Owning a vacation rental property can be very rewarding for hosts in terms of profits and providing a great guest experience. This reward does not come without challenges along the way. These can differ per host, but some of the most common include vacation rental cleaning, booking over the competition, decorating to please potential guests, and more. Read on for details on the top challenges for vacation rental hosts and tips on how to handle these challenges.
Cleaning
Having a clean property is very important for the guests’ quality of stay and ensures that you, as a host, receive a 5-star rating. This includes clean dishes, linens, appliances, and more. As a host finding a reputable vacation rental cleaner that you trust to do a great job cleaning your rental can be a difficult task on its own. Once you have found a cleaner it can be challenging to keep up with the scheduling of upcoming turnovers. Luckily this problem can be solved linking with vacation cleaners and their services at Turno.
Competition
More than ever, travelers are booking stays through the hundreds of thousands of properties on Airbnb. With competition growing at an equivalent rate, it’s important to set your vacation rental apart from the others. Although a difficult hurdle, with proper planning, there are several ways to accomplish this. First, you must identify WHO your competition is. By searching for listings similar to your own in your area, you can see the dos and don’ts of hosts who produce satisfied guests or not-so satisfied. Reviews are a prime public commodity. Second, find out what it is guests who are looking at the areas listings want. Do they want WiFi? Air conditioning? It can be a crucial advantage to answer your guests questions before they’re asked.
Advertising
Marketing your property to potential guests requires you to be familiar with who typically stays at your vacation rental. By knowing your market, you are able to advertise your rental accordingly. If families tend to stay with you, make sure to highlight in your rental description nearby parks or perhaps family-oriented destinations such as museums or aquariums. If young adults tend to stay with you, highlight your proximity to nearby nightlife and trendy restaurants. Always provide up-to-date photos of your clean rental. This helpful information will not only attract individuals to your vacation rental but will also improve their overall experience!
Communication
A common complaint among guests of vacation rentals is the lack/slow communication between the guest and the host. On the other hand, a commonly seen positive reviews are the great communication experienced between host and guest. Communication is an important factor to put time into, though it unfortunately can be challenging to respond quickly and give the guest your full attention with your already busy schedule. If you start to feel that you do not have the time that communicating with guests requires, it may be wise to consider using property management software.
