Are you fortunate enough to own a vacation rental?  You are one of the lucky ones!  This has become one of the most exciting ways to generate some passive income.  But with so much competition, how do you get yours to stand out?  Here are 5 ways to make yours the one people choose.

•  Do not use hand me down furniture!  – Trust me when I tell you that nobody wants to stay somewhere that looks like someone’s basement circa 1995.  Invest in attractive and quality pieces that will be appealing to renters but will also stand up to wear and tear.  It will be an investment up front, but you will reap the benefits later.  If you need help with this, hire a professional designer who has done vacation rentals before.

• Focus on the little things. – Have you ever heard the phrase “The little things are the big things”?  When it comes to vacation rentals this means that it is the little touches that will make your place memorable and keep people coming back year after year.  Little things like leaving a binder of restaurant menus in a kitchen drawer, or 2 bicycles for use during a stay, or asking your management company to leave a welcome gift each time.  People will remember this kindness and want to come back for more.  Plus, it helps with marketing because you can advertise your special offerings.

• KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid – Keep everything simple to care for and simple to use.  Don’t make tenants work too hard for anything.  If you have a beach rental, provide beach towels and beach chairs.  Always have a bottle opener and corkscrew on site.  Stick with a neutral color palette so everyone can picture themselves there.  Keep linens light or white so they are washable and always look clean.  Doing this for your renters will make their vacation feel like a breeze and so much more enjoyable.  And again, let people know you are providing these things using phrases like “well appointed kitchen” or “all linens provided” in your marketing.

• Invest in professional photography. – Your iPhone photos will not make your rental stand out on the web and social media.  Hire a professional real estate photographer to photograph your property for the rental listing.  They know all of the right angles to shoot from and the proper lighting needed to make your property shine. 

• Sharing is caring! – Ask people to share their experiences with you.  Create a photo moment within the rental so people can take selfies or group photos (and tag you of course!).  Then you can use these as both a way to keep in touch with past renters and as a marketing plan.  It is a fun design element with a dual purpose.

Having helped clients complete vacation homes and rentals alike, we know what is needed to make your AirBnB stand out.  Contact us today for a consultation.  We work in person and virtually to make your vacation rental as profitable for you as possible.