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Max Found Nature's Paradise Right on the Water

By Alice Kirk-Sanchez
Published: 04/16/26 Topics: Dog Friendly, Hood Canal, Interview, Staytions Vacation Rentals, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

Max from Kalama, WA is in his mid thirties and works at a paper mill. He, his wife, dog, and some friends all headed over to Hood Canal last winter to celebrate his wife’s birthday at Natures Paradise Vacation Rental, managed by Hood Canal Hideaways a member of the Staytions Network of VIP lodging managers. We spoke to Max about his visit.

VIP: When you visited Nature’s Paradise, did you come with anybody?

Max: It was me and my wife and a couple of friends. And my dog.

VIP: What’s your dog’s name?

Max: Kilo!

VIP: What prompted your trip?

Max: It was primarily for my wife’s birthday, but we also went foraging for mushrooms.

VIP: Did you find any?

Max: We did! It was a lot of fun. We did a little tour and a class session.

VIP: Was this your first visit to Hood Canal or have you been there before?

Max: I’ve been there before, but this was the first visit in the last twenty years. It’s been a long time.

VIP: What’s your favorite part of the area.

Max: Just being on the beach, the salt water itself was very nice.

VIP: It wasn’t too cold in November?

Max: We had a nice clear weekend and it was super sunny. We got to watch the sunrise over the bay.

VIP: What was your favorite part of Nature’s Paradise?

Max: It was very spacious, sauna was nice. Basically, we earmarked it to come back in the summer time with a larger family, since it was just the four of us but it seemed like a good vacation home.

VIP: Yeah, it’s definitely in a beautiful area, especially in the summer when it’s nicer.

Max: Yeah

VIP: What was your favorite part of your visit?

Max: Probably just being close to nature. It was very accessible for where we were going.

VIP: Did you guys go into town at all?

Max: No, we didn’t spend any time in town. But it is something that we did mark for next time: actually seeing Brinnon.

VIP: Did you leave the property feeling like you had a great vacation?

Max: Yeah, we did!

VIP: Do you think you’d stay in Nature’s Paradise again?

Max: Most definitely, it’s just a beautiful little spot right on the water. It’s got enough room to house a big family. It’s just nice.

Author: Alice Kirk-Sanchez – Contributor, Hood Canal Hideaways
Blog #: 1063 – 04/16/26

Evolution of the Boys' Ski Trip to Kahler Mountain Club

By Alice Kirk-Sanchez
Published: 03/25/26 Topics: Interview, Kahler Mountain Club, Leavenworth WA Comments: 0

John went to Kahler Mountain Club as a group of 3 different couples, to maintain a tradition that he has had for over 50 years, of visiting Leavenworth with his loved ones. He is an avid skier and loves visiting the beautiful town, near his home in Chelan.

This vacation rental is managed by Goldener, a member of the Staytions Group of VIP lodging managers, and we spoke to John, from Chelan, for an interview.

VIP: What stage of life are you in?

John: I’m a retiree!

VIP: What did you do before you retired?

John: I was a consulting engineer

VIP: For your most recent trip, did you bring anyone with you?

John: We had three couples that were getting together.

VIP: What made you guys choose this location?

John: We’ve been going over for a get together and skiing in the Leavenworth area for about 50 years.

VIP: Oh wow!

John: It started with me and some other single guys. It bounced all around Leavenworth. It was a bunch of guys, then it was guys with girlfriends, then guys with wives, then guys with wives and kids, and now the next generation come up with their kids.

We’re right now down to three couples. We do it every year! Lot less skiing now and much more eating and drinking.

VIP: What would you say is your favorite part of the Leavenworth area.

John: We’ve been losing snow, but it’s always been the cross-country skiing. Lots of spots for that at Kahler Glenn. It’s groomed almost right up to your room. Whenever you want to go to the trail, you just go out your door and pop over and get on the track.

VIP: What was your favorite part of the unit you were staying at?

John: That we could have all three of us couples there, you know, and a nice common area, and again, access to the trails.

VIP: Was your favorite part of your visit still skiing or something else?

John: Well, I’m 73. As we get older, we’re doing a lot less skiing and a lot more just enjoying each others’ company, and reading books, and sitting around!

VIP: Did you make it into the city at all?

John: Yeah, we always make at least one trip into Leavenworth.

VIP: Any specific recommendations?

John: Gustav’s has been there forever. A big fire burned up a portion of the building including the dome top, but they’re still hanging in there and rebuilt.

VIP: That’s really impressive!

John: We went up to 59er Diner, too!

VIP: That one also burned down and reopened.

John: Yeah, they had a fire too! We went over there this year because they’re a lot closer to Kahler Glenn than driving all the way into town.

VIP: It’s unfortunate they both had fires, but I’m glad they were able to rebuild so you can enjoy them both now.

John: Yeah, they had enough of a following that both of them were able to survive a disaster like that.

VIP: Did you leave the property feeling like you’d had a great vacation?

John: Yeah, I think all of us did.

VIP: Do you think you’d come back?

John: Yeah, we have been coming to Kahler Mountain Club for at least a decade, pushing two decades. We bounced around a lot.

We had four couples for a long time, so we’d get two units in the main buildings. With three couples, a townhouse is just really nice.

But that trail is right there, that’s pretty hard to top!

Author: Alice Kirk-Sanchez – Contributor, Kahler Mountain Club Lodging
Blog #: 1060 – 03/25/26

Sycophants Invade Vacation Rentals

By Ron Lee
Published: 04/22/24 Topics: Government, Legal, Lodging Management, People, Regulations, Software, Vacation Rentals Comments: 2

Vacation Rentals have been around for centuries often called by many names: lodging, sharing, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, and now short-term-rentals.

It has only been in recent years that cities, counties and homeowner associations have conspired to attack rentals and all without logic, reason or adherence to the bundle of real estate rights codified in the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights and other laws for 250 years.

Did you know that property rights are the most mentioned right in the Bill of Rights? Because without being able to protect those rights, all other rights can be further trampled on. For example, you can’t have freedom of the press, if government can take away your right to occupy your property.

The reasons for those vicious anti-rental attacks are false and found to be based solely on another age old situation - Xenophobia - the fear of others. The incidence of noise, parking, and even garbage collections are so statistically small as to be non-existent.

Def: Xenophobia [noun]

Aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of strangers.

Synonyms: Bias, Bigotry, Animosity, Classism, Hatred

Now, however, governments have found new sycophants to help them batter responsible private homeowners and, as might be expected, it is none other than Artificial Intelligence software developers taking up the war.

The dictionary points out the threat of these:

Def: Sycophant - [noun]

A self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

Synonyms: flatterer, fawner, flunky, toady

In the war on property rights, governments are turning to profiteering software soldiers to encourage neighbors to spy on neighbors and to report them for any perceived slight, real or imagined. (Neighbors hating neighbors is nothing new, but now governments are rewarding that hateful conduct.)

One participant in the war on vacation rentals is Deckard Technologies of San Diego, California. Their website, (www.Decard) fosters the idea they are mainly in the business in helping local governments with "tax". But parse their words more closely to learn that Deckard is in the "compliance" business. In other words, governments hire them to control humans.

That makes them sycophants for the same reason court jesters bowed and scraped to kings. It is all for the money. Deckard says governments can fine neighbors using their expensive software to bust them.

With those software contracts costing hundreds of thousands of dollars for cities and counties struggling to balance budgets, those governments will learn that this kind of A.I. ("Awful Intelligence") generated system produces complaints that won’t hold up in criminal court where rules of evidence abide.

And yet counties fall for any pitch that says it won’t cost them anything. Even if they then suspect, and later learn, that the huge cost of such software can never be recovered.

Even if officials admit there is no pay-back for that software, busting people for gossip appeals to government officials who don’t base their decisions on fundamental concepts like property rights.

To see how their xenophobia functions, substitute their words "Vacation Rental" or "Short-Term Rental’ with the names of minority groups to make their rational sound just like what it is, just another form of hate crime.

With apology to the people of south Africa, and the terrible harm they suffered for so many years, it can be seen that segregating vacation rental property owners and guests is used by people who insist on oppressing vacation rental property owners and guests. They steal their rights while allowing others those same rights.

Def: Apartheid [noun]

Rigidly segregating and economically and politically oppressing people.

Synonyms: Segregation, Bigotry, Chauvinism, Injustice, Intolerance

On the Deckard company website, Nick Del Pego CEO claims to be a mathematician, a seasoned corporate senior leader and a U.S. Air Force SpecOps veteran. Isn’t that the service branch who can be called in to attack people with no regrets?

Del Pego and his software soldiers make it easy for neighbors to hate other neighbors who use their Constitutional right to share and rent out their homes.

Plus, his software makes it comfortable for nosey neighbors to report people anonymously, as if they were Peeping Toms. And the penalty for false reporting is - you guessed it - nothing. No liability, no accountability.

In his novel 1984, George Orwell warned about a society where government watched over every little thing done by every little citizen.

And now Del Pego’s Deckard Technologies gets paid to help cities and counties do exactly that.

It must be asked, why would Craig Brown, Greg Rose, Jess Flanagan, Chloe Sasson, Tom Hemmings, Tony Moriarty, Matthew Duggan, Dr. Victor Xie, Loren Vasquez Rivera, Vicki Lane, Dustin Reilich, Stacey Kurtz, Rob Piskorowksi, Dave Brown, Melissa Mijia, Faith Chaza, Dana Lormer, Branden Reese and all the cronies at Deckard agree to help him do it?

Perhaps, they enjoy facilitating gossip and think hate mongering is good. Probably it is that, like everyone else, they just need a job.

Maybe those employees should look for employment in a more reputable industry, where their actions do not deprive others of their basic property rights. There are many worthy causes. How about ending poverty, feeding the poor, volunteering at charities, working to end war, etc.?

Of course, those kinds of jobs don’t pay as well as promoting Deckard’s hateful service.

Chelan County Doxxing Vacation Rental Owners

By Ron Lee
Published: 04/22/24 Topics: Government, Regulations Comments: 1

Doxxing someone is considered a kind of hate crime. So how does Chelan County get way with doxxing Vacation Rental owners on the county’s online parcel map?

Purple shows a permitted vacation rental Orange is ____, pink is _____. It says -Hey look out, your neighbors are criminals because they rent out their homes. Officials have gone so far as to spend $300,000 to a company that provides an online website so neighbors can spy on neighbors. (Think George Orwell!)

And are published so neighbors can keep an eye on those "wascawwy wabbit" as Elmer Fudd used to say in the Porky Pig cartoons of old.

The term "doxxing" is derived from the phrase "dropping dox (documents)". originally involving online hackers attempting to embarrass, shame or even harass individuals by publishing home information, images or videos..

In more recent years, celebrities have been frequently attacked when online websites publish their personal address, phone number, email addresses, and even the names and photos of their children. And all to serve their own bizarre thoughts.

There is a deep-seated flaw in the human character of officials who have no limits to the joy they take in harassing property owners..

Andrey Vyshinsky, a jurist during the Stalinist Soviet era, was know to proclaim me "Show me any man and I’ll come up with a crime." Vyshinsky knew he could dredge up, or make-up, some crime for whoever his bosses disliked.

Since County Commissioners voted in the anti-vacation rental statue in 2001, which limits vacation rentals to about 800 homes, there have been a grand total of one complaints. (You read that correctly only one complaint County wide). Clearly there never was a problem but pompous leaders like to find a

Whoever thought that 34 years after the fall of the Soviet Unit, Chelan County Commissioners in little old Washington state, would vote to be become the Soviet Union of Chelan County?

The most discussed right in the U.S. Constitution is that of property rights. And all because with out property rights, all othes are greatly at ririsk. But the County Commissioners just choose to ignore the U.S. Constitution.

It was only a matter of time, but today citizens who dislike what elected officials, judges, police officers or public servants, began to dig up and publish their home address, phone numbers and email addresses.

Instead of testifying at public meetings, working to elect or defeat officials at the pools, or even protest at government offices, hot heads now like to picket and even attack the personal homes of bureaucrats.

That too is a deep-seated fault in the human character.

It Gets Worse

Now elected officials have retaliated by doxxing property owners who have committed no crime and are, statistics show, highly unlikely to misbehave or even violate unnecessary rules.

Government use of doxxing is the most serious type because it is perpetrated by public officials who feel they have are immune from criticism and have no obligation to look at the fundamental right and wrong of things.

Cutting property rights to the bone, is criminal in itself. Doxxing is just another step in that direction. It is time for County Commission to do things immediately. First, remove the doxing from county websites and records. and Second, to throw rental regulations, limits, and prohibitions into the trash heap.

It Is Time for Double Tips

By William May
Published: 02/26/21 Topics: Covid-19 Virus, Gratitude, Health, Kindness Comments: 0

A new vacation rental landlord was appalled to find out that the management firm put "Housekeeper Tip Envelopes" into homes. She presumptuously concluded that the housekeepers were not paid sufficiently.

That reveals she hasn't the slightest idea of how to be in the hospitality industry. Certainly housekeepers appreciate tips, but tips are not really there for the money.

Tips show appreciation.
Tips show recognition of the hard work.
Tips show respect for undesirable work.
Tips are the price you pay to avoid the job.
Tips show you are a kind person.

Housekeeping is the kind of work that this privileged snotty rental owner can simply not imagine. Maybe if such owners went out, scrubbed floors, unclogged toilets, and pushed a vacuum until their hands grew callouses, maybe then they would see, or at least begin to feel what it's like to be disrespected.

During the Covid crisis, it has been reported that customers are tipping service personnel, like restaurant servers, delivery drivers, and dry cleaners, far lower than ever before. Of course, some consumers have less money available to leave tips, but for everyone else - shame on you.

People have lost jobs. Some have taken positions at lower wages. Some work part-time when full-time is what they need. That means now is the time to show more respect for service people, not less.

Double Tip

Without much forethought our family has been tipping higher than usual nowadays. But this ungrateful client gave us a brand new idea. Not only is it time to tip everyone well, maybe it's time to start a movement - it's time to tip everyone double.

Maybe it was always time to double tip everyone. Tip double! At minimum. Always!

The Best Reward

On the way home tonight we stopped for take-out at a drive-through fast food restaurant and tipped $20 on a $25 order. We also handed over giant smiles and a very big THANK YOUS.

The wonderful young clerk said, "Oh, that’s too much." To which we had to say, "Oh no, that’s just right."

But the best part of tipping double is that you will get more out of it than the recipient. Generosity always benefits the giver.

And now it can and should benefit us all double! Maybe next time we should make it triple. How about you?

Author: William May
Blog #: 0809 – 02/26/21

HelpBookMe Invents Bumper Days to Facilitate Covid Cleaning

By William May
Published: 06/03/20 Topics: Comments: 0

In response to the Covid-19 virus, Vortex Organization’s Redstone Software engineers have designed and installed a new system in their HelpBookMe property management software. It adds unoccupied dates between bookings to allow separation for guests and additional housekeeping time. These are called :"Bumper" days.

Vortex is a network of inn, resort and vacation rental management companies who share methods, staff, marketing and technology to provide sophisticated services to lodging owners and want maximum income with minimum fuss. Operators of this website are members of the group.

Trina Flanagan, a partner in the firm, said, "We have always employed strict hospitality grade cleaning and sanitizing standards used to clean the inns, resorts and vacation rental homes that its member management companies serve.:

With the arrival of covid-19, Vortex managers began allowing homes to site vacant at least one day after prior guests depart and before housekeepers or new guests access the home.

But with the advent of online travel agents like AirBnB, VRBO, Booking.com and others, lodging reservations are procured from many sources and automatically downloaded into the Vortex HelpBookMe Software

Penny Taylor, a partner administering reservations at all geographic locations, add, "Although not practical in all locations, the Bumper system, allows bumper dates to be added automatically in all geographic areas and in all properties where that policy is desirable."

Even with the lessening of travel restrictions, the new software capabilities increases safety while making the bumper method to be more selectively implemented.

"Our engineering team researched, coded, tested and implemented the system in record time" noted Ozair Khalid who oversees reservations software. "Neither the corporate management companies or major software providers have rolled out a similar tool. Too bad for their manager customers."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vortex Managers is a network of trained vacation rental management companies and provides its clients with the resources of giant lodging corporations without the cost or delay. HelpBookMe is a proprietary lodging management software system perfected with thousands of hours by expert engineers. For more information on Vortex, call 206-580-1000 or Email: Info@VortexVIP.com, or Website: www.VortexVIP.com</a www.VortexManagers.com.

Author: William May – Manager, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0747 – 06/03/20

HelpBookMe Implements Version 3.0 or S2D2 Pricing System

By William May
Published: 06/03/20 Topics: Software, Staytions Vacation Rentals, Vacation Rentals, Vortex VIP Comments: 0

Although the Vortex Organization first inserted yield management tools into their HelpBookMe lodging management system years ago, today they announced release of version 3.0 of tools referred to as S2D2 for "Seasonal, Strategic, Dynamic and Distributed".

Salman Arshad, chief engineer notes, "Artificial Intelligence pricing is based on the simple idea of Supply and Demand. But predicting supply and demand is a complicated undertaking, because variables change frequently and quickly."

Yield Management, sometimes called "Dynamic Rates", increase or decrease based on the general economy, local and regional economic factors, the features and amenities of each property, local events and circumstances, prior day, week, month and quarter pricing, competitor rates and, even, the weather.

S2D2 rates are based on artificial intelligence that queries over 8 billion dollar data every evening, chooses the factors affecting every individual property, and then applies them to our geographic markets right down to the individual vacation rental home or lodging unit.

"Of course our pricing is based on sophisticated and ever changing algorithms, but we still apply manual review, oversight and, sometimes, intervention," said Kate Quinn, account manager at Vortex. "That is why our product name acknowledges all of those important factors."

"Studied" means constant inspection of what competitors are charging for similar and dis-similar properties. "Strategic" rates are set differently depending on time of the year, the season, and in accordance with local events.

"Dynamic" means that rates are adjusted regularly based on occupancy, advance notice and other factors. "Distributed" requires properties be widely advertised on every productive website and through conventional media to ensure that those who might rent the property know it exists.

You cannot have one of those elements without the others, otherwise the science of yield management would be incomplete. After extensive testing, results show that S2D2 version 3.0 can increase both occupancy and rates, resulting in more profit for property owners.

"It is counter-intuitive to recognize that S2D2 does not care what the day of the week is, what the season is or even if there are holidays." explained Arshad. "Instead, with constant calculation, the software foresees trends and adjusts rates to be at the sweet spot that fosters both occupancy and optimal rate."

Another reason yield management works so well is that, surprisingly, travelers have become accustomed to it and, in fact, learn to use variable rates to change their behavior. In other words, demand for lodging ebbs and flows based on rates.

The HelpBookMe technology and especially version 3.0 help charge the highest possible rate on the most popular dates. Modest rates are charged during shoulder seasons. And low rates are set for slow seasons to attract guests who would not otherwise consider booking.

Yield management shines during good economies, but quickly recognizes and reacts to negative events such as economic downturns, regional weather, and any happenings beyond anyone’s control.

William May, a Vortex leader admits, "Every owner loves the idea of high rates, but pride of ownership can be wounded when they look at lower seasonal rates. But once they see the growth in annual income, owners become quick converts to our S2D2 dynamic rates."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Vortex Managers is a network of trained vacation rental management companies and provides its clients with the resources of giant lodging corporations without the cost or delay. HelpBookMe is a proprietary lodging management software system perfected with thousands of hours by expert engineers. For more information on Vortex, call <206-504-2744 or Email: Info@VortexManagers.com, or Website: www.VortexManagers.com</a www.VortexManagers.com.

Author: William May – Manager, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0746 – 06/03/20

Vacation Rental Picante Sauce

By Wm. May
Published: 09/01/17 Topics: Lodging Management, Vacation Rentals Comments: 0

Yet another corporate vacation rental management company has announced gobbling up tens of millions of dollars in investment, in hopes of dominating the vacation rental management industry in America, and perhaps even the world. But they are risky for property owners.

Beginning as far back at 1989, Pace Picante sauce began running television commercials. In one, grizzled cowboys threaten to lynch the camp cook when they learn he has been serving them picante sauce from "New York City?"

The cow pokes become offended because Picante sauce should be made by "places in San Antonio with fresh vegetables and spices by people who know what picante sauce is supposed to taste like."

Watch it here.

While the huge vacation rental management companies want to convince property owners that they can manage every home just right, even though they are located hundreds of thousands of miles away, the truth is - they can not.

One of these giant companies even has over 300 negative complaints and reviews online about shoddy housekeeping and lack of response. The average for vacation rental managers is zero, one or two over time. Something is seriously wrong with having 300 unhappy guests, because that means there are far more who don't take the time to post complaints.

For another competitor, their complaints reveal a wolf in sheep's clothing. Although they profess to be managers, they quickly throw owners and managers under the bus whenever there are any complications, as the following complaint answer proves:

COMPLAINT: "2 days before my trip receiving a voice and email telling me that my reservation had been cancelled because of a double booking."

ANSWER: "Booking was canceled within 48 hours prior to her arrival when it became apparent to the Host that there was a conflict with a previous client who'd booked."

And then they accidentally revealed the wrong problem, (our company) "The Host (homeowner) is the party responsible for resolving any conflicts. [Our company] is a marketing and booking service that Hosts use to assist with reservations. . . The rental agreement. You accepted . . . Clearly states that the booking is directly between the Guest and the Host."

And then they reveal the unreliability of their services by saying "Double bookings are an unfortunate side effects of the vacation rental and travel industry as a whole."

Well, duh, no that is not correct. That is excuse making

Although no one is perfect in the lodging industry, double bookings are NOT common and they are certainly not an unfortunate side effect. They are the result of a company pretending to be a lodging manager when they are, in fact, too far away and too powerless.

LOCAL IS BETTER:

Vacation Rental Firms have proven to be a locally branded business. Owners and guests prefer to deal with a local reliable professional firm that is on hand to attend to them. Members of the Vortex Organization have found the best way to do that.

They are independently operated to ensure great houses, hospitality cleaning, happy guests and happy owners. Our first office opened in 1964, but we are the most tech-enabled managers. We are in it for the long haul..

But the network ensures that managers have all the tools such as dynamic pricing, post listings on hundreds of advertising websites, and answer guest inquiries 24/7. In fact, local firms have access to local tourism promotion, websites and contacts the others can not match.

That means our managers produce more bookings as well as more peace of mind.

So if the vacation rental "manager" you are using to book your home is not actually located in the area where you rental home is situated, or even in "New York City", its time to go local.

Call a local professional vacation rental management company to learn about all the comprehensive and reliable services you have been missing.

- - - - - - - - -
And a few more just for fun:

1989 Pace Picante Sauce

1990 Pace Picante Sauce

1993 Pace Picante Sauce

1993 Pace Picante Sauce

1994 Pace Picante Sauce

1995 Pace Picante Sauce

Author: Wm. May, Vortex Managers
Blog #: 0530 – 09/01/17

El Nino Looms; Don't Fret Too Much

By Taylor May
Published: 12/01/15 Topics: Comments: 0

December 2015 brought us some great snow here in the Pacific North West. Just a few weeks ago there were amazing morning runs to be had at Stevens, Crystal, Snoqualmie, and others.

However, as much as we don't want to admit it, El Nino is on its way. What does that mean for us Northwest Skiers? Better than last year, but less snow than the average. Typically, El Nino hits the West Coast after New Years. This year looks to be no different, with Alaska experiencing warming temperatures, and California getting some much needed rain. The Northwest is right in the cross hairs for the rest of the winter.

El Nino is a complicated event relating to cyclical temperature changes in the southern Pacific Ocean and atmosphere. These cycles are made up of warm (El Nino) and cool (La Nina) phases, which phases lasting a few months, to a few years. 2016 is set to be a strong El Nino, which means the Polar Jet Stream and Pacific Jet Stream will split and create an area of low pressure off the West Coast, bringing rainstorms to California and parts of Alaska. Don't fret too much about the word “strong” though, as there isn't always a direct correlation between high temperatures and a strong or weak El Nino; sometimes weak El Nino's produce the hottest, driest winters.

A strong El Nino doesn't mean NO snow, but we should expect warmer than average temperatures for the rest of the winter. These conditions should persist from eastern Oregon all the way up to skiing grounds in British Colombia. Given our season last year, even a decrease from the average would still be an improvement!

Author: Taylor May – Contributor, Northwest Skiers Magazine
Blog #: 0479 – 12/01/15

Sponsor: Northwest Skier – A magazine For skiers, snowboarders and everything snow started in 1964 now an online source of with news, comments, articles, photos and videos. If you slide, visit our Website and join the email list to get instant mountain info year round. – NorthwestSkiers.com

Crowing about VRA Mobile Websites

By William May
Published: 11/01/14 Topics: Comments: 0

We are just going to go out and say it, "Our new mobile website for smart phones is by far the most comprehensive, beautiful and functional mobile website ever."

Yes, there are many ways to build mobile websites "But no one has built anything like this" said Salman Arshad of Redstone software.

Redstone Systems, creator of HelpBook.me software for the Inn, Resort & Vacation Rental industries just added this new mobile website capability and has donated use of the system it to the Vacation Rental Industry website.

That means that all the websites which use the Vacation Rental Multiple Listing Service (www.VRMLS.org) also now have very functional mobile versions. You can see the sample at:

www.VacationRentalCentral.com

While that may not sound earth-shaking it is actually evolutionary - the first efficient, effect and persuasive mobile websites for smart phones.

Redstone started by studying hundreds of mobile websites for Inns, Resorts & Vacation Rental management.

Joseph Romain, Creative Director said "The variety was astounding, as was the lack of features. None of the websites had all the design and foresight necessary to easily book unique properties on a smart phone."

Some websites had nice graphics, some had adequate photos, showed property amenities and maybe a map, but none of them made properties shine, and none made it easy to envision what the guest was getting if they rented that particular property.

"Let's face it, smart phones are a 'very small piece of paper' on which to write a graphic novel so to speak," said William May, project manager. "The other websites look like someone just jumbled things together from scratch without enough forethought."

"So we started from scratch. To figure out how mobiles should work and then do it, rather than copy what others had done"

The Redstone Advisor Board includes many experts in graphics, video and other commercial creative arts. Their input commanded the staff to start with a clear goal, and have every aspect of the website support the mission.

Author: William May, Plumbob Publishing
Blog #: 0379 – 11/01/14

A Map, a Map, My Kingdom for a Map

By William May
Published: 07/20/14 Topics: Comments: 0

Long ago we had these very nice travel aids called maps.

They were printed on paper, folded like origami but you could unfold them to see towns, roads, rivers and other landmarks. Because they showed lots of land -- often a full state - it was always possible to get a general idea of where things were.

From there you could find your way to where you were going, or to find your way to the next state. You could even drive all the way across the US if you wanted. Hey, you could even drive into Canada.

They had these darn Maps in other countries too. Other than a few very remote places, you could unfold the origami and practically drive around the world (if you wanted to swim much of it.)

ALONG CAME TECHNOLOGY

First it was GPS devices that allowed you to know the latitude-longitude coordinates of wherever you were in the world based on signals they received from Global Positioning Satellites. All very high tech stuff. Over time the devices improved and you could find where you were and where you are headed to see a detailed route.

Although GPS was great party conversation, only a small percentage of the popular had one. That increased as car dealers started to install them in vehicles and as the devices improved.

ARE PHONES SMART?

Today, many people have adopted to use of Smart Phones - such as the ubiquitous iPhones, Androids - and are delighted to find that those phones have what they call GPS, but is actually based on the triangulation between multiple mobile phone towers and not on satellites.

They work well except in distant locations where only one tower exists and then they are dead meat.

ARE PEOPLE SMART?

With innovation comes complexity and then comes reliance on technology. Unfortunately some folks take this to mean they can quit thinking smart.

Many lodging operators send out detailed instructions on how to get to their properties, even including Lat-Long coordinates. So with a phone or a GPS devices you can type in the coordinates and your car will practically drive you directly to your destination.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets how this works and they find themselves out in the boondocks with a non-helpful smart phone and without a tightly folded up map for backup.

For help they call the property staff who must always be friendly and helpful, even at 3AM in the morning.

ACTUAL CONVERSATION

GUEST: Can you help me find the house?

STAFF: Yes. Do you have the written instructions we sent?

GUEST: No.

STAFF: Do you have a map, or GPS or Smart phone?

GUEST: A Smart Phone but the map is not working out here.

STAFF: May I ask where you are?

GUEST: I don't know.

STAFF: Do you see any recognizable landmarks, a house, a river, a store or anything?

GUEST: No.

STAFF: Have you passed any landmarks recently?

GUEST: Not that I can remember.

STAFF: Is the land flat or hill?

GUEST: Kind of both.

STAFF: Do you have anyone else with you?

GUEST: Just my 2 year old? And I have my dog.

STAFF: Does the dog have a map?

GUEST: I don't think so. Could you just come find us?

STAFF: Yes, I guess so . . . . may I ask where you are?

You get the idea. Good. Get a map please.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0373 – 07/20/14

Outdoors-For-All, the Heroes Among Us

By William May
Published: 06/09/14 Topics: Comments: 0

It was over 10 years ago that we first came in contact with the Ski-For-All Foundation.

In the Northwest United States, snow skiing is a rite of winter. Not everyone in the area participates, but the mountains beckon to most of us. In fact, many people are zealous about spending time in the great outdoors and especially in winter.

It is no wonder that some of the most fervent fans got together to share their joy with those least likely to get out.

OUTDOORS FOR ALL:

Using committed volunteers, generous donors and specialized equipment, Ski-For-All helps disabled children and adults to ski and snowboard.

Even the blind can be lead down the mountain at speeds that able bodied non-skiers find frightening, but that finds the sightless skier whooping and laughing at the top of their lungs.

By holding onto a short leash with a sighted skier, and sensing the tension between the two it makes your heart flutter so see how fearless they are.

Who could imagine that even quadriplegics can ski?

It is done by putting the client into a toboggan with four skiers hold tethers affixed to the four corners, the client can speed downhill at an astonishing rate, and everywhere others skiers stop and watch and often cheer.

It takes lots of preparation and time for just one run. But one run is seldom enough for the client. So the volunteers load the toboggan and the client back onto a chair lift to go back to the top. They repeat the journey for as long as the client wants or until the ski area closes (usually the later.)

VACATION HOMES

Knowing of this wonderful organization, we thought it grand to donate use of our vacation rental homes to Ski-For-All and were delighted when they could bring clients to the mountains for over-night trips.

After the first stay, however we received a disappointing phone call. It was the housekeeper who said, "something is wrong, no one slept in the beds."

Embarrassed, I called Ski-For-All and apologized saying "of course it would be absolutely fine for them to sleep in the homes we provided."

The director laughed out loud on the phone. "You don't understand," she said, "these kids spend much of their lives in bed. So sleeping in a sleeping bag, in a cabin on the floor was a thrilling time for them"

"Oh," I said, "I had no idea."

I would like to invite you to donate use of your vacation rental home to charitable groups too. It would be great if you wanted to call Ski-for-All, but in fact your generous donation will be appreciated by any not-for-profit group you can think of.

You'll receive nice thank you of course, but the warm glow of satisfaction will come the minute they book your place. You will be using the riches you possess to help those who need it most.

VACATION RENTAL ANGELS

To recognize the generosity of the wonderful vacation home owners who donate to worthy charities, the Vacation Rental Association (Vrai.org) has formed a "Vacation Rental Angels" program on which their properties can be advertised. Its all for free and our small way of saying thank you. (VacationRentalAngels.com)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - ---

Over time the Foundation has increased its programs to include hiking, biking kayaking, canoeing, yoga and even rock climbing. The newly christened "Outdoors-For-All" is the same great bunch of people now spreading its love of the outdoors to an ever wider circle of people who long to get out and enjoy the environment. (OutdoorsForAll.org)

Author: William May, Plumbob Publishing
Blog #: 0377 – 06/09/14

What I do for a living

By William May
Published: 04/08/14 Topics: Comments: 1

On a Saturday, March 22, 2014, the small community of Oso, Washington State was covered 8 to 20 feet deep with dirt and debris after a massive hillside above the area cut lose and thundered down upon houses, cars and residents.

Reports were daunting for rescue personnel first on the scene. The viscous nature of the earth turned it to black oozing mud making it almost impassible on foot.

Highway 530 which ran along the river at the bottom of the hill was lost in the muck which actually flowed across the Stillaguamish River blocking its flow. The Corp of Engineers are working diligently to re-open the channel and prevent down river flooding.

Shortly after the catastrophe a number of people were rescued and sent to area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries. Since, then the search has escalated to as many as 800 rescuers and volunteers.

As news of the slide began appearing, there were many news reports of un-authorized volunteers sneaking into the dangerous and muddy slide areas attempting to find and rescue survivors.

Due to the extreme danger in the area, at first authorities were intercepting these volunteers, threatening them with arrest and even, in a few cases, detaining determined volunteers.

Then in a Seattle Times Newspaper article on March 26, 2014 the authorities made a surprising about-face. After reconsidering the situation they decided to authorize many of those same unofficial volunteers when they learned how capable those unofficial volunteers were.

"Right off the bat they should have had every one of the loggers here in there," said Forrest Thompson 18 years of age who works for logging companies in town. "Climbing across logs and mud all day is what I do for a living."

Crisis situations crystalize the thinking of those involved. Survivors will never forget the experience and first-responders may suffer delayed stress. It is safe to say that no one who lives in the area will drive the road again without reliving where they were a the time.

Watching the rescuer’s work 24/7 and without pay and sometimes without acknowledgment should make us all wonder what we are capable of. And maybe, just like Forrest Thompson, it’s a good time to ask just exactly what it is we do for a living.

If you are not familiar with what a logger does in the woods, Thompson’s quote of "Climbing across logs and mud all day is what I do for a living" pretty much sums a very difficult job.

The areas they work in are not the nicely treed backyards or parks most of us think of. They are steep and dangerous mountain terrain that has often never been cut before. Danger is everywhere.

Can you imagine the physical and mental strength it takes to arise at 4 AM in the dark every morning, ride in a bus 2 hours, arrive at the work site where it is unbearably cold in winter and torturously hot in summer?

Could you trudge through mud all day jumping over logs sometime taller than yourself all while dragging heavy metal cables behind you? And after 8-10 hours of brutal work, you get to ride 2 hours home, collapse into bed only to get up the next morning at 4 AM to start again.

While silicone valley gets the press, and corporate workers get the perks it is loggers and hundreds of professions like them who actually make America work. It is refreshing to see even that small quote in the Seattle Times acknowledge that at least these people know exactly what it is they do for a living.

If you are a lawyer sitting at a desk are you an attorney, or do you help people right wrongs?

If you serve food in a restaurant are you a waiter or are you trying to make people happy?

If you work in a bank, are you counting money or protecting it for your customers?

To what extent would you go to perform you job? Could you call it - as young Thompson - "just what I do for a living?"

Luckily, most of us will never come face to face with situations as dire as those in Oso. But now is a good time to think ahead, decide what you would do in such situations and realize that in your own world, in your own job there is more you can do and people you can serve.

Thompson said that he has already marked several dead bodies and dug out at least one that authorities had extracted from the scene. He had also recovered family photo albums, jewelry and sentimental possessions from the debris.

A State Patrol spokesman acknowledged Tuesday that these area residents were well-equipped to aid in the effort because of their work in the local logging industry. Several used their dump trucks, tractors, trailers and other equipment to get through wreckage. "Frankly, their experience is highly valued."

Top Reasons to Do-It-Yourself Vacation Rental

By William May
Published: 03/15/14 Topics: Comments: 0

Ron and Cheryl are successful. He a physician. She a professor. They found their dream second home, spent money outfitting it perfectly, and looked forward to fun and profit.

Cut Out the Middle Man

Renting the house seemed like a good idea. It was only three hours from home and they found a book explaining how easy it would be. Find a reliable housekeeper, throw up a website, buy some ads, and renters will be pushing money at you! Ron and Cheryl decided to cut out the middle man to show everyone how smart they were.

#1 Websites are Easy

Cheryl used a do-it-yourself website company to build a website. It didn’t have maps, rates or online booking but it was cheap. Cheryl spent every night for a week getting it to work.

#2 Digital Photos Are Easy

Being a camera buff, Ron thought his photos looked good; until his grade school grandson asked, "Why are they so dark?" So he hired a professional photographer for hundreds more.

#3 Advertising is Easy

Cheryl placed ads on a big vacation rental listing website for just $329; but no one inquired. She bought others, spending hours every night posting new ads. After spending $1,500 in advertising she got her first inquiry - for a $500 booking.

#4 Guests Will Come Flocking In

In time, Cheryl started getting a few inquiries; but each wanted an hour of her time. She tired of recommending restaurants; and getting low-ball rental offers. People were rude. In the end, she figured she was earning $4 an hour.

#4 People Will Prefer My Place

Ron and Cheryl's house is gorgeous. Unfortunately three bigger houses in the neighborhood siphoned off their best leads. Ron cut his rates to compete. The competition cut theirs.

He pleaded "my place was better", but guests wanted it for half-price. He lost order after order.

#5 Friends Will Rent It

Ron posted flyers around the hospital and handed out cards at his club. Friends were happy to come but could not understand why good old Ron would charge them for staying.

#6 Housekeepers Are Everywhere

Cheryl figured she could find someone cheap to clean her place. But the first cleaners left the place dirty. She had to hire a cleaning company - at high prices. But whoops they don’t work weekends!

On the third reservation, the housekeepers didn’t show up at all. So Cheryl jumped in the car, drove three hours, and worked her fingers to the bone, only to have the guests scream because the place wasn’t ready on time.

The Guests demanded a big refund. It happened twice in the first six months.

Cheryl was embarrassed. She and Ron were losing money.

#7 Get a Cheap Handyman.

Everybody "knows somebody who knows somebody" who is a retired carpenter just dying to earn your $10 per hour, handle late night calls, and always shows up on time.

Ron found one who took the job but never answered his phone again. Ron realized this on a Saturday night and had to drive a six hour round trip to flip a fuse.

#8 Staff to handle problems.

Ron figured a well maintained home won’t have any problems. However it seemed that every other guest found a sink dripping or a lock sticking. The first year, Cheryl refunded $1,700 to guests when Ron couldn’t fix things fast.

#9 Guests will follow the rules

Ron was on site the day the first visitors arrived - but with two dogs. Ron demanded they leave.

The guests demanded their $2,000 back - in cash. He paid. It was too late to find replacement guests. Chalk it up to another loss for the "sure-thing" vacation rental.

#10 Nothing Will Go Wrong

The last guests drank and sang till the wee hours. Neighbors called demanding quiet. Ron apologized. The neighbor called the cops.

The next morning, the guests departed early and demanded a full refund because the neighbors harassed them.

Vacation Rental Math

For part-time amateurs, self-managing a Vacation Rental is a recipe for disaster. Ron thought the profit would be higher by doing the work themselves.

Cheryl would cut corners and cut out the middle man. What they forgot was there is no way to cut out the work.

Only a few mistakes caused their income to plummet. Adding their own time to the equation meant they were running in the red.

Cheryl began to hate the house. Ron began to hate guests. Being absentee landlords was creating a money pit. They were in over their heads.

Finding a Professional

A friend recommended a local vacation rental manager who agreed to provide a turn-key service for a reasonable commission.

He knew where to advertise and where not to. He pumped money into the marketing, answered the phone 24 hours a day, had reliable housekeepers, and was on call 24/7. Bookings rose, problems disappeared.

More Smiles

Ron and Cheryl are vocal advocates for owning a second home, but not of being hobby landlords.

They make more money, have no hassles, and enjoy the house when they use it. Best of all Ron and Cheryl are proud of their home and the customer service guests receive.

Now they can smile when thinking of their dream home.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0359 – 03/15/14

Varooms.com Vacation Rental Cooperative Springs to Life

By William May
Published: 02/23/14 Topics: Comments: 0

After two years of work the world’s first Cooperative for By Owner Vacation Rentals has just launched online at Varooms.com - and - VaroomVacationRentals.com.

We hope you will like what we’ve done because its sole purpose is to help guests and rental owners find each other in ways that might not otherwise be able. This is a novel approach to helping Rent by Owners fills unoccupied dates by coordinating guest requests between managers, who have too many requests and owners who would like to fill them.

For Guests

Even with the thousands of advertising websites catering to vacation rental owners, guests often search in vain to find the perfect accommodations. On our guest website at VaroomVacationRentals.com we list each and every rental in the Varoom program.

There are cabins, condos, houses and villas to choose from. Booking online is easy, or guests can inquire, email or telephone for quick service. The website is easy to navigate and make online bookings.

For Property Owners

Booking through Varoom is cheaper, easier and more flexible than expensive paid listings. And this blog is here just to keep Guests, Owners, Managers and others up to date on everything we are doing to help grow the industry.

For owners, the system is collaborative in nature. Varoom works on a non-exclusive basis meaning owners are free to accept bookings from any other party with no fee to the Co-op. Owners only insure a commission to Varoom when they accept bookings and make money.

We’ll be the first to tell you that no single marketing will fill a property with a never ending list of prospective guests. But Varoom can fill in the gaps and match inquisitive guests with helpful owners.

Penny Taylor, Varoom Sales Manager said, "There is no up front fee, a long-term contract is not required and property owners can pick and choose when to accept bookings. This is completely flexible for owners."

Varoom attracts visitors with extensive advertising, newsletters, email campaigns and a robust easy to use website. Varoom does the upfront work of posting homes into its system and offers an easy to use interface for coordinating dates, rates and bookings.

But Varoom also cooperates with local managers who often have excess inquiries and insufficient inventory to satisfy every guest. Even owners listed with managers are allowed to submit to Varoom because it does not compete with managers, but cooperates with them.

Steve Fletcher is a long-time property owner, renowned business consultant and member of the Varoom Board of Advisors. "By sharing in a mutually profitable way, guests, owners and managers all benefit, This kind of collaboration has always been a hallmark to a successful business."

The Future

Please join us today. And check back regularly to see more developments. We’ll keep you posted on everything Vacation Rental. Feel free to send us your comments and suggestions.

Varoom was built and is operated by experience vacation rental professionals to meet the still unfulfilled opportunity of the Internet to divert traveler’s into comfortable, convenient cost effective vacation homes as an alternative to costly hotels.

To list your property just fill out the inquiry form or contact us:

Penny Taylor
PO Box 22987 Seattle, WA 98122
Voice: 866-674-6652
Fax: 888-628-0839
Email: Info@Varoom.biz
For Owners: Varoom.biz
For Guests: VaroomVacationRentals.com

Author: William May, MayPartners Advertising
Blog #: 0352 – 02/23/14

How clean is clean enough?

By William May
Published: 03/15/13 Topics: Comments: 0

Lodging guests expect properties that are neat and clean to a very high standard. A level of clean far higher than most achieve in their own homes. Failing to maintain standards can result in discounts and refunds far exceeding the cost of cleaning.

Start Up Clean: Prior to a property being put up for rent, staff members visit each property to inspect it top to bottom. Almost all properties require some cleaning to be guest ready. Many require deep cleaning. Not all steps are needed in all cases, and some can be accomplished over several steps and over time. Each item on the Deep Cleaning list must be in good condition and ready for arrivals.

Out Cleans: After each stay, housekeepers soon triage the home to inspect for damage or theft, turn heat or cooling up or down, begin the cleaning work, and to turn off lights. The goal is to return the property to the condition it was prior to the last guests arrival, including linen washing, supply stocking. Work may be spread over several days.

Check Up: If a unit sits vacant for more than a few days, staff members visit each property prior to the arrival of guests to make sure all is well. They turn on a porch light, and adjust heating or cooling, and open certain blinds.

Freshen Clean: During the Check Up, staff members may find it necessary to freshen the property by dusting counters, wiping surfaces, sweeping and cleaning glass.

Deep Cleans: Fully deep cleaning a lodging property is a big job. Although Out Cleans maintain a home's condition, deep cleans review all conditions and undertake tasks that are needed periodically, usually twice a year, more or less depending on guest occupancy and guest use.

Standards: Quality hospitality housekeeping demands the kind of training, knowledge, diligence and care that Vortex members aspire to. A checklist is used to avoid missing essential work.

Checklist: Many steps are necessary to fully deep clean a lodging property. Not all are done during each deep cleaning session, but all must be attended to as necessary or budgeted.

Open windows & doors to air out.
Repeat items completed during out cleans.
Scrub behind toilets, inside closets, under sinks.
Super clean non-window glass surfaces such as showers.
Wash and disinfect trash cans, and waste paper baskets.
Open all cabinets, remove dishes and other contents.
Wipe out and clean interior of cabinets.
Open drawers, remove contents, dust/clean & return items.
Do not touch owner things that appear personal or sensitive.
Wash bed and throw pillows.
Wash window sills and moldings.
Disinfect remote control devices.
Disinfect toys & games left out for gusts.
Inspect and clean all flat floor surfaces as needed.
Spot clean carpets and/or recommend carpet cleaning.
Clean and vacuum blinds & drapes and hardware.
Inspect and spot clean furniture, wood and upholstered.
Clean underside of dining table & chairs.
Open & clean ranges/ ovens, especially range drip trays.
Clean toasters, toaster ovens, coffee makers.
Open, air out and clean refrigerator and freezer.
Open, air out and scrub dishwashers.
Clean hoses and all areas of clothes washer.
Clean dryer inside out, empty hose and screens of lint.
Inspect & spot clean mattresses, box springs top & bottom.
Move all furniture & appliances to clean behind.
Polish wood furniture.
Dust, vacuum and clean lamp shades.
Wash doors. dust ceiling fans.
Disinfect curios and knick knacks.
Dust behind pictures & mirrors.
Clean the back insides of appliances.
Open and clean inside all light fixtures.
Test switches and replace light bulbs.
Wash door knobs and grab surfaces.
Wash light switch and outlet plates.
Replace smoke detector batteries (daylight saving changes)
Clean knobs, vents and surfaces of TV's and Computers.
Vacuum fireplaces inside and out.
inspect and recommend chimney sweep.
Replace HVAC filters if necessary.
Vacuum baseboard heaters.
Degrease, clean refrigerator, oven & vent filters.
Inspect and clean grout lines as possible.
Wipe down all walls and ceiling.
Touch up paint (if paint available.)
Sweep all porches, wipe down rails & ceiling.
Remove, clean, vacuum and replace window screens.
Scrub barbecue grills, flame elements, legs and insides.
Clean cove base and remove scuff marks.
Clean moldings especially high fixtures.
Remove all cobwebs.
Inspect for evidence of rodents & pests.
Clean door jams and thresholds.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0344 – 03/15/13

Vacation Rental Housekeeper Spills the Beans

By William May
Published: 02/16/13 Topics: Comments: 0

The gigantic listing websites that seek to dominate vacation rental lodging have done a persuasive job of convincing home owners that they can effectively manage their cabins, condos and homes in distant locations.

Just buy enough ads, hire a cheap housekeeper, expect guests to behave and have no requests or problems while they stay. No one needs training, you can teach yourself. It’s a great hobby and you'll make lots of friends while living the easy life.

Professional Managers know this is nonsense of course, but some owners love spending 10-20 hours a week taking phone calls, answering emails and paying those giant websites an overly large portion of their income, all while working for just a few dollars per hour.

In return, the websites insist on posting reviews from guests without authentication or substantiation. They even refuse to remove bogus, slanderous or fraudulent reviews.

What do they get in return? Aside from too little money and too much work, what is life really like for Rent By Owners? What are the properties like for guests? And how do the properties fare?

And it is all made possible by hiring housekeepers who are often paid far too little or, dare I say it, are taken advantage of by owners. Here is an Interview with one long-time vacation rental housekeeper who wanted to remain anonymous.

- - - - - - - - - -

Jane Doe (obviously not her real name), a housekeeper who works for property managers as well as directly for rental by owners, has a surprising tale to tell.

VRA: So how long have you been doing housekeeping?

JANE: My mom had rentals and did housekeeping years ago. I started when I was a teenager.

VRA: What is life like for you?

JANE: Frankly, I work very hard, often on weekends, sometimes at night, and frequently alone. I feel kind of faceless as I clean up other people's messes.

VRA: Are they always a mess?

JANE: Actually no, not always. Some guests are very courteous, even doing the dishes, sometimes sweeping up, and not breaking things. But others are - well - pigs if I must say.

VRA: Which guests are the best?

JANE: Well those that leave tips of course. (She laughs). Although the idea that a housekeeper who spends 4-10 hours cleaning a house should get a tip seems odd to those folks who pay a waiter 20% for a few minutes of work.

VRA: What kind of properties do you like to clean best?

JANE: Well condos are smaller which can make them easier, but sometimes owners let guests cram far too many guests in, which can be a nightmare to clean up after. Houses pay better.

VRA: Do you have that problem with property managers?

JANE: Rarely because but most managers are pros who use strong leases, establish fair but firm rules, and keep a close watch on guests.

VRA: Are you saying owners don't do those things.

JANE: Apparently not, because guests of direct-owners are by far the worst. I can't figure out what they are thinking. Buy a half million dollar place and then give the keys to people you've never met. It's crazy.

VRA: But surely those owners can hire someone local to watch over the home?

JANE: Not hardly. I am happy to clean, but no one in their right minds will agree to be on call, deal with drunk guests, fix unmaintained properties, and get paid a measly $15, $20 or even $25 per hour. It's just not worth it.

VRA: Are you saying that property manager homes are easier to clean?

JANE: They are easier in every way, near as I can tell. Rental by owner homes get trashed very frequently. Property managers can get a bad guest as well, but it seems to be far less common. And when it does I just call in the extra work to the manager, who pays me and, I presume, charges the guests. Owners who self rent want to blame anyone but themselves when things go bad.

VRA: Why don't owners hire managers instead of taking that risk?

JANE: Beats me. They are trying to beat the system, but the guests eventually beat them. I have cleaned dozens and dozens and dozens of homes and I would never ever try to manage them. It’s a losing idea.

VRA: But they save money right?

JANE: No. Without a manager they are just asking to lose money.

VRA: But owners get more bookings by telling guests they are dealing directly with the owner, right?

JANE: Wrong again. The manager properties are busy all the time, and even get bookings in slow season. Owners don't. If I had to rely on owner rentals l would starve during the slow season.

VRA: What is your relationship with owners and managers?

JANE: Every manager I work with is respectful. Most owners are rude and treat me like their personal slave. As I tell you this I am wondering why I actually work for them (laughs.). And when a guest acts up or brings too many people, owners have the gall to ask me to go over and confront drunk people. I just won't do it. That is too dangerous.

VRA: Well the owner can always call the police if its bad right?

JANE: In our area, the police won't come out unless its an actual crime. Putting too many people in a home is not a crime.

VRA: In doing this interview it sounds like you are biting the hands that feeds you, by talking about owners?

JANE: The worst part of working for owners is they become presumptive, often asking me to do favors and tasks for free. Some say they clean after their own use, but it always requires additional touch up or full cleans and those owners expect me to do that for free.

VRA: Do you do that?

JANE: If I don't throw in free work they'll fire me, some even say that. Frankly, I need the job. These are well to do people. Very presumptuous.

VRA: Why are you willing to tell your story?

JANE: I just think owners need to know the truth about how difficult this business is before they jump in.

VRA: But it’s a good business isn’t it?

JANE: It is - if you know what you are doing and hire a pro to take care of everything. And, by the way, when I go on vacation I would never rent from an owner directly. Its just too risky.

VRA: Why not?

JANE: When I travel far from home, I want a manager just down the street not hundreds or thousands of miles away. What would a distant owner do if the oven or AC quits? Or the water is bad? Or the neighbors are noisy. I'll take a professional manager every time.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0342 – 02/16/13

The Vacation Rental Dollar Store

By William May
Published: 01/16/13 Topics: Comments: 0

There are two ways to make money with a Vacation Rental Home. One - Increase income (which we talk a lot about) and two - decrease costs. This newsletters is about the later.

Every now and then staff from our company have picked up products at the local Dollar Store. It was presumed the goods were inexpensive but not always readily in stock. The stores are not necessarily handy.

Of course high quality furniture, linens and kitchen wares are essential to keep a vacation rental in great condition to receive complimentary reviews and return guests. But it is not necessary to waste money on some things.

Recently, as I was awaiting a client in an unknown neighborhood and with time on my hands, I happened t spy a Dollar Store DollarTree.com- - across street and decided to take a look. Boy was I surprised.

First, that had a relatively wide variety of things for sale. And they had lots of them. Sure some of the products were of lesser quality but most were the same darn things that can be bought at Wal-Mart, Target and other higher priced stores. Some things were cheesy like fake flowers.

The shelves were heavily stocked and everywhere I looked were giant signs saying "Everything $1." Being new to the concept I kept looking on the shelves and packages for pricing. Surely that $5.00 package of cookies couldn't be a dollar. Could those 4-packs of wine glasses be only a buck?

The most broken items in Vacation Rentals are wine glasses. We want good quality glassware but price is a factor for anything that breaks. Expensive wine glasses don't break any less frequently than expensive ones. The Dollar Store wine glasses were pretty good quality.

Twice I asked a wandering worker for directions and found them cheerful and actually very proud of the products and prices. These stores are smaller than Wal-Mart but the first two staff members seemed friendly and anxious to help. They constantly straightened the shelves and were actively restocking.

It dawned on me that Vacation Rental owners could find dozens of different items in a Dollar store to outfit their properties. They could save a lot of money. Hundreds really.

I wasn't in need of any products, but after walking the aisles to make mental notes of what they stock, I sheepishly grabbed that bag of cookies and shuffled through the line. Apparently many people already knew the story of the Dollar store.

The line was long but the checkers were very fast because - you guess it - every item was one dollar. They didn't even have to look at the items to find that bar code.

We have a big sales tax in our state, so I was astonished when the checked said "That will be one dollar." It was a steal. How can anyone make, bake, package, deliver and retail 32 cookies for a dollar. 3 cents each.

Surely the secret is that they buy in huge quantities, they buy excess production from factories, they buy overseas. And they must work on narrow margins. The stores are no-frills but clean, well lit and maintained.

Some dollar stores also have online websites where the same kind of merchandise and pricing is available although you usually have to pay for shipping. But remember, when you drive to the store you are in a sense paying for shipping.

As I departed the clerk was especially cheery and I could see the other checkers were equally happy. They were actually having fun. When was the last time you saw that at Wal-Mart?

I might just go back for the customer service.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0334 – 01/16/13

Manifest Photos for Lodging Properties

By Joseph Romain
Published: 12/16/12 Topics: Comments: 0

When putting a property into the rental program, it is necessary of course to shoot advertising photos of a home. But there are many other photos that may prove useful later when attempting to help guests, describe the problem or deal with questions or problems. These are call Manifest Photos. Here are examples:

In general photos should be taken of every closet, nook and cranny, such as:

- The inside of the refrigerator and freezer

- Inside of cabinets, with doors open. Kitchen, bathroom, store rooms.

- Inside of garage and any outside storage closets or buildings.

- Inside of fireplaces and wood stoves.

- Underside of sinks to display pipes.

- Backside of toilets, showers

- Lighting fixtures up close. (labeled by room)

- Furnaces & Air Conditioning units.

- Thermostats & Controls

- Stereos, TV's, DVD's & Cable/satellite controls close up.

- Underside of decks and patios.

- Roofs as best can be seen or photographed.

- Behind TV's, couches, etc.

- Both sides of Doors. Locks (Close ups)

- All furniture, front and back.

- Mattresses without coverings.

- All areas of the yard & Driveway.

- The view from the property out in all directions

- Photos of neighbor buildings from the property.

- Roads as they approach the property.

Of course this takes some extra work maybe just an hour or so. But the photos are indispensable when dealing with guests or owners on the phone and should be retained for insurance purposes. With the advent of digital cameras and cheap hard drives, there is no real printing cost so taking and keeping Manifest photos is just a good idea.

Author: Joseph Romain, Signatours
Blog #: 0324 – 12/16/12

Setting Property Refund Policies

By William May
Published: 11/08/12 Topics: Comments: 0

Because policies vary by property good managers ask Owners their preference about guest refunds and cancellations. It is not always possible, and most owners do not want to be involved in the small but inevitable situations where guests are due, or demand refunds.

Cancellation Policies:

For "Deadline" cancellation policies, such as "Cancellable up to 7 days prior to occupancy" guests are allowed to cancel without reason but prohibited from doing so after the deadline.

For "Non-cancelable" bookings, such as during high seasons, refunds are not allowed simply because guests change their minds. This is necessary to avoid loss of revenue not caused by the property, owner or manager.

Resell Policy: In all cases, upon Guest request, Managers will attempt to "Resell" non-cancelable dates in order to refund the Guest's payment, less a rebooking fee. The possibility of resale is not guaranteed.

Legitimate Reasons:

For valid problems, such as the loss of hot water, kitchen fixtures, etc. managers seek resolution by relocating guests, offering discounts or rescheduling but may offer partial or full refunds, including for non-cancellable bookings.

No-Fault Reasons:

When guests seek refunds due to factors beyond the control of the property, owner or manager such requests are usually refused. In the spirit of Goodwill, the manager may offer minor credits, vouchers for future stays, gifts or other courtesies.

Owner Choices:

Even during non-cancelable dates, some owners prefer to extend refunds for most any reason. Rather than make unilateral decisions Mangers ask Owners when they would prefer refunds be granted.

Evaluating and setting reasonable policies is something that must be done before a single guest is booked. Only with pre-planning can guest refunds be knowingly administered.

For aborted stays (Guest departs or is evicted for noise, parties, etc.)
For which of these would you issue a refund? Would your owner clients agree?
For money? (Just realized I can not afford it)
For change of plans? (Going to Disneyland instead)
For area conditions? (Lack of sun or snow)
For bad weather? (how bad)
For road closures?
For car break downs?
For travel plans (forgot to buy airline ticket)
For dissatisfaction? (Just did not like unit)
For invalid complaints? (Clean towels, not thought clean)
For insufficient space? (Brought undisclosed extra invitees)
For amenities? (Wanted, but did not specify HBO)
For inoperable amenities? (such as WiFi)
For event cancellations? (such as concerts) i
For parties not allowed? (More people than disclosed)
For pets not allowed? (Not requested at time of booking) </l
For smoking not allowed?
For health of family member? (not traveling with guest)
For death of a family member? (not traveling with guest)
For health of a planned fellow traveler?
For death of a planned fellow traveler?

Keep in mind that refunds come directly out of the property owner's pocket.

Author: William May – Volunteer, Vacation Rental Association
Blog #: 0333 – 11/08/12

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