Six ways to get your vacation rental ready for the summer!

Memorial Day Weekend is here! Which means *drumroll please* so is the start of the crazy summer vacation season!

If you're a vacation rental owner, what does that mean for you? It means it's crunch-time to get your property ready for your summer renters. (Are your bookings where you want them to be...?)

Here are six last-minute ways to get your vacation rental ready for the summer!   

 

1. Give your home a deep-cleaning! If you're an Island Realty rental owner, Isle Clean It is already on it for you. Our in-house housekeeping department always does a thorough cleaning, so you never have to worry about scheduling anything. Never underestimate a guest's desire to inspect every nook and cranny of your house for dirt! Make sure you're using a reputable housekeeping group like Isle Clean It to get the best possible results.

2. Spice up blank walls! Guests want to stay at vacation homes that feel like homes. Photos, paintings, or décor on the walls, even if inexpensive, can make your home feel special.

3. Check your minimum standard inventory. If you are an Island Realty owner, your owner representative will be able to go over this with you in detail. You want to have more than enough dishes, flatware, drinking glasses, towels, etc. for every guest. You wouldn't want to go on vacation and discover that you didn't have a glass to drink out of, would you?

4. Prepare for rainy days. We know, we know. We like to say that it's always sunny on Isle of Palms, too. But just in case the rain is falling one day, or someone's sunburn is a little too pink to go back on the beach, help your guests still have a great time by stocking your rental with rainy day essentials like books, board games, cards, or DVD collections. These little things can make all the difference in the world to a guest who may otherwise be bored and unhappy.

5. Replace that thing you've been meaning to replace. It's time. It's time to part with that old TV, that less-than-cozy couch, that beaten up toaster. Whatever it is that you've been thinking about replacing but putting it off, now is the time to repair it. While it may be tempting to wait until the end of the season because then "it won't just get ruined by summer renters" and you'll be flush with rental income, think about it this way: the better condition your home is in for summer renters, the more positive reviews they will leave. The more positive reviews they leave, the more people will want to stay at your home every day for the rest of the year. Give the people what they want!

6. Make a firm list of expectations for your property. Whether that means knowing how many weeks you'd like to be booked, how much rental income you'd like to make, or how many positive reviews you'd like to end the season with, having a goal in mind will make it easier for you to assess how your vacation rental performed at the end of the season. If you're an Island Realty owner, talk this information over with your owner representative. He or she always wants to know what's on your mind! If you're with another property management company or you're self managing and you're not getting the results you're hoping for, it's never too late to become and Island Realty owner. We take what you want seriously. 

 

Interested in joining the Island Realty family? Call (843) 203-0911 or email alex@islandrealty.com and let's talk!