I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Since you may still be cleaning up the last of the dishes from yesterday';s big meal, the last thing on your mind is to update your vacation property listings. However, now is the perfect time to spruce up your ads before the onslaught of post-holidays inquiries. While out on the road this fall, many homeowners voiced their concerns regarding getting their homes booked in 2009. This year, more so than in past years, I believe that it is important to step up your game.  No one can make any predictions as to what impact, if any, the current economic conditions will have on vacation rentals next year.

So this month';s newsletter theme is all about stepping up to the plate to take control of the things you can indeed control-- your advertisements and your customer service.   Happy Renting! Christine

Responding to Inquiries: Should You Call or Email? Vacation rental owners often ask whether it's best to call or email. Here's what we think.

The Benefits of Adding a YouTube™ Video to Your VRBO Listing Learn why you should take advantage of the new YouTube™ video feature on VRBO.

How to Organize Your Inquiries Don't let your email inquiries take over your inbox; get organized and take control of your vacation rental business.

How to Turn a Good Photo into a Great One Bring any room in your vacation rental to life with a few easy changes.

Descriptive Words to Use in Your Vacation Rental Ad: Part 1  Your second home isn't ordinary. So why use boring or trite language to describe it? Tips for choosing adjectives to describe your holiday rental home.

How to Write a Great Headline Your headline might be the single most important bit of text in your vacation rental listing, so it's critical that yours is not just good, but GREAT.

How to Communicate to Your Vacation Home's Target Audience Don't lose out on bookings because you're targeting the wrong crowd.

How to Write a Compelling Property Description Your property description should paint a clear picture of your vacation rental property and include your main selling points.

Raising Your Rates: When and How Much? When and how much should you raise the rates of your vacation rental property for next year?

With the new year fast approaching, we want to know how you plan to adjust your rates for 2009.  Do you plan to raise your rates?  If so, why and by how much? If not, why? Since we learn so much from other homeowners, last month we asked, "What is the most useful piece of advice that you've gotten from another homeowner?"

Here's what you had to say: "I send a welcome letter with details for where to buy groceries and lowest priced gas before they get here. I include a turn by turn map from the last 50 miles to our destination. I give them reminders of things folks forget to pack like prescription drugs, personal care items and a flash light. I provide them the phone # at the home so friends or family can contact them in case of an emergency." -Jeff S., Blowing Rock, NC (HomeAway #164464) "Another owner in my condo recommended a virtual tour company.  I don't have a video camera, so I thought this would be a great alternative.  I think it was worth the money."  -Jackie D., Gulf Shores, AL. "Although I still mail my keys to the renter, putting a lockbox on the property is great for emergencies. I have 4 rental properties at the same complex and I have accidently given them the wrong keys. Also, for last minute bookings, it is good to have a lockbox." -Julie C., South Padre Island, TX. "One of my vacation rental friends said that they posted a link to their listing on the short-term rental housing website for the city.  Apparently some business travelers use those sites to book accommodations.  It took minimal effort, and I've gotten a few inquiries from it already." -Robert M., Baltimore, MD.

November 24: Accommodating a Guest with Allergies Christine handles a renter who shows up at her property and has an allergic reaction.

November 13: The Best-Equipped Home I've Rented Christine describes her experience at the most fully-equipped vacation rental she's stayed in.

November 7: Budget Travel's Vacation Rental Handbook, Part 3 Christine wraps up her dissection of the Vacation Rental Handbook with points about insurance, deposits, and overall expectations.

November 6: Budget Travel's Vacation Rental Handbook, Part 2 Christine offers her feedback to points 6-10 of the Vacation Rental Handbook, including negotiating and payment options.

November 4: Budget Travel's Vacation Rental Handbook, Part 1 Christine breaks down a recent article from Budget Travel magazine (Nov. 2008) on the process of renting a vacation home.

Ask Christine #25: Is It Okay to Leave a Family Photo? Christine addresses the balance between personal items and guest comfort at your vacation home.

Ask Christine #24: Should You Hire Models for Property Photos? Christine answers the common question of whether you should feature people in photos of your vacation property. 11/17/2008 Ask Christine #23: Examples of Listings Christine tells owners how they can learn what makes a good listing by visiting Listings 101 on the Owner Community. 11/10/2008 Mortgaging and Refinancing Vacation Homes, Part 2 In her second interview with David Motley, President of Colonial Savings, Christine discusses the current mortgage situation, tips for buying vacation homes, and options for refinancing. 11/3/2008

Have a question for Christine? Leave a message at (512) 493-4340 and get an answer on the air.

We just completed our last round of seminars for 2008.  Visit our Seminars Page to view the tentative schedule and event locations for 2009.

We've been hard at work developing and updating our Pre-Recorded webinar topics for you to download at your convenience. Visit the Vacation Rental Webinars Page for more information.

How to Write a Compelling Headline Learn the tips for making your listing stand out among the other listings in your area.   We'll provide pointers for making the most of your space and featuring the best aspects of your home.  Watch This Webinar (12 min, 29 sec)

Selecting Photos of the Exterior and View What makes the best photo of the exterior of your home, building, or complex?  Plus, what do renters look for in your view shots? Watch This Webinar (4 min, 48 sec)

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

Rent out your vacation home for extra income "Whether it's the snowy slopes of Colorado, the blue waters of Miami Beach, or the picturesque golf courses of Hilton Head Island, finding a quality vacation rental is becoming easier every day." Forbes.com 11/7/08

Get out the antifreeze, time to winterize your second home "When the price of energy rises and the economy tanks, Sam Wieczorek sees the largest segment of his business skyrocket. Wieczorek is a home winterizer." PressOfAtlanticCity.com 11/2/08

Bed-and-breakfast bill clears planning panel in Maui "Legislation for bed-and-breakfast operations took a step closer to passage Thursday when the council Planning Committee voted to recommend approval of the draft regulations and send them to the full Maui County Council for a decision." MauiNews.com 11/7/08

Lincoln City vacation rental ordinance to be revised "Three final orders were approved during a brief Lincoln City Planning Commission meeting Tuesday, but an informal discussion on the vacation rental dwelling ordinance led to the disclosure that final revisions to the ordinance are close to being completed..." NewportNewsTimes.com 11/7/08

1. Don't use a video from 1981. Using a video that looks like it was taken in the silent film era might end up scaring away renters. Or if it doesn't show the deck you've built or the new furniture you've purchased, you could confuse renters that see one thing in your photos and another in your video.

2. Use a tripod to balance your camera and prevent shaking. Don't make your potential guests feel like they're watching the Blair Witch Project. You can even place tennis balls on the bottom of your tripod as you walk around your home.

3. Stage the home just as you would when taking still photos, and be sure to remove any clutter. No one wants to see your mail on the table or your keys on the kitchen counter. And yes, your husband counts as clutter too. Make sure he's not watching TV while you're trying to shoot the living room. 4. Feature rooms or areas that you wouldn't necessarily include in your limited number of photos. A standard bathroom or laundry area might not be spectacular enough to include in your 16 photos, but maybe a glimpse of your jumbo-load washing machine will be just enough to turn a prospective renter into a confirmed guest.

5. Shoot your video at the best time of day. While you might feel like the dead of night adds a bit of romance to your footage, it could spook some renters. Make sure your video is well-lit and your furnishings and amenities are easy to see.

6. Narrate your video to answer some common questions you receive from travelers. Don't put them to sleep with the history of your appliances or the great deals you found on linens. Your narration can be a good opportunity, not only to explain the layout of your home or the proximity to the beach, lake or mountains, but also for your renters to get to know you as an owner. 7. If you prefer not to narrate, select background music that is appropriate for your target renters and doesn't distract from the footage of your home. Some owners choose to use classical, elevator-type music, and others have found a song that is appropriate for their area. No matter who your renters are, avoid any urges to use hard-core rap or heavy metal and stick to mellow, soothing tunes. 8. Keep it under 3 minutes. No one wants to watch a full feature-length documentary on your vacation home.

9. Create a slide show using additional pictures if you aren't able to get a video of your vacation home just yet. Some owners will even open the kitchen cabinets to show all the items they stock for their guests. Now's your chance to feature that impeccable linen closet or your favorite shower curtain.

10. Hire a professional videographer to capture the beauty of your home. If all else fails, there are people out there that do this for a living. This relatively small investment is probably worth it because a professional will likely do a far better job than you will.

While it may seem a bit counterintuitive, cutting your marketing spending during an economic downtown could actually hurt your bottom line.  Here are 3 steps for making 2009 a great rental year. 1) If you've never really put much thought into marketing your vacation home, now may be the time to take a serious look at your strategy.  Create a Marketing Plan to guide your decision-making.
2) Instead of spending less, spend smarter.  For tips on assessing your marketing spending, read How to Make the Most of Your Marketing Budget. 3) Diversify your advertising efforts.  Learn the Benefits of Listing on Multiple Websites.

Have a question or comment? Email us.