Vacation Rental Homes - Do you know what you're getting?

Vacation rental homes are an excellent alternative to traditional hotels rooms. However, unlike hotels that have brand awareness or a certain reputation for quality, vacation rentals vary widely in quality, cleanliness and location!  So there is more to it than just searching through a bunch of listings on vacation rental listing sites like VRBO.com and Vacationrentals.com.  Sifting through the massive selection of listings is a daunting task in itself, not to mention the great deal of trust you're placing on the representation of the person listing the home for rent!

There are many reasons to choose a vacation rental home over a traditional hotel room.

Space – Certainly the additional space of multiple bedrooms, a living room, and fully equipped kitchen provides a more pleasant, home-like experience while staying in your favorite vacation destination.  Most vacation rental homes are private homes owned by people just like you, and they have taken great care to furnish and equip the property to create a warm and comfortable experience.

Privacy – Staying in a vacation rental home offers more privacy then the sometimes noisy hallways of a hotel room.  Many vacation rentals are single family homes in local neighborhoods and give you the opportunity to experience life as a local.

The family experience – When traveling, a family can be defined as the traditional family of Mom, Dad and the kids, or it can be defined as a small group of friends traveling together and sharing lodging.  However you define it, sharing lodging in a larger vacation rental home pulls travelers together to share experiences as a family unit.  Whether it’s sitting down at the same table for a meal, sitting around the fireplace having some good conversation or playing cards around the kitchen table, there is something special about spending time with family and good friends in a fantastic vacation destination.

Saving Money – Of course one of the best perks of rental a vacation home is saving money!  For most families or small groups traveling together, vacation rentals can be a significant savings over traditional hotel rooms.  Other than simply “more bang for your buck” in space, location and comfort, is the savings on eating out for every meal.  The average person can spend up to $100 per day on eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  That can add up to be a small fortune for a family of 5 or 6.  Going to the local grocery store for supplies to cook a few meals in your rental home during your stay can save big! 

Now with all of that being said, should you just mindlessly sift through hundreds of vacation rentals hoping that you will negotiate the best deal or pick the best property, knowing nothing more that what you have seen on the listing?  Are you really ready to spend thousands of dollars on a place that may not be what you expected from looking at the pictures?  The answer is NO. 

Working with a professional, licensed real estate broker who specializes in vacation rentals will take away some of the unknowns.  These professionals know the local market so they can make sure that you’re paying a fair price for the property you’re renting.  If they don’t personally take care of the property, these professionals will inspect the quality of the property prior to booking it for you.  Having a local expert on your side will make your vacation experience much more enjoyable, taking away the fear of the unknown and the frustration of searching through countless properties with out-of-date calendars and unresponsive owners.  Oh, by the way, these professionals will not charge you a cent for their service as their fees are paid by the property owners who are more than happy to pay a fee for a quality guest referral to their property.

Mark Gossman is a licensed real estate broker in Breckenridge, Colorado and specializes in Breckenridge vacation rentals at www.resorttownlodging.com and can be reached by email: mark@resorttownlodging.com or by phone at 970-547-7153.