You
may be considering a private home vacation rental, rather than staying
in a standard hotel or motel room, for your next trip. A vacation home
rental can have many advantages, from a lower cost to a greater amount
of space to a better location to more amenities. However, it is
important to know just what to expect before you sign on the dotted line
so that you can be sure that you are getting a fair deal and that you
will be staying in a home that is well maintained and appropriately
located.
When you begin investigating a vacation rental, you will
likely encounter two options – you can rent from a management company or
you can rent directly from the owner of the property. If possible, try
to find a way to work with the owner of the vacation home rental, as you
may have access to more information and better support before, during,
and after your transaction.
Once you have decided that staying in a
vacation rental is the right choice for you and your traveling
companions, you will discover that the process of finding the right
property should go very smoothly.
The Steps to Renting a Private Home
First,
find a reputable website with vacation home rental listings, or speak
to your travel agent about your options. Make sure that you feel
comfortable that whoever is providing you with vacation rental listings
has screened each home to make sure that it exists and that it is owned
by the person who is listing it.
Next, search for or specify the type of vacation home rental you are looking for, including:
- Price (What is your maximum?)
- Size (Are you looking for a condo unit for two people or a multi-bedroom house for a large family – or for multiple families?)
- Location (Do you want your vacation rental to be near a particular
theme park? Do you want to be able to walk to the beach? Do you need to
be within walking distance of a grocery store or a video rental shop?)
- Amenities (Do you want your vacation home rental to include a hot
tub? Would you like to have access to a gym or to gym equipment? Would
you enjoy a game room with video game systems?)
In addition, note whether you will be bringing a pet. (As
with all types of rentals, some vacation home rental properties will be
pet friendly with a deposit, while others may not allow pets at all.
Find this out before you pack Fido into his carrier!) Last but not
least, you will need to provide the specific dates for which you will
need the vacation rental and the number of people with whom you will be
staying.
Researching the Vacation Home Rental
You
will then be presented with a list of available vacation home rental
properties for your time frame and the other options that you requested.
If you are able to work directly with the owners of the rental homes,
you can contact them to find out more information. Many owners will be
able to answer your emailed questions in depth (but make sure to keep
your questions relevant) and to send you pictures of the specific
vacation rental. The owner may even have a personal website that you can
view for more information about the property. If you are dealing with a
management company, you may either be shown pictures of the particular
vacation home rental in which you will be staying or pictures that
represent the type of home that is available.
In either case, make
sure that you feel comfortable with the entire transaction. For
example, you may want to avoid an owner or company that sends you emails
every hour asking if you have made a decision about the vacation
rental, or, on the flip side, someone who takes days to return your
messages with answers to your questions, or someone who gives you vague
responses.
Finalizing the Deal
When you have found a
vacation home rental that suits your needs and with which you feel
comfortable, you can then finalize the deal. The owner or management
company will have you submit a deposit to hold the vacation rental –
usually 10 to 20% of the final cost. Note that you will not receive an
actual address or access information until the booking is paid in full.
You
will then fill out a rental agreement. Make sure to be honest in this
agreement about the number of people and the ages staying in the
vacation rental. What happens next may vary depending on whether you are
working with an owner or a company. The owner may send you all of the
information you will need to access the vacation home rental – including
access codes for the lock box and the alarm, so that you can go
directly from the road or the airport right into the house. The
management company may simply provide you with directions to its offices
so that you can pick up the keys and additional important information
about the home.
Notifying the Owner or Management Company about Any Issues with the Vacation Rental
Make
sure that you let the owner or management company know about anything
that is broken when you arrive at the vacation home rental, and also
make sure that you inform them about any discrepancies between what your
contract said and what you found when you opened the door of your
rental. During your stay, remember to treat the home and everything
inside and out (including furniture and electronics) respectfully – as
if it were your own home all the time. Before you leave, inform the
owner or company of anything that was broken or changed during your
stay. Also, please take a few minutes to clean up the house by emptying
the trash, doing a quick vacuum, and looking around for any other issues
that you can easily resolve.
Above all, it is critical to do your
own research about any vacation rental before signing a final contract.
By becoming familiar with what towns are better for your needs and
which locations offer easier access to attractions or beaches, you will
be able to make a more informed choice before you sign the final
agreement – and ensure that when you reach your vacation home rental,
you can relax in style.