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Sounds like this could be a coypu - Radegonde in French. Common in canels and ditches - apparently they were introduced to France due to the fur trade, then they all escaped/were let free. They are treated as vermin round here, but that doen't make them any less interesting.Pelly wrote:and somthing else which looks like a giant guinea pig .
I completely agree with this. We were rather embarrassed by our (lack of) landscaping and dirt driveway when we first started, especially as were aiming high. High end Vacation rentals were supposed to have manicured lawns we thought, whereas we had tree branches scattered where they fall, no tubs, no annuals, no perennials, no flower beds even, not even proper grass, only wild olive trees, wild roses, fragmites, all manner of creepers and climbers as overgrowth and prickly pear cactus, which we viewed as hazards. By the end of the first season we realized that people were attracted to the place because of this, not despite it. So we started playing it up as "a very natural setting" and have never looked back, receiving only compliments, even when the driveway is 6 inches deep in mud! We market it as if it's a wildlife sanctuary, which it is really (it helps to believe in your own spin!). I don't see why this couldn't work equally well for Pelly's property. Our bird book is the most well thumbed (make sure you have at least one local one available for guests to use), with recommended walks, hiking and biking trails. The children in particular are enchanted by even fairly common species - deer, geese and rabbits, - and this aspect is frequently commented upon positively in the guest reviews.olive wrote:Wild life is a fantastic selling point:
Although it's only natural to feel excitement at interest, any interest, when first starting out, there are threads here which discuss the pros and cons of longer term rentals. For us, we know now from the school of hard knocks that it's not worth us doing it, but equally, we know this works very well for others here, Alan for example. It's best to read all the experiences, then decide for yourself what works best for you. If Pelly were in this location (which she is not), I would look very carefully at the quality of the people proposing to rent, and their ability to pay rent on time, and most important, not to squat, but to leave when I want the higher rents. If I was convinced that will leave when they say they are going to leave, that they have somewhere else to go at the end of the winter and that they were not going to wreck the joint in the meantime, in her shoes, I would take it. This means that I could then at least cover immediate bills while building up for next summer at higher rents. Since bookings for 2009 start next month, it's not a bad idea to have it occupied till the Spring. However, it is highly unlikely that we would entertain such an offer here, but that decision is largely based in location specific issues, which may have limited relevance to Pelly's decision.
Good Luck!
- Alan Knighting
- Posts: 4120
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
- Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Joanna,
I do take longer term rentals and will probably continue to do so but now that my tenant has left and I am back in the hustle and bustle of holiday lettings I am reminded how personally rewarding it can be. Meeting and getting to know new people every week or two. Seeing them appreciate their holiday home, enjoying the area and having fun with their children around the pool give one a feeling of pride and satisfaction. Even bringing the premises up to pristine condition each week and making sure the pool is immaculate has real meaning once more. We live on site so these things are immediate for Joan and me.
Alan
I do take longer term rentals and will probably continue to do so but now that my tenant has left and I am back in the hustle and bustle of holiday lettings I am reminded how personally rewarding it can be. Meeting and getting to know new people every week or two. Seeing them appreciate their holiday home, enjoying the area and having fun with their children around the pool give one a feeling of pride and satisfaction. Even bringing the premises up to pristine condition each week and making sure the pool is immaculate has real meaning once more. We live on site so these things are immediate for Joan and me.
Alan
- Giddy Goat
- Posts: 9054
- Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:38 am
- Location: UK
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