When you're at home you probably don't think twice about borrowing an egg from your next-door neighbor or bringing a batch of cookies to a new resident. While you may not get to visit your vacation home often or spend as much time there as you'd like, you can still get to know your neighbors and develop relationships that are beneficial, especially if their properties are also vacation rentals.

Share Contractors
Managing your vacation rental from afar doesn't have to be hard when you have a strong network of neighbors to look to for recommendations of contractors. Who doesn't love a referral? It makes it easier for you to find a maintenance person, housekeeper or contractor that you trust without having to do all the research on your own.

Save Money
You might even be able to save money if several people hire the same person for routine services or one-time projects. For example, if you and a few neighbors hire the same housekeeper, he/she doesn't have to travel between cleanings, making the job that much easier. Even if your neighbors don't rent their homes, you might be able to share a landscaper or go in on a new fence just like you would with neighbors of your primary residence.

Offer Help
If both you and your neighbors live far from your vacation homes, offer to check on their properties when you visit, and they can do the same when they're in town. This way, someone is checking on your home more often than you could do all by yourself. Plus, if multiple owners decide to have work done on their homes at the same time, someone can oversee the projects during a visit if everyone can't be there.

Refer Bookings
If your vacation property neighbors also rent their homes, you can develop a referral system when you receive inquiries for dates that your property is already booked and vice versa. When you pass on your neighbor's contact information to a potential guest, they will likely return the favor sometime in the future. Travelers are usually more comfortable booking a recommended property, and you can help answer questions since you've probably seen your neighbors' homes.

Book Groups
When you receive an inquiry from someone looking for neighboring properties for a large group, you can work with your neighbors to accommodate these requests. Even if you receive an inquiry from one family, they might still be interested in nearby homes so other families can join them for vacation. Being able to pass on a phone number might help you close the deal on large-group bookings.

Even if you can't get to your vacation home often, there are plenty of ways to get to know your neighbors. Get involved with your Homeowners' Association or network over the Internet through email, message boards, or owners groups on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Remember that your neighbors are not your competition; they are a great resource for reducing hassle, sharing ideas, and hopefully increasing bookings. So go ahead and whip up a batch of cookies – it's time to make friends with your neighbors.

How do you work with your vacation home neighbors and other vacation rental owners?

How to Find the Next Door Neighbor of Your Vacation Rental Home It's generally easy to find other vacation rental owners in your area.   10 Things We Learned from Vacation Rental Owners in 2008 Read tips that we learned from other owners during our 2008 seminars.   The Benefits of Networking with Other Vacation Rental Owners The benefits of developing relationships with fellow second homeowners.   Renting Your Vacation Home by Owner, FAQs Rent by owner or use a property management company? Here are the most frequently asked questions.

© Copyright, HomeAway, Inc. 2009. U.090226.LC