Today, I have a different way of viewing it. I knew what I expected when I was on vacation. I wanted to be pampered! I wanted all the conveniences: laundry facilities, air conditioning, television, VCR, DVD player and a stereo system. Why wouldn't renters want the same thing? Wouldn't you?
Why, then, was I bothered so much by what other landlords were saying? One reason was this. They wanted me to do exactly the opposite of what I wanted to do. Their words haunted me. That is when I knew I had to throw out all of the old rules! I wanted white walls and light carpet and maple furniture. It would make every room look spacious, clean and inviting. What would be the worst thing that could happen? If the carpets got dirty, I would have to clean them. If they spill something on the sofa and it did not come out, then I would have it cleaned professionally and deduct it from renter's security deposit.
The decision was made and my vacation home would be designed exactly the way I wanted it in the first place. I would not allow anyone to talk me out of it! It would be my safe haven, a place for comfort and a place to have fun. I needed to feel like I was on vacation every time I came to visit. And, that is how I wanted my guests to feel. Subsequently, some renters le.. notes saying how inviting my home was and they totally enjoyed the entire unit. They were comfortable and had all the amenities they could want. Not only is this theory quite different from the norm, but it has proven to work!
I traveled a lot before I bought my first vacation home. I got a lot of ideas from staying in so many different hotels. At times, I would walk through open houses in different parts of the country while on vacation to get new decorating ideas. A..er years of traveling, I had such a collection of ideas that I was
anxious to get started on my new vacation home. There were some ideas that really stood out. For instance, when I am on vacation I enjoy colors that are light, yet colorful. They are my "feel good" colors! I wanted all the rooms to complement each other. Every room had to be uniquely designed. I wanted my vacation home to be memorable to everyone who came to visit. In order to achieve that, the design had to be personalized. I could not decorate any other way. The bedrooms were designed
to look like they belonged in a palace. Renters o..en told methey felt like royalty staying at my home. One five year-old girl described her feelings like this, "I felt like a princess sleeping in this room!" The ceiling fans in each bedroom had lighting, which looked like it was surrounded by a royal crown. Each fan was different from anything I had ever seen. The rooms were designed in a way that was light and airy, with lots of windows and beautiful scenery, surrounded with beautiful pastel flowers. (You get the picture.)
All the colors I picked were light. I chose an off-white Berber carpet with colored speckles which looked perfect throughout the entire house. Berber is known to be durable and cleans easily. The carpets had to be cleaned professionally every year, which helped keep them looking new and vibrant. I bought furniture that I loved with the light colors that I wanted -- a light peachy, pink! I added colorful blinds for each of my windows, which I purchased at the local hardware store.
Everyone told me that I was spending way too much for something that would soon be rented to strangers. Although, some items were expensive, most were not. I went bargain hunting and my expenses were reasonable. You can make something look like a million dollars without spending too much.
Check your local yard sales, discount furniture and used furniture stores. Also, check your local department stores. In addition, most furniture stores have a "sale" room where you can buy the floor models, or miscellaneous pieces. You will be able to purchase quality furniture for a fraction of the original cost. You may be surprised at what you find.
When choosing your furniture you may want to decorate with miscellaneous pieces creating an eclectic look. Again, be creative. Check out your local hardware store and see what you could use to build your own headboards or end tables, etc. I did not use dressers in any of the bedrooms. They took up too much room and most people do not use them anyway. However, it is important to provide a king or queen size bed. As for storing clothes, I added wire shelving to each of the closets to compensate for the absent dressers. They were purchased at the local hardware store.
You can build or add drawers under your bed if you need extra storage. The room appears larger without having too much furniture in it. A chair with a reading lamp is a good choice for each bedroom. Leave a book or two to read in the bedrooms on a shelf. You can build a shelf yourself to help keep the cost down. Flowers or some type of arrangement is a warm touch to have in your bedrooms. I use them throughout my home. In general, people love to look at colorful flowers and/or interesting items and knick-knacks.
A game table in the family area is another great point of interest. It will bring your guests together to enjoy each other's company. Keep checkers, chess, puzzles and cards nearby. My renters, family and friends all said they loved it. The game table is a favorite at my home. I try to add things to it, to keep it interesting for my visitors. Now, I am not saying to run out and buy a game table. I am just suggesting that it is another perfect way to entertain your renters.
Another idea is to have the pictures in each room reflect the same feeling as the room itself portrays. A painting with European scenery, showing sidewalk cafes, gondolas, mountains, lakes or rivers happily says "vacation" to me. Or, you could have your pictures reflect the area in which your vacation home islocated. If it is on a beach then pictures of beach chairs, seashells or sunsets are perfect. If it is located in the mountains, then choose pictures of cabins, rivers, mountains, skiing, animals, or different seasons. Be sure it all ties in with the look you are trying to achieve in the particular room where the pictures will be hung. You will know when it is right! Do not be afraid to ask others for their opinions as well.
Tip: Wall hangings should be hung at eye level.
Try to coordinate the colors. Each room should complement the other. They should all flow nicely. Another trick is this: Let's say the picture has grapes in it. You may want to hang a small shelf on the wall in the same room and place decorative grapes on it. It helps make the picture come to life! And, the room will too. I remember one woman said to us, "When I am in your place, I feel like it's talking to me! Everything jumps out at me!" That was quite a compliment. I always keep cute li..le knick-knacks with friendly sayings like, "family and friends are the circle of life" throughout the house, in the bathrooms, on shelves, on end tables, on windowsills etc. People love to read them. It makes your home feel warm and cozy. And, it reveals a lot about its owner. The renters can feel your warmth.
Linens and towels are always provided in my vacation home to make it easy for renters, especially if they had to travel a long distance. The last thing anyone would want to do, is to worry about providing their own sheets and towels, especially if they are bringing their children with them. That would be a lot of extra packing! What if they did not have the right size sheets? They would have to purchase new ones. I feel it is unfair to expect a renter to bring them. If you provide all that I mention in this book, then all they will have to do is "pack their personal belongings and go!" How inviting is that!
Toiletries are always provided in my vacation home because they are a necessity! I stayed at a ski lodge when I was younger and the owner le.. one roll of toilet paper for eight of us! I thought, the rental fee was high and this is all the owner could provide for us? It le.. such an awful impression on me. That is why it is important to take the extra step to be different than your competitors. By providing the necessities for your renters, they will remember how easy it was to come to your vacation home and will want to book with you again the following year, even if your prices are higher than anyone else in your area.
All the conveniences I expected when I was on vacation are what I provide to my renters. That is what made me stand out from all the other landlords. I did not want renters to be bothered with bringing all the extras. I wanted them to pack their clothes, come into my vacation home and have everything they needed to enjoy their stay. That, to me, is being on vacation! Just think of how happy your renters will be when they do not have to bring anything other than their clothes with them. Make it as easy and convenient as you can and you will get top rates and repeat visitors. They will always remember your home more than any other place they have ever stayed. And you will continuously have your home rented!
Do not clutter your home with unnecessary items. Keep it simple! You can leave nice objects out for use or for display, just be sure to place them in a safe area. Be sensible. You wouldn't put your treasured vase in the middle of the room. However, you could put it on a shelf in the corner so others can enjoy it without risking having it get broken. Sensible placement of objects will help reduce any damage.
I believe that most people are genuinely honest, kind and respectful. I chose not to fill my vacation rental with too much furniture or clutter because that would make it hard to tell if something was broken or missing, for example: Sometimes renters will mistakenly take home the wrong video or something else that they thought belonged to them. If that happens, just ask them. Usually they will return it right away.
From my experience, I have found that if you leave your property in good, clean order, most people will try to return it to you in the same way. Renters have o..en said they were looking for clean, modern and comfortable accommodations. A..er their stay at my vacation home, I received many thank you notes saying thank you for "sharing your beautiful home" with us. Many of them said it was the nicest and most comfortable place they had ever stayed! That is the highest compliment I could receive from any renter!
Washer and dryer: This is a must! It is important to renters, especially those with children, and it pays for itself when you incorporate the expense into your rental rates. Imagine having to bring home all of the dirty laundry a..er a week's vacation. Would you be interested in doing that again the following year? In contrast, imagine if all of your laundry is clean and ready to be put away when you get home from your vacation. You would have a smile on your face and be so excited that you would be willing to make your reservations for next year! This is how you will create repeat renters.
Air conditioning: For extra comfort, I added air conditioning in my vacation home. I wanted the same level of comfort for my renters as I did for myself. Because of high utility rates, this was another justification for higher rental rates. In my "Welcome Book" that I leave in the unit for renters, I remind them to be courteous about using the utilities: not to leave air conditioning and electrical appliances on when leaving the premises, for safety and economical reasons.
Tip: Design your home for beauty, comfort and safety for both you and your renters.
Hire a good house keeper. This was the best thing I ever did!
I knew if I entered my home and smelled cooking odors le.. behind or saw things out of order or if the floors were dirty, then I would be upset and would never want to rent my home again. That is why I needed a house keeper. I knew if a house keeper were to put my house back in order, eliminate any odors, and clean it the way I would, then I would not have any reason to complain. I was lucky enough to hire woman in my neighborhood who was honest, caring, dedicated and a hard worker.
Pricing: If you offer all the amenities -- more than your competitors -- and you design your home with quality, comfort and convenience in mind, then you will warrant higher rental rates.
In today's society, everyone is such a rush and because of that, they are willing to pay higher prices for convenience. They are also willing to pay for quality, comfort .