Every year during our off-season, our staff teams up in pairs and ventures out of the office to inspect all of the rental homes in our program. Not only is this a great service for our homeowners, but its also a great way for our staff to become familiar with the properties and share their input from the guest services perspective.
Whether you manage one home through an online travel agency or if you use a property management company, taking the time to inspect and evaluate your home during the off-season can be a crucial step towards maintaining a profitable rental investment. Below are some suggestions on what to consider when inspecting your vacation rental. Want to be notified of more awesome content? Sign up for our Homeowner Tips Newsletter here.
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1. How's your curb appeal?
Is your home well landscaped? How does the paint of your house look? Do you have plants, flowers, or decorations? Not only does curb appeal matter when people are driving by your home but usually, an exterior shot of your house is the first photo a consumer sees! In the Outer Banks, lot sizes are small and you can be limited on landscaping options along with sandy soil and protected dunes; however, make changes that you can control such as the paint of your house or front door, pressure washing the home and the driveway, get a new fence, etc. Check out this article with simple tricks to improve curb appeal.
Home Pictured: Espina K1567, a Soundside Home in Kill Devil Hills
2. What's the interior decor and furniture like?
How old are your mattresses? Do you still have box TVs? How does the carpet look? How does the house smell? Does the decor have a theme? Is it cluttered? These are all things your guest is going to notice pretty quickly. Updating appliances and introducing modern decor can make your property more sellable and more enjoyable for your guests! When you go on vacation don't you want to stay in a clean and modern space? Your guests do too!
Home Pictured: Fantasea K1341, a Semi-Oceanfront Home in Kitty Hawk
3. Are your reviews still accurate?
Have you made updates that past guests complained about? Make it a point to revisit your old reviews and remind your guests that you have made updates. This way when potential guests are looking at your listing and read reviews they can see that it is no longer applicable.
4. How could you improve the guest's experience?
Based on the questions above we are almost certain that you have found something you could improve at your vacation rental. However, if you really can't think of anything scan through your reviews for guest feedback, reach out to your property manager for suggestions, or conduct a Google search for ideas. Even little touches like having a spot with area information or a welcome gift with a starter set of essentials can make a big difference.