The following is a commentary written by Christine Karpinski, while they are the views of Christine Karpinski, they may not necessarily be the views of HomeAway Inc. or its subsidiaries.

The first year that I accepted credit cards (2004) I only took the deposit via credit card, minimizing the cost, but I felt it was worth the "insurance" that the booking was "good". Surprisingly, I found the renters also looked at me differently, more as a business, trusting that I was more legitimate. In 2005 I decided to run all my transactions through the credit card merchant account. Now when a person asks,`Can I send a check for the balance?', I shy away from that option. I tell them if they have a credit card that's attached to their checking account that would be better, and I can take out the money when they desire.

Running a Vacation Rental Business FAQs    Anwers to commonly asked questions about vacation rental ownership and running a vacation rental business, including information about screening renters, insurance and more

Vacation Condo Tips for Vacation Homes Owners    Learn more about condominium tips and renting a vacation condo.

Vacation Rental Security Deposit FAQs    Answers to common questions about security deposits.

Vacation Rental Resources: Hawaii (HI)    Handy resources for vacation home and condo rental owners in Hawaii.

The Pros and Cons of Accepting PayPal from Vacation Rental Guests    The pros and cons of accepting PayPal.

Should You Accept Credit Cards from Your Vacation Rental Guests?    For many renters, the deciding factor of which property to rent might just come down to the one that accepts credit cards.

The Different Types of Vacation Rental Travelers    A light-hearted look at the easy-to-book travelers, the tough-sells, and the ones to avoid altogether.

Chargebacks and PayPal for Vacation Rental Transactions    What are chargebacks, why are they different on PayPal, and how can you avoid them?

The Pros and Cons of Accepting American Express from Vacation Rental Guests    Should you accept Amex? The pros and cons.

Six Reasons To Accept Credit Cards from Travelers    More than a just convenience for your renters-- it makes your life much easier!

10 Ways to Ease in Travelers New to Renting Vacation Homes    For some, renting a vacation home sight-unseen can be a leap of faith. Here are some ways to ease their minds.

How To Avoid (and Handle) Cancellations from Vacation Rental Guests    The best way to avoid a cancellation: Don't book a reservation without having money in hand

Top Ten Things Vacation Rental Owners Should Know About the Average Traveler    What the typical traveler is looking for when they search for a vacation rental.

Traveler's Thoughts...Revealed    A “behind the looking glass” perspective into travelers' likes, fears, and annoyances about renting vacation homes.

When to Allow a Renter to Pay by Wire Transfer    An option for international guests or last minute bookings.

10 Phone Calls from Renters and How to Handle Them    How to immediately fix problems that may arise and how to prevent future occurrences

HomeAway Listing Critique: Park Ave Condo (Park City, UT)    With brighter photos and a stronger headline, this listing should be able to stand out in the crowded Park City marketplace.

Listings 101 Checklist for Building a HomeAway Listing    Critique your own listing using our Listings 101 criteria

Listings 101 Checklist for Building VRBO.com Listings    Criteria used in assessing VRBO.com vacation rental listings for Listings 101

HomeAway Listing Critique: Calla Lily Villa (Crescent Lakes, FL)    This Orlando area listing uses its photos and descriptions to its advantage.

Example Assessment Using Listing Critique Criteria    Improve your vacation rental listing using the criteria spelled out in the Listings 101 Guidelines

HomeAway Listing Critique: The Riverhouse (Orland, ME)    The listing for this Maine charmer needs a little help, but with a little color and care, it will be bringing in bookings in no time.

VRBO Listing Critique: Sea Sun Rentals (Fairfield Sunrise, AZ)    With some help from this owner's personal website, this VRBO listing could be especially great.

HomeAway Listing Critique: TurtleCon (Kiawah Island, SC)    This listing faces the challenge of advertising a multi-unit home.

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.

How to Accept Payments from Your Vacation Rental Guests    Learn the safest and most convenient methods for accepting payments from your vacation rental guests

The Scoop on Accepting Credit Cards from Your Vacation Rental Guests    Ten good reasons to reconsider accepting them from your guests.

Travel Insurance for Your Vacation Rental Guests    Insure your booking in case of traveler cancellations.

The Different Types of Vacation Rental Fees    Definitions of common fees included in rental agreements.

Merchant Credit Card Account Categories for Vacation Rental Owners    Be aware of the protection (or lack thereof) provided by your merchant account and/or business category.

Security Deposit Policies: Dos and Don'ts    When to make a “to do” about renter-related damage without ending up in small claims court

The Different Types of Vacation Rental Fees    Definitions of common fees included in rental agreements.

Get Organized: 12 Ways to Simplify Your Vacation Rental Life    Cottage, cabin and condo rental tips for confidently handling any problems that may arise at any type of vacation rental.

The Top Ten Things You Should Have In Your Vacation Rental Rules    Thorough vacation home rules can go a long way toward protecting you and your renters from common rental “disasters"

Sample Vacation Rental Deposit Refund Letter (No Damages)    Example of a deposit refund letter to be sent with the refund check

How to Set Up Payment Schedules for Your Vacation Rental Guests    Schedule payments to make sure you receive your money well in advance.

Easing Your Renters' Minds During an Economic Downturn    Before you and your guests start to panic, learn how to work with your renters' financial concerns and keep your bookings strong.

Security Deposit Guidelines for Vacation Rentals    Helpful guidelines to follow when handling deposits for your rental

Accepting Credit Cards from Vacation Rental Guests    Learn why you should accept credit cards from renters and your various options for securing payment.

How To Avoid Cancellations While "The Check Is In The Mail"    Steps which should help avoid turning away valuable bookings from vacation rental guests while you're waiting for a “check in the mail."

How to Protect Your Good Name: Vacation Rental Transactions    Safeguard your renters and your reputation by avoiding unsafe payment methods.

10 Ways to Defend Against Vacation Rental Bans in Your Area    Tips for staying one step ahead of short-term rental bans.

Homeowner's Insurance For Vacation Rental Homes    Accidents happen. Shield yourself from the unforseen with Homeowner's Insurance.

Christine's Blog: Offering Flexible Payment Schedules (4/16/2009)    Christine explains how her flexibility with payment schedules has helped her to secure more bookings.

Christine's Blog: Sending Two Contracts for the Same Week (4/7/08)    Christine gets on a soapbox about why you shouldn't send two contracts out to potential renters for the same week.

Christine's Blog: Budget Travel's Vacation Rental Handbook, Part 1 (11/4/2008)    Christine breaks down a recent article from Budget Travel magazine on the process of renting a vacation home.

Christine's Blog: Preparing for Vacation (8/5/08)    Christine talks about the building excitement and the not-so-fun prep work for her upcoming vacation.

Christine's Blog: Misconceptions About Recent Inquiry (5/27/2008)    Christine discusses an inquiry from what she thought was a scammer but was actually a qualified renter.

Christine's Blog: Budget Travel's Vacation Rental Handbook, Part 2 (11/6/08)    Christine offers her feedback to points 6-10 of the Vacation Rental Handbook in Budget Travel (Nov. 2008).

Ask Christine: Can I Ask For a Credit Card Number in Case of Damages?    Christine answers a question from an owner who does not take credit cards, but who wonders if she can keep a credit card number on file in case of excessive damage.

Christine's Blog: Credit Card Scam or Not? (4/30/07)    Christine talks about her experience dealing with an unsavory credit card situation.

Sample Vacation Rental Cleaning Checklist    A quick rundown of the things your housekeeper should clean between each guest at your vacation home

12 Questions to Ask Your Vacation Rental Service Providers    Learn the right questions to ask in order to select the best possible housekeeper, handymen, etc. for your vacation rental business.

Frequent Vacation Rental Scam Inquiries    We've added this section to our site to help owners spot vacation rental scams

May 1, 2007: Credit Card Scammers Target Vacation Rental Owners    Two credit cards scams affecting rental owners.

July 9, 2007: Did HomeAway Add My Property to This Website?    As scraping becomes more and more common, it's important to be aware and to take action.

August 30, 2007: A New Twist on an Old Scam    A savvy owner recounts her conversation with an over-the-phone scammer.

One-on-One with Canmore, AB Vacation Rental Owner Richard Colwell Part 2 (Transcript)    Christine continues her discussion on the challenges of renting and maintaining a vacation property from abroad.

One-on-One with Baltimore Vacation Rental Owner, Richard Pretl (Transcript)    Christine interviews experienced owner, Richard Pretl, about his vacation rental in Baltimore, Maryland.

Managing Vacation Rental Properties as a Co-op (Transcript)    Christine interviews Bev Babich of Colorado, who is part of a Vacation Rental Property Co-op

Ask Christine #8: Can You Ask for a Credit Card in Case of Excess Damage? (Transcript)    Christine answers a question from a Dillon Beach owner .

Ask Christine #32: Should I Accept Credit Cards?    Christine explains the benefits of accepting credit cards

Ask Christine #21: How the Economy is Affecting the Vacation Rental Industry (Transcript)    Christine addresses how an uncertain economy and gas prices could affect your vacation home rentals.

One-on-One with Destin Vacation Rental Owner, Gayla Berry (Transcript)    Christine talks with Destin owner, Gayla Berry.

One-on-One with New Hampshire Rental Owner, Robin Clapp (Transcript)    Christine talks with vacation rental owner Robin Clapp.

Ask Christine #32: Should I Accept Credit Cards?    Christine explains the benefits of accepting credit cards

Go International-- The Merits of Advertising Your Vacation Rental Worldwide (Transcript)    Christine speaks with the HomeAway UK about renting vacation properties worldwide.

Ask Christine #35: When to Mark Your Calendar As Booked    At what point during the booking process should an owner mark their calendar as booked? And how do you answer inquiries you receive in the interim?

Ask Christine #18: Preventing Credit Card Chargebacks     How to protect yourself for illegitimate credit card chargebacks from renters

How to Book Last-Minute Rentals at Your Vacation Property    Tactics you can use to increase last-minute bookings of your vacation rental property

How to Keep Your Vacation Home Booked in an Uncertain Economy    Tips for marketing your vacation home during these tough financial times.

How to Market Your U.S. Vacation Rental to International Travelers    The benefits and considerations of taking your vacation rental business global.

What To Do If Your Peak Summer Weeks Are Not Fully Booked    Suggestions for drawing traffic to your listing and securing last-minute bookings.

How to Market Your Vacation Rental to Traveling Consultants    The Owner Community shares some valuable and thorough information on marketing to this niche group of business travelers submitted directly from a vacation rental owner

Marketing Your Vacation Rental to International Travelers: FAQs    Answers to commonly asked questions about advertising and renting to travelers form outside the U.S.

Vacation Rental Advice for the New Year: Part 2    Ways to make this year your best rental year yet.

How to Market Your Vacation Home to Business Travelers    Learn how to attract business travelers as renters for your vacation property.