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Filling Your Remaining Vacancies

Elizabeth Weedon | 8/8/2016 (updated 4/6/2022)
The recent trend has seen record-breaking numbers of vacationers booking earlier than pre-pandemic times, but there are still many procrastinators who will wait until the spring - and even continue to book right through the summer.

How can you book up your remaining availability?

If you do still have availability late in the booking season, here are a few tips:
  • Post a FREE Owner Special with any special offer you'd like. (See the link under the Manage Listing section in your Homeowner Center.) Owner Specials are eye-catching and can be posted at any time of year.
  • If you'd like to turbo-boost your listing's exposure and your special offer, purchase a Last-Minute Availability Alert. Doing so enters your listing onto our Special Deals and Last-minute Availability page, which receives a ton of vacationer traffic, and costs very little.
  • Promote your home on social media, including a direct link to your listing. Read more about The Value of Social Media.
  • Respond immediately to any inquiries (see our post about the best way to respond to inquiries), and, if the vacationer provides a phone number, call them.
  • The most desirable weeks of the summer are the last two in July and the first 2-3 in August.  Consider pricing your weeks accordingly.
  • Make sure your calendar is up to date! Many vacationers will sort by “Calendar Last Updated,” and you definitely don’t want to fall to the bottom of the list.
  • Have your pricing set for as many upcoming months as possible. While the bulk of the traffic is related to people looking for a last minute getaway, many are looking for the fall, long-term, and even rentals for next summer!
  • Make sure your pictures are the best they can be – large, seasonal, and as many of them as possible. Need help? Ask about our photography, video, and consulting services.
  • Solicit guest reviews from your past guests, if you have had any. Read more about the importance of guest reviews.
  • Our Marketing Team offers a great Exposure Package to give your listing increased exposure on all our social media channels.
About Elizabeth Weedon

About Elizabeth Weedon: I have worked for WeNeedaVacation.com since 2008, and I've been a loyal homeowner listed on the site since early 1998. An enthusiastic member of the Homeowner Support Team, I provide fellow Cape and Islands vacation rental homeowners with advice about online marketing and rental management techniques to ensure them a successful rental experience each season. In addition to phone and email support to our homeowners, I also create and edit much of the content on our website, as well as our Homeowner Blog and monthly newsletters. I am also the Press & PR Coordinator for the company, responsible for drafting our press releases and responding to press inquiries and interviews. I grew up summering on the Vineyard, where I have managed my family's rental home since the mid-1980's, and I'm passionately devoted to the Island. My husband and I live in Wellesley where we have raised our 2 grown kids and our Black Lab, Maisie.