Fall bookings are running 8% ahead of last year and 26% ahead of 2011, reflecting continued growth in the popularity of renting on the Cape and Islands in the fall season. Keep in mind, however, that the number of available rental properties has also steadily increased, requiring you to consider ways to market your home with an off-season perspective rather than the normal summer one.
You may want to consider altering your listing a bit so that it's more enticing to off season renters. Rather than highlighting the fact that you have ceiling fans or air conditioners, for example, you might mention a woodstove or fireplace for cool fall evenings. Remember you are marketing primarily to vacationers without children.
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Popular posts on our Homeowner Blog:
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We are already receiving a number of calls in the office from vacationers making plans for next year! Listings with pricing and availability for summer 2014 will get more hits than those without. If you are not ready to post pricing and availability, just leave the calendar as is, and it will show the weeks as "unknown."
 Look for the
 button on your calendar. This will show you the prices you initially put on your calendar for the past season and is a good reference as you make your pricing decisions about next year.
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Conducting business with respect to our community and the environment. Year round and seasonal services are our specialty. From Rubbish removal to portable toilets, we've got you covered.
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Joyce Landscaping
The Joyce Companies provide complete landscaping, property maintenance & concierge services with comprehensive, year-round service to effectively accommodate each client’s needs and enhance the beauty and value of their property. Beautiful Properties Begin Here!
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Solicit tenant feedback using the Guest Review Request feature
Guest reviews strongly influence the decision-making process of the vacationer to inquire about and book your vacation rental. Even if you have some reviews posted, be sure to keep them current by adding new ones each season.
Not sure how to solicit feedback from your tenants? The Guest Review Request feature enables you to email your recent tenants directly from your listing to request their feedback. It's easy for you - and easy for them! Access your Guest Reviews page from your Homeowner Center, and click on the "Request Form" tab to send emails to your tenants, or watch our new
Guest Review Request Tutorial video for step-by-step instructions.
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What to do if you receive negative feedback
Fortunately, of the 963 guest reviews that have been received so far this year, 99.06% have been positive (4- or 5-star) reviews. But, yes, it can happen: Despite your best efforts to provide a home that all of your tenants will rave about, you might receive a negative guest review - or a negative comment in an otherwise positive review.
What should you do?
Read more about responding to a negative guest review.
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Although
we offer 3- and 6-month renewal plans, more than 77% of our Cape and
Islands homeowners are annual listers. They realize that getting even
one more booking will pay for the extra advertising many times over. In
addition, in recent years 17% of all summer bookings were made between
August and December of the previous year. More info on year-round advertising. |
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The Long Term Rental Directory lists off-season rentals of a month or longer from a link on our home page. So, if your home is listed on the Long Term Directory, make sure your information is accurate and up-to-date. To edit your information or add your home to the Directory, click on the "Description, amenities and map options" link in your Homeowner Center. More info on winter rental advertising.
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Save the date for our fall Homeowner Forums!
Our popular, annual, complimentary Homeowner Forums have been scheduled for this fall, and more information about them will be coming soon. The Forums are a wonderful opportunity for you to meet with other homeowners and some of our staff, engage in lively conversation concerning the vacation rental market, and share ideas.
Nantucket - Thursday, Sept. 5, 6 - 8pm
Martha's Vineyard - Saturday, Oct. 5, 10am - noon
Brewster - Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 - 11:30am and 1:30 - 4pm
Wellesley - Saturday, Nov. 2, 4 - 6pm
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This past month, we made the very difficult decision to stop advertising Florida rentals and instead concentrate solely on the Cape & Islands, where our staff and we live and own rental properties.
We were optimistic when we expanded to Florida in 2003 as we saw a strong connection between the Cape & Islands and Florida. In the years since, however, we found it difficult to provide Florida listings with the same level of homeowner customer service and support, which is such a vital part of who we are.
In today's market, being tightly focused is essential, and we will now be the largest website in the world dedicated solely to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket rentals!
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The advantages of up-to-date photos and video
Fresh and inviting pictures are the single most important aspect of your listing. When polled, thousands of vacationers indicated that their first impression of a listing is based on the quality of the photographs. See picture taking tips.
A property video adds a new and exciting dimension to your listing. When creating a video, capture the exterior and interior highlights of your rental, including views, the surrounding area, and nearby beaches. Videos are easy to upload through the Video Central link on your Homeowner Center page.
If you need assistance taking great photographs or video, our staff photographer & videographer, Becky Fischer, is now booking for the fall. If you would like to arrange for an appointment or hear more about her service, email her at becky@weneedavacation.com. Becky has photographed over 350 homes on our website and created more than 130 videos.
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Click on your area:
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| Reminders |
| Vacation Planner |
Refer-a-Friend |
Ideas for newsletters? |
Be sure to tell your tenants to check out the Vacation Planner for activities, events, dining and more.
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Refer a friend and receive 2 free months if you list for a year or more, or 1 extra month if you list for 6 months!
And, don't forget: referring a Vacation Planner or Home Services business counts, too! |
Email us if you have other topics you would like to see us address in our monthly homeowner newsletters.
See our past newsletters.
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