Congratulations, you just purchased your first short term rental property! Now what do you do? 

The world of vacation rentals has become extremely competitive in the last few years, and the requirements of running a successful property can be daunting if you’re new to the industry. 

DON’T: cram a ton of beds into a home to increase guest capacity 

DO: include a kids room

‘More beds, more heads’ is an often-practiced mentality in the short term rental industry, and we do not like it. Why? 

• Housing ordinances. Many municipalities have limits on how many people can stay on a property at any given time. In most areas, the rule of thumb is two people per room of the house. Some cities include the common areas, such as living rooms and dens, others do not. Research your local ordinances to get an accurate idea of occupancy limits. But cramming as many beds into a home as possible will often put your guest headcount in violation of local housing laws, which can result in fines or liens, and quickly shut your vacation rental down. 

• Disrespectful to neighbors. With high guest counts comes extra cars, trash, and noise clogging up the streets and property and disrupting the peace of the community. Large groups of guests often result in partying and disruptive activity. For your neighbors, this can result in a feeling of unease from living next door to hordes of strangers coming and going. This type of practice is the main reason why many HOAs are banning short-term rentals in their community. 

• Higher overhead. Larger groups means more trash gets left behind, more things get damaged or broken, and larger messes occur. This results in higher cleaning fees, and more time required to clean your property. Depending on the severity of the mess, a same-day turn may not be possible, which results in lost income. It also makes it easier for a large group to sneak unpaid guests into the property, which also costs money. While it might look tempting on paper, higher occupancy rates rarely result in a payoff. So what should you do instead? 

• Invest in a kids room with a maximum of two beds. Whether it’s a bunk bed or two twin beds, having a bedroom specifically for children is a great way to bring families to your property and make everyone feel welcome. Decorate the room accordingly. For all other bedrooms, limit them to one king or queen-sized bed, enough to comfortably sleep two people. 

 

DON’T: Use a futon as an extra sleeping option

DO: Use a sofa pull-out bed, air mattress, or rollaway bed. 

If you do want to add extra sleeping accommodations, a pull-out bed or air mattress is a great option, especially if your property is on the smaller side. Both are compact, easy to set up and take down, and are much more comfortable(and look much better) than a futon. They’re also easier to keep clean.

Rollaway beds are the best option for adding extra sleeping space to a vacation rental. They’re easy to move and set up, and they don’t require guests to rearrange furniture to use it. They are also more comfortable than most air mattress and sofa pull-out beds. They’re a bit more expensive, but worth every penny. Your guests will thank you! 

Make sure you have an extra set or two of sheets within easy reach, in a hallway closet or nearby drawer. 

 

DON’T: Generic, bland, cookie-cutter décor

DO: Unique, quirky, fun décor and furnishings

The quickest way to make your vacation rental listing disappear is to decorate your property in the same cream and beige tones as every other listing, along with the same big-box furnishings most properties are using to cut overhead. While the initial startup costs of decorating outside the box may be higher than simple IKEA fixtures, having a home that is bright and unique, with a warm, inviting feel will quickly rocket your property to the top of the list, and make for a memorable and positive guest experience that will help to generate repeat customers and higher revenue.

 

DON’T: Focus solely on lodging

DO: Focus on the overall guest experience

Over 50% of AirBnB guests in 2021 were people new to short-term rentals. Why did they choose a vacation rental over a hotel? Many were looking for something more than the simple lodging a hotel has to offer: increased privacy, better amenities, and more space are often at the top of the list. 

Adding an office to your vacation rental allows guests to work in a quiet place undisturbed if they need to, while adding a gaming area or pool table means fun activities for families if they don’t feel like going out. Other notable examples of some of the things our clients have added include mini putting greens in the backyard and an arcade cabinet in the family room. They get used frequently and guests love them! 

Stock your property with amenities hotels don’t often provide: oil and spices in the kitchen, bug spray, sunblock, and aloe in the laundry room or bathrooms if you have a large backyard with a pool(or pool access), and a wide variety of coffee and tea(don’t forget decaf!) shows the guests you care about the quality of their stay. 

DON’T: Neglect the garage

DO: Keep the garage clean and freshly painted

The garage often gets overlooked when a home is being renovated into short term rental, and this is a huge mistake! A dirty, scuffed, beat-up garage is not a warm or inviting place for a guest to park their car, and it makes a terrible first impression of the property. Treat the garage as an afterthought and guests may question the cleanliness of the rest of the property. A garage doesn’t need much to look clean: a power-washed, resin-treated floor and a fresh coat of paint go a long way to brightening the space. 

Keep extra tools, paint, and other assorted clutter stored in a locked cabinet or closet, away from guests. 

 

DON’T: Store your personal belongings where guests can see/access them

DO: Have a separate locked closet or shed for personal belongings 

While guests staying at a short term rental want a more homey guest experience, they don’t want to feel like they’re staying in someone else’s house. Using your short term rental as a personal storage locker is a big no-no: It’s unprofessional, and it takes away from usable space for your guests. It’s also terribly unsafe to have your belongings out where guests can access them. 

That being said, if you stay at your short term rental frequently, having a locked closet or shed to store personal belongings, such as clothing and non-perishable foods, keeps them out of the way of guests without having all of your stuff in the open. A door lock with a code is the safer route to keep curious guests at bay. 

 

DON’T: Umbrellas

DO: Shade sails

Umbrellas may have a tropical, picturesque charm to them, but in Arizona, one gust of wind during a dust storm is all it takes to launch that umbrella into a neighbor’s backyard, house, or even worse, an occupant. They also provide only minimal respite from the harsh desert heat. 

Shade sails, when installed properly, provide greater shade, better coverage, and protection from the sun’s UV rays. They also last much longer than the average umbrella and because of their design, won’t go flying off to parts unknown in the middle of a haboob or monsoon. 

 

DON’T: Cheap out on linens

DO: Invest in quality sheets and towels, change them out when they pill/wear out/become stained

Guests often spend several hundred dollars on a short term rental stay. Many travelers are new to staying at short term rentals, and their expectations are on par with what the average hotel provides. While you probably can’t be on call 24/7 the way a resort can, your furnishings are absolutely within your control. Cheap towels and sheets feel cheap, and won’t last long under the heavy wear of guest use. Invest in high-quality fluffy towels and robes, and higher-thread count sheets. Change them out when they get stained or begin to fray and pill. Keep enough on hand for emergencies and for same-day cleanings. 

In addition to the linens…

 

DON’T: Furnish your short term rental with cheap fixtures

DO: Invest in quality pieces that are cleanable and durable

You get what you pay for! Cheap furniture has a poor finish. All it takes is one forgotten drink or one bad spill to permanently stain and ruin it. Even if it’s clean, it won’t look clean, and your ratings will begin to plummet. Invest in quality furniture that has good, liquid-proof finishes, and if you can, choose leather over fabric. Leather is easier to clean and won’t stain the way fabrics do. Many cheap fabrics are oleophilic: while they may be water-resistant, they love oil. Pizza, popcorn, chips, and deep-fried foods will stain them easily and all it takes is a few crumbs.

Most cheap tables, cabinets, and dressers are made of particleboard. Particleboard is made of sawdust and wood scraps compressed into boards. It’s great for the environment, but it’s not so great for heavy use. They dent and scratch easily, and liquid spills will cause them to bubble and swell, ruining the finish. Choose fixtures made of solid wood that can withstand the much heavier use of a vacation rental. You may need to have them refinished from time to time, but you’ll save money in the long run.

 

DON’T: Manually price listings

DO: Use listing software

It’s difficult to keep track of rental rates manually. It takes extra time and effort to change the rates of your property, as well as research to set a competitive rate that still gives you a profit.  

Manual pricing doesn’t take into account the season, weather, or current market rates of a rental, and you may be missing out on revenue as a result. Pricing software, such as Beyond, analyzes market data, seasons, and travel trends and updates frequently, ensuring that your property is priced accordingly so that you can maximize bookings and profits.

 

DON’T: Shy away from large groups

DO: have clear and detailed policies in place 

Large groups of guests can make even the season short term renter a bit nervous, but they’re a good source or revenue. if they have a great time at your property it’s a win-win! 

There’s no way to predict how a large reservation will behave. Sometimes they’re not respectful to the property, but we’ve also had large groups leave the property nearly immaculate. Sometimes they even leave them cleaner than smaller groups! 

Before you start taking bookings, make sure you have clear policies in place regarding pets, damage, refunds, and behavior expectations, along with fines and fees. Make sure your fines are high enough to cover any damage. 

And last but not least…

 

DON’T: clean the property yourself

DO: hire a cleaning company

Let’s face it: most of us don’t find cleaning an enjoyable experience. The degree of cleaning required to keep a vacation rental in good shape is a an often exhausting task. Depending on the size of your property, you’ll spend on average anywhere from three hours to an entire day cleaning. If you own a large property that was heavily used by a large group it can take even longer. 

A professional cleaning company is trained to handle every possible guest mess. They are trained on detail cleaning, staging, and same-day turns. They can also catch potential issues you may miss as an owner and take detailed photos of the property while they work. Photos are a critical vacation rental resource if you have to go back and charge a guest for property damage. 

 

In over your head?

Short Term Rental Manager has over 15 years of experience on both the real estate and management sides of vacation rentals. Our in-house roster of real estate agents, property managers, and cleaning team can help you maximize the potential of your property and give you the best return on your investment! Let us do the heavy lifting! We manage the bookings, handle maintenance and repairs, and make sure your property is sparkling clean and ready for guests! Visit our website to learn more.