what bookings, even enquiries would be welcome!

[linda147]

We to have found things a bit slow so far - we are on quite a number of listing sites but only had 3 bookings since January. I just wonder whether all the talk of global warming and constant media focus on air flights isn't having an impact and perhaps that is why France which is mostly driveable from the UK, is not doing so badly. I am hoping that the media coverage will die down a bit and there will be a more balanced view and then people will start to think more about their summer holidays!
Anyone else any thoughts on this?

[cromercrabholiday]

It could be that people are waiting for the other airlines to catch onto the BA, second suitcase charge. £60 for Europe!

John

[Alan Knighting]

It could be that people are waiting for the other airlines to catch onto the BA, second suitcase charge. £60 for Europe!

John

That's bad enough but when my son sent me a bottle of malt whisky last Christmas the Post Office charged him £29.98. That was a single journey for a single bottle of single malt. How much would it have been if he'd sent me a suitcase full? I shudder to think!

Fluffy

[Bellywobble]

Talking of extortionate postal charges, I had to pay €37 to send a pillow from Spain to Thailand! Goodness knows what a bottle of the good stuff would have cost!

[Fraise]

....but Kayely- WHY were you sending a pillow from Spain to Thailand ?????

[Rocket Rab]

....but Kayely- WHY were you sending a pillow from Spain to Thailand ?????

I didn't dare ask! Don't they have them in Thailand?

[Big Sis..]

I didn't dare ask! Don't they have them in Thailand

Oh Jenny penny Maybe they sleep standing up

Miss ya all

[mon269]

We don´t have much experience, only openned last July, but enough to realise how different markets are. Up until now we had focussed on the Spanish market, maybe because we know it better, and I can tell you that there is no resemblance to anything else.

Bookings from outside Spain happen months before arrival day, and you can tell they have read our website, they know what to expect and have very few questions. Spanish bookings happen from one day to the next. I can tell you that until Wednesday I will not start receiving queries for this coming weekend. This queries will be of the sort of “how many does it sleep?�, “have you got any rooms available?�, when all this information is readily available on our websites.

I can’t really talk about trends because we don’t have enough experience but I have noticed that even little things make all the difference. In our case, because it snowed in Sierra Nevada for a few days last month, we have had every weekend booked in February.

I’m sure you will have many bookings Maria, don’t worry until you have to.

[CostaBlanca]

Hi Mouse,

Just a thought....how many of us knew how big the market was until we tested? (or did you do lots of research prior to buying?).
When we bought our place we knew only this...that this area of the island was more successful for rental bookings because of its proximity to Ibiza Town & beaches. I had no idea if 4 bed nr the village was what people were after, if it was 5 beds with a sea view I was totally kanackered

When we bought, we really did not know or think about property rental. Our main concern was buying a house in an nice area with great views (as we reckoned that we would be outside most of the time). The rental part was presented to us by a local agent and that is how it started for us. The rental price that the agency was charging for our property 5 years ago is nearly £400 more than what we charge today . The rental agency prices have not increased much in the intervening period either. Needless to say, they made a ton of money in the 90's when there were only a limited number of properties in the area and no personal websites offering villa rental I think our area will always have tourists but the prices could be become even more competitive. Many owners of new properties live full time in Valencia and Madrid and visit weekends, fiestas and a month during the summer. Not much good for the villa rental business though.

Un saludo,

[Mouse]

The rental price that the agency was charging for our property 5 years ago is nearly £400 more than what we charge today

Blimey Maria...I wouldn't have thought that! As you say - they no doubt made a lot of money

I think as Spain has prospered, lots of Spanish city dwellers can now afford, & want, to have a holiday place of their own - and that removes them from the holiday rental market, add to that the influx of Brits that have also bought a holiday home & now want to rent it out and it must be like being between a rock & a hard place these days trying to run a rental business in some areas of Spain.

We're lucky to some extent that being an island (so extra cost to get here) & the cost of property keeps down the number of mainland residents buying holiday places here. Unless of course its in the Million €+ price bracket where properties turn over quite fast

Do you still rent mainly through local agents or are you now signed up with website rental companies?

Mouse
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