The vacation rental industry has seen a massive boom in the last decade thanks to the popularity of platforms like Airbnb and VRBO. While Airbnb was once king, VRBO has proven that it’s here to stay, too, as travelers are savvier about looking for the best vacation rental properties for their needs. With 3 million visitors to its site every month, we can see that this platform is expanding and growing, as well as the number of rentals available. So, how do you make your property stand out among the competition? Here are five VRBO property management tips that can do the trick.
Property managers strive to ensure they can offer the best possible guest experience for each booking. This helps to ensure that guests leave positive reviews that encourage other potential guests to book those properties for their upcoming vacations. Travelers around the world rely on vacation rentals for their accommodation needs, and a bevy of good reviews is often one of the things they look at first when scoping out a potential property.
While you probably already know the basics of VRBO management, adding a few more strategies to your arsenal can help you level up your vacation rental business. Let’s look at some tips every VRBO property manager should know to offer guests an amazing vacation rental experience.
Cleanliness is always one of the top priorities for guests, so you want to make sure that you hire a top-notch cleaning service to scrub down your rental between guests. Vacation rental management hinges on good communication and efficient turnaround. You want to make sure that you contract a professional service that you know will do an excellent job on time, every time.
TIDY’s cleaning service, for example, is an asset to property owners developing their VRBO management routine. There are several flexible plans to consider that leave will your rental sparkling within your desired timeframe. A reliable cleaning service should have good communication with the property owner, as well, to make sure that things run smoothly during each service.
One of the top tips for VRBO for property managers is to remember to keep guest communication open and timely. As you know, you need to respond to booking requests or guest inquiries within 24 hours. After that, you want to make yourself reachable for any problems your guest encounters or questions they have while staying on your property.
Having clear and open communication before, during, and after their stay is another easy way to score a good review for your property, especially if you respond promptly. While it might seem unnecessary, it isn’t a bad idea to contact your guests during their stay to see how everything is going and to make sure they enjoy their time.
Making checking in and out easy for both the guest and the property management company can save everyone a lot of stress and hassle. First, you should have both the check-in and check-out times available on your listing so that guests know what to expect. It’s up to you if you want to be flexible, but having standard times clearly set out from the beginning is a good strategy for ensuring guests come and go during the expected window.
Greeting your guests and handing over the keys is a nice personal touch that can start things off on the right foot. Another option is to make things easy and set up a self-check-in service that allows guests access to the property without you being there. This adds a little extra flexibility for guests who may arrive later in the day or aren’t sure of their exact schedule.
One of the first things you learn when learning how to manage a VRBO property is to always keep track of the items inside. You already know it’s important to keep your rental stocked with all the essentials, but it’s just as important to keep track of the items that come with the property itself. Your inventory list should include the electronic devices and larger items available for guest use, as well as the condition they were in before check-in. Don’t be afraid to document everything in case discrepancies arise later, including any possible damage or theft.
Having a variety of fun or luxurious amenities available is a great way to bring in potential guests and raise your rental pricing. That’s why keeping track of these things and their condition after each guest is so important, alongside making sure you can control the costs of maintaining the rental.
Optimizing your listing is key to bringing in potential guests. When crafting your listing, list all of its amenities and .any geographical features, like proximity to the beach, mountains, or city center. Be specific about the details of your rental, like how many it sleeps, where, and how. Explain the safety features of the rental and outline that you follow all of VRBO’s best practices and regulations. As you write, make sure to add a creative title to your listing that sets you apart from the competition and stunning, detailed photos of your rental.
So, does VRBO manage your property for you? VRBO has handy tools on The Property Manager dashboard that allow you to manage your properties and keep track of bookings. While these tools are beneficial, VRBO doesn’t outright manage your properties for you. The only to do this is to hire a professional property management service or to use a software service with integrations that allow you to complete tasks, like cleaning, inventory, and communication, quickly and effectively.
Managing your vacation rental has never been easier, thanks to TIDY. TIDY offers property owners a plethora of useful tools, including professional cleaning services and intuitive software that makes it easy to get accurate pricing and manage the necessary services to keep your rental running smoothly. Let TIDY do the hard work for you so that you can focus on what matters most: your guests and their satisfaction!
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