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Troy McCasland's Top 10 Ways to Get More Rentals

By Troy McCasland
Published: 07/28/08 Topics: Comments: 0

With over 14 years experience marketing vacation rentals, and countless success, the team at Rental Avenue has formulated some fool proof tips to help vacation rental owners and managers increase their market share and successfully reach out to their customers. Troy McCasland, president of Rental A Read more

The Care & Feeding of Xenophobia.

By William May
Published: 01/20/08 Topics: Comments: 0

The adverse reactions to Vacation Rentals continue. For example on January 1st, 2008 the island of Maui in Hawaii just outlawed 1,100 rentals. And now the island of Kauai is going to followed suit. Interestingly, the reasons for vacation rental prohibitions or restrictions in each jurisdiction are Read more

Puttin' On the Ritz - Luxury Vacation Rentals Are Hot & Here's Why

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 08/20/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Not all vacation rentals are cozy vacation homes. Some are grand estates that celebrities have been enjoying for years. But whether the rental is a cabin nestled in the woods or a mansion overlooking the sea, vacation rentals are one of the best and least expensive forms of lodging available to trav Read more

So Easy a Caveman Can Do It - How To Write Great Marketing Material

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 08/13/07 Topics: Comments: 0

I'm sure you recognize the ad campaign that the title of this piece is referring to. It is so effective that not only has it won many awards, it has spun off into a TV series for this fall. Now that's a great marketing job! Whether you are an insurance company or a vacation rental you want to do t Read more

Write Now - Email the Leading Travel Magazines

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 08/06/07 Topics: Comments: 0

One of the most important jobs that an owner can do is market his/her property. To be a success, people need to know where your rental is located and why it is special. One of the easiest and least expensive ways to advertise your property is through issuing press releases. Sent to the right pl Read more

American Beauties - Great Website Designs

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 07/31/07 Topics: Comments: 0

One of the questions we often are asked by owners here at VROA is: What constitutes good website design? Take a moment and review some of these properties that Travel and Leisure Magazine consider outstanding in the hospitality industry. Their sites are a great place to learn how to design an effe Read more

Seven Staff Styles - Understanding Your Employees

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 07/23/07 Topics: Comments: 0

There's no way around the fact that the vacation rental business means working with people each and every day. And each and every person you will deal with has their own unique work personality. So whether you're interacting with your staff or a new vendor, you can make your workday easier by und Read more

Landing Success: Improving Your Web Marketing

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 07/16/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Many successful owners extend their marketing outreach by writing short internet travel stories about their area. These often include a hot link or URL address that takes readers to a landing o jump page. What, I can hear you asking, is a landing or jump page? Read more

Changing NIMBY to "Welcome Aboard"

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 07/12/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Sooner or later every vacation rental owners encounters NIMBYism (or Not in My Back Yard syndrome). It might be voiced by a county commission or by a local neighbor. But no matter its source, you must address the issue - in advance if possible. Here are some of the things you can do to silence th Read more

Fighting NIMBYism or the "Not in My Backyard" Syndrome

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 06/28/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Vacation rental owners sometimes encounter attempts to ban or limit rentals in their area. Various so called 'reasons' are often presented to local officials to justify limiting rentals. Let's look at some of the most common complaints and see if they are actually based in reality. Statement: V Read more

Why Higher Gas Prices Can Actually be GOOD for Your Vacation Rental

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 06/22/07 Topics: Comments: 0

The rising sticker shock for gas is causing many Americans to alter how they spend their vacation dollars. And those changing vacation decisions can benefit your vacation rental. Let me explain how. Once 83% of we got in the family car and drove an average of 300 plus miles to see relatives and e Read more

What Makes Vacation Rentals Unique

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 06/11/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Vacation Rentals are the newest member of the hospitality industry. Here are some of the ways that vacation rentals offer an attractive alternative to traditional lodging. LOTS OF ROOM - One of the biggest differences between a vacation rental and almost all other forms of lodging is the space ava Read more

Vacation Rentals: Something Knew

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 05/07/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Vacation Rentals are the newest member of the hospitality industry and it's important for guests to know what makes vacation rentals so unique. Unless we articulate clearly what makes a vacation rental (or VR) so special, we will be confused with other lodging formats in the industry. Here are som Read more

Does Your Property Have IT?

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 04/16/07 Topics: Comments: 0

In the 1920's when someone asked if an individual had IT, they were using the code that Hollywood invented to describe sex appeal. Today, IT refers not to a lovely lady, but to the most wonderful invention of our time - Information Technology. Go down any street in even a small town Read more

Terms of Engagement

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 04/11/07 Topics: Comments: 0

One question we are often asked is: Do I need to use a rental contract when I have guests? And the answers is: YES! YES!! YES!!! You MUST have a signed contract for your protection and the guests. Let me explain why. First, having a vacation rental business is just that - a Read more

The Graceful Art of Dealing with Difficult Guests

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 04/02/07 Topics: Comments: 0

In this imperfect world there is no way to satisfy each and every guest. Try as hard as you might to be the perfect host, the nature of life is such that given the moods of guests, their own unique backgrounds and the way things work (or don't), you cannot avoid having to deal with the unhappy Read more

Going My Way

By Ana M. Kinkaid
Published: 03/08/07 Topics: Comments: 0

Writing accurate directions to your property is a vital first step to insuring successful guest stays. This seems basic, but sadly, it is often overlooked by the busy vacation home owner. First impressions, as the old saying goes, do matter. And you want that initial experience to be a positive Read more

A Long Hard Winter

By William May
Published: 05/06/06 Topics: Comments: 0

Even if you don't operate in a ski resort area, it has been a long winter. VROA continues to handle inquiries and assistance for rental owners all over the US and even some other countries. Before we gloat over progress its time to wail over other matters. Some of you have noticed the newsletters Read more

Guests Go Godzilla When Owners Cancel Bookings

By William May
Published: 03/11/06 Topics: Comments: 0

Going on vacation is a big treat for most travelers. They plan ahead, organize family and friends, often pool their money and splurge on a big adventure. So when an owner cancels their stay, all hell breaks loose. Read more

Is it Too Late to Invest in a Vacation Rental?

By William May
Published: 08/10/05 Topics: Comments: 0

Are vacation rentals the espresso stands of the future? Over thirty years ago a couple of Seattle entrepreneurs started a little shop in Washington State to make and sell the kind of rich and potent coffee - common in Europe - that they couldn't find in their home town. More than a decade later, an Read more

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