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Six Tips for Creating More Cash From Your Rental

By William May
Published: 03/08/04 Topics: Comments: 0

Sorry if that headline sounds like a get rich quick scheme. Owning a rental is too much work for that. Most weeks I cover a single topic that owners have been asking about. But today let me catch up on a number of small but equally important tips Vacation Home Owners will want to know. Its kind of a Read more

Using Guest Checklists

By William May
Published: 02/09/04 Topics: Comments: 0

Promises, promises, promises. I wanted to get back to the website strategy topic I promised a couple of weeks ago but another Owner question has come up and I wanted to pass on some suggestions on that. We'll get Part two of web strategies published in a future issue. (Hey, I'm a volunteer!) GUEST Read more

Website Strategy, Part One

By William May
Published: 01/19/04 Topics: Comments: 0

Whether you are self managed or use a property management firm you gotta have a website if you want to maximize income. In recent weeks I've been getting lots of questions about website strategy. For Example: David White from Rock Creek Cabins (www.RockCreekCabins.com) asked, Sometime in the Read more

dis n dat for 2004

By William May
Published: 01/12/04 Topics: Comments: 0

I just can't help myself from breaking into 'pigeon; after a month in Hawaii. But now we're back to the grind stone and hard at it. Actually we put the nose to that grind stone while in Hawaii but it always seems easier there. As we begin the new year I thought I'd give you a run down on some Read more

Lau Lau for Christmas Dinner

By William May
Published: 12/22/03 Topics: Comments: 0

It was six years ago on Christmas day. My then eight year old son and I were snorkeling about 40 yards off shore at Poipu Beach Kauai. Having taken weekly swimming lessons since he was just 9 months old Taylor felt safe swimming with me out and around a point in hopes of seeing one of the endangered Read more

Christmas in Hawaii

By William May
Published: 12/15/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Mele Kalikimaka Haouli Makahiki Hou (Merry Christmas Happy New Year from Hawaii). There are many wonderful reasons for owning a vacation home. But my favorite is the way ownership allows people to make another place home. And I don't mean just a nice place to eat and sleep. Instead, if you are Read more

The Art of Getting Your Email Read

By William May
Published: 12/01/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Almost everyone loves email but spam makes it difficult for legitimate messages to get noticed. Users scan dozens if not hundreds of emails every day without much of a glance. There are some tried and true rules you can adopt to make sure your important message doesn't get tossed in the can. Almost Read more

All about Guest Terms & Conditions

By William May
Published: 11/24/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Writing and enforcing firm but fair;Terms ; Conditions enhances Guest enjoyment and allows for the operation of your rental home that is safe and secure. If you haven't already put it on your list today to spell out your rules, include them with Guest confirmations and post them on y Read more

Making Guest Agreements Enforceable

By William May
Published: 11/10/03 Topics: Comments: 0

If you have a problem with a guest, is your guest agreement enforceable in court? If they don't pay. or cause damage. or disturb neighbors can you take immediate and effective action? If you are a long time rental owner, property managers or have owned or managed a business this week's column may se Read more

Are You Paying Enough Tax?

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

If you think the law is supposed to be based on logic and reason you may be sadly mistaken. In many jurisdictions the rules, regulations and laws affecting your right to rent out your abode are illogical, unreasonable and sometimes downright stupid. And if you don't know the ropes you could get hung Read more

Getting Ready for Winter - Part Two

By William May
Published: 10/20/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Last week we talked about those pesky little tasks every owner needs to do to get their Vacation home ready for winter guests. This week, let's focus on the needs of vacation spots in colder climes. WATER PIPES: There are just two ways to manage water pipes in cold climates. If your homes is frequent Read more

Getting Ready for Winter - Part One

By William May
Published: 10/13/03 Topics: Comments: 0

I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but it is now time to get your vacation rental home spruced up for Winter visitors. Those of you in the tropics are saying, Hey nothing changes here in winter. But if you look at my little checklist you'll find some things every vacation homeowner we Read more

The Joy & Sorrow of Housekeeping

By William May
Published: 10/06/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Whether you own a villa on the Mediterranean, a hut in Phuket Thailand or something in between; whether you have fabulous amenities or the bare necessities, guests will judge your rental home primarily by its cleanliness. Surprising but true. OK as a man I admit I don't get excited about housekeep Read more

Self Management - the Pros and Cons

By William May
Published: 09/22/03 Topics: Comments: 0

The Internet has made it possible for more owners to manage their own vacation rental home, bypassing the traditional property management and booking companies. Is this a good idea for you? Maybe and maybe not. The decision is not as cut and dried as you might think. Last week Amy - a member from M Read more

How to use the world's best sales tool

By William May
Published: 09/15/03 Topics: Comments: 0

The fear strikes everyone - owner and property manager alike. No one wants to pick up the telephone to sell people things. If that's how you feel, I'd like to give you some tips that will not only make it easier, but will actually make it fun. Pure enjoyment, really. Last week's newsletter harped o Read more

Building rents is as easy as answering the phone

By William May
Published: 09/08/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Would you like your revenue to go up 10 to 50% overnight? And do that with no increase in costs? No - this is not an ad for some get rich quick scheme. But let me tell you about an informal survey we just completed and how the results reveal exactly how you can bank rental increases like the one I'm Read more

Beware of Jealous Neighbors

By William May
Published: 09/01/03 Topics: Comments: 0

If you own a vacation home and primary residence you are no longer one of the privileged few. Second home ownership is growing by leaps and bounds in most geographic regions. Home values are rising much faster than inflation. Owners and Guests are anxious to escape the city, kick back and relax in t Read more

The Joy of Vacation Rental-ing

By William May
Published: 08/25/03 Topics: Comments: 0

If you think the newsletter is late this week -you are right. Because this week I sampled the joys of staying in someone else's vacation rental home. I'm actually supposed to still be on vacation but just had to drop a line to all the nice VROA folks I'm hearing from. BACK TO THE BEACH. So I Read more

Those Guests from Hell - Part 2

By William May
Published: 08/18/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Last issue you were introduced to some of those Guests from Hell You know, the ones who pay too little and ask too much and then decide to fight it out with you over the most trivial of situations that are none of your making. I won't bore you again this week with the reasons that cau Read more

Those Guests from Hell - Part 1

By William May
Published: 08/11/03 Topics: Comments: 0

Most owners and managers work hard to make their vacation rental homes great places to stay. But it seems no matter how perfect your place there will always be a small percentage of guests who find fault with it. Sometimes those complaints are legitimate and usually of a minor nature. In many case Read more

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