2018 gave North America more than its fair share of disasters with flooding, wildfires and deathly tornadoes. But none of these were more devastating to PR company owner, April Salter, than Hurricane Michael. Now designated a Category 5 hurricane and one of the worst storms to ever hit mainland USA, Michael barrelled ashore on Mexico […]
Sometimes things happen out of the blue and you are completely sidelined. In our business, this could be anything from a breakdown in a booking system, a guest complaint, an about-turn by one of the OTAs, and it does more than mess up the day. It’s time-consuming, annoying and frustrating and you just wish you’d […]
It’s that time again! Another winter comes and goes and here we are getting ready for a new season of rental. Doing an annual audit makes a lot of sense and it’s an exercise we encourage our owners to do in the spring. In this episode, I share how we do our annual check and […]
A few years ago I wrote a blog post that went on to be one of the most popular on Cottage Blogger. It was called 10 Mistakes VRBO Owners Often Make. It listed a number of things owners frequently did that could be detrimental to their rental business – and downright catastrophic if they did […]
There is something addictive about this business, and Tyann Marcink, founder of the VR Mastered Bootcamp, knows this more than most. She is a talented vacation rental photographer, has undertaken numerous VR makeovers and is the owner of multiple properties, the latest of which is a fully renovated former bank in the small town of […]
Arguably, the single most important aspect of a guest’s vacation rental experience is the cleanliness of the property. If it’s not sparkling clean, smells fresh and welcoming, and looks like the photos on the listing, the poor first impression will likely be the one that lasts through the entire vacation. So, how do we make […]
The look and feel of a property can have a big impact on how guests experience their vacation, and what may have been spot on a few years ago, might now be considered ‘tired’ or in need of an ‘update’. These expressions are commonly seen in reviews. Your choices on design and décor will be […]
Today’s episode is the second in our two-parter on design and décor in vacation rentals. As we are planning the Vacation Rental Success Summit for 2017, I’m reminded how valuable the face-to-face networking is, and just why I love going to conferences to make new connections and learn a bunch of new stuff. I met […]
I go to a lot of vacation rentals – as a guest. The only time I ever stay in a hotel is near the airport before an early morning flight, or when I’m at a conference and want to be on-site. Of course I’m ultra-critical just because I’m in the business, but I select carefully […]
How do your renters access your cottage? Do you mail them keys, or hide them under a flowerpot, in the barbecue or on a hook under the deck? I’m often amazed at the ingenuity of homeowners in finding new places to conceal their keys, but wonder why on earth they don’t use a simple lockbox […]
