Although we generally use this space to talk to the travelers who flock to our doorsteps on a daily basis, today we at New England Vacation Rentals thought we might check in on you, our partners, our family, the homeowners who make this strange job we do possible. Life is hectic, and we are often busy setting out the welcome mats for guests who have dreamed of a Cape Cod vacation their entire lives, but we are never too busy to offer up some helpful thoughts, important tips, and hints that will make vacation property ownership as profitable and successful as YOU always dreamed it could be. And even as our New England property management team is battening down the hatches, preparing for the annual storm of summer travelers, today we want to offer up this guide to the 10 ways you can improve your vacation home rental/occupancy rates, ensuring that your investment will continue to serve you well for years to come!
Competition is steep in the vacation rental property market, and the temptation to price your investment higher than it is worth may be strong, but we urge you resist. Vacationers don’t want to spend any more than they have to on their accommodations, they want to save that money for their adventures, and if you are unreasonable with your rental costs, they will scroll right on by to something priced more reasonably. It’s not easy walking the line between what you think it should be worth and what it is actually worth, but if you do your research and study the market, you should be able to find the perfect price for your charming Cape Cod cottage, keeping it rented for as long as you need it to be. Our local Cape Cod property management team can help you set the right price and adjust it to market trends, ensuring you get the money you deserve!
Everyone wants to vacation on Cape Cod, including investors in vacation properties who don’t actually live here, and although it is ok to use it once in a while, perhaps during the off-season, if you take it for yourself too often, your bottom line will suffer. Occupancy rates do not include the times you, your family, or friends are living in your investment, and even as it is fun to be generous to your friends, you have to remember it is an investment first. Additionally, if it is unavailable too often repeat guests are going to forget it even exists, going for a home that is more readily available.
Every detail involved with a vacation rental is important, from the exterior paint to the throw rugs that may be scattered about your cottage, and even as it can be a lot of work keeping it all in tip top condition, renters talk and if your property isn’t up to par, the reviews and your occupancy rates will suffer. On Cape Cod we have a little advantage over other areas when it comes to exterior paint, however, as the weathered clapboard look IS the classic style, but your front door should be pristine, the yard should be freshly mowed, and dying flowers is a definite no-no on the outside. Either skip flowers altogether or hire a landscaper to keep them looking cheerful and welcoming. Inside, curtains and bedspreads should not clash, there should be enough dishes for the maximum number of guests allowed, linens should feel soft against the skin, and make sure that the remote controls have batteries that work.
This probably could have been placed under the attention to detail category, but it is important enough that we felt it deserved its own category, especially after the events in our still too recent history. You don’t enjoy living in a home with sticky floors, dirty walls, and greasy stovetops, so what makes you think guests will want to spend their hard-earned money to stay in a house with the above issues during vacation. As we have stated previously, people talk, and if your home is not sanitary, word will get around, leaving your home with far too many unoccupied nights. If you don’t live in the area—or even if you do—hiring a cleaning crew you can trust is of paramount importance, helping your property be the belle of the vacation ball. Our New England property management service can handle cleaning for you, saving you time and effort!
We have already discussed the importance of not charging too much, but charging too little can be a good thing when you have a few days open here and there. Life happens, and maybe someone had to back out of their vacation plans at the last minute, leaving you with a property and a week’s worth of vacant nights. Advertising your property at a reduced fee can encourage impromptu vacation decisions, filling your beds and your pockets, even if the amount is less than it normally would be.
Gone are the days when phone books and travel brochures were the only ways to find a place to stay while on vacation. Today, there are a plethora of vacation property websites that people have begun to automatically turn to when seeking shelter during their vacation journey. And although you could probably do just fine only listing your property on one of them, getting your property in front of as many people as possible can be done by listing it on ALL the sites. Generally, no fees are charged by these websites until the property is listed, so it won’t cost you anything to be seen, and the more people who see your home sweet vacation home, the more chances you will have of filling it every night of the week, if that is what you are looking to do.
In the competitive world of vacation real estate, it may not be enough to provide a warm and inviting home that is comfortable and filled with all the modern conveniences that just make life easier to navigate. Today’s homeowners need to provide information on the area, ideas for activities, even phone numbers or web addresses of the closest pizza joint to the property. Guests want ease and convenience, and they know they can search for that information themselves, (the internet is a wonderful place!) but they want someone else to do the hard work, and if doing a little extra research makes your guests happy, isn’t it worth the payout?
Perhaps the cheapest form of advertising is a satisfied house guest, and when you do all of the things we have talked about so far, we can assure you that your guests will want to return time and time again. Cape Cod is one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations, so you already have an advantage there, but if you provide the dream vacation experience, charge the ideal rates, and keep in contact after they have returned home, chances are when it comes time to start making vacation plans again, your property will be the first thing they look for. First time vacation property investors don’t always understand this step, not realizing that many travelers often make a Cape Cod vacation a family tradition and by ignoring this vital tidbit of information, they are missing out on the cheapest form of advertising, the one that involves repeat customers that may have only needed an occasional email saying, “Hey, hope you are doing well, and do you remember how much fun you had with us?” (Something that costs nothing but time.)
Amenities are important to your guests, but many homeowners don’t quite realize just how important they could be to the success of their occupancy rates. Guests want to have as much fun at home as they do when out and about exploring Cape Cod, and there are many amenities that are sure to grab the most bookings, including some of the ones listed below.
Vacation property ownership is an investment filled with possibilities and fraught with the danger of failure and the smart investors know when to ask for help from someone who knows what they are doing. New England Vacation Rentals has been managing properties for more years than many of our guests have been alive and our favorite thing to do is to help our owners be successful. Below, we have listed a few of the things we can do for you, helping your property become the star of Cape Cod and ensuring that your financial future is a bright one.
Good management means that someone has to be available 24/7 and as hard as we work to prevent maintenance issues, you too understand from your own home experience that emergencies do happen, and when they do, it is usually at 2 AM on a weekend. Our homeowners don’t have to worry about those emergencies, however, because we will be the voice on the other end of the line, taking care of the matter expeditiously and contacting the owner during regular business hours on a weekday if it is something that needs their attention.
When you need the property cleaned between rentals, when the fireplace flue needs cleaning, or someone needs to be at the property to accept delivery of the new television you purchased for the primary suite, you won’t have to be the one to take care of the matter, because yep, you guessed it, our team does that! We keep local maintenance men and housekeeping services on the payroll for cleaning and repair, and because we know you don’t want to fly in to stand around between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, someone from our staff will be the one waiting for the doorbell to ring.
As we said before, we have had a lot of years of experience in the Massachusetts property management industry, and it is rare that we are ever surprised. We know all the tips to keeping the homes rented, all the ways to make the pictures on the website look stylish and inviting, and we even know the rules and regulations that accompany the business, ensuring that your home won’t invite extraneous fees from being out of code!
Articles like this are just another service we offer our owners, helping them become a success that may exceed their wildest dreams. Give us a call today and let’s discuss some of the other ways we can help you conquer the vacation rental business!
The best surprises often come in smaller packages and our 2-bedroom, 2-bath vacation escape in Harwich Port is the perfect example. Designed to offer a more intimate experience, unit 203 still packs a punch when it comes to space, offering enough room for up to 5 guests to enjoy the best sleep of their lives! Located in the heart of downtown Harwich Port, adventures await the second you step out the door, inviting you to play, explore, and fall in love with the charm of one of our favorite seaside villages!
Vintage style always transports us straight back to simpler times in our lives, but truly vintage accessories often leave something to be desired, and so we at New England Vacation Rentals have combined them both, creating a home you will love making your own during your stay on Cape Cod. Crisp white walls provide a neutral backdrop to seaside themed art and accessories, wide planked oak floors create soft and welcoming pathways that lead you to your vacation comforts, and two separate living areas allow two families to travel together or one family with louder children to enjoy their separate spaces! White slipcovered sofas will lull you into happy naps, state-of-the-art televisions give brains a chance to recover from the excitement of so many new activities, and a mini fridge in the upstairs seating area means you won’t have to stop the fun to go downstairs for refreshments!
The kitchen in Unit 203 is one that a professional chef would be proud to call her own, featuring Carrera marble countertops, professional appliances, and a country charm that gives the white cabinets, tile backsplash, and navy blue island that centers the space an inviting cheer. The dining room, open to both the kitchen and the downstairs living room, provides the heart of the home, as this is the space where meals will be held, stories will be told, and perhaps, board games will be played. And because less isn’t necessarily more, this special condo offers a happy surprise in the form of two outdoor patios—one located off the lower living area and featuring what you would normally expect from a small-town condo. To find the other, head up to the rooftop for views of the town, the sunset, and even catch glimpses of the sea that is located just a short walk from your Cape Cod getaway!
Reserve this charming downtown sanctuary today!
Whether this is your first foray into the world of vacation rentals or you are an old pro in the business, there are always going to be worries about making the investment in a property in East Harwich. The good news is that you KNOW the location is destined to help it in its success, and the even better news is learning that we at New England Vacation Rentals have the knowledge and willingness to work with you to make this property your MOST successful! This guide will explain more about how we are the best property management option for your East Harwich home.
This investment is a large one, and we would hate it if our own property failed to succeed, so we do everything in our power to help yours do well! Starting with home set up to ensure that your property appeals to everyone who sees it and ending with preparing the dreaded end of year forms needed by the IRS, you can sit back and relax, knowing your property is in good hands. We offer a multi-faceted marketing plan that puts your home in front of the maximum number of potential renters, and we take the pictures that put it in its best light. The internet has definitely revolutionized the vacation rental business, and we take full advantage of it, offering 24/7 online booking availability and acceptance of credit card payments. The world we live in is no longer a 9 to 5 one, so why should renting vacation homes be any different? We screen prospective tenants, collect the money, and pay state sales tax, and we constantly research the market to ensure that you are charging exactly the right amount because we know if you ask for too many tenants will scroll on by, and if you don’t charge enough, it is the same as throwing money out the window!
Your East Harwich property is important to you, and if all we offered was the basics, marketing, maintenance, and financial, that would be a pretty good deal, but we offer a personal side as well. Travelers want to experience it all when they travel to Cape Cod, and with our help they will!
Waiting too long can just lose you money. Call us at 508-432-0900 or email us to get the process started!
The idea of purchasing a Cape Cod vacation property has been brewing in the back of your head for years. Perhaps you have often visited Cape Cod, and every time you came back, you felt welcomed and surprisingly at home. Now, an opportunity has arisen to purchase a property in Chatham, a smoking deal if you will, but the fears have rushed in as well, as you realize you don’t have the slightest idea of how to go about the reality of owning a vacation property. The good news is you found your way to this page, and with over 20 years in the vacation rental business, we at New England Vacation Rentals want to help you make your Chatham property the success you dreamed it could be!
The idea seems simple at face value. Buy a property in Chatham, rent it out, and watch your retirement coffers grow while enjoying your own vacations here rent-free, but is anything in life really that simple? After location, (You’ve done extremely well in that department!) you need to make sure that the style is inviting, the home is clean, and that the guests want to stay there! You need to have photographs taken that present your property in its best light, and you need to ensure that the price you are thinking of charging is just right; too high and guests will avoid your investment like the plague, but if your price is too low, you are cheating yourself out of income. Once all of this has been handled and your property is on all the most popular vacation rental sites, then the real work begins as you begin to handle money, paperwork, reservations, cleaning crews, maintenance, and upkeep. The list of what goes on behind the scenes can be intimidating, but when you choose New England Vacation Rentals to manage your Chatham investment property, your part suddenly does become simple. You do a little paperwork, ensure that you have the proper safety and permitting procedures in effect, and sit back and watch us do the rest! From marketing to upkeep and all the little details in between, we help your property become the star of the rental market.
Give us a call today and let’s get started making your investment dreams come true!
Vacation rental properties are definitely one of our hottest commodities on Cape Cod, but not everyone who tries is successful—unless of course they choose New England Vacation Rentals for their property management needs! Our staff understands this considerably basic concept; we don’t succeed unless you, the client, are 100% satisfied with the services we offer. Our guide to getting your investment in front of potential guests will show you how working as a team with us will not just make you happy, it will increase your ROI (return on investment) and have you smiling all the way to the bank each month!
In many cases, the location of the vacation property is as important as the rental cost and design, and you have already started smart by choosing Cape Cod for your investment location, so we can continue on to the style and comfort. In the beginning there may be some extra expenses as we help you update and modernize the décor with an eye to comfort as well, but we can ensure that you will see a return on whatever you spend! Offering potential guests a comfortable, stylish, and problem-free vacation rental also ensures return guests, so maintenance and upkeep is included in your property management fees.
The local Pennysaver in your hometown is the perfect place to list the sale of your old tools, but it will do nothing to increase viewership of your Cape Cod vacation rental property! Knowing the ins and outs of marketing is yet another tool we offer for our clients, and when you choose New England Vacation Rentals for your property management services, your investment will hit all the major rental sights, including VRBO and Airbnb. In addition, the pictures we take of your property are taken to pique the interest of potential guests, something not all companies can offer. Our pictures will capture the best angles, the coziest spots, and all the beauty your property has to offer, ensuring a minimum of empty beds and a maximum of incoming dollars in your bank account!
2020 hasn’t quite turned out the way we had hoped it would, but we are envisioning that 2021 is guaranteed to be a banner year! Give us a call today and let’s discuss all the ways that New England Vacation Rentals’ property management services can make 2021 a year filled with financial success and promises kept.
In a world of overachievers, actors aren’t happy until they are triple threats, writers aren’t considered successful unless they have movies adapted from their books, and many property management companies also double as real estate agencies. Isn’t it refreshing to work with a company that does just one thing and does it well? We at New England Vacation Rentals decided long ago that by directing our focus towards one thing only, vacation rental home management, we could rise to the top of our profession, giving our clients something they don’t always receive: our full and undivided attention to ensuring their properties succeed.
When you have been in the business as long as we have, you manage to learn a few tricks that newer, less experienced companies may not offer. Our marketing allows your property (or properties) to be easily viewed from all over the world. We offer 24/7 online booking opportunities for potential guests, we screen the guests and handle the payments, so all you have to do is sit back and watch your investment grow. The concierge services we offer increase revenue as they make vacations easier for the travelers, and our attention to detail means your home will be a good fit for your guests and your guests a good fit for your home. We invite repeat business as we seek out the new, encouraging an ever-growing customer base that continues to ensure your property’s success for as long as you own it.
We are here for you to take care of your home, you, and your guests to ensure your sleep is deep and worry free. If you’re unsure about the design style of your home, we can assist you with the décor and renovations; stylish homes photograph better and garner more consistent income, and since we don’t succeed unless you do, we are always keeping up with what guests are looking for in a vacation rental home. When you choose New England Vacation Rentals for your property management needs, you become a part of a family that works hard for your success.
Schedule an appointment with us today and discover for yourself why New England Vacation Rentals is the right choice for your property management needs!
For most of us, real estate values are the largest sums of money we’ll ever work with. When such money is at stake, you need to choose someone proven and trustworthy to get you the most out of your property. Here at NEVR, we do just that—not just in keeping your rental property earning you income, but in making your property more enjoyable to own and in better condition than you could keep it otherwise. Read on for five reasons that our property management services are exactly what you need!
Our company began with property management, and as property managers we have grown and thrived. We started as owners ourselves, so we know exactly the sorts of issues that a property owner faces when renting out their homes. All sorts of hurdles, from booking quality guests, to scheduling home care services to mediating even legal stuff, we know how to leap—so you don’t have to.
We know that property is valuable—if you’re not using it, someone wants to. That’s why we use assertive marketing strategies to get your house on the rental market and bring income home to you. Plus, we know how to work the market by adjusting prices, rates, and stay durations according to fluctuating seasons and availability. We will also work with you to make sure your home has the look and amenities that guests are seeking. If you were thinking of just letting a friend of yours watch your house and collect the mail while you’re not using it, you would be missing out!
Speaking of selling points, we go above and beyond when it comes to cleanliness. Your property will be clean and welcoming for any guest, which means a strong first impression, which means more returning customers.
We know that it’s the extras that really sell a property, so we make sure that every selling point your property enjoys is kept pristine. A pool? Maintained. Air conditioning? Kept working. Wide windows? Kept clean. Whenever you visit your property, you’ll find it in the best condition possible—without you having lifted a finger.
Reporting income on property can be confusing—don’t worry, we have you covered. We’ll prepare your income forms such as 1099, making tax season no less of a hassle than if you weren’t renting at all. It’s just one more way we make life easier for you.
If these reasons have you sold, then call 508-432-0900 to set up our services with your property. Still not convinced? Call us anyway, or e-mail at bookings@newenglandvacationrentals.com with any questions or concerns—we’re convinced we can put any doubts to rest. We’re one of the best at what we do, so call us and let us prove it!
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