How do I find a rental property?
There are two ways to find your ideal vacation rental:
Power Search --The most popular and efficient way to find
a vacation rental, the
Power Search enables you to indicate your preferences, including
your vacation time frame, number of bedrooms, maximum price, proximity to beach,
and key amenities. Select a specific location, an entire region, or even a combination
of towns. The search results will be presented in a list of suitable properties
according to price. They will also be presented as pins on a map for you to view
each property relative to area beaches, town centers, or other points of interest.
Once you have performed your search, you can use
MyVacations to save both your requirements and the results, and
then share them with family and friends.
Browse all rentals
-- You can also view a directory of all of the rentals in a specific
Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard,
or Nantucket town listed by occupancy,
high to low.
What key information should I look for on a listing?
Calendar – Prior to inquiring about a property, be sure to view
the listing’s pricing and availability calendar.
Owner Specials -- Many homeowners post an Owner Special
with a special offer or discount.
Last-Minute Availability Alert – The
indicates that the rental has at least one week available within the next month.
Alerts are usually accompanied by an Owner Special offering a special offer or discount.
Videos -- Some of the listings offer a video. If so, it is right
below the pictures.
What do I do once I've found a rental I want to inquire about?
When you find a rental you are interested in, you can phone or email the contact
person for that rental. If you send an email inquiry, the form you
complete will be sent to the contact person. In a given session, you need to input
your information only once, and you can then send emails to the listers of as many
properties as you wish. You will be able to enter a general comment about the composition
of your party, etc. that will go to all listers, and you will also be able to send
a unique message to individual listers if you have specific questions about just
their property.
What is MyVacations, and how does it work?
MyVacations is a feature that enables
you to save your ideal rental search criteria and the results so that, when you
return in the future, you can rerun your search and add to your existing list of
favorites. A shopping cart for vacations! In addition, you can take online notes
about the rentals and even rate them. Then, you can share your list with family
and friends, and they, too, can record notes and rate the listings.
In order to use MyVacations, you must provide your email address and an
optional password to register. You can do this either before or after performing
the Power Search. Once registered, when you return to WeNeedaVacation.com,
you will choose the MyVacations link on the home page. Log in, and you
can either review previously set up "vacations" or start a new one by performing
a Power Search.
How do I find a listing if I already know the property ID?
To find a listing by its property ID, look for "Find by Property ID" field in the
upper right corner of any page on the site.
Do you have a list of long-term winter rentals?
Our MyVacationsLong-Term Rentals Directory
lists, by town, the rentals available for one month or longer during the off season.
What general advice do you have for renters?
Length of Stay
Summer rentals usually require a minimum stay of one week and generally run from
Saturday to Saturday. Some rentals begin on another day of the week, however, especially
on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Off-season stays or smaller homes or apartments
are generally more flexible, with many homes available to rent on a daily basis
or for long weekends.
Check-in/Check-out Time
Check-in time is most often early to mid-afternoon with check-out time in the mid-
to late morning.
Security Deposit
Most homeowners and realtors require a refundable security deposit for a rental
home. Check with the homeowner or realtor for details. The security deposit is usually
due to be returned within a month after tenancy.
Lease
It is in your best interest, as well as that of the homeowner, to have a signed
lease that spells out the details of your tenancy, including information about the
security deposit, schedule for payment, and the cancellation policy. Many homeowners
and listing agents require at least half of the rent due at the time of lease signing,
with the remainder of the rent due one to three months prior to tenancy.
In Season, Shoulder Season, and Off Season
"In season" generally refers to all the weeks in July and August, the “shoulder
season” generally includes the months of May, June, September, and October, and
the off season runs from November through April. Most homeowners offer different
prices for in season, shoulder season, and off-season. Check the listing’s calendar
or with the homeowner or listing agent for details.
Book Early
Because of the tremendous popularity of the Cape and Islands as a vacation destination,
we encourage you to begin your search early for a rental property. Many rental homes
are often booked for the summer by the end of February. This is particularly true
with waterfront, water view properties. And plan ahead if you need to accommodate
a greater number of guests, as larger homes tend to book early.
Visitors to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in particular are advised
to make precise rental and travel plans well in advance. If you intend to take a
car to the Islands, make ferry reservations early in the year through
the Steamship Authority
Authority at 508-771-4000. For Island ferry info.
Utilities
Most short-term rentals include all utility costs.
Household Supplies
Unless otherwise noted, most rental homes supply kitchen utensils, dishes, and some
cleaning supplies. You are expected to supply your own linens and towels unless
the listing specifies that the owner will supply them via "linens included" in the
amenities section. There are linen rental companies, several of which will even
deliver the linens.
Prior to Your Vacation
Before you leave for your vacation home, be sure you have precise directions; a
key (or arrangements for picking up the key) to the home; and the phone number of
the homeowner, listing agent, or property manager.
Upon your arrival
If anything is amiss at the home when you arrive, contact the owners or their agent
immediately. Being informed of any issues only after your departure is of no benefit
to either you or the homeowner.
Homeowners Are Responsible for Their Own Listings
All of the information found on the individual property pages has been provided
by the property owner or listing agent. WeNeedaVacation.com is not responsible for
the accuracy of the content provided. If, however, you notice a discrepancy, please
notify us so that we can investigate and require that the lister rectify the situation.
Pets: Can I bring my dog or cat on vacation with me?
Use the Power Search to find
vacation rentals that will allow pets. Dogs are more likely to be accepted than
cats unless the cats are declawed. In some cases, you will be required to pay an
additional pet deposit.
Be sure to treat your pet with a flea and tick preventive at least a week prior
to your vacation.
Rental owners appreciate pet parents who offer to bring sheets to cover upholstered
furniture.
Always keep your dog on a leash (or under voice control if at an off-leash facility)
and always clean up after him, both at the rental property and elsewhere.
Keep in mind that the majority of beaches do not allow dogs in season. Learn about
dog-friendly beaches and great
locations to walk your dogs.
How can I access Cape & Islands transportation sites?
The Transportation section of our
Vacation Planner provides extensive information about traveling to and within
all Cape Cod and Islands regions.
How can I provide feedback on my vacation at one of your rentals?
Guest Reviews are an effective means of building credibility, confidence, and trust
in our listings and are invaluable to homeowners and future vacationers alike. If
you would like to write a review about your experience in a vacation rental, go
to the listing and click on the "Write a review" link. Provided the guest review
meets our Guidelines,
a copy is sent to the homeowner, who may submit a response if they choose, and the
review will be posted, generally within 7 business days.
In the unlikely event that your experience at one of our properties is unduly negative,
please
email us with the details. We will follow up with you and the homeowner.
Why should I use WeNeedaVacation.com to find a vacation rental property?
- Being locally owned and operated, we are the Cape and Islands vacation rental specialists
and are a valuable resource for information about the local area.
- Since 1997, tens of thousands of vacationers have booked vacation rental homes through
WeNeedaVacation.com and have reported very positive experiences to us.
- Vacationers rely on our site year after year to find their vacation rental homes.
Read their testimonials.
- With more than 3,500 vacation rental homes on Cape Cod and the Islands, we have
options for everyone and in every budget.
- A majority of WeNeedaVacation.com homeowners have an established history in the
rental industry and have been on our site for years. Each property listing documents
the length of time on our site.
- Our individualized customer service enables us to know many homeowners personally
and maintain strong working relationships with them.
- We genuinely care about your vacation rental experience and are available for assistance
7 days a week. In the unlikely event that your rental experience is unduly negative,
please inform us in detail. We adhere to a strict listing policy, and discretionary
removal of a listing may result if warranted.
What assurance can you provide regarding your vacation rental properties?
You can feel comfortable and confident when booking your vacation home through WeNeedaVacation.com
because:
- We are locally owned and operated, most of us own homes here ourselves, and we are
very involved in the Cape and Islands community.
- Every listing on our site is reviewed and approved by us prior to activation.
- We have never activated a listing for a property that did not exist as a rental
property at the address provided.
- Our Guest Review Policy
and Guidelines provides vacationers with total transparency regarding our listings,
allowing for greater confidence that the home is as advertised and that the owner
or property manager is trustworthy.
- Because we are local and offer top-in-the-industry customer services to our owners
and managers, we are acquainted personally with many them.
How can I contact you?
Feel free to call (888-281-8660) or
email us anytime.
If you have any feedback or suggestions on how we can make our website easier for
you to use, please let us know.