“5 vacation-rental tips” plus 1 more |
| Posted: 05 Sep 2010 06:32 AM PDT Question: Allison, we own a condo in Dillon and we just don't get up to use it as much as we used to. We're considering renting it through the winter and wonder if you have any advice for doing it right? Answer: I'm glad you asked! Whether it's the state of the economy or because you just don't get around to using the place a lot, many folks may find themselves thinking for the first time about renting out their vacation home. Join the club, said Christine Karpinski, who owns several vacation rentals and is the author of "How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner." She is also a spokesman for HomeAway.com, a vacation rentals website. "I'm hearing from lots of consumers who already own and are looking to start renting," she said. Although she said as a homeowner she's had to resolve occasional hurdles with the properties, she's big on the financial benefits and has found that with thorough preparation, the process usually runs surprisingly smoothly. Five things to know about getting ready to rent out your vacation home: 1. Find out if there are any legal prohibitions or restrictions on short-term rentals. You'll definitely have to check with your city government, said Karpinski. Some towns may limit the number of weeks per year you can have short-term renters, and some of them may charge special taxes. Some towns limit the number of unrelated adults who might occupy a dwelling, she said. The same questions need to be asked of your condo or co-op board or homeowners association, she said. 2. Get the place ready. "You'll have to depersonalize it a bit," Karpinski said. "You're going to have to take the toothbrushes out of the bathroom, sort out your closets, get the drawers cleaned out, remove family pictures, and clear out the refrigerator. Anything you leave will be considered fair game for renters to use." HomeAway.com and other rental sites provide checklists of furnishings and implements needed for renters' use. Plan on a certain amount of wear and tear. Karpinski said she usually replaces towels annually — "Get good, fluffy ones. Renters expect good quality." The sofa might need to be swapped out every 2-1/2 years, she said. 3. Some financial considerations: Decide on the rental amount by checking for comparable rentals on the Web or by calling local property managers. Typically, managers who provide rental services will charge the owner a percentage of the rent; Karpinski said that she regards most owners as being able to handle the chores themselves. The size of rental deposit can be a sticky issue, Karpinski said. "A lot of people seem to be getting away from taking security deposits because they're a hassle" to collect and return, she said. "I'd advise, for new people who are renting: take $200, or 10 percent of the rental cost." A housekeeper who will come in between rentals is a must, she said. "That's the most difficult part of starting to rent," she said, because the homeowner needs to find someone who's reliable and can report on the condition on the place between renters. When mechanical problems arise, sometimes the solution is as easy as dialing for a local plumber or heating contractor, she said. Some homeowners prefer to contract with a maintenance company to be on call, handle yard work, etc., she said. 4. The property must be marketed properly, whether you're handling the rentals yourself or using a professional company, she said. Would-be renters want information about nearby transportation, shopping, entertainment, beaches, skiing, etc. They also want to see photos of the place, she said. The photos should include an exterior view, and if there's a scenic view, include it, she said. They're also concerned about seeing adequate seating in the living room, the "comfy"-ness of the master bedroom and additional bedrooms, and the workability of the kitchen, she said. 5. How to screen the renters? The Internet is a great starting point for finding renters, but the phone is a must, Karpinski said. "I talk to every single guest who rents my homes," she said. "They contact me via e-mail, and we'll go back and forth by e-mail on rates and dates. But I absolutely talk to them and I absolutely advise it. "I ask them why they're coming to the area, and (if) they've ever been in a vacation rental," she said. "If not, then I'm going to go through a few more things. They might not realize the nuances of staying in a vacation rental that are going to be a bit different, such as the cancellation policy, and that there's nobody on the premises" to field questions. Of course, a good property management company can be worth its weight in gold if you want to eliminate most of the hassle of renting. We have the names of some great companies in Summit County. Just call if you'd like a list. Allison Simson can be reached at (970) 468-6800 or at Info@SummitRealEstate.com. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Florida fests offer vacation fun close by Posted: 04 Sep 2010 09:00 PM PDT Published: September 5, 2010 Summer is over but there's nothing to keep you home this month. Check out some of the events around the state and plan a mini-vacation. Friday through Sept. 12: Treasure Coast Pirate Fest, Stuart. Arts and crafts and food vendors plus a treasure hunt and interactive street performers. Free. (772) 219-8648, www.TreasureCoastPirateFest.com. Sept. 17: Fort Myers Music Walk at the Fort Myers River District. (239) 337-1933, www.fortmyersmusicwalk.com. Sept 17 through 19: Brokenbone Biker Rodeo, Ocala. Statewide bike run and rodeo with leather craft vendors, food and beverages. Held at 7191 NW Gainesville Road; (352) 789-8736. Sept. 18 and 19: Spanish American War Event, Amelia Island. A commemoration of the Spanish American War is held at Fort Clinch State Park. (904) 277- 7274, www.floridastateparks.org/fortclinch. Sept. 18 and 19: Taste of the Beach, Pensacola Beach. Visit the Gulfside Pavilion for tastings and entertainment. (850) 932-1500, www.visitpensacolabeach.com. Beware the most taxing cities Anyone who has recently traveled to a major U.S. city knows the shock of finding a hotel, car rental or restaurant bill laden with extra charges. It's a growing trend among cities to add bed taxes, airport concession taxes and other charges to fund tourism marketing campaigns, airport improvements and projects. Combined with sales taxes, the extra travel taxes add about $28 a day to the cost of a visitor's lodging, car rentals and meals in the nation's top 50 destination cities, according to a new study by the education and research arm of the National Business Travel Association. Some cities charge more than others. The cities with the highest overall tax burden on travelers in the central-city area were Chicago ($38.75 a day, on average), New York ($36.53), Boston ($36.47) and Seattle ($34.46), according to the study. When sales taxes are excluded, Los Angeles ranked among the 10 cities with the lowest travel taxes charged in the central-city areas. But a recent proposal to add a 1.5 percent assessment fee to hotel bills could bump L.A. off the list. The cities in which travelers face the lowest overall tax burden are Fort Lauderdale; Fort Myers; Portland, Ore.; and Detroit. Travel software separates fees With airlines adding more fees for luggage, meals and other extras, several technology and travel management firms have recently unveiled upgrades to travel-expense software to better distinguish the fees from basic airfares. Travelocity Business, the business travel division of Travelocity, and TRX Inc., the Atlanta travel technology business, are among the companies to announce new fee-tracking programs. A wire report This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Yahoo! News Search Results for Vacation Rentals To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment