Christine Karpinski: This question comes from an anonymous owner, who asks:

Q: "I own multiple properties in the same vacation destination.  Isn't it better for me to leave my calendar blank so that I don't miss out on any potential renters?"

A: I was not the first person to jump on the whole calendar bandwagon back years ago when it first started. However, I do think that you should keep your calendars up to date 100% of the time. Personally, since I've done it, I've gotten many more inquiries and more bookings.

I think what happens is that alot of people look at your property, see an empty calendar, and initially think, "Hmm, what's wrong with that place? There's got to be something wrong with it if nobody wants to book it." Or they might think that you're not an active owner and you won't be quick to respond to them.

Another benefit: I've had to reply, "Sorry I'm booked" far fewer times since I started keeping my calendar up to date.

I understand that if you own multiple properties in the same destination (because I do as well) that your instinct might be to leave those calendars open. However, we've found that most often people have specific dates in mind, and their dates aren't as flexible as we think that they might be. The only people you're hearing from are the ones that might have flexible dates, because the people that have very set dates aren't even going to contact you if your calendars are not up to date.

So, I highly recommend you keep your calendar up to date all the time. I know, I know, there's going to be a lot of opposition to this, however, as always, it's my viewpoint.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of "Ask Christine." If you have a question we would love to hear from you. Please leave a message at 512‑493‑4340.

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Do you keep your calendar up to date? Why or why not?

What Does Your Calendar Say About You? Learn the assumptions travelers make about you based on the state of your listing's rental calendar   Christine on Keeping Up Vacation Rental Calendars Christine makes her case for always updating your calendar   What Travelers Say About Non-Updated Calendars How your customers feel about out-of-date calendars   Buying Another Vacation Rental Home A few points to consider before buying a second vacation property as an investment © Copyright, HomeAway, Inc. 2009. U.090721.AK