Month: August 2017

Every short-term rental owner should have a pre-made welcome book ready for every property they’re currently renting out. Why? For one, a welcome book is, well…welcoming! Tenants will feel a lot more at home within a property if they open the door, come inside, and find a greeting just for them.

Additionally, welcome books contain a lot of information that is important for tenants to keep in mind while staying in your property. What information would that be? CuddlyNest has developed a list of six pages your welcome book should have for your tenants to be as informed as possible.

1. An Introduction

One of your first pages — if not THE first page — in your welcome book should be a personal greeting from you to your tenants. You don’t have to go out of the way to type up a new message for every tenant, but this should be a letter of sorts from you to any tenant that comes through your door.

2. Arrival and Departure

While you’ve likely already discussed what time they can arrive and leave, it’s always good to give guests a tangible copy of their arrival and departure information. This allows them to quickly reference for their own scheduling needs, and it also gives you concrete proof that you’ve supplied this time to them in case they are late arriving or leaving.

3. Activities and Attractions

Don’t just be a property owner — be a tour guide! If someone is utilizing your property as a vacation rental, help them out and give them your own little guide to the area around your property. The best way to utilize this page is to give them a “Day in the Life of…” type list.

For instance: if you live in Orlando, they already know about Disney World. Where’s the best park for dog walking? Where’s the best place to go if you want to buy nice clothing? Give them recommendations that aren’t on the front page of a quick Google search. CuddlyNest offers a detailed map of the most popular attractions in the surrounding area of the vacation property to make it easy for your guests to get familiar with the area and reach their points of interest easily.

4. Food and Drink

Continue your travel guide onto the next page. Going out to eat is something everyone does on vacation, so let your tenants know about the best restaurants in town. Give them options for a variety of styles of food, as well as bars and clubs. Again, don’t give them the obvious. Give them the true local experience!

5. Property Information

This is where you place any additional information about the property itself OR the area you’re in. What day is trash picked up? Does the city have any ordinances pertaining to noise? What are some common pet policies, like leash laws? Also, go into detail about any quirks you can find in and around your home — “the fireplace door likes to stick a little, so make sure to give it an extra push to close it.” Things like that are extremely helpful for your tenants.

6. Useful Area Info

Finally, don’t forget the practical things. This page can include important numbers, like a non-emergency police line or the number of a hospital directory. Also consider things like gas stations, ATMs, and pharmacies.

Does it take some effort to create a tenant-friendly welcome book? Yes. Will your tenants thank you for it (and potentially give you a higher rating)? Absolutely.

Browse. Book. Stay.

CuddlyNest provides all accommodations to all travelers at the best price. Find unlimited travel inspiration on our blog and social media channels:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X.

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How To Give Your Nest a Memorable Name and Description 
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If you’ve ever done anything having to do with real estate, you’ll know there’s a lot of paperwork, red tape, and documentation involved. Owning a home, renting a home, leasing a home…it’s all a lot more complicated and regulated than you think. This same standard applies to home-sharing.

Before you ever consider renting out your property for short-term use, you’ll need to do a lot of research. Why? There are specific rules and regulations that go along with short-term renting, and it’s very likely that you aren’t entirely educated on the subject.

That’s why CuddlyNest is here to help. We have three great pieces of information and advice for current or future short-term accommodation owners who want to make sure they’ve dotted every I and crossed every T.

1. Start locally. What are your community regulations?

Most short-term property laws are handled on a state or community level. At the micro level, within your specific community, home-sharing ordinances may be completely different as compared to a town 30 minutes from where you live. Every community has their own way of zoning their land, and ordinances may vary from one town to another.

In order to begin your life as a short-term rental property owner, you must first research and understand these laws and ordinances. These laws will tell you what you’re required to do to rent your home out to others, or if it’s even allowed at all!

The best way to do this is to contact your local government directly. Ask questions about online resources or print editions of these laws and any specific rules they have regarding the number of days you can rent a property to be still considered short-term.

2. Taxes and permits and licenses…oh my!

One of the most basic aspects of short-term property renting is getting a permit. Most cities in North America have made this a requirement before you start your rental business. This permit gives you permission to act as a “landlord,” so to speak, except only for a set amount of time. These permits are necessary no matter how long you plan on renting out a property — whether it’s just for a week during vacation season or all year round.

Also, don’t forget that the money you make off of sharing your home is taxable income. It’s your responsibility to keep track of tax information that comes with home-sharing. Without these reports, you may face penalties. CuddlyNest makes it easy for you to track your rental schedule and maintenance throughout the year to make filing for your taxes as easy as a breeze.

3. Think about responsibility

Finally, think about other laws that pertain to simply living in an area. Your tenants are responsible for keeping their noise level down, just like you would be if you were staying on your property. While a great tenant will look up this information on their own, the best owners and managers will give their tenants a dossier of the most important ordinances and rules they should be mindful of.

It’s also the job of the property owner to keep their guests safe. Safety should be your number one concern once the rental process has started.

Browse. Book. Stay.

CuddlyNest provides all accommodations to all travelers at the best price. Find unlimited travel inspiration on our blog and social media channels:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X.

You May Also Like:

How To Give Your Nest a Memorable Name and Description 
How To Take the Best Photos for Your Listing

It can be exciting to get your vacation rental space fixed up and listed on Cuddlynest. Whether you’re doing it as a business or simply to keep yourself busy, there are many considerations when you want to have a successful investment. It’s imperative that you keep your vacation rental home safe and secure, whether there are guests staying in it or not.

1. Maintain a lived-in appearance. Just like your own home, you also want to have your vacation property appear like there is always someone living there. If you live close by, it will be a simple task, otherwise, have your caretaker take a few necessary steps.

2. Leave the lights on. If you don’t want to constantly be turning the lights on and off, you can use a special timer that does the job for you. You can also install motion sensor lights in the driveway and along paths that turn on if someone walks past, or if they drive a car into the driveway. This also provides light for guests who are coming in late at night.
3. Add extra eyes. An outdoor security camera that’s installed in a prominent location can be helpful. You can also give your contact information to neighbors and ask them to keep an eye out for suspicious people who are casing the property.
4. Keep the premises maintained. The lawn should be mown on a regular basis, the weeds pulled, and any debris or leaves swept up. You may even wish to move objects around, such as planters, watering cans, or hoses. In the winter, the sidewalks and driveways should be cleared of snow.
5. Buy good locks. You can buy smart locks that require a pin so that you don’t have to loan a key to your guests. This also prevents the issue of having keys copied and used to break into a property at a later date, as you can simply change the PIN code for the next guest. Never leave keys under planters. You can always leave a key with a trusted neighbor if you’re worried about a guest being locked out at night.
6. Use an alarm system. You have an alarm system on your primary residence, so it makes sense to have an alarm system on your vacation rental too. An alarm can also arm doors and windows, which can make your guests feel much safer while they sleep.
7. Avoid using signs. Never post a sign on your property saying that it’s available for rent. Instead, register for Cuddlynest where you can list your vacation rental property and easily rent out your space.
8. Don’t list the exact address. Be careful when taking photographs. Avoid including street signs or house numbers in photos on vacation rental sites. Guests only receive the exact address after they fully make a booking.

To make guests feel safe during their stay, you may wish to make up a manual with safety advice. Don’t forget to include emergency contact information.

Browse. Book. Stay.

CuddlyNest provides all accommodations to all travelers at the best price. Find unlimited travel inspiration on our blog and social media channels:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and X.

You May Also Like:

How To Give Your Nest a Memorable Name and Description 
How To Take the Best Photos for Your Listing