Vacation house rentals are a relatively new concept to many people in the UK and the US, though the facility is highly popular in some parts of Europe. In fact, it would be no exaggeration to say that vacation house rentals are one of the best kept secrets of the travel industry in the US. So, let us take a quick look at what these are and how you can benefit from this facility.

Vacation house rentals are nothing but homes that can be rented. Many property owners in prime tourist destinations rent out their property to tourists. These owners generally depend on a manager to rent out their properties. Sometimes, they independently put up their rentals on search engines too. Vacationers can get the relevant information by contacting realtors in the area or through the Internet. Vacation house rentals fetch home owners a neat side income. But, what’s in it for the vacationers?

Imagine staying in a fully furnished home of your liking, with all the amenities and comforts you want, located in a convenient and accessible area of your choice, priced about 25-80% below the price of a hotel room! And the best part is the fact that vacation house rentals are available in the most unlikely of places, even in beautiful nooks and unexplored crannies where you wouldn’t find hotels and resorts.

These days, vacation house rentals are available in just about every touristy part of the US, UK and Europe. Whether you want a beachfront villa or a log cabin, a condo or a penthouse, you can easily find the accommodation of choice in your dream destination. So, you get more value for your money, more space, more amenities and ultimately, more satisfaction.

Depending on your budget, you can find vacation house rentals of your choice. From one room cabins to spacious beach villas and luxury ski slope condos, the choice is amazing. You can also decide on the accommodation based on the amenities that are offered. While some vacation house rentals provide only basic amenities like a usable kitchen and living space, others are much more lavish in their offerings. You can get anything ranging from high speed internet access, spa, Jacuzzi to designer gourmet kitchen, entertainment centers and regular maid services. So, you can choose the size and amenities depending on your budget and requirements.

Vacation house rentals are let out for a number of days or a week or even for a month. Most rentals offer you good discounts when you book for longer time slabs. You can also avail of attractive discounts when you book during the off season. So, there you have it, the skinny on vacation rentals.

Most travel enthusiasts cringe at the sheer discomfort caused by cramped hotel rooms. Even reputed hotels do not offer you the expected return on your investment. Vacation house rentals, on the other hand, bring you the best of both worlds. They allow you to visit new places and enjoy new experiences while adding that much needed warmth and joy of beautiful, spacious, homely living.



Quick Property Sale

It seems as if Vacation Rentals are becoming more and more popular. With the rise of the world wide web, you are able to communicate with a vacation rental owner anywhere in the world. Years ago your only option was to visit your local travel agent and book a hotel. There were no vacation rental directories or portals in the past. Now you can surf the web for the perfect vacation rental house. No need for a travel agent as you usually negotiate directly with the owner of the property. Since vacation rentals are slowly becoming the preferred method of booking a vacation, I decided to create an article to give renters some tips about finding the perfect vacation rental.

First, let’s define what we are talking about when we say vacation rental. We call it a vacation rental when a renter rents a property directly from the owner (or representative of the owner). The property usually has it’s own kitchen, living room, bedrooms, etc. They come in many shapes and sizes including condos, single family homes, townhouses, cabins, chalets, and more. Vacation rentals are usually near resort locations and activities such as theme parks, beaches, and skiing. A hotel or motel room is not a vacation rental!

What makes vacation rentals different from hotels? The comfort is the main difference. You have all of the same luxuries that you have at home. Most vacation rentals have kitchens and most of the other amenities that you have at home, plus many have additional amenities such as hot tubs, pool tables, etc. With larger groups there is definitely a cost advantage. A 3-bedroom vacation rental usually hosts more visitors than 3 hotel rooms. Make sure to keep this in mind if you do any cost analysis. Also make sure to include meal savings in your analysis since you may not dine out as often in comparison to a hotel vacation. These items alone could be substantial savings.

Imagine this scenario: Yourself and two other families pay a visit to a popular tourist destination. Your touring of the destination is complete for the day at about 3 pm. From 4pm – 6pm you dine together. It’s now 6pm with still some time remaining in the day. If you have a hotel, what do you plan to do? You can waste all of your money at numerous tourist traps (activities such as spending $3, to try to throw a ball into a bucket or $2 to throw a plastic ring around a bottle). With a vacation rental there is no need for that stuff! You can have family game night sitting in a nice comfortable home or take advatage of all the other amenities your rental has to offer. This is why it is important to learn about the amenities of the rental before you enter into a contract. As stated earlier some have hot tubs, pool tables, movies and many other activities.

Tips for Renters:

1. Bookmark as many “vacation Rental” websites as possible. This way when you are searching for a rental, you have all of the portal sites at your fingertips.

2. Always make sure to find out what items are provided and what is not provided by the owner. For example, in some rentals you may need to supply your own linens. It would be unfortunate to show up with no towels/sheets, etc.

3. Always book early. Many of the popular destinations get filled quickly.

4. Check for references if possible. The exception to this rule is if the owner is just starting out.

5. If you enjoyed your trip, try to negotiate a better price for next year. The owner would probably love to start filling his/her calendar for next year.

6. Make sure you have the owner’s contact information with you while on the trip. If there is an emergency, you may need to call.

7. Read the fine print and make sure to read all fine print on any leases or documentation that you are asked to sign. Also, read any fine print on the vacation rental web listing.

8. If you’re trying to save some money, scroll to the bottom of the list. Many vacation rental portal sites have hundreds of listings. Many times, the listings at the bottom of the list are just as good as those at the beginning. The listings at the bottom don’t get as many page views so you may find some better prices and some owner’s looking to fill a quick vacancy.

9. Make sure you ask any questions you may have before making a reservation. Questions about the amenities, pets, smoking/non smoking, handy capped accessibility, and cribs for children are some questions that come to mind.

10. Lastly, have fun on your vacation and please respect the owner’s property and follow all of his/her rules and regulations. Please remember this is someone’s personal property that you are renting.

About the author:

The author is in the business of assisting vacation rental owners in promoting their rental properties. He designed and owns the following vacation rental websites: Jersey Shore Rentals, Beach House Rentals, and Destin Vacation Rentals.



Quick Property Sale

How long do you have to live in a property without paying rent until it is officially yours? My friend has been living in a cottage for approx 8 yrs now and she has done it up etc as it was a mess. The guy who owns it on some country side asked them to move in so it wasn’t left on its own. Thanks

Rent Back

When you want to sell something, it is important that your product will reach the ears of the prospective buyer. Otherwise, you would be waiting for the sale in vain. How can you sell if you have no buyer? And how can you have a buyer if you do not get enough exposure for your product. This principle applies even if you are an individual who want to sell a private property. Even if you are not born a businessman but need to sell house privately for some reasons, you need to employ advertisement of the private property sales.

 

To sell house privately needs advertisement just as you would sell any other item. In fact, private property sales needs intensive advertisement since not all have the capacity to buy property nor have the interest in buying the property at hand. With exposure, you will surely find a buy from different places in the country or just within the locality. 

 

Since the private property sales are usually done by owners of the house, a website who caters to one-time advertisement in necessary. Fortunately, there is an online site that caters to this need. One such company is The Big Move Online. This online company provides customized advertisement for property owners who want to sell house privately.  This is done by simply requiring the owner to create an account for the advertisement. The owner can make the house description and upload the photos of the private property sales. After which, The Big Move Online will be the one to advertise the said properties to different websites. Depending on the rate paid, the exposure can be too wide that you will have enough buyers calling your home or visiting your account in The Big Move Online for inquiries or possible purchase. 

 

When you utilize The Big Move Online services to expose your private property sales, you will have the following benefits:

 



Your property will be exposed to nearly 200 hundred websites. Surfers and consumers who are looking for properties for sale can come across your property and buy it accordingly. This means sales for you.



 



When you sell house privately through the advertisement of The Big Move Online, you will save from sales agent commission. You will be required only a minimal fee and then you will already get enough promotion on your private property sales. Instead of the sales agent doing the sales pitches for you, your property sales will simply be known and you will have sales from buyers. There would be no need of middlemen who may require expensive commissions.



 



Utilizing The Big Move Online to sell house privately will have full control on the data that you want the buyers to know. It fully provides customized advertisement that you have full control on the description and the photos that you upload on your account.



 



Because you only spend minimal amount on marketing cost, you can offer the private property sales at more affordable price. The sales agent commission will be slashed down, leaving you room for more markup or lowered price.



 



Finally, The Big Move Online exposes your house for sale in the Internet. This means higher level of exposure, as we all know that people are now looking into the Internet for resources and information. When the Internet is utilized, there are many possible prospects that will be interested in the private property sales.



 

Given these benefits, The Big Move Online could help you successfully sell house privately. 



Real Estate Professionals

We put down the deposit with intention to buy the home during the 3 month lease. After finding out we couldn’t get financing, we decided not to rent a home that was on the market. Nothing was signed and we had the impression that the money was toward the deposit, not to hold the home from being leased. The agency says that we made a verbal agreement and they are keeping the money. Is this legal?

Real Estate Professionals

Two years ago, thousands of people rushed to get a piece of the booming housing market. Mortgages were easy to get, even for buyers with little or no credit. Once interest rates shifted however, buyers who received sub prime mortgages were no longer able to make their monthly payments. Now the housing market is being flooded with foreclosures.

Lenders have learned their lesson, and are much stricter with their lending policies. Now, many people who would like to enter the housing market are unable to obtain sufficient financing. This has led to a serious drought in the buyers’ pool.

There are also many people who were considering buying a home, but have now been scared off by the rate of foreclosures. With buyers hesitant to make a purchase, sellers are having a tough time unloading their homes.

This stalled housing market has led to a substantial rise in the rental market.

Buyers who are unable to secure financing must face the reality that they can’t purchase a home at this time. These folks need to sit tight in a rental unit while they work on building their credit rating, and save money for a down payment. Experts are saying that the housing market will bounce back within a year or two, so potential buyers should focus on improving their credit and financial situation until things shift.

Buyers who are eligible for home loans are also finding this a good time to take a step back until the housing market is on steadier ground. Young urban professionals Cheryl 28, and Raoul, 34, already have enough money in the bank for a down payment. Their credit is good, and both have steady incomes. They have decided to rent until interest rates go down. Says Cheryl, “With all the doom and gloom you see about real estate these days, we figured it’d be a good idea to just wait a year or two. We want a home, definitely, but we don’t want to pay through the nose. We can save money for now by renting, so that’s what we’ll do until the market changes.”

Many owners who have lost their homes to foreclosure are now heading into the renting world. Their credit has been badly damaged, and they don’t have enough money to buy a new home. Without a suitable rental unit, many of these people would end up on the streets. They have no choice but to take a rental while they rebuild their financial security.

This foreclosure situation is the main reason that the cities that were booming in 2005 are now becoming rental hot spots. Places like Miami, where buyers flocked to scoop up the great housing deals, now find themselves in trouble. Foreclosures are most rampant in these cities, and the housing market has stalled completely. In these areas, where demand is high, there has been a substantial increase in rental rates. In other areas of the country, where new construction has led to an increase in available units, rents are decreasing slightly in order for landlords to remain competitive.

Consider riding out the housing market turmoil by renting. You can find a beautiful property to suit your family’s needs, while saving money and building your credit at the same time.



Quick Property Sale

Does anyone know the name of any websites i could go on to rent properties, without involving estate agents?

Quick House Sale

Moving into a new home or apartment is a very fun and exciting time. But, it can also be exhausting when you think of all the tasks you have ahead of you. The one that can be the most daunting or thrilling is the thought of home decor. If you’re good at decorating, you’re probably looking forward to this task. But, if you’re a decorating novice, you might want to think about hiring a professional.

Doing your home decor yourself is a way to let your personality shine through to all that visit your place. You will have to make many decisions that encompass theme, colors, furniture, drapes and so on. It may seem like this task will never be completed, but you will notice things coming together after a couple days.

You should start your decorating as soon as you move in and before you unpack all of your stuff. This will enable you to paint all the rooms without having to move all of the furniture around. So, decide on paint colors as quickly as possible so you can, hopefully, get it done before moving day even arrives.

The next step you’ll want to get done in your home decor is the furniture and the drapes. You will want to match both to your paint, so choose accordingly. If you find yourself getting lost and not knowing what would look good with what, consider hiring a professional to help you out. This does not mean that your home would no longer match your individual taste or style. Instead, the decorator would take the time to find out the look you’re going for and will learn your likes and dislikes.

So, your new place will still represent you to the fullest, you just won’t have to do any of the dirty work!



Sell and Rent Back

Home renovation has become quite the trend nowadays. It is not like the time when renovation was looked upon as big a headache as buying new property and moving to a different city. This creates a problem. For those property owners who are not in the property business it can be tricky to find the right building contractor to work with. Quite often the only way to choose one is to ask around for a recommendation. Even then it is possible that things make not work out as smoothly as you wish. So how are you to avoid a situation like that? Here are some suggestions that should help.

First off you should have a list of around 3 to 5 contractors handy. Do not go with one. Get as many recommendations as you can. Collect quotes from every one and compare their prices against the services and their past record. All of them should be charging somewhere close to the going market rate for the job. If someone is charging way too low then expect corner cutting and a rush job. Similarly if someone charges way too high, then you are obviously being had. A good contractor will stick to the market prices and not demand unreasonable sums.

If you are going in for a minimal renovation then make sure you do not enter into a verbal agreement. It often happens that small projects are never put to paper and this leads to arguments later on. Always get the contract on paper and signed by both parties. Verbal agreements are worthless. Make sure you understand the contract yourself and that it covers everything you want done.

Another important thing is to speak to former clients of the contractors and get their feedback as to the performance during work and how much customer satisfaction the contractor gives. By speaking to others and listening to their experience with a contractor you will be able to choose the right one. If possible you should visit some of the locations where the contractor has worked recently so that you can see the quality of their work for real instead of through pictures.

An important thing that people often overlook is to actually check the references offered. Quite often the bottom line for their decision is the cost and not the reputation of the builder. Do not engage anyone who cannot show references unless you know them personally and when references are offered call them up and either speak to them or better still try and meet them and look at the work done in their home. This is a very critical component of choosing a contractor and you should not skip or avoid it. When you are checking references you must enquire about things like quality, time taken, schedules met or missed, builder’s attitude, budget control, and so on.

Another thing to check is the builder’s credentials. Not all states require a builder to be licensed. Reference checking becomes even more important in those states. In the others you must make sure the builder is licensed for the work to be done. Also check the builder on the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been any complaints.



Passive Income

If your property has a high value

It is often difficult to get properties of a high value to work with sale and rent back. A high value in this case is difficult to quantify due to the differences in property prices nationwide but anything over about GBP 250K outside of London may not work as a rent back.

This is due to the fact that the monthly rent for higher valued properties is often low compared to the properties price. This means that the rent back company would not be able to receive enough rent to cover the financing required to buy such an expensive house. Therefore, the only option for the rent back company would be to buy the property at a lower price so that the rent covered the cost in buying it.

This is very mush dependant on the area you live in so please contact the rent back company to discuss. Once again, you should never pay them anything upfront so any advice they give is free and without obligation. It is therefore always worth asking questions.

If you plan to use Housing Benefit to pay your rent

If you sell your property and receive a cash lump sum as a result of this sale, any housing benefit you were previously entitled to may be reduced or taken away altogether. As far as the council are concerned, they will not keep paying the rent if that person has a lot of money in the bank. Different councils have different rules on this so you need to check before you do the deal if you plan to claim housing benefit after you sell and rent back. For example, some councils have a higher threshold than others (i.e. some will reduce housing benefit for any savings over GBP 8,000, some will be higher and some lower).

Some councils also stipulate that previous house owners are not entitled to claim Housing Benefit for a property they have owned in the past 5 years. This could leave you unable to pay your rent and in danger of being asked to vacate your property. Councils will often waive this rule if you are in danger of repossession and can prove you had no choice but to sell your home. However, once again it is important you check this before entering any agreement. A good sale and rent back specialist will be able to help you in this as it is in their interest to know their future tenant will be able to pay the rent.



Repossession