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  Getting Started , How to Start a Vacation Rental Business  
 
     
How to Start a Vacation Rental Business

Questions to ask yourself when making the decision to start renting your vacation home and running a vacation rental business.
 
Here's a quick reference guide to beginning your vacation rental business.  Vacation rental properties come in all shapes and sizes (single family home, condo, cabin, cottage, chalet, villa, apartment, estate, lodge, townhome, studio, castle, farmhouse, bungalow, and boat) and have different peak seasons (summer, ski, fall foliage, etc.).  If you enjoy your vacation home, it's likely that renters will too!
The first step in starting a vacation rental business is putting together a business plan and purchasing a vacation property.  The type of second home that you can purchase depends on the region. When buying a vacation rental property it's vital that you ask yourself a few key questions:
            Should I buy a house or a condo?
After sorting out the legal side of things, it's time to figure out how you're going to run your business:
            How am I going to handle keys?
            Am I going to accept pets?
Next up, make sure that you have the right amenities:
Now it's time to advertise and pull in the renters:
These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself when starting a vacation rental business.  The key to entering into any endeavor and being successful is knowledge and preparation.  If you're just starting out and are looking for vacation rental by owner tips, I'd recommend reading Christine's book: How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment and/or attending one of our How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner seminars



Related Tips
Owner Community FAQs  
 Answers to commonly asked questions about the Owner Community, the Owner Community newsletter, and the How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner podcast.
Running a Vacation Rental Business FAQs  
 Commonly asked questions about renting by owner. New FAQs added 6/10/08.
Buying a Vacation Rental Home FAQs  
 The most frequently asked questions about buying a vacation rental property.
Renting Your Vacation Home by Owner FAQs  
 Rent by owner or use a property management company? Here are the most frequently asked questions.