Obama's Choice for Lodging? Vacation Rentals of Course!

According to the Associated Press, President Elect Obama has stayed in Oahu vacation rentals at least twice in 2008 while staying on the island with his family. Oahu is where Obama grew up, and it makes sense he'd bring his family back there on vacation. Who wouldn't? What many people don't realize, is that he doesn't have an estate, and the US government doesn't have on there. Often President's will stay on local military installations, but for a family...is that really a vacation? It's hard enough with all the needed security for them. I don't envy them as a family, but I am happy for them that they could stay in this beautiful estate. It's far higher priced than we could afford (and unless I'm terribly naive that the Obamas could afford until recently), it's a great option for them. To see more about the house take a look: Oahu Vacation Rental for Obama family Christmas 2008

To see a bit more about his stay and the history of the home (notice how the media focuses on the fact it's a $9mm house, but not on the rent for his stay) at APNews from The Associated Press: "Obamas rent beach home in low-key Hawaii town

Later news posts have Obama working every day but Christmas, working out at the local Marine Base gym, having a power outage (generators on site for him), and dealing with paparazzi.

Vacation rentals: Gunning for the leisure hotel shopper

Lot's and lots of vacation rental press now coming out after PhocusWright 2008 and the upcoming ground breaking vacation rental industry research report.

Read more: Vacation rentals: Gunning for the leisure hotel shopper: "Vacation rentals: Gunning for the leisure hotel shopper

November 18, 2008 | Online Travel

OTAs take notice. Hotels watch out. And online travelers… get ready for an upgrade. The vacation rental marketplace is gearing up to go after all of you, according to PhoCusWright."

Worldwide Guide to Affordable Villa Vacations - Great Resource

Condé Nast Traveler: "Worldwide Guide to Affordable Villa Vacations
by Wendy Perrin | Published June 2008 | See more Condé Nast Traveler articles ›
Travel photo: Concierge.com
Affordable Villa Vacations

* Worldwide Guide to Affordable Villa Vacations
* Wendy's Rolodex ›
* Villa Rental Guide Worksheets ›

An unfavorable exchange rate need not turn a dream rental into, well, just a dream. With the challenge of stretching the weak dollar in Europe, Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin honed strategies for getting the most value out of a villa vacation. She shares her field-tested tips—and renders the process foolproof with a directory of 50 villa rental specialists who hold the keys to an array of properties on six continents, from modest beach cottages to opulent castles"

Vacation Rentals as Corporate Housing, Medical Housing, Military Housing-Why Not?

I've always called the condos and homes that I rent out "vacation rentals," but that may really be a misnomer. Today, in our "off season" (though in Southern California the term is relative when you are from Nebraska), out of 9 guests in our beach condos, not one of them is here on vacation, at least not officially:

-We've got 2 Marines recently home from Iraq acclimating to life back in the States - one looking for work, and one looking at Camp Pendleton
-One young Marine family getting to know each other again after deployment to Iraq
-One family who was awaiting and is now helping their child to recover from heart surgery at nearby Sharp Medical Center
-One couple who work locally, but haven't found permanent housing yet and find it nicer and more affordable to live at the beach than to buy in North San Diego County
-A new teacher at Oceanside High School who didn't have time to find an apartment when she got hired and who didn't know the area well enough to know where to live
-A medical device engineer who is just transferred from Chicago who is waiting until the school year is out to move his family, but wants room for them to come visit him
-Just two vacationers: - one from the drive in market, and one family from Italy

Now, in the summer, our short term rentals are generally too expensive for those who need to spend a month or more because of our proximity to the beach. They are still a great value for those who would normally stay in a hotel and have more than two people though.

What makes an off season vacation rental such a perfect match for interim housing solutions? Space, amenities, location, and price. For example a one bedroom one bath condo at the beach rents for $1500-$2000/mo ($50-70/night) and provides 760 square feet of space, cable TV, beach location, less than 1 mile to the 5 Freeway and the train (Amtrak, Metrolink, Coaster, Sprinter), usually high speed wireless internet, a full kitchen and ocean or garden views. Top that off with free underground parking, fitness facilities, pools, spas, and beach side - why would anyone stay in a hotel? Truth be told...with the exception of June-August - vacation rentals are the perfect answer to corporate housing. See what some owners are doing and why at:

Some owners rent out homes as corporate housing - USATODAY.com: "As the housing slump drags on, homeowners unable to sell their properties are taking an unusual approach. Instead of taking in long-term renters, many are offering unsold properties as fully furnished rentals for corporate housing.

Since these leases are typically short term, homeowners can easily put their property back on the market should buying activity increase.

Companies benefit because renting private homes can be cheaper and more desirable than traditional corporate housing options."

Vacation Rental Site Raises $250 Million - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com

Get ready to see a LOT more from the giant HomeAway.

Vacation Rental Site Raises $250 Million - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com: "To make the investment worthwhile for the venture capitalists, HomeAway will have to eventually sell itself for a high price or raise a lot of money in the public markets. “Everybody believes that’s very doable,” Mr. Sharples said. The company has lots of room to grow, he said — there are between 3 million and 4 million homes for rent in the United States and Europe, and HomeAway lists only 325,000 of them. The vacation rental marketplace in the United States is valued at $24 billion, according to travel industry research firm PhoCusWright, and the market in Western Europe is about the same size, according to research firm Illuminas."

Practical Traveler - Readers Sound Off on Private Rentals - NYTimes.com

There's been a lot of press for vacation rentals lately. An October article in the NY Times received some pretty strong response from rent by owenrs, but the nice thing that came out was a good discussion. As an owner, traveler, and manager, I've found that making a good match between the guest and the property is the key to a successful vacation rental. Read what others think at:Practical Traveler - Readers Sound Off on Private Rentals - NYTimes.com: "Regardless of whom you rent from, communication is the key. “Communicate with the agency or owner often — let them know your priorities, ask questions and get references and pictures,” offered a reader named Kathy from California, who said she has rented in various parts of Europe, and “you will learn quickly who is responsive and on top of things. Many people who rent really love their properties and locations and are happy to give you the scoop.”

Making a priority list of what you’re looking for in a rental can also be useful, she noted: “Are you looking top notch accommodations? A good location? An inexpensive place? A kid-friendly place?”

Travelers can also learn a lot from a vacation rental ad, if they know what to look for. A lack of interior photos can be a clue that something’s not quite right, a reader with the screen name, “nyc10012” pointed out, adding:

“Make a point of asking a question in your first query to the owner — did you get a quick and reasonable reply to your question? If not, trust your instinct and keep looking.”"

Oceanside vs Encinitas and Del Mar - What a Bargain!

As a business person in Oceanside (vacation rentals) at first I resented the 10% transient occupancy tax our guests have to pay. Then as I became more involved I began to understand that a good portion of that money does go back to making Oceanside a good tourist destination. Yes, 10% is hefty...but wow, it looks like a bargain compared to the 13% that Del Mar is now going to levy! and the money isn't even for tourist related impact! Oceanside has always been an excellent value, but now we are 3% less expensive before you even consider rent differences!

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Politics -- Measures to raise North County tourist taxes appear on track: "NORTH COUNTY – Ballot measures aimed at raising taxes on tourists in two North County cities appeared to be on track to pass as early returns were counted Tuesday night.

Del Mar voters also showed overwhelming support for the first major commercial development in the village area in two decades.

The tax increase proposals are in Del Mar and Encinitas."

When Your ‘Flip’ Flops: 5 Tips for Offering Your Investment Property as a ‘Vacation Rental’ | RISMedia

The authors of this article, the Glossbrenners are well respected in the vacation rental by owner industry. The thing to remember is that those markets where your "flip flopped" are the same markets where now the general rental and vacation rental markets are flooded. Although renting your investment out will certainly help with the cash flow, and maybe even break even, don't expect to get rich quick. This is real work, and takes a real commitment to do it right. Their tips are sound for getting a start. You may also want to consider hiring a professional to manage the place for you.

When Your ‘Flip’ Flops: 5 Tips for Offering Your Investment Property as a ‘Vacation Rental’ | RISMedia: "When Your ‘Flip’ Flops: 5 Tips for Offering Your Investment Property as a ‘Vacation Rental’

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By Alfred and Emily Glossbrenner

RISMEDIA, Nov. 10, 2008-You remember the news stories: People buying condos in Florida, Nevada, California, and other hot markets and “flipping” them for a fat profit before even a single spade of earth had been turned. Then everything went crazy, and hundreds of thousands of investors were stuck with new bricks-and-mortar properties that no one would buy.

Fortunately, for many, there’s a very palatable alternative: offering those properties as vacation rentals or “VRs.”

As hard as it is to believe, there may be a silver lining to the current turmoil. First, people will always take vacations. But now they’re more likely to stay on U.S. soil. Second, with their full kitchens, washer/dryer laundry rooms, swimming pools, and other amenities, vacation rentals not only offer much more space than a hotel, they are much more"

Renting a Villa, Not a Dump

Althought I'm thrilled to see vacation rentals getting a lot of mainstream press lately, what is so discouraging is the sensational headlines like this one that the Wall Street Journal use.

Regardless, the article is a good one to read for those in the business and those considering renting a vacation home from a stranger for the first time. I was at the Vacation Rental Managers Association meeting last week and learned that finally, TripAdvisor is going to have a good medium for reviews of vacation rentals. I've been routinely writing emails and begging them for a few years now! The fact is, most guests at vacation rentals would come back again according to some new research - incredible satisfaction ratings can be found in this business!

So, relax, read the whole article (there's just and excerpt here, and start looking for an affordable alternative to hotels for your next vacation.

Renting a Villa, Not a Dump - WSJ.com: "Renting a vacation home may be cheaper and provide more space and privacy than the typical hotel room, but some travelers still hold back for fear of falling victim to the phenomenon industry insiders call SNAD: significantly not as described. You know, the property that looks like a slice of paradise in the photos, but when you get there, it's all leaky roof, blocked views and bad plumbing.


What advice would you give travelers considering a vacation rental? Have you rented a vacation home or condominium? What was your experience, and would you do it again? Share your thoughts.

Now, hospitality companies are trying to find ways to make booking a vacation rental less mysterious and more reliable, to compete more directly with the familiar brand-name hotel experience. The industry is also betting that the often lower cost of staying in a vacation home will hold particular appeal as the economy heads south.

Homeaway Inc., the world's largest vacation rental booking company by the number of properties listed, is moving to increase reliable user reviews on its Web sites, so potential renters can have more confidence in their choices. Tripadvisor, a unit of Expedia Inc. that is the market leader in hotel user reviews, plans to add vacation-rental reviews to its site by the end of the year.

Other companies are trying to make"

Private owners leave light on for you -- chicagotribune.com

Private owners leave light on for you -- chicagotribune.com: "Private owners leave light on for you

Mary Umberger
September 14, 2008

When Christine Karpinski visited downtown Chicago on a business trip a few weeks back, her lodgings were definitely on the luxe side.

'I had a gorgeous, corner view from the 32nd story, wireless Internet, big flat-screen TV, plush linens and towels,' she said. She also had a full kitchen with granite counters and access to a washer and dryer. The building had a gym and a pool.

She wasn't at a hotel. She was in a privately owned, two-bedroom Gold Coast condo rented out by its owner for $275 a night."