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How to Prevent Common Listing Mistakes on HomeAway
Read on to find out the most common items left out by vacation rental owners.
Fill in all the boxes!
Your listing will not go live on the site unless it has all the key information and at least one photo of the property. However, it is important to fill as many of the text boxes as is appropriate.
The following items are commonly left out of advertisements.
- Geographical Information.
- Complete Rates
- Vacation Rental Type (condo, apartment, house, etc.)
- Number of Bedrooms and Bathrooms
- Square Footage
- Theme or Suitability
- Reviews
- Further Details
- Available Pictures
- Photo Captions
As a vacation rental owner, you should be pretty familiar with the area where your home is located. Be sure to fill in all the information in the Location Section, and add some description of your own. Don't forget to include the nearest airports or train/bus stations, plus nearby highways and metro cities. It is also helpful to indicate whether a car will be needed.
It can be very easy to overlook some portions of the Rental Rates Table, but the table is designed for all fields to be included. This will allow travelers to get a better grasp on your pricing and perhaps reduce some common questions. Be sure to include nightly, weekly, and monthly rates to at least one year from today. Also indicate the dates for which the rates apply, plus any holiday rates or special offers. Lastly, be sure to spell out deposit information, taxes, cleaning fees, and pet fees if applicable.
Most owners take the time to at least partially fill in the Amenities Table. However, there are a few things that people tend to forget to check off. Remember to check all the appropriate property/location/activity boxes, as these will determine whether your property will appear in certain searches. In general, just be thorough and include as much information as possible. This is why you should take the time to add even more information in the Further Details section of the listing. And don't forget the "Guest Book" - this might mean seeking out reviews from past guests.
Lastly, don't forget to upload all 12 Photos. This is your opportunity to visually sell your home. And once you've selected the best photos that really portray the size and style of your home, add detailed Photo Captions so travelers know what to expect.
Confirm the Accuracy of Your Contact Information
You've taken the time to create a unique headline, write a thorough description, select great photos, and complete a thorough listing. But did you rush through the Contact Information? Although this is the seemingly easiest part of the ad, it can also be easy to make mistakes. And what good is a stellar ad if travelers cannot reach you to inquire?
Be sure that your email address, telephone, fax, and mobile telephone numbers are correct. Once your listing is live, send yourself an e-mail inquiry to confirm that you correctly receive booking inquiries. If you move, or spend time away from your listed contact location, you can change your contact information at any time.
Proofread Your Listing
Now that you have an easy-to-read and thorough listing, don't take away from your credibility as a professional vacation rental owner by overlooking typos and mistakes. Have a few pairs of eyes proofread your listing to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
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