Q: What is the Owner Community?
A: The official description: The HomeAway Owner Community is the most comprehensive resource for second and vacation rental homes online, providing homeowners the most current information on advertising, renting and maintaining a home to achieve the maximum return on their investment.

HomeAway strives to enrich the vacation rental industry through owner education and outreach. That's why we created the Owner Community.  The site features hundreds of articles, industry news, owner polls, monthly newsletters, weekly podcasts including interviews with industry experts, pre-recorded webinars and sample forms and checklists. In addition to our online efforts, HomeAway also sponsors numerous live events and seminars each year for vacation homeowners in cities across the U.S.

Q: Who is the Owner Community Team? A: The Owner Community team is led by Christine Karpinski, long-time vacation home owner and best-selling author of How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner and Profit from Your Vacation Home Dream. Other members of the Owner Community include Leah Carroll, Online Community Manager, Kerry Miller, Online Community Strategist, and Christy Carr, Intern.  Meet the rest of the Owner Community...

Q: Who is Christine Karpinski and why should I listen to her advice? 
A: Christine's been in the vacation rental business a long time, written a couple bestselling books on the topic, and given seminars across the country teaching other vacation rental owners how to effectively run their business (here's a complete bio).  But, you don't have to listen to her if you don't want to:  There's value in learning the hard way. 

Q: How do I email Christine?
A: Christine is happy to answer questions from vacation rental owners and will try to do so in a timely fashion.  But please be patient - with over 300,000 properties on the HomeAway sites, you can imagine that she gets lots of emails!  Sometimes the members of our highly qualified staff will respond to your email, but Christine is consulted on all questions.  To send an email, submit your question through our contact form.

Q: What is a podcast? A: A podcast is a fancy name for a radio show that is available on the internet. You do not need an iPod or MP3 player, you can easily listen to it online via your computer.

Q: How often are new podcasts added to the site?
A: About once a week, usually on Monday morning.

Q: How can I express interest in being a guest on the podcast?
A: We are always on the lookout for new podcast guests and would love to hear from owners that have unique experience to share.  So, if you're interested, send us an email.  Yes, it's that easy.

Q: What is a webinar?
A: A webinar is a short web-based seminar (a presentation, lecture, or workshop) that is transmitted over the Web. Our free webinars cover a variety of topics - from writing your ads to taking photos to accepting payments from renters - that are crucial to vacation rental owners in your quest to successfully rent your vacation homes.

Q: How can I attend a seminar? A: Visit our Seminars & Workshops page to find out which cities we'll be visiting and when, and to register for upcoming events.  If we don't currently have your city scheduled, let us know where you'd like us to visit in the future, and we'll keep you on our mailing list.

Q: Is the seminar material available for purchase?
A: Unfortunately, we do not offer any of the materials specifically from the seminars online, but we encourage you to browse through the hundreds of articles on the Owner Community site and download our pre-recorded webinars if you cannot attend.  The webinars expand on some of the topics presented during the seminars.

Q: What is a blog? A: A blog is an online journal of sorts.  According to Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English, a blog is "an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page."  Christine blogs about her personal experiences and daily life as a vacation rental owner.

Q: How often does Christine update her blog?
A: Around once a week, usually on Monday morning.

Q: Where can I find sample forms that I can edit myself?
A: The Owner Community has a variety of forms and checklists available for download on our Sample Forms & Checklists page.  Simply enter your email address, and you'll receive a link for the downloadable versions.

Q: What is the Owner Community Newsletter? A: The OC Newsletter is a monthly newsletter put together by the Owner Community staff containing articles, podcasts, webinars, upcoming seminars and news items that were added to the site during the previous month. Q: How often does the Owner Community Newsletter come out? A: The newsletter comes out on the last week of each month.

Q: Do I have to be a member of one of the HomeAway, Inc. sites to receive the newsletter?
A: The Owner Community is dedicated to educating all owners, whether or not you are a customer of the HomeAway sites.  Feel free to sign up for the newsletter at the link below or take a look at our Newsletter Archive.

Q: How do I sign up for the Owner Community Newsletter?
A: Enter your email address into the field in the upper right-hand corner of the Owner Community homepage or click here to sign up directly.

Running a Vacation Rental Business FAQs Commonly asked questions about renting by owner including screening, insurance, and more.   Renting Your Vacation Home By Owner FAQs Rent by owner or use a property management company? Here are the most frequently asked questions.   Buying a Vacation Rental Home FAQs The most frequently asked questions about buying a vacation rental property.   Setting Rates FAQs Answers to the most commonly asked questions from vacation homeowners about setting rates.

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