they want address but gave me no info.

[Hells Bells]

A recent booking asked for the exact address. I did tell him the street the apartments or on, so he could see the location, but told him he woiuld receive full details once the payment had been received.

[A-two]

GG,
To secure tank, you need a really complicated high tech security device called a padlock. Apparently we couldn't afford one before losing $350 of heating oil....

Back to the address situation.....happened again today. Phone call from charming physician (caller ID on phone indicates NYC number), inquiring about two weeks at full rate, no problems, sound perfect. Thirty minute chat, got quite detailed, then he decided to go ahead. I took all the contact details, name, phone, address, email (all on trust of course). Then there was a "hold on a minute", and wife in background asks for address to look it up on Google maps while we're talking. Paolo's response rolls off the tongue (well a variation of it), basically suggesting I don't give that out because they might be burglars. He laughs.....silence.....

Are you familiar with the area I ask? (Thinking I can get away with making references to various landmarks that are close by.) But no, they are not familiar with it, not really, which is why they want the address to see where it is in relation to beaches, nearest stores etc. I just completely caved in and gave it to them. Silence......

Yes! wife said, I can see it! It looks great! Send the paperwork he said, it's a done deal. $6,0000, thank you very much and good night, I rest my case.

[Margaret]

I agree entirely. Our properties are marked on Google and people increasingly expect it. We are mainly (although not always) on site and surrounded by other houses. I suppose I might feel differently if it was a remote location and we were not on site. But you still have to give some information - perhaps more photos to reassure people?

[Big Sis..]

it's a done deal. $6,0000,

Blimey!!

[Giddy Goat]

thank you very much and good night, I rest my case.

As I've said A2, I've never once (apart from Monsieur Picky) been asked for the address - the exact proximity to shops etc is given, and twice I've had enquiries about the house's position in relation to neighbours to assess the privacy regarding the swimming pool, and I've sent more photos. In certain circumstances ie, I feel comfortable about giving extra clues (the photos might well have enabled people to find the property without the address!) but I'm not going to hand its whereabouts over to all and sundry. In your situation, having chatted to the clients for half an hour on the phone, I too would have gone on my instincts and taken a view.

[A-two]

Margaret,
I think you have have hit the nail on the head - what matters most for me is not so much protecting the property location, but not letting people know where I am in relation to the property. I am very protective of that information from start to finish, most people inquire, book, come and go without ever knowing. In fact, we are about 15 minutes away, not on site, but I quite deliberately give the impression that we are almost next door, and on hand to help if anything arises.

GG,
I perfectly understand you are in a different situation, and going back to the start of this thread, i would not have given out (and didn't) the address in that situation. But I think letting people know that you (or someone caretaking) are very close, without saying exactly where, goes a lot further in protecting your property than refusing to give out the address until you receive a deposit, which doesn't seem to work for me here.

Just my opinion, yours may differ.

[Giddy Goat]

No, I don't disagree, it's horses for courses A2.

[A-two]

it's a done deal. $6,0000,

Blimey!!

Well spotted there Big Sis....that was meant to say, $6,000. Still no pocket change in the current economic climate.....hence "no" really wasn't in the vocabulary.....

[Overboard]

thank you very much and good night, I rest my case.

As I've said A2, I've never once (apart from Monsieur Picky) been asked for the address - the exact proximity to shops etc is given, and twice I've had enquiries about the house's position in relation to neighbours to assess the privacy regarding the swimming pool, and I've sent more photos.

Now, I did have a privacy of pool enquiry this year and felt like replying that skinny dipping will only shock the deer. But with a full season ahead (for VA property), absolutely not one person asked for the address, no google map requests, nothing. Maybe one person a year will ask for the address (but never at the enquiry stage, always later). Strange that, considering what a few others are saying.

[Mouse]

not so strange OB - I'm in the same situation, for the first time, a week ago, I was asked for a google earth ref. from someone who was booking and was transferring the deposit that day.
However he had just been a victim of a scam (someone advertising a property on a well known rental website that turned out didn't exist)...so I could understand his request.

Generally my enquirers are happy with the general location text on the advert and I would never give out the exact location until someone had booked. I'd rather lose the booking (even tho' I'm on site).

Like it or not - holiday villas do get targeted, even when occupied by holidaymakers.

Mouse
x

edited to show it was the first time I'd been asked

[Giddy Goat]

Yep - this is when they duck in and look for cash, credit cards, cameras and jewellery. And laptops increasingly, I expect! In the little development where we owned a small house before, I heard that guests were actually on the terrace once, literally feet away from the thieves when they quietly entered and helped themselves.

[Mouse]

Yes I've heard of an incident like that GG.
Eastern european gangs move into resorts for the high season - rich pickings I suppose.

I've also been told that google earth is used by some to scour an area and identify 'UK' owned homes by the existence of a satellite dish. They then 'case the joint' to see if it's an empty holiday home

Mouse
x

[e-richard]

Eastern european gangs move into resorts for the high season - rich pickings I suppose.

Interestingly, these "gangs" actually prefer it when the Villa is occupied...

... with brainless holidaymakers who may be lazing by the pool, but leave doors and windows open, with cameras, cash and ipods on display for quick in/out grab.

IMHO, those gangs are unlikely to be the ones checking the Internet for availability calendars and emailing owners for addresses. That all strikes me as far too complicated, and they have much easier ways to make a buck.

I'm not advising against sensible precautions discussed above, just trying to put it into some perspective.

[Giddy Goat]

There are definitely two types of burglar - the 'travel light' sort with a couple of carry-alls, and the ones who arrive in vans ... in a neighbouring village to ours in France, two UK owned properties, empty of their occupants at the time, were also emptied of their antique furniture amongst other things. So if thieves are prepared to go to those lengths, then a little extra research via the internet may well become part of their future strategy!

Or is this still a long way off?

[Holiday Ray]

A2
I think it very much depends on whereabouts you are in the world.
In the UK Real Estate market, even the websites offering property for sale do not normally identify the exact location of a property for sale, they generally tend to indicate the immediate locality. I assume this is to prevent prospective purchasers 'knocking on the front door' of the property, with the intention of avoiding involving the agent.

In our (limited) experience of a year and a half letting our french property, only once have we been asked for a google reference.
I gave a reference of a nearby location, (I told him it wasn't the exact spot and my reasoning) which the potential guest was happy with. He could see that the area was not isolated and quite close to a small town. He went on to make a booking.

I would never give out the exact location of the property until we have received payment in full.

Going slightly off thread, I found it interesting that this same person is still the only one to have tried to check out our identity. It does amaze me how many people are quite happy to send a cheque in the post to a complete stranger, in payment for a property that they don't really know does actually exist !
(Even if you sent them the exact Google location and they drove past before booking, it still wouldn't absolutely gaurantee that we were the owners, or that it was unoccupied for their chosen period - would it !

Good job we are a trustworthy lot