December 17, 2006
Home Staging For Vacation Rentals
Title: Home Staging for Vacation Rentals
Author: Christine Antoinette
In the next 10 years vacation home rentals, purchases, and travel will be one of the biggest spending trends the economy has ever experienced in the industry. While the primary home buying market dwindles, new spending trends will be set, as baby boomers retire and buy vacation homes, rent vacation homes, and increase their travel.
New advertising trends in the vacation rental market will also
occur as the market changes. Where will they buy, where will
they want to travel, and where will they be spending their
vacation time? This article is about where vacationers will be
spending their time while on vacation and what advertising
trends will take place in the vacation rental market. Yes, many
will be touring the city, relaxing at the beach, or hiking up a
glorious mountain. But for the rest of their time, where will
that time be spent? What type of vacation setting will they
choose and how are you, the owner, going to stand out from the
rest when advertising your vacation property? How will you
advertise your vacation rental? How will you increase your
reservations?
As the vacation industry increases, so will your competition.
You will need to sell a vacation dream and a lifestyle these
vacationers will desire. This is where I would like to talk
about the importance of home staging for vacation rentals.
Techniquely speaking, home staging has been emphasized as an
important tool in selling a home in the past, but as the market
changes, we need to think about it more as a technique in
selling, whether it be selling a home or selling time spent in
that home by others.
One way to advertise your vacation rental is to focus on what
others will want. What are the benefits from renting a home,
condo, lodge? What lifestyle are others looking for when renting
your vacation home? What are the key activities in that area
where they will be spending the rest of the time? What would you
look for if you wanted to rent a particular vacation home? If
you can answer these questions, you're ready to set the stage. I
can't stress it enough that time and money is well spent staging
when your trying to sell a lifestyle vacationers will want to
pay for.
Here are a few helpful tips to staging and advertising a
vacation rental:
1. Make sure paint, furniture, and décor are not dated! Furniture placement, décor, and paint choices play a very important role in home staging. Who wants to rent a home or a lifestyle with out dated furniture and decor, bad paint choices with scuffs on the walls, and no sense of decorating style? Not me, and I can guarantee no one else will either. Making your vacation home desirable for your guests is not always a simple task but can pay off greatly!
2. Clean. Clean. Clean. Clean everything. Even your front door!
Make sure your vacation home shows curb appeal and pride of
ownership. Trim back trees, bushes, get rid of weeds, make sure
the front door is easily accessible. Clean away clutter from
kitchen counters and shelves, personal photos, and don't forget
to fluff your pillows.
3. Create a mood in each space or room. If it's a bathroom and
you want to portray relaxation, paint the bathroom a warm tone
or a spa green. Have a nice towel rack with plenty of fresh
towels. Hang a cotton white robe on a hook. Set candles
throughout. And make sure it shines!
5. Take photos of your dream getaway. Make sure they are of good quality and each room is very well lit.
6. Have a plan. Research costs of vacation rentals in the same area with the same amenities. Make advertising your next goal.
Pick a few quality, enriched, user friendly web sites that will
market and advertise your dream getaway to potential
vacationers.
7. Compare what's out there. Spending all your money on large
quantity vacation rental sites is not always the best option.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It could make it harder
for a vacationer to find you or to make a decision.
Just remember, if this technique has proven to work for selling
homes and increasing a home's value, then it's sure to sell time
in your vacation property and increase it's going rate
potential. http://www.seevacationrentals.com
About the author:
Christine Antoinette is the visual designer and marketing driver
for www.seevacatiorentals.com. Her related expertise and
experience ranges from high-tech to sports, entertainment, and
real estate. It is Christine Antoinette's mission to advance the
interests of SeeVacationRentals.com's stakeholders by
establishing the company as the industry leader in marketing
methodology and technology.
We hope you enjoyed this article about advertising your vacation rental. Feel free to share your comments with us.
Comments
December 19, 2006
valerie said:
I have a friend that is a retired architect from California and he and his wife built a home near the appalachian mountains on a beautiful lakeside. They winded up making this "home" into a bed and breakfast attraction and it is so beautiful I cannot describe it. The most attractive feature in the home is the huge 7 feet wide marble fireplace. In addition to this fireplace they have installed fireplaces in the 6 bedrooms of the home. This took a few years planning and building and at first they did not have the idea of a bed and breakfast until a friend of theirs mentioned to them that it looked like they could make a nice one there. Now they are making some money on this investment and they are not charging a lot either, it is only 110.00 dollars a night per couple and to me that is not a big price for such a lovely place to stay in the bed and breakfast style.