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What you Should Know about Vacation Rentals Before you Leave the House
April 10, 2015

Need a vacation? Everybody can use one from time to time. If you are like me and looking to stay somewhere for a good lengthy time, booking a hotel room can be impractical. Very few hotels offer multiple bedrooms, a garage full of bikes, a full kitchen full of appliances and many other amenities that a vacation rental can. Spend some time with your Real Estate professional learning about the area and how to be prepared if something should break in the rental.

There are few points that you will want to cover before you embark on your adventure with a vacation rental to ensure a no-hassle vacation.

1. Will you need a car? Some people will use a vacation rental as a "central base" while they run around seeing all there is to see. While others use their vacation rental has a place to lounge for the entire vacation. Remember if you choose to use a car, that parking can be an issue in many cities. Talk to your Real Estate professional about the parking conditions and prices in the area where you plan on vacationing.

2. If you are not planning on using a car, find out what the other alternate transit systems are in the area. Will you need to take a bus? Where is the closest bus stop? What are the taxi rates in the area? Is there a subway? Finding out this information in advance could change your mind on renting a car.

3. Is there a grocery store nearby? If you are not going to be using a car, it would be nice to have a grocery store nearby. If for no other reason than for a midnight snack that's close by.

4. Is it a noisy neighborhood? Some people like the hustle and bustle of city life and may find that a nice hopping neighborhood is the way to go. Others may be looking for a nice quiet getaway and finding themselves in a noisy place could end up being a nightmare.

5. Will you need internet access? If you are planning to do a little work or catch up on Face Book, it would be nice to know if you have internet access. This could be a deal breaker in some cases. Is there a fee for using the internet?

6. Who pays for the repairs if something breaks? Is there a property manager that you can contact? If the refrigerator breaks, who is responsible for the repair costs? What is the procedure to getting repairs done?

7. How do I pay for my Rental? In most cases you just show up with a credit card or cash and the deal is done. But just to be on the safe side I would get a nice rental agreement, just in case.

8. What can and can't I use? Some owners allow full access to the vacation rental including bikes, pool and in some cases even their car. But there are cases where the owner will not allow access to certain things. It's good to know what you can and can't play with.

9. Will the Owner's be visiting? This can be a good thing or a bad thing. It's nice if they stop by and answer questions and introduce themselves. It's another thing entirely if they stop by constantly and hang around all the time. This could result in making you feel as if you are being watched constantly.

10. Is there a cleaning fee? Most places do have a cleaning fee, so make sure you know what to expect. What do the fees cover?

There is one more thing that I can't stress enough. When you get to the rental, bring a notepad and give the house a once over. Write down anything that you notice that is broken or not working correctly. Look at the things that Renters would use the most, such as: Doorknobs, the AC/Heater, Faucets, toilets, TV, telephone, appliances, showers, and fold out beds (even if you don't plan on using it). Give this list to your Real Estate professional. You don't want to be responsible for items that were broken before you got there.

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