Hi everyone!

I have found one problem where I actually (possibly for the first time in my life) mumbled the words, “This would be easier if I had a property manager!”

Let me set the stage:  I have owned and rented vacation homes for well over 10 years. I have successfully managed all sorts of problems, even from afar.  I’ve encountered damage from hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.  I’ve had refrigerators, heaters and air conditioners suddenly conk out. I’ve had to replace supplies such as towels, glasses and trash cans. All of these problems were rectified with a few simple phone calls.

But this is the first time I have run up against a problem that I found difficult to handle from a distance. The big disaster? I had a TV go out at one of my Tennessee cabin rentals. Although this seems like a relatively simple problem to resolve, it ended up driving me absolutely crazy. My housekeeper couldn’t pick up one, because she doesn't have a credit card (nor did she have $700 in cash) to buy a new TV.  Next plan: call a store, pay for it over the phone, have my housekeeper pick it up and…done! Nope, not so easy.  Every store I called refused to do this, because of the potential for fraud. 

The other solutions (mailing a check to my housekeeper, wiring money, or buying online and having it shipped) would either take too long or cost too much. I needed a new TV ASAP. It’s peak season at the cabin, and renters have paid top dollar for these dates. It’s just not acceptable to not have a TV in the living room. 

In the end, I called the local Wal-Mart and pleaded with the manager to allow me to pay over the phone.  He couldn’t deviate from the company policy, but eventually he did offer a solution that worked.  I could go to my local Wal-Mart in Texas and buy a Wal-Mart gift card (not to be confused with a Wal-Mart Visa Gift Card), then call the Wal-Mart in Tennessee and purchase the TV over the phone with the Wal-Mart gift card.  Then my housekeeper could pick it up and take it to my cabin.  No waiting a week, no paying an extra $100.

Speaking of TVs, I've read quite a few news stories recently about burglaries of big TVs in vacation rentals. What I do to deter theft is that I just don’t take a photo of my big HDTV. (I do mention my HDTV in the text of my listing, but it seems like the thieves only look at the pictures and don’t read the ad.)

On a final note: Though at the height of this mini-crisis I did mumble the words, “This would be easier if I had a property manager!” now that it’s over, I am happy that I don’t have a property manager.  A little resourcefulness and a few phone calls is 100% worth it in the end!

Happy renting BY OWNER!

Christine

© Copyright 2009 Christine Karpinski

How to Accept Security Deposits by Credit Card for Your Vacation Rental    How to handle deposit payments from your vacation rental guests via credit card.