How To Start a Vacation Rental 

First and foremost, why start a vacation rental?  What are property owners earning?

According to HomeAway aka VRBO in a 2014 vacation rental report, more than half (54%) of property owners cover at least 3/4 of their mortgage by renting their home to travellers. On average, HomeAway vacation rental owners charge a weekly rate of $1,520, generating an average annual income of $27,260.

Some owners simply want to cover a few basic costs and may rent out one room a week here and there, where others, roughly 19%, expect to cover all of their expenses as well as profit.  

How do I prepare my vacation home for guests?

De-Clutter - Remove excess personal items. Keep a few locked areas to store your belongings. Remove anything irreplaceable or valuable.

Repair & Replace - It’s time to go over your property inside and out to make sure everything works and that nothing is damaged or broken. Your property does not have to be in pristine condition, but you must never leave guests with a home in disrepair. 

Equip - Supply your kitchen with enough flatware, glasses, plates, etc… for double the number of people the rental can sleep.  Dining and living spaces must also accommodate all possible guests with enough comfortable seating. Replace old mattresses and pillows and make sure bed frames are solid. If you offer twin or double sized beds, it is highly recommended that they are 80 inches long. If you have bunk-beds (usually 75"long) for example be sure to state that beds are for children.

Hotel Linens & Towels - Renters may overlook an older piece of furniture, or rustic garden furniture, as long as they are clean and sturdy. But they are less tolerant when it comes to sleeping eating and bathing. Beds must be comfortable, clean and fresh, bathrooms need to be spotless and appliances spick and span.

The best way to achieve this is to supply ample amounts of quality bedding and towels. And yes, do yourself and your future guests a favour and purchase (minimum 3 sets per bed) white "commercial" hotel sheets and towels, they’re tried and true, and consistently available, making them easy to replace and simple to manage and maintain.

Bed Sizes - Standard mattress depths range between 12 to 14 inches. The most popular bed size used in the hospitality industry is a queen, next, a king. Twin XL are very popular in the bed and breakfast industry since they easily convert to king. The least popular bed is a full/double bed, considered too narrow by many travellers (couples). However great for children's rooms.

Extras - Typically most well-lived-in homes already have everything a traveller needs. The best rule of thumb is to offer what you were using yourself, from your washer and dryer through to your high speed internet, books, games, television and so on. Even a well equipped junk drawer supplied with everything from batteries to scotch tape goes a long way toward creating happy guests. Leaving non-perishables such as sugar salt and other dry goods is always appreciated. A basic first aid kit is highly recommended. Make sure your fire extinguisher and smoke detectors are operational and up to date.

As for extras, a waste paper basket in each bedroom and bathroom is a good idea. A laundry basket in each bedroom may keep wet towels off the floor. A hotel luggage rack will save your furniture and walls from luggage scratches. Ensure you have enough hangers at least 6 per guest. Sharpen or replace knives, be prepared to refresh such items as BBQ brushes, spatulas, cutting boards, toilet brushes... by replacing every few months or at least seasonally.

Stepping it up a notch would be to offer mini hotel amenities, disposable makeup removers are a nice touch, and will save your towels.

How do I promote my vacation rental?

Marketing - First and foremost invest in good images. Set up your space as it should look at check-in and be sure to use a high-resolution digital camera. If you’re not great as an image editor, then just click away and simply choose from the best. Hiring a professional real estate photographer is also recommended, and a must if you are renting a luxury property. You should have at least 40 good images in your repertoire. Write up a few catchy paragraphs about your home's positive and unique attributes. If word-smithery is not your strength, find help. How your property is described can affect your bookings.

Both VRBO & Airbnb are a great start. However for more personalized service be sure to investigate booking sites from your own region, these offer good local exposure. Most of these sites prompt you throughout the process and make it very easy to get set up.

If you book more than 150 nights per year, consider creating your own booking website. Particularly since fees are on the rise and few of these sites allow you to post your own contact information. We've recently started using OwnerRez and are very happy with the pricing, ease of use and support. Noting you should allow no less than 40 person hours to set up and we still list on most big sites to keep a pipeline of new prospects coming our way. Search Quail's Inn Kelowna to see our hosting site and our direct marketing results.

As with any successful venture, a lot of work goes into set up and management. If this is not of interest to you, consider hiring a property management company. 

Reviews - As a follow up to your marketing, you must fully appreciate that your vacation rental will only succeed if your guests are happy. Reviews can make or break your venture. The best way to acquire positive reviews is to be very sure that you are providing what you are selling and that you are priced accordingly. Always make personal contact with your guests by phone or in person; once before they book, and again after they check-out. Also make sure they have local 24-hour contact information in case they need anything. The bottom line is: on occasion, things can (will) go wrong, from a mouse in the pantry to a leaky dishwasher. It’s how you handle these situations that matters the most.

What must I consider before getting started?

Sales Tax - Whether or not to charge tax depends on where your VR is located. It is very important to contact authorities and become aware of your obligations.

Each Province is different, as well there are many changes as governments grapple with this ever growing Short Term Rental (STR) phenomenon. In BC, affective Oct 2018, the government expect property owners to collect and remit an 8% sales tax and possibly an additional RMDT that goes back to your city.

GST or HST-  You must register and begin collecting GST/HST once revenue tops a certain threshold ($30,000 in 2021) in one calendar quarter. Revenue is calculated “when the service is delivered," be sure to consult with your accountant as to whether or not to use the check-in, or check-out day, as the date to calculate your revenue. If you exceed the threshold, then register right away and begin collecting GST in the next calendar quarter.

Insurance - Many homeowner insurance policies do not cover your home if you offer short-term (under 30 days) rentals. This is somewhat new for many Insurance companies, so be prepared to shop around. If you live at the property you may be covered under B&B policies, or if your rental is very limited or you are just getting started simply call your Insurance agent for advice. 

Bylaws - As a result of the rapidly growing "sharing economy" phenomena, thousands upon thousands of vacation rentals are being advertised across Canada. Most cities however do restrict - and some even disallow - “short term” (under 30 days) rentals in residential zones. Also check with you HOA if the property is within a strata.

Our observations tell us that many cities rely on these bylaws to protect neighbourhoods from unscrupulous property owners. Bylaw officers will, undoubtedly enforce these ordinances if/when a neighbour files a complaint. This in turn empowers your neighbours greatly, and places the onus squarely on you to be extremely thoughtful and considerate when deciding the sort of guests you intend to accommodate, and for how long.  

Price Point - From a marketing standpoint, any property has the potential to become a short term rental. The question you must answer, however, is: How much revenue can my property realistically bring in, and how much will it cost me to do so? Finally, is it enough to make this worth my while? The easiest way to research this is to find comparable properties on VRBO.com, Airbnb.com, or on local “vacation rental” sites. Be sure to carefully check their calendars and reviews. For this in depth analysis visit AIRDNA

My first guests start arriving next week what do I need to do?

A welcome letter about 2-4 days prior to arrival is a must. It can include special instructions, driving directions, and even a copy of particulars such as rules or tips on what to bring. Note: sample forms from "contracts", to "welcome letters", are all available on VRBO and Airbnb.

If someone is not available to greet your guests at check-in, then be sure to provide the phone number of a local contact; someone needs to be available in case they need anything. Please make sure keys are easy to obtain and leave the front lights on in case they arrive late.

Provide Instructions for your guests - every property has its own idiosyncrasies that vacation rental guests appreciate knowing about; from tv remote-control instructions to recycling procedures. Also provide any rules that need to be adhered to. 


How should I manage housekeeping?

Many vacation rentals do add a “cleaning fee” and travellers have accepted this practice to a certain extent. The fee can range from $75 for a one-bedroom condo up to $600 for a luxury estate. Although many are starting to roll theses cost into the nightly rate.

The best approach for your venture and your guests is to do at least some of the cleaning or final inspection yourself, as long as it’s manageable. One way to keep it manageable is to have (minimum) three sets of sheets per bed, and 6 sets of towels per person; then send linens out to be laundered. Paying $1 –  $3 per item is reasonable, noting that some laundering services charge by weight. By handling some of the work yourself you become keenly aware of what needs replacing or repairing. 

Cleaning companies are professional, well organized, and bring their own supplies, but they do find it tricky to accommodate your random schedules and will often charge a premium. Sometimes finding independent part-time help can work. But do note: these workers will need you there for direction and supervision, and they do not bring their own supplies nor are they covered with workers insurance. 

For more guidance never hesitate to contact; support@vrsupplies.ca