So… you have made the decision to rent out your home as a vacation rental property.
Congratulations! This is exciting! You are about to embark on an exciting journey and I am proud to guide you through this whacky process.
I am also here to provide you with the guidance you need to make this the best experience it can be. Your home is a special place, no doubt about that, and it is normal to feel a teeny bit controlling around how it should be treated. However, different people treat their homes in different ways. It sucks, but it’s true. Meaning, when you open your home up to vacation renters, you are unfortunately opening up your home up to those who may have a different idea of what being respectful to a home is. Many people even have a different definition of the words clean, quiet, and self-aware too. I know this is a scary thought, but don’t fully panic quite yet! Take three deep breaths. We are in this together!
There are ways to make sure your home stays in the best condition it can as different types of people stay there. The first thing you can do to protect your things is remove anything of high value from your home before we officially market it as a rental. Your great, great grandmother’s china, for example, would definitely be safer somewhere else (even if it does look perfect on the mantle). Also, antiques or irreplaceable items should definitely be stashed away somewhere safe. If you are furnishing your property for renting, aim for sturdy, functional pieces that can be easily cleaned. I know it can be hard when you’ve found the perfect antique end table that goes great with the leather couch that is already there, but as long as you are ready to accept that someone might leave a water ring (despite the coasters we leave out) then you may want to reconsider it or maybe find a cover for it. I also recommend using slipcovers that can be removed and replaced to lengthen the life of your furniture as well.
If you are pet friendly, I also suggest preparing for possible nail scratches on certain floor types or even window sills if a dog happens to jump up at a passerby. I mean, if people have different levels of what “respect” means then you best bet they also have different ideas of what a “well trained dog” is as well. Your little dog, Buddy, might sit, stay and roll over on command, but John’s Labrador, Skip, is more likely to bust from room to room out of excitement, barking at everyone who walks by with John acting none the wiser.
You do not have to relinquish all control around your property, but it is important that you understand that people come in all types and styles. You are still in charge, do not fear. I am here to help prepare you for the inevitable wear and tear, while comforting you with the fact that nothing truly detrimental that we cannot correct will occur in your home while it is being occupied by renters. The sooner we can get to a place where we accept that people will live differently than you in your home, train and treat their pets differently, and frankly, might just be your polar opposite, the more peaceful the season will be. Take one more deep breath with me… everything is ok. Don’t worry. We’ve got this!
As a client of InsideOut Properties of Cape Cod, we take care of your items as if they were our own including security deposits and state of the art digital house manuals with detailed instructions. Want more ideas? Call us today at 940-600-8015!
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