Top 5 Ways to Set Your Rental Apart - Get More Bookings & Inspire Raving Reviews

Think about the process of booking any hotel/home for a vacation. You look up the destination and scroll through endless listings, separating the ones that catch your eye from the ones that simply don’t. What’s the notable difference between ones with high bookings and ones without? In this blog, we will discuss the top 5 things you can do to set your rental property apart from the competition.

Let’s dive right in!

1. Quality Photos and Theme

High quality photography is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity in this market. If you have blurry photos and/or photos with bad angles – that make your home look smaller than it is, your wallet is going to feel it. This is an investment you can’t afford to pass on. (If you didn’t already know, high quality photos of your home is a perk included when Casago manages your rental!)

Aside from dazzling reviews, what sets in demand properties apart is high-quality photos and superior aesthetic. We live in a time where if your property is not “Instagrammable” you’re going to miss out on a lot of rental income. It’s crucial that your decor makes people feel comfortable but also reminds them that they’re on vacation!

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Furthermore, you have to decorate your rental to the theme of its surroundings. For example, coastal decor in a loft style home will feel and look mismatched or out of place. Check out our pinterest board for some inspiration on how to decorate based on your environment/theme.

2. Be Pre-Emptive

There’s nothing worse than going on vacation and being inconvenienced at every turn. As owners, it’s important to remember that your guests are not familiar with the area or your home like you are. This means that you need to go above and beyond to be prepared for anything that could come up and disrupt the magic of their rental experience.

Is there trash day on Wednesdays? Are extra towels tucked away in a cupboard or corner that would make it difficult to find? Does the luxury shower head or coffee maker require specific directions? These are things that could definitely upset a person on their vacation. We recommend that you comb through your home and your routine, searching for experiences that could bring frustration. This will help you think of any potential tips and tricks you can provide to your future guests!

3. Prioritize Quality and Comfort

A mistake many rental owners make is choosing to cut costs over offering quality/comfort to guests. While this might save you money upfront, it will surely cause you to lose out on so much more money in the future.

One thing you absolutely can’t go skip on is a high quality mattress. Quality of sleep ranks highly on guests’ memory of their stay and in turn, the review they may leave you. Additionally, this is an area where you can really make an impression. We recommend choosing a multilayered medium firm mattress and pairing it with white sheets and covers.

To clarify, this isn’t to say that you must purchase all the most expensive furnishings, decor, etc to impress your guest. But you absolutely must invest where it counts. Other areas that you should prioritize are the couch, appliances, and temperature control system.

4. Go Pet-Friendly

When you allow pets, you are opening up your property to a much larger pool of renters. However, allowing pets in your property is not a decision you can make lightly. There are many pros and cons associated with both allowing or not allowing pets, so let’s go through a few of the big ones!

According to the Washington Post, an estimated 67% of Americans own a pet while less than 15% of vacation rental properties are pet-friendly (American Hotel Lodging Association). That is a huge untapped market.

Additionally, pet owners, especially nowadays, treat pets as if they were their own children. Many vacationers prefer to take their loving companion along with them rather than putting them up in a boarding facility. So this is a sure way to stand out amongst the competition. Also, you should consider that many renters bring their furry companions with them regardless of having a no pet policy.

Now, for the takeaways of being pet-friendly. Depending on the type of animal that guests bring, there could be damage to furniture, the lingering scent of urine if they are not potty-trained, etc. Not to mention, hair could stick around for guests with allergies, if your home is not properly cleaned after a pet-friendly stay.

In conclusion, there is a ton to consider here, but at the end of the day if your ultimate goal is to stand out, this is a guaranteed way to do it.

5. Hire a Property Management Company

Being able to supplement income through a rental property is exciting but it’s also a ton of work. Especially if you’re new to the game and haven’t set up procedures, acquired contacts, developed relationships in the industry, and/or pay a large fee to host your home on various sites. You can be completely consumed by your guests’ needs’ and questions or end up spending way too much money on towels and extras that you forget to calculate.

That’s where Casago comes in. We are industry leaders and experts in property management. Take a look at our quality standards and how we can make you money without all the headaches! Above all, what’s most important is that you do your research. Casago may not be the right fit or maybe you want complete control of your investment property. Whatever the case may be, we wish you luck in your business endeavors; we are here to help!

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