Just starting this thread for a moan really!!

If you are planning to buy a rental home, or you're thinking about what to do with one you have just acquired, this is the place for any questions about starting out in the rentals business.
Foxandsot
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:24 am
Location: Pervolia, cyprus
Contact:

Just starting this thread for a moan really!!

Post by Foxandsot »

Hello

As the title suggests, I'm a bit fed up really.

Fed up with people being negative. When friends/family ask me things about the villa, like things that we have bought for it. I usually am told "ooh, why are you buying a dvd/stereo/decent towels" etc they will only get broken/ruined/stolen!! I don't feel that we have gone over the top in the things that we have bought and if we ever get a booking, it would be nice for our house to stand out because of the things we have provided and hopefully get more bookings because of it.

I beginning to feel that everyone thinks it's just a holiday home and not a business. I wish that it were a house that we could holiday in but hopefully we will be booked up with paying guests! On the subject of guests...what guests!! I have listed our property on a few rental listing sites and not one enquiry. I didn't think anyone would enquire as it isn't finished yet, but the reality of no-one enquiring is scaring me!! What if no-one books!

Well moan over for the time being! :wink:

Michelle
Paul Carmel
Posts: 3836
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 12:25 pm
Location: Palma Mallorca & Greece
Contact:

Post by Paul Carmel »

It's good to have a moan!

"I beginning to feel that everyone thinks it's just a holiday home and not a business"

When they come looking for a free holiday, make sure you remind them that it is a business. You soon find out who your real freinds are :roll:
Cheers
PC
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I felt a bit like that myself this time last year. My family were equally sceptical about the stuff I was buying. I too had no bookings or enquiries, and mine wasn't finished either. Take heart. It will all be worth it.
Bella
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Deux Sevres, SW France
Contact:

Post by Bella »

I think you can only go on, at first, with what you would like to see in a rental property yourselves. After that you expand :-)
If people have not exprienced renting property, they have no point of reference and only think of the basics.

Tina
Nightowl
Posts: 2185
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 4:14 am
Location: Cadiz, Spain & London
Contact:

Post by Nightowl »

Don't worry about it just yet - I was worried last year about this time because we hadn't had enquiries and quite a few people on LMH had months booked up. We didn't get enquiries til about December and then after that they didn't stop. So I think that every area has 'its season' where the enquiries start. And yours might be later than many others.
Nightowl
Forever going one step forwards and two
backwards......
User avatar
Alan Knighting
Posts: 4120
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:26 am
Location: Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France

Post by Alan Knighting »

Michelle,

Go right ahead and equip your villa the way you want. What do these people know about it anyway? Things don’t get broken/ruined/stolen all the time. There’s a great sense of satisfaction when a guest says “Wow! This kitchen is better than the one I have at home�. You then know you got it right.

Like others have already said, I wouldn’t worry about the lack of enquiries until after the turn of the year. I’m not guessing, what I am saying is based on 8 years experience (not a long time but long enough). I have a few bookings from regulars for next year but not a single enquiry through a Rental Web Site. For me that’s totally par for the course. Some regulars left this morning, after having booked for next year and paid me the deposit.

Fluffy
User avatar
enid
Posts: 5599
Joined: Mon Dec 27, 2004 4:47 pm
Location: Labretonie France
Contact:

Post by enid »

When they come looking for a free holiday, make sure you remind them that it is a business. You soon find out who your real freinds are
I learned this the hard way last year and found it very hurtful but their loss not mine.

I would put in what you would want to find if you were a client - if you shop around you can get quality items at good prices. Then you have to see how things go- if you find something doesn't work in your Villa think again but don't base your offering on the advice of Job's comforters!
Foxandsot
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:24 am
Location: Pervolia, cyprus
Contact:

Post by Foxandsot »

Thanks for all the replies.


There’s a great sense of satisfaction when a guest says “Wow! This kitchen is better than the one I have at home�.
That is exactly the response I want from guests.

I guess I'll carry on buying what I want, regardless of the doubters and try not to worry too much about a lack of enquiries until after Christmas.

Thanks

Michelle
User avatar
Rocket Rab
Posts: 2248
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:37 pm
Contact:

Post by Rocket Rab »

Hi Michelle,

For what it's worth, I firmly believe it is a good investment to equip your house with attractive, good quality items that make guests feel they are in a 'home' as opposed to a rental property.

Don't be put off by anyone who says otherwise: add a few luxury items if you feel this is what your clients would like to see (and are willing to pay for, of course!).

And don't scrimp on a nice decor...in my modest experience it definitely pays off.

Good luck, I'm sure the bookings will come in.

Jenny
User avatar
Giddy Goat
Posts: 9054
Joined: Sun Jun 12, 2005 7:38 am
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by Giddy Goat »

Jenny wrote:Hi Michelle,
And don't scrimp on a nice decor...in my modest experience it definitely pays off.Jenny
Jenny's experience isn't quite as modest as she implies - her properties are beautifully presented. It is very true that the nicer a property looks the more appealing it is (you're selling a lifestyle) to holiday-makers and the more they are willing to pay for that extra 'chic' and comfort. The outlay is a very worthwhile investment, and if you buy quality items, generally speaking of course they are more durable.

And people on the whole respect what you have if it has a loved-and-cared-for feel.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

And Michelle, you don't have to go 'over the top' on price, you can get good quality without breaking the bank. There's loads of tips on here somewhere.
Foxandsot
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:24 am
Location: Pervolia, cyprus
Contact:

Post by Foxandsot »

I've spent a lot of time looking at other peoples villas in Cyprus and as there are so many of them, I felt that ours needed to stand out from the crowd, if we were going to get any guests!!. As our villa is on a small brand new development, I felt that the only way to stand out would be to have nice furnishings and offer little extras (mainly in the form of baby/toddler equipment).

A lot of the furnishings have been from Ikea but have had fun finding cheaper versions of designer items. Have actually found some great things in supermarkets.

I'm getting really impatient to get over there now and finish the job!

In any case, this time next year we will know if the little extras were worth it or not!! Fingers crossed :wink:

Michelle
User avatar
Partridge
Posts: 2701
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:31 pm
Location: Costa de la Luz
Contact:

Post by Partridge »

I don't want to be a kill joy here but can only tell you my experience.

We furnished quite expensively in comparison to the furniture packs on offer (gross) and paid for air conditioning but I can honestly say that for us this is not reflected in bookings. Now this could possibly be that it is not a hugely popular area outside of the school summer hols or that there is plenty of competition, who knows. The second year I put my prices comparable to the 2 bed properties to see if it would help for shoulder season but it has not. What has happened is that we have had a few repeat bookings and rave reviews on the quality of the apt but that doesn't help bring home the bacon.

Having said all that, we did furnish for ourselves in mind and therefore were not prepared to skimp on anything anyway.
Don't waste energy on things you can't change.

Costa de la Luz apartment rental
www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/S5386.htm
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

Partridge, my sister visited your area out of season last year, with the intention of buying a property. They were lucky to even find a restaurant open, and were quite put off. They have bought in the Algarve (Alvor) instead, but she's still got problems, as the pool and restaurant have been sold.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

Partridge, my sister visited your area in early season last year, with the intention of buying a property. They were lucky to even find a restaurant open, and were quite put off. They have bought in the Algarve (Alvor) instead, but she's still got problems, as the pool and restaurant have been sold.
Post Reply