Essential things owners need to know about vacation rental sites
Not just in terms of travel, people now are seeking a more authentic experience in their choice of accommodation as well. This is where vacation rentals come in to picture. As compared to hotels, renting a vacation home has its own set of perks, such as access to a spacious property, a homely ambiance, complete privacy, and an opportunity to explore the local life. Due to the rising demand of home-stays, several homeowners have started renting their vacation homes, as it allows them to keep their property as well as make money out of it when it’s sitting idle.
One of the best ways to attract renters for vacation homes is by putting up an offer on a vacation rental site. Continue reading to know how you can put your second home to good use with the help of a vacation rental website.

What kind of costs does an owner have to incur for using a vacation rental site?
When it comes to fees, the approach isn’t standard. Every site has its own pricing strategy. Usually, if the owner is taking the assistance of a paid vacation rental site for managing bookings, here are the following costs that he/she might incur:

• Subscription fee
• Booking fee (commission)
• Credit card fee

Which are the popular listing websites for vacation rentals?
Vacation homeowners can check the following listing websites for rentals:

• Flipkey
• Booking.com
• Perfect Places
• Wimdu
• Tourist-Paradise
• Clickstay
• Airbnb
• HomeAway.com
• Vacation Rentals By Owner (VRBO)
• VacationRentals.com
• Tripz
• The Holiday Let

To avail the services offered by the abovementioned websites, the owner will have to pay an annual subscription fee or commission on every booking made. If the owner rents his/her vacation home throughout the year, then it is best to opt for a vacation rental site with an annual subscription plan. On the other hand, if the owner intends to rent it only a few times a year, then a commission-based website would be a better choice.

Which are some of the best free listing websites for vacation rentals?
If you are unsure about pursuing the vacation rental business, then you can take it slow by renting it only a few times through the year to understand if it works well or not. In this way, you don’t end up blowing a fortune if it doesn’t match up to your expectations. Likewise, this option is also suitable for owners who have a limited budget but want to start a vacation rental business.

It is imperative to note that such free vacation rental sites might lack the features provided by the paid platforms. The following are some of the popular free listing sites that can be used by vacation homeowners for arranging bookings for rentals:

• Domegos
• Euro Direct Rentals
• Welcome Worldwide
• TravelStaytion
• Free Rentals

Apart from vacation rental sites, how can owners promote their vacation rental property?
Using a vacation rental site is an incredible option for an owner to get in touch with the prospective renters. However, apart from these platforms, vacation rental homeowners can consider alternative mediums for spreading the word about their property, such as:

• Social media – Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be a great way for the owners to advertise their property as well as get loyal patrons. Likewise, it also serves as a fantastic opportunity to interact with the renters directly.
• Website – If the owner has sufficient funds, then he/she can consider running their own website. It will minimize the inconvenience of needing to update information and deal with clients on multiple vacation rental sites, as the owner will be able to do so from one source.
• Newspaper ads – The owner can post advertisements about the property in the classifieds or the local newspapers.
• Agency – Hiring a vacation rental agency to handle all the bookings and advertisements on the owner’s behalf can be a good idea if he/she does not have enough time to manage it by themselves. However, seeking a professional agency’s services can prove to be expensive as compared to the other options.

Tags – vacation rental sites owner, vacation rentals by owner