Expert Advertising Suggestions For Listing Vacation Rental Property Successfully

By Richard Burns


The vacation real estate rental business has become extremely competitive. If you have a second home you are considering renting, you are going to have to make it stand out in order to attract the best renters. You might limit your renters to friends and family, in which case you don't have to advertise. Listing vacation rental property to attract the general public though is an entirely different matter.

If you don't have great photos, it won't matter what else you've got. Readers will pass right by the bold headline, great description, and below market rates if the pictures aren't up to par. You can overcome a lack of beachfront, mountain views, and small bedrooms if the photos you include in your listing are well done. If you need to hire a professional to take the pictures, it will be money well spent. Blurry photos, poorly composed, will turn off any potential renter.

If you think you can get away with using stock photos of views you don't have and furniture you don't own, you are sadly mistaken. It won't take long for word to get out that you don't deliver on what you advertise. The pictures have to be real, and the more you have, the better off you will be.

Once the pictures have caught the reader's attention, your headline is the next thing they will notice. You will get more business if you are specific rather than general and clear instead of vague. Your headline needs to grab the reader and give them a great reason to rent your house. This is not the place for how many bedrooms and baths you have. This is the place to advertise a unique view or exclusive location.

Descriptions must be well written, in clear, concise English with no misspellings or grammatical errors. The bulk of the description should concentrate on the features of your house your competition can't match. Overselling will get you in trouble however. Tenants will notice if the reality doesn't live up to the hype and be disappointed. Your reviews will be bad, and you won't get return business.

You need to advertise all over the place. Don't worry so much about search engine optimization and traffic count. Don't forget about social media or trying to negotiate with local shops to advertise on their sites. You want to saturate the market as much as you are able without blowing your budget.

Make sure your contact information is prominent in your advertising. It's a good idea to publish your phone number as well as your email address. Vacationers might want to talk to you personally before they feel comfortable renting from you. A personal conversation will help convince them you are legitimate.

If you have a vacation home that sits empty unless you are in it, renting it can be a great idea. You will make some extra money without much effort. You have to beat the competition to the best renters though.




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