Hi everyone!

I hope your February was filled with inquiries and bookings! Last month we told you to watch for a new newsletter format. Well, we've changed course a little bit. We've decided that starting next month, we'll be sending newsletters earlier in the month. So watch your inbox for the new format. This month's newsletter is made up primarily of articles written to answer commonly asked questions we get from homeowners. We depend on your questions and feedback for story ideas. Though we never seem to run out of topics to write about, sometimes we simply choose topics that are interesting to us. One of my favorite articles this month is Three Perspectives on Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals which is the Owner Community staff's personal perspectives on traveling (or not) with our furry friends. We had fun writing it and hope you'll enjoy it too! Happy Renting! Christine Karpinski

How to Write Unique Content for ALL of Your Listings Learn how to get more results from the search engines and make the most of your marketing budget.

How to Create an Email Newsletter for Past Guests Sending an email newsletter to guests who have either stayed in your home (or who have expressed interest) is an inexpensive way to keep in touch and to encourage future bookings.

What to Do if Your Busy Spring Season Isn't Booked Tips for getting those last-minute bookings during one of the busiest seasons of the year for many properties.

How to Be a Good Neighbor, Even from Afar Learn the benefits of developing relationships and joining forces with your vacation property's neighbors.

Three Perspectives on Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals A fun take on the reasons you may or may not want to allow pets in your vacation home.

12 Questions to Ask Your Service Providers Learn the right questions to ask in order to select the best possible housekeeper, handymen, etc. for your vacation rental business.

Guidelines for Accepting Pets Creating a set of specific pet policies will make the process of screening guests with pets much easier.

Should You Provide Extras Like Shampoo and Detergent? Insight into which extras you should provide for your guests.

The Different Types of Vacation Rental Travelers A light-hearted look at the easy-to-book travelers, the tough-sells, and the ones to avoid altogether.

February 16: Refunds for Cancellations Christine admits to sometimes being a softie when it comes to renter cancellations.

February 10: Getting My Mistakes Out of the Way Christine is relieved to have made a couple of minor mistakes early in the year.

February 3: Inquiries for Driving Markets Christine examines some trends in the inquiries she has received.

The Impact of Turning Your Vacation Rental Business into an LLC Christine interviews Janet Portman, an attorney specializing in landlord/tenant law, on the subject of Limited Liability Corporations and why they may create a false sense of security for vacation rental owners. 2/23/09

Ask Christine #32: Should I Accept Credit Cards? Christine explains why she feels that accepting credit cards could increase bookings for your vacation rental. 2/16/09 Ask Christine #31: Minor vs. Major Damage Christine shares some guidelines for when you might charge guests for damage and when to consider it a cost of doing business or normal wear and tear. 2/9/2009 One-on-One with Riviera Maya, Mexico Vacation Rental Owner, Marino Tomacelli Christine interviews Marino Tomacelli about his unique vacation home, "Taninah", featured on HGTV's Most Extreme Homes, and his partnerships with local tour operators. 2/2/2009

Registration Now Open: March 7-8: Atlanta, GA March 24-25: Austin, TX May 4-7: San Francisco/San Jose, CA Registration Coming Soon: June: Boston, MA/New York

How to Market to Families with Children Many families prefer vacation rentals over hotels because of the extra space and overall value.  Learn what amenities to add and how to enhance your listing to attract groups traveling with young children and teenagers.  Learn more... Watch This Webinar (6 min, 38 sec)

Visit the Owner Community for more February Vacation Rental News and 100s of articles in the Vacation Rental News archive.

Great Tax Deductions for Second Home Owners "...If you own a second home that you rent to vacationers, you're probably not looking forward to scurrying around trying to figure out how much you collected in rentals last year..." AmericanTowns.com 2/24/2009

Cleaning After Rentals: Rent. Rinse. Repeat.  "There are few people in this world who truly enjoy housework. And for most of us, it's chore enough just to keep one's home clean. But for those who rent their vacation properties to strangers, there's even more to think about." NYTimes.com 2/19/2009

New tax breaks, on the house "...Your home offers more tax relief than any other acquisition, thanks, in part, to new federal laws designed to ease financial suffering in the recessionary economy." Examiner.com 2/7/2009

“We've been driving for 45 minutes and still haven't found Ocean Ave.” How to fix it: After traveling in a plane, train, or automobile to get to your vacation destination, it's fairly likely that your guests are a bit tired and testy. Add to that an extra 45 minutes in the car trying (unsuccessfully) to find your home… and they're going to be downright cranky. So, when you get that call at 11:30pm, try to keep this in mind and be patient. First, have your guest pull over into a gas station or other landmark with an address. If you recognize the landmark, give them step-by-step directions to your home, and if possible stay on the phone with them until they arrive. If you don't recognize the landmark and can get to a computer with Internet, look up their current location on Google Maps, Yahoo Maps or MapQuest (whichever has the best coverage of your area) and use the site's “Directions” feature to get the exact steps they'll need to take to reach your home. How to prevent this problem in the future: • Create thorough directions that steer your renters through each twist and turn of the road to your rental. Online mapping sites have undoubtedly made it easier for a lot of us to get around; however, they are not sufficient for sending to your guests. See our Sample Directions. • Try to be available by cell phone when your guests are checking in… just in case. Read the rest of the list...

 

HomeAway has recently introduced a Reservation Management System, designed to simplify vacation rental bookings and make your life easier.

Simplify your vacation rental transactions by:
• Managing and tracking rental payments in one place
• Customizing payment schedules for deposits, rental fees, cleaning fees, etc. through your PayPal or PPI merchant account.
• Reducing your liability by no longer storing guest credit card numbers

Attract more travelers with:
• Increased visibility on HomeAway.com
• A distinctive icon in your property summary
• Improved guest convenience and confidence
• Added security with automatic enrollment for HomeAway Rental Guarantee 

Learn more in our webinar: How to Use the HomeAway Reservation Management System.

NOTE: The Reservation Management System is currently only available on HomeAway.com but we are working on adding this feature for VRBO and VacationRentals.com later this year. In the meantime, if you list the same property on HomeAway, plus VRBO, VacationRentals.com, or any other site where you link to your HomeAway calendar, you can use the HomeAway Reservation Management System. You just have to at least have a HomeAway subscription and use the calendar for that particular property.

Have a question or comment? Email us.