Basics of Property Management: Screening Potential Tenants
Attractive Features To Offer In Your Beach Rental House
Jesse Obrien
Once you have made the decision to buy a vacation beach house to use for your own personal use and to rent out to vacationers, you are on your way to reaping the benefits of beach rental ownership. However, there are some important details you should consider about the property to make sure it will be a profitable vacation beach house and one that travelers will want to rent. Here are some tips to help you choose the right property for a beach house rental.
Convenient Location
One of the first features you should look for in a vacation beach house is its location, not only to the beach but also to other local attractions and businesses. You should look to buy a house that your renters can walk to and from the beach or to local restaurants and shopping, for example.
Not every vacationer will have access to a vehicle or want to use their available vehicle every time they need to make a trip to the store or go to a restaurant. Having to drive to and from local attractions and the rental house is not a good feature for a vacation, especially for those vacationers who plan to include alcohol in a number of their activities, for example.
Valuable Amenities
The house you buy should also have specific features that will be attractive to a vacationer. For example, a beach house with an outdoor seating area, entertainment space, or dining area, such as an elevated deck, covered patio, or similar area will be attractive to renters. The inside of the house should have a comfortable gathering area, such as an open dining and living space with room for several couches to accommodate multiple guests at once.
A great view of the beach or the waterfront is also a great benefit. If the property is directly on the beach with steps or a walkway leading to the water, this is a huge feature to help you rent it and keep it rented continually during peak rental times.
In addition to providing bedding, linens, furnishings, and entertainment electronics, also be sure to stock your rental property with kitchen amenities. This can include items, such as dishes, utensils, cookware, and other essentials that a vacationer will need while staying in your property.
Online Details
After you have acquired your vacation beach house, you will need to make sure it has full online details to advertise its many benefits. Make sure to take plenty of photos of the house and also provide a floor plan to potential renters can get a visual of the house. Also, consider making a list of local shopping, restaurants, and attractions for a potential renter to review, and also include an availability calendar to help them plan and schedule their trip more easily.
For more information, reach out to a realtor with experience with beach house rentals.
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For the last several years, I've used a property management firm to help with my rental properties. One of the tasks that they handle for me is screening applicants who would like to move into one of my vacant units. Their expertise has helped me lower my tenant turnover and find people who want to stay with me for years. Part of the process is a tenant screening credit check. Before any further contact takes place, my manager orders credit reports from at least two agencies. That is enough to tell us if an applicant is a good financial risk. Assuming the references work out, I meet the candidate and make the final decision. If you own rental properties, let me tell you more about the benefits of having a property manager. I'm betting you'll find this type of arrangement will work for you too.