The summer holiday period has come and gone, but the chance to reserve your temporary vacation rental hasn’t.
In the end, many travelers prefer vacationing during the less-chaotic — and less expensive — off-peak seasons. When it’s time to go 20, there are no delay, lower costs and crowds in the restaurants. There are other attractions, too. From soccer fall festivals and Oktoberfest, to the shifting of seasons, there’s plenty.
We all know the value of gaining prominence for a short-term lease by list it on popular leasing sites such as Tripz or even Airbnb. However, keeping up a steady flow of guests during the offseason often needs a little more effort and ingenuity.
Here’s what you need to — and should not — do to give your short-term rental an advantage:
Provide numerous (and high-quality) pictures
Make sure that your record is strong and stands out from the audience. High-quality pictures may result in a increase in interest from prospective renters. In the end, more than one-third of entrepreneurs say images are the most critical kind of articles for their businesses. Also, viewing pictures is the way most guests shop the various rental websites, compare properties and select the one they want to book.
When listing your temporary rental, be sure to include high-quality photos that showcase your property’s most enticing features.
Consider hiring a professional photographer to snap clear, well-lit and high-resolution stills of every room. Shots which showcase unique features, like art that is local or a bathtub . Images of the green space of your property should also be shared. Conversely, property owners are wise to avoid grainy photographs, revealing dark or unkempt spaces, photos of mass-produced artwork, or any pictures that could make their leasing seem outdated or cluttered.
The proper pictures enable travelers to visualize a space and determine if it might serve their needs. They also help your temporary rental stand out among the hundreds of different listings locally.
Do not forget about upcoming events
Colorful leaves, bountiful harvests and enjoyable festivals are among the many appeals of autumn travel. Oktoberfest celebrations and wine and apple festivals are popular draws. Depending upon where you are, soccer games or a parents weekend at the local college can bring in a high volume of people and market out local resorts. Rentals are a great option for these travelers.
When upgrading your temporary rental checklist for fall, don’t forget to notice any significant events or local highlights. This can help bolster your promotion campaigns and could lure travelers who are searching for a reason to get away.
Upcoming events also present short-term leasing owners with a chance to advertise through targeted advertising or cross-promotions.
This will raise the odds of travellers. Throughout the offseason, travelers are expecting lower prices, and you may have to correct your peak summer rates to attract those bargain-hunting guests.
However, before adjusting your prices for shoulder period, first evaluate your local market to acquire a better sense of current pricing trends. There has probably been a surge of short-term rentals locally — at least if current National Association of Realtors study is any sign. But need for holiday rentals is on the rise, too. Check other leases or resorts are discounting, and pricing, for the autumn season. Ensure that you are priced appropriately rather than losing guests and interest since the nightly rate is high.
Alternatively, it could be that you are underpricing your leasing. Depending upon your region, short-term rental prices might have more flexibility — especially if you reside in a place that’s a favorite fall destination. If so, you may be able to raise your costs and still have the chance to keep your vacation rental business humming.
Maintain professionalism and act as if you are in the hospitality business
Managing a temporary rental might be a side gig for you, but that does not mean you ought to be any less specialist toward your guests.
Constantly be responsive, relaxing and thoughtful to current and prospective guests. Make sure your property has all of the basic necessities they’ll need to feel comfortable, too. While the basics — such as cable TV and WiFi — should be included, consider taking your service further. High-quality linens, newer flat-panel TVs, sound systems, Netflix subscriptions and gaming systems are chances for your house to stand out among the competition.
And as you ought to endeavor to provide exceptional service to guests, you need to ensure your short-term rental is well promoted. When short-term rentals are under booked, it is often because the leasing wasn’t properly preserved, advertised or priced. If you haven’t done so already, make a comprehensive list for your rental — and try to integrate guest reviews inside. Reviews are an essential element of attracting renters. Develop a pattern of asking your visitors to complete a review so that you may create a wonderful inventory of positive feedback for prospective guests to observe when viewing your record.
If you can’t find time to efficiently manage your temporary rental, or if you discover that what you’re doing is not working, employ someone who can help with areas such as advertising, client research and listing management. Employing a full-service property manager is how many men and women would rather deal with their rental property.
There are also easy-to-use automated tools and services that can help relieve your own workload. You’ll have more time to focus on boosting your bookings and make the process more easy by simplifying these procedures.
Do not forget about short-term accommodation taxation and regulations
As a temporary rental operator, you’re running a little company. Make certain all required accommodation taxes are collected and remitted to the appropriate authorities. Furthermore, there might be additional registration, licensing or other regulations in your area.
Some important U.S. cities have restricted short-term rentals and need that owners to be on the home to physically host short-term guests.
Additionally, don’t overlook any prospective homeowners association (HOA) regulations which may impact your ability to operate a short-term rental on your area. Seek advice from your HOA covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) or speak with your institution’s property manager to determine any principles you must be aware of when looking to run a short-term rental locally. And keep in mind, your guest is liable for paying any occupancy taxes, but you are responsible for remitting them to the proper tax agencies and collecting the taxes. You’ll be on the hook to pay that cost if the tax is not paid. There are several agencies in your area that demand tax remittance, such as the city and the nation, so be certain you’re educated about your tax duties.
There are resources available that will deal with the hotel occupancy tax conditions, like notifying you of their tax rate to charge your visitors and remitting the taxes every month to the correct agencies. These instruments are getting to be more and more beneficial for rental owners since taxation conditions and regulations continue to evolve at local markets throughout the nation. The right short-term accommodation tax remittance alternative will help you register and secure licensing if that’s required in your area. Collecting occupancy tax and enrolling with the proper authorities is a great way to protect your property rights and avoid liability for other problems and taxes.
As the past indications of summer slip away, turn your attention on maintaining your short-term rental’s success moving forward. About 25 percent of Americans planned to take a holiday between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, according to AAA last year. By executing the strategy that is right, your rental can flourish from these offseason travelers.