Get More Inquiries - Top 6 Things To Make Your Vacation Rental Property Listing Shine

Want to get more inquiries? Of course we all do. The more inquiries we get on our listings, the more often it gets rented out and that is money in the bank. These are the top areas that I think should be focused on first when listing your site. The more detail you provide the more your vacation rental will stand out.

1. Photos

I can't say enough about the importance of having quality pictures. The more photos you have that are up to date and of good quality, the more professional you look. They make your property look good. Photos are the most effective tool you have to advertise your vacation rental home. I try to use the best quality allowed by the sites I list on. I always use the maximum number of pictures allowed as well. Some include 5 to 10, others up to 20 in their price. Our sites allow for 20 because we think it is so important.

 

2. Rates

So many times I see no rates., or I see a quote with a blank amount, because the owner forgot to include their rates. It could just be that there are no rates for that time period. It is so important to include these for all seasons if possible. If you choose not to include rates let people know that they need to contact you. I have found that having rates, boosts the number of my inquiries by at least 50%.

3. Features and Property Descriptions

This is where you can list your unique selling features and give details about what your property has to offer. The more you say here, the less questions you will be asked later. Many people don't always ask, and just move on to the next property. I find it to be a huge time-saver as well, if I don't have to always answer the same questions. I keep a list going of repeat questions I get asked, and add them to my property descriptions and features.

4. Availability Calendars

Make sure these are up to date. Keeping a current calendar that can be viewed by vacationers, greatly increases your bookings. Also, you don't want double bookings. Updating your calendar ensures that you are not at a disadvantage compared to other listings that do maintain a current calendar. Renters can see right away what is available or not. I use the Go Rent Pro calendar for my listings, because it automatically updates itself when I enter a booking.  www.gorentpro.com

5. Room Contents and Amenities

These are great if your listing site has an area for this. Show renters that you go the extra mile to make their vacation special in the amenities you add to each room. It gives you the chance to set your vacation home apart from other properties by making your home stand out. I really focus on this. For example if you have a really uniquely shaped pool as we do. Or if there is a flat screen TV in each bedroom. Do you have Wii or Nintendo? Add it all. If you can't find a place to put it in, contact the site and ask.

6. Contact

Many times I have stressed the importance of testing your email to make sure you have entered it correctly. If someone makes an inquiry or wants to contact you, this may be your only chance. If your email is wrong, potential renters will simply move on to the next listing.

So many times we see on our own sites, that these emails are not right. The homeowner loses an opportunity to get a booking. Testing is also a good way to white list  inquiries from the site you are listing on. This means it won't go into your spam folder.

Making a great listing may seem overwhelming and time consuming. You don't even have to do it all at once. Many of us have full time jobs. We are doing this in the evenings and weekends and any snippet of time we get. Think of it as a work in progress. Just do a little bit at a time and eventually you will have a great listing. I always view my listings as works in progress on all the sites I list on, including my own. Whenever I get a new idea or see something different, I make a note of it and try to add it in to my listing when I have time.

Having a great listing is extra important if you don't have your own website. A listing on one of our sites can be used as a reference tool when you speak to people. The Property Description page is very extensive, almost like a mini website. To see an example of a fully completed and great listing go here Captain Nemo's Vacation Villa

So you purchased a vacation home or condo and now you are trying to decide if you should allow pets.  Ask yourself these questions.

 

 

Do I travel with my pet?

 

Will I get more bookings if I allow pets at my vacation home?

 

Will renters not want to rent my vacation home because I allow pets at my home?

 

Do pets really damage vacation rentals?

 

If I say “No Pets Allowed” can I really enforce that rule?

 

What type of pets should I allow if I decide to allow pets?

 

How many pets should I allow?

 

Who really travels with their pets?

 

Am I trying to rent my vacation home to guests with pet allergies?

 

If I decide to allow pets what should I do to minimize any associated risks?

 

After all is considered should I allow pets?

 

 

Here is my advice and suggestions based on 8 years of experience and 7 vacation rentals.

 

 

Do I travel with my pet?

 

If you travel with your pet you know how difficult it can be at times to find accommodation suitable to both your family and your pet.  As a pet owner and rental home owner who sympathizes with this dilemma I am sure you would be happy to allow pets at your vacation home.

 

Will I get more bookings if I allow pets at my vacation home?

 

It has been our experience that allowing pets has increased our rentals.  If you refuse pets you will lose rentals to anyone who wants to vacation with their pet.  It becomes a question of balancing the number of rentals lost by refusing pets by the number of rentals lost by renters with pet allergies unwilling to stay if you occasionally have pets in your rental home and the cost associated with the liability of a pet in your home.  However keep in mind we do have rules with respect to type of pet, number of pets, and activity of pets.  We also have renters who bring pets sign a Pet Policy found at GoRentPro.com

 

Will renters not want to rent my home because I allow pets at my vacation home?

 

Some renters will already have it in their minds that vacation rentals that allows pets are dirty, smelly and run down.  You will not be able to change their minds so don’t even bother trying.  Such renters would likely be problem renters anyway.  Some renters with allergies will also avoid your home but in our experience there are fewer of these than there are pet owners.

 

Do pets really damage vacation rentals?

 

While some pets do, the vast majority of pets do not damage vacation rentals and you would never even know a pet had ever been there.  Most pet owners who travel with their pets have clean well kept homes and expect their pets to behave in their own home and while on vacation.  These kinds of renters also always ask if they may bring their pet to your home.  These are not the renters and pets you need to worry about.  Pets you need to be wary of are ones that are not used to travelling or even being indoors.  Renters you need to be wary of are those that bring their pets just because they do not want to leave then at home for the week or weekend because they have no one to look after them and do not want to pay to have their pet boarded.  These pets will ruin you home and unfortunately these renters will seldom admit they are bringing a pet because they anticipate damage or at least a mess.  Protecting yourself with a good pet policy is more effective than simply banning pets.  Banning pets will not ensure that renters won’t bring them along anyway and sneak them in.

 

If I say no pets allowed can I really enforce that rule? 

 

Do you have someone enter your home during each occupancy to inspect the home for pets while the renters are there?  Probably not.  If not, then how do you really know if a pet is at your home or not?  Even if you say that you do not allow pets renters will bring them anyway and you will not even know about it until your property manager finds a mess in your yard or other damage to your home.  We do not come right out and say that pets are allowed at our vacation homes, but rather we ask renters to inquire about pets.  We found this to work very well.  Renters will then ask us about pets and we can find out what type of pet they intend to bring etc.  We then are able to inform them of our pet policy and we ask them to sign the pet policy.  I use the pet policy found on GoRentPro.com.   This pet policy has everything I needed and could also be modified to suit my individual needs. 

 

You can also ask for an additional security deposit for any renters bring pets.  It has been our experience that renters who told us about their pets were not the problem, but renters who try to sneak in their pets are the problem.  If you know in advance that certain renters will have pets at your vacation home you can let your property management know and they can check for any problems while the renters are there and also check more closely for evidence of damage after the renters check out.  Inform your property management of any pets that will be staying at your vacation home and insist that your management staff immediately report any unauthorized pets at your home.

 

What type of pets should I allow?

 

Most renters travel with a small dog or cat.  Very few travel with a large dog because a large dog takes up so much room in a vehicle and usually that room is used for people and luggage.  Renters that travel with dogs and cats will usually have them in pet carriers and such pets are usually very well behaved.  Most renters do not want an unruly pet accompanying them on vacation.

 

 

How many pets should I allow?

 

How many pets you allow at your vacation rentals will depend on the size of your rental.  If your home is a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom vacation home and the guest want to bring 4 dogs I think that is a bit much.  At most a 3 bedroom home will be rented to two families so if they each have one dog that makes two dogs.  You may be more flexible if your home is an 8 bedroom 5 bathroom vacation home renting out to 4 or 5 families.  In this case you may allow 3 or 4 small dogs.  It will be up to you to determine if you will permit any exceptions but do so only if you are very comfortable.

 

Who really travels with their pets?

 

Most often renters who travel with their pets have a very small dog a cat.  These animals are experienced travelers and are well behaved.  Their owners have clean well kept homes and expect their pets to behave in their own home and while on vacation.  These owners also always ask if they may bring their pet to your home.  These are not the renters and pets you need to worry about.

 

Renters you need to watch out for are what we call “local renters”.  Local renters are renters that can easily drive to your vacation home and bring their pets just because they do not want to leave then at home for the week or weekend because they have no one to look after them and do not want to pay to board their pet.  These pets will ruin you home and the renters may not be much better.  As a general rule you should be very wary of locals asking to rent your home. 

 

Not all “local renters” are problem renters.  We rent our homes to many local renters who are having family come to the area, but do not have a large enough home so they rent one or our large Disney area vacation homes, play at the Disney parks and have a great family get together.  But you need to be extremely careful of renters wanting to use your home for a weekend party or a Super bowl party.  In these cases it is better to leave your home empty.  You will be very glad you did.

 

Am I trying to rent my vacation home to guests with pet allergies?

 

Are you really able to enforce an absolutely NO PETS policy?  Does your property management really check to see if every group of renters does not have a pet?  The real truth is that you can never be completely sure that a pet has never been in your vacation rental.  Your vacation rental is not like a hotel where all guests must pass though a lobby and the staff can see what is going into the hotel or they can hear a dog barking.

 

Even if you have a strict “No Pets” policy you might rent to an allergic guest who has a reaction in your home because a pet passed through that you were unaware of.   Then you can really have problem, especially of any serious illness results.

 

I recommend that you ask each group of renters if anyone in their group plans on bring a pet.  If so make them sign your pet policy and at least try to protect your vacation rental and let the renters know that there are expensive consequences for damages cause by pets.

 

If you have more than one rental perhaps you can try to keep one pet free but as mentioned above it may be impossible to be absolutely sure your home is pet free.

 

If I decide to allow pets what should I do to minimize any associated risks?

 

If you decide to allow pets here are the important things you should do.  Make a list of pets you will accept and those you will not.  Make a clear set of rules that must be obeyed for pets to be allowed in your home.  Insist on full discloser of any pets that renters wish to bring, making it clear that if a pet or pets are brought into the home without prior disclosure that the renter is subject to loss of deposit and increased liability.  Make every renter sign a contract that includes a place to declare their pets.  If they declare a pet then they must also sign a pet policy acknowledgment that makes it clear what their responsibilities are with regard to their pet and clearly indicates charges that will apply if the pet causes damage or additional cleaning is required due to a pet.  Then make sure you collect a security deposit so that you have the money in hand if a problem arises.  It is also advisable to have the property manager and maintenance staff keep their eyes open for signs of the presence of pets to report back to ensure they have been declared and to watch for signs of bad pet behavior.

 

 

After all is considered should I allow pets?

 

In most cases it is more profitable to allow pets than to refuse them.  Most people who tell you they are bringing a pet are never a problem.  It is usually when they try to hide a pet that you have problems and in such cases they would not care if you advertised your home as not allowing pets.  It is generally better to allow pets and to insist on full disclosure and to have the renters sign the pet policy to encourage them to be responsible and to have a security deposit to ensure accountability.