Whether you’re a long-time owner looking for a different policy or a newbie shopping for your first, these are the most important things to know about vacation rental policies.

What You Need to Know About Vacation Rental Insurance

Not all vacation rental policies are created equal

Every vacation rental insurance policy is different. That’s why you need to shop around to find the perfect one for your property. Take your time researching companies and coverage options until you’re sure you’ve found the perfect fit.

Generally insurance policies will vary by:

• Whether you own a house, condo, apartment, villa, etc.
• How often it is rented out
• What level of coverage you need

And of course, it’s important to consider price, because overpaying for a rental insurance policy can seriously cut into your profits. So make sure not to buy excessive coverage because insurance agents might try to sell you more than you need.

What vacation rental insurance covers

When weighing your policy options, there are three main things to keep in mind:

1. Liability: How the policy protects your guests
2. Property and belongings: What kind and extent of damage is covered
3. Rental income: How your income is guaranteed under extenuating circumstance

If a guest gets hurt on your property, what happens? Will you be protected? The right rental insurance policy should cover legal fees and liabilities that follow if a guest gets hurt on your property.

If a guest damages your house or belongings, a good rental insurance policy will cover replacement or repair. If the damage is extensive, you could potentially lose income so it’s best to choose a policy that will cover most of your income while repairs are being made.

Platform policies versus rental insurance

If you’re new to owning a vacation rental property, you might think that the insurance you get through platforms like Airbnb and VRBO are enough to protect your house. But actually, these platforms only offer primary liability policies. That means things like intentional damage, defamation, and assorted property issues are not included in the coverage!

Simply put, platform policies are not enough–you need real vacation rental insurance.

Vacation Rental Insurance–The Smart Move

Every vacation rental property owner needs a good insurance policy to protect themselves and their guests. Take your time and do the research before you commit to a policy. They are all unique, and it may take some shopping around to find the perfect fit for your property. But if something ever happens to your house or your guests, you’ll be so happy that you put in the work now.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out us!

MountainTown VRM: Vacation Rental Management, serving Missoula, MT and surrounding areas.

MountainTown VRM

110 E. Broadway, St 203

Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 369-3080

www.mountaintownvrm.com

Here’s how to style your vacation rental property to stand out from the crowd and please your guests.

Style Tips for Vacation Rentals

Durability Matters

When furniture is past its prime, it can be noisy, clunky, and just plain uncomfortable. And if it looks old and beat up, it can seem dirty or unhygienic, even if it’s completely clean! If you’re looking for repeat bookings and good reviews, you don’t want your guests thinking of your property as dirty and uncomfortable.

The best way to avoid this is by choosing durable furniture that was built to last. Choose strong materials like hardwoods and metals in sturdy designs that can stand up against wear and tear. If you invest in your furniture pieces now, they’ll last for years and years.

Crowd Pleasers, Please

Some rental homes cater to a very specific niche of people with strong aesthetic preferences. But the fact is that if you want to get the most bookings possible for your rental property, you need to have crowd pleasing decor that will appeal to a large number of people.

That means sticking to classic styles and designs, along with muted or neutral color palettes. Your goal is to provide a relaxing respite for your guests. They’re on vacation and want to relax in a beautiful setting, so opt for colors and styles that are attractive and unobtrusive.

Keep It Local

When decorating your rental property, it’s also important to consider the city, town, or state it’s located in. Renters may expect rentals in certain areas to have related decor themes. For instance, renters in Florida might expect a beachy decor theme, while people visiting the Poconos might be looking for a rustic and cozy vibe.

The Devil Is In The Details

The biggest mistake property owners make when decorating their vacation rentals is not paying attention to the details! It’s the little things that make the biggest difference. If you take the time to fully furnish the entire property, you’ll make a big impact on your guests.

Sometimes, it’s hard to put your finger on exactly what is missing from a room. Here’s a quick list of things to make sure to include in your rental property:

• Rugs for hardwood floors
• Art in every room
• Curtains, shades, or blinds on every window
• Books on the bookshelves
• Knickknacks and baubles on shelves and mantles for extra pizazz
• Somewhere for shoes and coats near the entrance.

Let There Be Light!

Lighting can make a huge difference in your vacation property’s appearance and comfort-level. You might think that your overhead lighting is sufficient, but it might not be! You should add lamps on tables near seating or next to beds so guests can have lighting to read or socialize by. Soft lighting can also help set a mellow mood for your guests who want to relax.

It’s also important to have good lighting in the kitchen and bathroom. Guests will want to be able to see what they’re doing while chopping with knives and cooking in the kitchen. And people who get ready in the bathroom will appreciate the extra light too.

Need Help With Your Vacation Property?

If you need help styling and managing your rental property, give us a call today! We can help boost your bookings and decrease your workload.

How to Get Airbnb Superhost Status For Your Vacation Rental Property

What Is An Airbnb Superhost?

According to Airbnb, Superhosts are the creme of the crop–they offer their guests fabulous experiences and have the best ratings on the app.

But what’s in it for you?

The benefits of being an Airbnb Superhost include:

• Get more bookings for your vacation rental property: When you reach Superhost status, Airbnb will feature your listing on search results, emails, and more. Plus, guests will be able to find you more easily using the Superhost filter during their search. The more eyes on your listing, the more bookings you’ll get!
• Earning more money: Many Airbnb users look for Superhosts when choosing their booking. Having Superhost status can not only get you more bookings, but it can also factor into the amount you are able to charge for your listing.
• Boost your bonuses: As an extra perk, Airbnb gives Superhosts an extra 20% bonus if you refer new hosts. And every year you spend as a Superhost will earn you a $100 credit to use the next time you travel.

How Do I Become an Airbnb Superhost?

Though it may seem daunting, it’s actually not that complicated to earn superhost status. You simply need to meet the requirements that Airbnb sets.

The requirements to become a Superhost are:

• A 4.8 (or greater) rating: Airbnb wants their Superhosts to be the best on the platform, so you have to have a good track record making your guests happy.
• At least 10 stays: You don’t just have to have great hospitality, you also have to have enough experience to be a Superhost. To Airbnb, this means racking up at least 10 stays at your vacation rental property in the past year or 100 nights over at least 3 completed stays.
• Less than 1% cancel rate: The less you cancel stays, the better. Airbnb wants guests to book with peace of mind, so try not to cancel unless there’s an emergency.
• 90% response rate: A good host is often a responsive host. If you respond to at least 90% of new messages within 24 hours, you are eligible for Superhost status.

Do I Need to Apply to Be a Superhost?

Airbnb will automatically evaluate your account every three months to determine if you are ready for Superhost status, so there’s no need to apply.

These evaluations happen in early January, April, July, and October every year, so look out for a message from Airbnb during the first week of those months.

Can I Lose My Superhost Status?

Your account will be evaluated 4 times a year to determine if you are maintaining the necessary stats to keep your Superhost status.For example, if your cancel rate rises to 2%, your Superhost status will be retracted until it goes back down.

Need help managing your vacation rental property in Missoula, Montana? Reach out to our office today.

But will that always be the case?

Probably not.

Especially with the recent downturn in travel due to COVID-19, Airbnb and other similar platforms may institute major changes that affect rental owners. They could charge you to advertise your listing, stop accepting new listings, or start taking a bigger cut of your earnings.

Who knows what the future holds, but if you want to protect your rental income, you need to have a back-up plan or alternative booking venue. That’s where a direct booking site comes in.

Vacation Rental Owner’s Guide to Direct Booking Sites

What is a direct booking site?

With a direct booking site, you can cut out the middlemen like Airbnb. Having your own website for your vacation rental allows renters to reserve their booking with you, instead of a platform.

What are the benefits of a direct booking site?

Great Expectations

As you probably know, the vacation rental industry is experiencing massive growth right now. This is good news for owners, but it also means that there will be more and more competition in the coming years.

That means guests will have higher expectations for rentals, as well as the booking process. A direct booking site shows that you take extra care to delight and provide for your guest. First impressions really count, and your booking site is where your potential guests will first get to know you and your booking.

Plus, with your own booking site your guests will be able to contact you (or your rental manager) directly. This means you can solve their problems or answer their questions more quickly, resulting in higher guest satisfaction.

Higher Profits

Studies have shown that a direct booking site can actually earn you more money per booking. While direct sites are responsible for 22% of all vacation rental bookings in the US, they provide 38% of the profits! If you invest in a direct booking site, you’ll see an increased profit per booking.

More Bookings

When you get bookings through sites like rental platforms, you have to pay a service fee to the company. For instance, Airbnb takes 3% of your earnings while HomeAway charges you for each listing you have on your site.

When you have your own direct sites and don’t have to pay these fees, you can decrease your price accordingly. Lowering your prices, even slightly, will make your rental more attractive to vacationers, resulting in more bookings for you!

Better Guest Retention

If you want to have better guest retention and keep renters coming back to your listing year after year, a direct booking site is the perfect thing for you. With a direct booking site, you can gain access to information like their email address and rental preferences. You can then use this to reach out to them directly and keep them coming back for more.

Do You Need a Direct Booking Site?

Clearly, there are many great benefits to creating a direct booking site for your vacation rental. Of course, there are things to consider, like the expense of building a website and the importance of creating an attractive, seamless online experience for renters to get to know you and your “brand.” Direct booking sites aren’t right for every vacation rental owner, but they definitely provide plenty of benefits for the renter who is serious about increasing their profits.

Contact Us:

MountainTown VRM

110 E Broadway, STE 203

Missoula, MT 59802

(406)369-3080

info@mountaintownvrm.com

That means earning bookings for your rental will be more competitive in the past. But don’t worry, because there’s one thing that will really set you apart from the crowd: a comprehensive cleaning routine for your vacation rental.

You see, even though COVID-19 is spread by person-to-person contact, renters are going to be especially concerned with hygiene and cleanliness. That means developing, deploying, and communicating a thorough cleaning process for your rental.

5 Vacation Rental Cleaning Tips After COVID-19

Whether you use contract cleaners or do it yourself, here are some good guidelines and tips for cleaning your property during COVID-19:

Have a checklist

Having a checklist is the best way to keep people accountable and maintain a record of what cleaning was done. It should have every task that needs to be completed, along with a place for the date and the initials of the cleaner. The more specific you can be about your cleaning requirements, the better. That way the cleaner knows exactly what you want, and the renter has peace of mind knowing what was done.

Responsible hygiene

It is very important that the cleaner practices good hygiene before and during cleaning your property–for both their own safety and the renter’s! They should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) if working with another person and follow CDC guidelines for handwashing.

Have the right products

Did you know that there’s a difference between cleaning and disinfecting? Disinfecting removes germs with chemical products like bleach or ammonia. Cleaning gets rid of dirt and dust. To kill germs, you should disinfect and then clean. Your cleaner should use CDC recommended disinfecting products to ensure that all guests stay happy and healthy.

Pay attention to high-touch areas.

Your cleaning process should pay extra attention to frequently touched surfaces like tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks, toilets, faucets, sinks, and electronics. If you can wash rugs or flooring, do so. The bathroom and kitchen should also be cleaned especially thoroughly.

Leave supplies on the property

No matter how thorough your cleaning process, some guests will simply feel better when they have easy access to cleaning supplies on the property. It gives them peace of mind to know that things like antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, and antibacterial wipes are available if needed. Don’t forget to check stock levels after a guest leaves and restock when necessary.

Get More Bookings After Quarantine

Want to get more bookings after travel was impacted by COVID-19? The right property manager will boost your bookings–and your profits–all while taking the stress out of owning a vacation rental. Call or email us today to find out if we’re the right fit for you!

MountainTown VRM

110 E Broadway, STE 203

Missoula, MT 59802

(406)369-3080

info@mountaintownvrm.com