Are you prepared for the upcoming rental season? Here are the 10 most important issues for you to address:
1. View your Listing Quality Audit
Your Listing Quality Audit is for your eyes only and details the aspects of your listing that are in good shape and the ones that need improvement. So take a look by using the Listing Quality Audit link in your Homeowner Center. Also, the Listing Rating, which is based on the Audit, is now tied to the search order results. Read more about the Audit in Is Your Listing Up to Snuff?
2. Get organized.
The key to successful rental management is being well-organized. The goal is to save yourself time and effort as well as provide your guests with a professional, trustworthy, and efficient experience with you. Here are some tips:
- Read our comprehensive eBook about standard practices, from handling your first inquiry to requesting a review after your guests leave.
- Take a look at our shorter Successful Booking Techniques post.
- Use our free Booking Management system (see the link in your Homeowner Center), which has recently been updated with even more helpful features.
- Create templates for your correspondence with your guests. In addition to responses to inquiries, these could include: cover letters for your lease, directions to your home and how to get in, reminders about towels or linens, deposit reminders, requests for guest reviews (if you don't use our automated request feature), etc.
3. Set up your service providers for the season.
It’s never too early to confirm your turnover schedule with your housecleaners, who are so vital to your success in renting! Ask what precautions or measures they now take since the pandemic. That way, you can alleviate concerns from your guests about contagion. And don’t forget your trash removal, landscapers, or any other service providers who help you throughout the rental season. Looking for assistance? Take a look at our
Home Services Directory for providers right in your area.
4. Be communicative with your committed guests
It's vital to the success of managing a rental! Read more about the importance of
Reaching out to your guests.
5. Be sure you are in compliance with the MA Lodging Tax rules.
Is your home registered with the MA Dept. of Revenue? Is it covered for at least $1M in liability insurance? Does your lease include a line item for the tax? If you are unsure of what your tax rate is, your listing indicates the appropriate percentage of tax that would be applied to your rental. For more information about the Lodging Tax, see our
Lodging Tax FAQ’s.
6. Keep your calendar up to date at least every 2-3 weeks.
Even if you have had no changes to your pricing or availability, it’s vitally important to keep your listing’s date stamp as current as possible, indicating to vacationers that your pricing and availability information is accurate. Vacationers who see an out-of-date calendar date stamp are apt to move on to another listing. Take a look at
5 Crucial Reasons to Update Your Calendar.
7. Make sure your pictures are the best they can be.
Plenty of high-quality, current, large, pictures - and valuable, descriptive captions - are vital to the success of marketing your home. And they also impact your Listing Rating. See our blog post,
The Ideal Listing: Visual Appeal.
8. Review your cancellation policy.
Even though the worst of the pandemic is behind us, many vacationers are still very wary about losing their deposits if they are unable to get to your home. If your policy is relaxed, promote that on your listing so vacationers are incented to book with you. You might also encourage your guests to get travel insurance.
TravelInsurance.com will provide them with a choice of companies and policies. Read more about our
cancellation policy advice.
9. Ask your past guests for guest reviews.
Did you get at least 1 or 2 guest reviews from your guests last summer? If not, it’s not too late to ask them! Use the Guest Review Request Form (see the tab on your Guest Reviews page from your Homeowner Center) to generate an email to your past guests providing them with a button to easily submit their review. For information about how to solicit reviews from your past guests, view our blog post about
soliciting guest reviews.
10. Indicate your payment method options on your listing.
Online payments have become very popular with vacationers – and they provide many free and safe advantages to you, too. So why not distinguish your listing by promoting this attractive option? If you haven't already done so, add the forms of payment you accept to the Payment Methods section near the bottom of your calendar page. Read more about
Online Payment Options.