations with the Largest Percent Increase in Traveler Interest from Q1 2009 to Q1 2010

on HomeAway.com

  1. Telluride, Colo. (270%)
  2. Marina del Rey, Calif. (267%)
  3. New Orleans (220%)
  4. West Hollywood, Calif. (130%)
  5. Boca Raton, Fla. (129%)
  6. Cambridge, Md. (128%)
  7. South Yarmouth, Mass. (121%)
  8. Beverly Hills, Calif. (119%)
  9. Windham, N.Y. (108%)
  10. Flagstaff, Ariz. (107%)


Home-like Experience of a Vacation Rental Also Big Draw for Travelers

If choosing between a vacation rental and a similarly priced hotel, 77 percent of travelers say they would choose a vacation rental over a hotel because of the home-like experience.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100520/LA07735)

Deals and Discounts On Top of Value Provided by Vacation Rentals

While fewer vacation home owners are offering deals or discounts this summer (55%) compared with last summer (66%), there are still plenty of deals to be had. Of those owners who are offering deals this summer:

  • 43 percent plan to offer a specific percentage off the rental rate
  • 44 percent plan to offer a specific dollar amount off the rental rate
  • 31 percent plan to offer a free night with the purchase of a specific number of nights
  • 24 percent plan to offer free cleaning services
  • 11 percent plan to offer complimentary products or services, such as free tickets to a theme park
  • 10 percent do not plan to require a minimum-night stay


About the HomeAway Vacation Rental Marketplace Report

Data for the HomeAway Vacation Rental Marketplace Report was collected via surveys that poll travelers and homeowners on vacation rental-related issues. Based on HomeAway, Inc. internal customer satisfaction research, traveler results are based on 1,927 responses collected between April 23 and May 6, 2010.  Owner results are based on 235 responses between April 20 and May 6, 2010.  Market trends were based on a combination of in-depth research of supplier and consumer markets from the HomeAway, Inc. database.  Smith Travel Research was also utilized for hotel data about specific markets. Average daily rates for HomeAway vacation rentals were calculated based on a random sampling of properties for each respective city using rates posted for May 2010.

About HomeAway, Inc.

HomeAway, Inc., based in Austin, Texas, is the worldwide leader in online vacation rentals, representing more than 480,000 paid vacation rental home listings throughout 120 countries. HomeAway offers an extensive selection of vacation homes that provide travelers with memorable experiences and benefits, including more room to relax and added privacy, for less than the cost of traditional hotel accommodations. The company also makes it easy for vacation rental owners and property managers to advertise their properties and manage bookings online. The HomeAway portfolio includes the leading vacation rental websites HomeAway.com, VRBO.com and VacationRentals.com in the United States; HomeAway.co.uk and OwnersDirect.co.uk in the United Kingdom; HomeAway.de in Germany; Abritel.fr and Homelidays.com in France; HomeAway.es in Spain; and AlugueTemporada.com.br in Brazil. The company's portfolio also includes HomeAwayRealEstate.com, which offers unique real estate information that highlights a vacation rental's income potential and destination-specific characteristics.

In addition, HomeAway operates BedandBreakfast.com, the most comprehensive global site for finding bed-and-breakfast properties, providing travelers with another source for unique lodging alternatives to chain hotels. For more information about HomeAway, please visit www.HomeAway.com.

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Vacation rentals: 9 things to know

Posted: 20 May 2010 10:19 AM PDT

Renting a reliable vacation home isn't easy.

And not just because there are a seemingly endless number of rental resources to turn to — everything from local sites that list a few condos to big listing services like HomeAway.com or VRBO.com.

For me, it's the politics.

This summer, for example, I'm visiting my family in Southern California. I told my mother that I planned to rent a condo on the beach. Within two days, my sister and brother had invited themselves over, boosting our numbers from 5 to more than 30.

A rental home can save you a lot of money when you're on vacation, as I pointed out in an earlier column. But this one would almost certainly cost me a lot more.

There are an estimated 1 million vacation rentals in the United States, roughly half of which are available to the general public, according to numbers from The National Association of Realtors and FlipKey.com. A recent PhoCusWright study estimated vacation rentals were a $24.3 billion-a-year market, while a Ypartnership survey suggested interest in renting a home was on the rise, with 14 percent of leisure travelers saying they stayed in one in 2009, up from 11 percent a year earlier.

Renting a home for 30 isn't like booking a hotel room, or even a vacation cottage for a family of 5.

"The consistent challenge we hear from travelers is predictability," says TJ Mahony, the chief executive of FlipKey.com, a vacation rental site. "People tend to know what they are going to get from a hotel, but can have anxiety over the quality of a vacation rental."

I asked experts to identify the biggest challenges when renting a home. Here's what they told me:

1. Knowing what you want. Prioritize your rental. That's the advice of Teresa Bell Kindred, a blogger and frequent home renter. "You are going to pay more for certain things. Decide what is really important to you," she says. Her family loves the ocean, so they don't mind paying more to be right on the beach. But if you don't mind being a few blocks away from the water, you can save money. Be sure you stay within your budget. "If you spend all your money on rental property and can't afford groceries you may get hungry before you get back home," she warns.

2. Timing your purchase. If you're in town for a special event, like a sports tournament or festival, it's never too soon to book a vacation rental. "Vacation rentals are more scarce than hotels and great vacation properties are even scarcer," says Chris Brusznicki, the chief executive of GamedayHousing.com, a site that specializes in rentals for sports events. But if there's no reason to be in town, you can run down the clock. One terrific new site that allows you to bid on "last minute" vacation rentals is a site called PackLate.

3. Finding out what you're renting. It probably goes without saying that you need to do your due diligence on a rental. "Do your homework," says Sylvia Guarino, who owns a rental home on Sanibel Island, Fla. (one of my favorite places) and a member of Second Porch, a Facebook application that connects vacation rental owners and vacation guests. "Vacation rental guests sometimes get too focused on getting a deal, and not focused enough on getting the information that they need, or authenticating the property. "How do you authenticate a property? Look at every piece of information available to you, including the owner's site, the vacation rental site, online reviews and what you find on social networking sites, like Facebook. Be sure the property is in good shape, is as represented and isn't in foreclosure.

4. Finding out who you're renting from. "Research the owner, not just the home," says Kelly Hayes-Raitt, who owns a rental property in Santa Monica, Calif. She includes a link to her Web site and biography in every correspondence with potential guests, "not just so they realize they are supporting my work with refugees, but so they learn they are dealing with someone who has been active in her community for 30 years and not likely to cheat them," she says. Not every owner is as forthcoming as Hayes-Raitt, but if someone is reclusive, it might be a warning sign.

5. Determining if the rental is part of an association or destination. That can make a big difference, according to Jon Ervin, a spokesman for the Cottage Rental Agency in Seaside, Fla. "Imagine you rent from Mr. and Mrs. Jones — nice enough people, but what if your air conditioning quits or some other concern arises?" he asks. "You most likely are going to have to work through the issue for your entire stay." Not if your rental is part of an association. There's someone on call to help in situations like that. My family rented a home at the WaterColor Inn & Resort in nearby Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., during the Christmas holidays, and we found that to be good advice.

6. Becoming a power user. For example, VRBO.com allows you to filter search results by area, bedrooms and the number of people it can sleep. That helped Kellie Pelletier find a vacation rental in Charleston, S.C. for her family. VRBO also shows which homes are available on your preferred dates. "So I didn't waste my time researching and contacting houses that were already booked for my week," she says. Pelletier knows a thing or two about being a power user. She used to work for Kayak.com, the booking site. "House rental sites are years, if not decades, behind other travel sites," she complains. "Please, won't somebody launch the Kayak of rental house sites?"

7. Avoiding group-think. Extended families like mine should be broken up into smaller housing units, such as adjoining condos, as opposed to fitting them into one house. It gives everyone more privacy and is easier on the finances, because you don't have to argue over the bill at the end. "Sometimes a big house works for some families," says Carol White, who runs a Web site about road trips. "But not others."

8. Reviewing the contract very carefully. You're not checking into a hotel; this is more like renting an apartment. Watch for contract language, such as cleaning options. Frank Discala, who owns a rental property in Nantucket Town, Mass., gives his tenants two options: either clean up after themselves, "Or they can leave the place without cleaning up and lose their $500 deposit," he says. "Ouch! No one has ever taken that option." (Discala knows about contracts; he's a lawyer.)

9. Staying flexible. Remember, you're renting an apartment or house — not a room in a hotel. "Some things may go wrong," warns Pauline Kenny, a vacation rental expert who runs a site called Slow Europe. "The plumbing may stop working, the kitchen stove runs out of gas. Some things may not be perfect — you bump your head repeatedly on that low doorway, the couch is orange, the parking space is almost impossible to get into." That's life in a vacation rental. "Suck it up and live with it," she says.

Needless to say, tenting a vacation has its challenges. "The process for finding a vacation rental home is more involved and sometimes even difficult," says Christine Karpinski, a director for HomeAway.com. "You have to not only search for the home, but you also have to email to inquire whether or not it is available and for a full quote. Sometimes the process can take a couple hours and sometimes it can take a week of back-and-forth with the homeowners. But the reward at the end is wonderful."

I hope she's right. I'll let you know what happens this summer.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org or e-mail him at .


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7 tips for villa rentals

Posted: 20 May 2010 10:14 AM PDT

Run the numbers
Renting a villa is a terrific value proposition right now. Given the current economy, many second-home owners are offering their properties for the first time, and the increased supply means better deals. A large family can stay in a beautifully restored Tuscan farmhouse for less than the cost of an equivalent number of hotel rooms.

According to homeaway.com, which rents more than 185,000 accommodations online, 55 percent of all owners intend to give discounts and other perks this year, including free nights and relaxed minimum-stay requirements. You can get a sense of the market by doing a preliminary search on one of the multi-destination villa agencies' Web sites.

Know What You Want Determine what kind of experience you're after—particularly if you're vacationing with a group. Do you require housekeeping every day, or are you willing to do your own dishes (even if there's no dishwasher)? Would you prefer being more isolated, or within steps of town? If you're considering extras—guided trips; an evening at the opera—confirm in advance your willingness to pay additional fees.

Get on the phone
Pictures on Web sites certainly help, but it's always best to speak to an agent by telephone. (Some companies won't even work with clients they haven't vetted themselves.) Those we recommend here have firsthand knowledge of the properties and can answer questions you might not have thought of: How far away is the grocery store? Is emergency help nearby? Does the local host speak English? How new are the appliances? Many agents also have access to more rentals—either in a private portfolio or through other contacts—that they can offer once you've outlined your needs.

Take advantage of extras
Rental owners are staying competitive by offering such perks as free housekeeping, the use of a car, or a private chef. When inquiring about a property, it's entirely permissible—and not at all uncouth—to ask an agent if the owner is willing to throw in anything else.

The best agencies leverage their industry contacts and relationships with property owners to organize things you couldn't arrange yourself, be it a tasting in a noble family's wine cellar or a hot-air balloon ride over the countryside. (Remember to confirm all related fees up front.)

Put it in writing
Signing a contract is standard when renting a villa. Like any agreement, this protects you, the owner, and the agent. Make sure it specifies which expenses are not included in the base price, such as taxes, air-conditioning, or the cost of heating the pool. A basic contract will also clearly outline policies regarding property damage, as well as what would constitute an unsatisfactory stay.

Consider buying insurance
Renting a villa is a large investment. Insurance can cover you in the event of a medical evacuation or an unforeseen conflict; it can also protect you from bad weather delays or errors made by the rental agency.

Some policies will let you cancel if you've recently been laid off from your job, while others will permit you to cancel for no reason at all. Expect to pay a premium of 5 to 11 percent of the trip's prepaid, nonrefundable cost; cost may depend on the ages of the travelers in your group. Compare a broad range of policies on insuremytrip.com or use one of the five companies listed on tripinsurancestore.com.

Try an emerging destination
Travelers willing to move beyond blue-chip destinations can find incredible value in lesser-known regions. Carolyn Grote of Ville et Village recommends Île de Ré, an island off France's west coast where more properties are becoming available. Other markets to consider are the Azores, Madeira, Malta, and the Italian regions of Puglia and Montepulciano. You'll also find a growing number of attractive deals in Bosnia, Montenegro, and Slovenia.


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