If you own property in a city or town that would be considered a tourist destination, you’ve probably wondered how much you could make renting it out during the months you’re not staying there. Or maybe you have a home with an extra room no one is using and know that you could make some extra money renting it out short-term.
Whatever your situation, you’re probably wondering what the basic first steps are to positioning your property for short-term or vacation rental. Here are some of the basics to get you started:
Choose a Platform to Post Your Listing
There are a lot of short-term rental vacation portals to choose from. Understand that there are upfront charges that you will need to consider.
Some vacation portals charge as high as 35% booking fees for every reservation that you accept, while at CuddlyNest the booking fees never go higher than 9%. Also, while some vacation rental platforms will charge well over $300 for a 12-month annual subscription, on CuddlyNest, there’s no subscription fee to be paid, and there’s no restriction on the number of properties you can list.
Remove Personal Items from the Property
Personal items should be removed for safety purposes as well as aesthetic reasons. While it is nice to stay in a vacation home that has personality, it is another thing entirely to enjoy a relaxing evening in front of the fireplace with a very large, framed photo of the family who owns the house watching you.
Hide any personal effects like picture frames or monogrammed towels. Clear away any clutter like old bills you have stored in the drawers. Valuables and irreplaceable items should be stowed away somewhere safe and secure.
Take Stock of Your Property’s Best Features
Start thinking about what makes your property unique. There may be a fascinating story to when and how it was built or perhaps you’ve just renovated the kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. Whatever interesting and special things there are about the home and property, write it all down. You’ll need all those details when you create your listing description.
Take as many photos as you can of every angle of the home. Open up the curtains and let natural light in so you can capture the bright photos. You may even want to hire a professional to take high-quality images of your property.
Think About Amenities You Want to Offer
Your home may already be equipped with the basics to make a guest’s stay comfortable. However, adding special amenities like a hair dryer, free Wi-Fi, a coffee machine, a video game console, or snacks are simple additions that can elevate the guest’s experience and lead to positive reviews.
Protect Your Property and Consider Insurance
Accidents can happen. Unfortunately, so can theft.
Before you rent out your home, you have to be realistic and accept that there is the possibility of renters damaging your home in some way, whether accidental or intentional. And you often will not know it until they have left and you inspect the property.
While you can hold them accountable and demand that they pay for the damages, having that extra layer of protection is recommended.
Rental Rates Table
Once you’ve got the home clear of clutter, rent-ready, a chosen platform to advertise on, photos ready for uploading, and a compelling description, you still need one very crucial component to your property listing – rental rates.
Be smart about how much you intend to charge per night. Consider its location, size, and amenities. Do your research and see how much the rates are for properties in your area that are similar to yours. If your property is in a city with changing seasons, think about if you want to charge more during tourist peak seasons. You may even want to charge a higher rate for weekend stays.
The choice is entirely up to you. Some property managers maintain comparatively high prices to market their rental as a luxury home while other hosts prefer to keep their rates low, so they enjoy more bookings year-round.
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, and Pinterest.
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