Turning your home into a vacation rental can seem overwhelming at first, but it doesn’t have to be. This is a process that you can really enjoy and have fun with! I’ve set up homes as vacation rentals dozens and dozens of times, both for my clients’ properties and my own homes. I understand what is involved and required in every aspect, from assuring that the property complies with the rules and regulations of the government authorities to making sure it has all the essentials that most guests need to have. In my dedication to ensuring that my clients continue to be successful with their vacation rentals, I often find myself in the role of a “Vacation Rental Consultant,” usually relating to government agency and code compliance, quality assurance, and ongoing property maintenance required to meet the current industry standards.
With that in mind, it’s important to start with the basics when deciding to offer your home as a vacation home to travelers. In this article, I’ll give you the five most important steps you need to follow to ensure your vacation rental’s success. As you read this, I suggest you remember that your home is in a unique town or city, that this article is a general guide, and that it’s critical that you become aware of your sentiments and rules. local community and regulations on short-term rentals. Always remember that your home is a private property, not a hotel, and preparing your home and managing it as a tourist resort should be done carefully and carefully.
1—Laws, Regulations, Rules, and Regulations
The very first thing you need to do is educate yourself about the laws, ordinances, and regulations of your local city, county, and state regarding listing your home as a vacation rental in your unique neighborhood. Please don’t assume that it is your property and that you can do whatever you want with it. And please don’t put a lot of effort and expense into setting up your home as a tourist rental until you rule out the possibility that there are laws preventing you from doing so. Many local and state governments have clear rules that if you rent out your home as a vacation rental, you are running a business, and you will probably need city, county, and/or state permits.
A quick search of the vacation rental news shows that as short-term rentals become more popular, many communities have licencing restrictions and very specific rules and regulations regarding short-term rentals to tourists. Call your local municipality or city government and go to the appropriate licencing department that can answer your specific questions. Find out what specific permits and/or tax numbers you need to legally rent out your home and get them. I strongly recommend that you seek the assistance of an established, licenced local rental company who can properly assist you in understanding and complying with the licencing and tax requirements required in your community.
2-YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR NEIGHBORS
Now that you’ve established that it is legal to rent your home as a vacation rental and you’ve obtained the proper permits and tax numbers, it’s time to think about the neighbourhood where your rental home is located. This may seem silly, and many people are glossing over this important step, but trust me, you can save huge headaches and hassles with neighbours by proactively tackling this issue. Nearly every news article you read about communities resisting or trying to restrict vacation rentals points to the same problems with neighbors: rowdy tourists throwing loud parties; tourists taking parking lots from local residents; and tourists careless with their trash.
In all my years in the vacation rental business, I’ve seen several neighbour disputes involving law enforcement, the police, and even expensive lawsuits. Most of these problems could have been avoided with common sense and consideration. Find out who your neighbours are, and do your best to communicate with them and determine if they will resist renting your home to tourists.
Once you start renting out your home to vacationers, you must commit to being selective about who you rent your home to. It’s important to talk to them and determine if they’re a “good fit” for your neighborhood. Ask them directly what they plan to do while renting your home for their vacation. For example, if you discover that a potential guest is planning to rent your home for a wedding or birthday party, think about the impact on your neighbours and whether they’re okay with it. Some of the properties I manage are in neighbourhoods that only tolerate very quiet couples. Others are set up to accept larger groups, and the neighbours are clear about this and understand the rules. Know your neighbourhood and create your own ‘House Rules‘ that your tourist tenants must adhere to.
The biggest complaint most neighbours who live next door to vacation homes have is noise. Some neighbours are more “noise sensitive” than others, and you should know if your neighbour is going to call the police every time a group of holidaymakers sit around the pool and listen to music. Give neighbours who live next door to your rental home your phone number and ask them to call you immediately if there is noise pollution. And if there is a problem, call the guests and ask them to calm down. Since you are renting out your home to tourists, it is your responsibility to ensure that the guests you bring to your rental home are respectful of the local neighborhood.
3-YOUR HOME FURNISHED AS A HOLIDAY HOME
Decorating your home can be a chore if you’ve never done it before. Below is a very detailed list of basic home furnishing items that you should provide. This includes suggestions for bed configurations, kitchen supplies, soft goods, and household items. Your guests will be looking for the basic comfort that most of us look for in our daily lives.
Enjoy furnishing your home for tourists and strive for a balance between being nice and being frugal. If you’re aiming to attract a “higher” clientele, add some nice touches and things you’d appreciate being “a guest in your own home.” You don’t have to buy all the new items, but please don’t use clutter or your house will start to look like an unattractive garage sale. Add some interesting artwork, wall mirrors, artificial plants, and some nice trinkets—be careful not to overdo it or it could look messy. Some personal photos (a photo with your friends or family members) are fun to put on shelves; it reminds guests that they are in someone’s home and not a hotel.
Layout of suggested bed sizes
Your holiday home must be practical and ‘user-friendly’ as well as beautiful to look at. I have found the following general layout to meet the requirements of most guests: As a general rule, don’t put too many extra beds in a bedroom; you don’t want to send the message ‘the more the better’. If your home has an office or study, adding a desk or furnishing an office is a great feature.
Try to turn the “nicest” bedroom into the master bedroom. The most beautiful bedroom is usually determined by its view and features—such as an en-suite bathroom, private terrace, French doors leading to the pool or veranda—or it could simply be the largest bedroom if the property has no other unique features. offers. If your property has more than one bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and/or a view, then you are lucky to have a property that can be sold with more than one master bedroom or suite, which is a fantastic property. So couples travelling together don’t have to ‘flip’ for the best bedroom!