Why vacation home rentals are a growing trend

Miami Beach Vacation Rental house with pool and fantastic bay view, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight, $3,500/week, or $125/room per night.

Contributed photo Miami Beach Vacation Rental house with pool and fantastic bay view, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight, $3,500/week, or $125/room per night.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Contributed photo Miami Beach Vacation Rental house with pool and fantastic bay view, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, sleeps eight, $3,500/week, or $125/room per night.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Sandy Ridge Vacation Rental house. Property is in Orlando, Fla., near Disney. A HomeAway Top 5 pick. The house has a south facing pool and spa, WiFi, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and sleeps 12 for $175/night.

VIP PHOTO SERVICE ROB MELENDEZ Sandy Ridge Vacation Rental house. Property is in Orlando, Fla., near Disney. A HomeAway Top 5 pick. The house has a south facing pool and spa, WiFi, five bedrooms, four bathrooms and sleeps 12 for $175/night.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Debbie Juniewicz, Contributing Writer Updated 8:05 PM Sunday, May 8, 2011

Sipping coffee at sunrise on your oceanfront deck, relaxing with friends and family in a countryside villa, or being right in the middle of the action in a trendy downtown loft. Those are just some of the perks of trading in a crammed hotel room for a vacation rental.

“As short as vacations are, you want to have as much downtime as possible to enjoy your destination and the people you are with,” said Heather Knopp, a Kettering resident and longtime vacation home traveler. “Renting a house lets you bring the best things from home to your vacation destination.”

Knopp is part of a growing number of travelers who are choosing to rent a house, condominium, apartment or villa rather than stay in a traditional hotel room. According to a 2010 survey by Radius Global Market Research, there are more than 6 million vacation properties in the United States and Europe that are rented to travelers every year. These vacation rentals generated more than $85 billion in rental income in 2010.

So, if dreary spring days have awakened a longing for a sunny summer by the shore, now might be the time to look at what vacation rentals have to offer, including, in many cases, a great value.

Comforts of home

Imagine a long day at the amusement park or hiking through the mountains. Now, imagine piling the family into a cramped hotel room for the rest of the night — not exactly an idyllic way to end the day.

“Families are definitely our core market,” said Alexis de Belloy, vice president of North American business for HomeAway Inc. “In one of our properties, after a day at the amusement park, the parents could put the kids to bed and then relax on the deck or by the pool and enjoy the rest of the evening.

“We give families the ability to be in an area where there are lots of activities and attractions and also be able to enjoy time in a real home.”

The HomeAway network of rentals, which includes HomeAway, Vacation Rentals By Owners (VRBO) and VacationRentals.com, had more than 527,000 listings worldwide in 2010, an increase of more than 200,000 from 2008. The Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) — which includes more than 600 property management and associate members in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean — now represents approximately 150,000 vacation properties.

“There are many more properties available on all kinds of sites, which is great for consumers because the more choices they have, the better,” de Belloy said.

Some of the factors driving the growth include travelers’ desire for value, space, privacy, flexibility and amenities.

A four-bedroom home in Orlando, with a private pool, can be found on VacationRentals.com for less than $100 night, less than many area hotel rooms. Vacation rentals become an even better value if you share the expenses with extended family or friends.

“We take turns making dinner and we divide up the food expenses,” said Knopp, who has traveled with as many as 12 family members. “It makes the trip so much more reasonable and it’s much easier to visit with each other around your own dinner table than at a restaurant.”

Travelers don’t have to trade amenities for privacy and space as many rental houses have private pools, hot tubs, air hockey or pool tables. Some have kayaks, bicycles, golf carts and beach chairs that can be used as well.

Live like a local

Vacation rentals enable travelers to get off the beaten track but still stay close to the action. Beachhouse.com has multiple oceanfront houses with four and five bedrooms just 10 minutes away from Myrtle Beach starting at $1,200 a week. Families can play all day in the traditional tourist areas and retire to their quiet beach house, just a short drive away.

When Knopp and her family traveled to Italy, they took day trips to Pisa, Rome and Florence but had their home base in a quaint Tuscan village.

“It’s a completely different experience,” she said. “You see how people live in these areas and it is so much more peaceful.”

The local experience also means travelers can enjoy distinctive cuisine, not just dine at the typical chains, and explore out-of-the-way destinations and shops. With full kitchens, vacationers can buy and prepare local delicacies after a trip to the farmer’s market or the dock to pick up the catch of the day.

Discover Vacation Homes, a VRMA initiative, puts travelers in touch with local realtors, familiar with the area. And sites like VRBO enable travelers to rent directly from owners. Tourists unfamiliar with the region or even the language can ask owners for help with directions, restaurant recommendations or simple translations.

“A majority of our properties are second homes so the owners really know the area,” de Belloy said.

Getting started

There are several things to consider before beginning the search for the perfect vacation rental.

Determine destinations. What do you want to do during your vacation — visit an amusement park, relax on the beach, watch a sporting event or hike through the mountains? If driving is not high on that list, select a location that is close to the destinations you most want to visit.

Establish expectations. Think about what you need and expect as far as accommodations. If you are flying into a city, you will likely want a vacation rental with linens included. If you are driving, you could bring your own sheets and beach towels. If you are traveling with great grandma, a beach house with multiple flights of stairs might not be the best option, but one with an elevator would be ideal. Is it a child safe property? Are pets allowed? And don’t assume all properties, especially in Europe, are air-conditioned. Decide what matters most and choose a property that matches those needs.

Ask questions. If you are communicating directly with the owner, feel free to e-mail or call with any questions or concerns you have. And whether you are dealing with an owner, a realtor or a company, ask to see rental agreements in writing and understand deposit, rental and cancellation policies.

Handling all the details ahead of time will mean more time to relax with family and friends once you arrive at your vacation destination.

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