Blog

Creepy Vacation Rental Videos

By Wm. May
Published: 05/27/15 Topics: Marketing, Vacation Rentals, Videos Comments: 0

Videos are now being used as background graphics for many websites including for vacation rental advertising that depict guests inside homes in seemingly innocent moments like lounging bed or playing with their children. But does it cross the line? Read more

Drones Will One Day Be Old News

By William May
Published: 05/01/15 Topics: Hotels, Photography Comments: 0

Hoteliers are all anxious to get aerial photos of their properties from drones. Good idea and we do them. Here is why they would be better off to invest I High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photos instead. Read more

Website Magazine Warns Blogging Copyright Infringers

By Joseph Romain
Published: 04/01/15 Topics: Copyrights, Legal, Photography Comments: 0

Website Magazine covers everything digital and in now is taking a strong stand to educate readers about how stealing copyrighted materials is a big no-no and one that will cost them lots of money when copyright holders catch them in the act. Read more

Mouse in the house. Or Rats, Bears, Ants, Termites, Cockroaches, etc.

By William May
Published: 03/01/15 Topics: Lodging Management, Vacation Rentals, Wildlife Comments: 0

Because second homes are not occupied at all times, pesky mice, rats, ants, cockroaches, bears, and other unwanted creatures have a sixth sense of knowing they are good targets. They give little warning which are unpredictable but easily resolved. Here is how. Read more

Sponsor: Vortex VIP –

How to Choose a Vacation Rental Photographer

By William May
Published: 03/01/15 Topics: Photography Comments: 0

Guest give websites but a few scant seconds to decide if it's professional, if it has what they need, and whether they are willing to look further. In one seconds, people read only a few words but glancing at a photo reveals dozens of thoughts and conveys quality, emotion, and content. Read more

Christmas Trees Endanger the World

By William May
Published: 01/17/15 Topics: Government Comments: 0

This is not a story about prohibiting Christmas trees from governmental property due to freedom of religion restrictions. Instead, it’s a new taking of your ability to put a Christmas Tree in the lobby of privately owned condo buildings, restaurants and more. Geeeesh. Is nothing sacred? Read more

HDR Photography is not HD

By William May
Published: 01/01/15 Topics: Comments: 0

Only one in every ten thousand amateur photographers, and only one out of a thousand professionals have an understanding of High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos. That terminology has nothing to do with the common High Definition description of TV's and monitors. Everyone in lodging should know the difference. Read more

Crowing about VRA Mobile Websites

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

It may not sound earth shaking but Redstone Systems, creator of the HelpBook.me software has just added their evolutionary new mobile websites to their system and has donated the capability to the VRA.org website and those that use VRMLS.org. Check it on your mobile phone now. Read more

Vacation Rental Pet Peeve Week

By William May
Published: 10/08/14 Topics: Comments: 0

If anyone deserves to have a pet peeve, it should be people who manage vacation rentals. Although most people are friendly and kind, there are some things that drive people in this service centered industry nuts. Read more

A Map, a Map, My Kingdom for a Map

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

Folded like origami (Japanese paper art), maps have been an indispensable tool for travelers for centuries. But today with Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) and Smart Phones, travel can be much easier but it does require some common sense. Read more

Outdoors-For-All, the Heroes Among Us

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

Donate your home to charities for their use and fundraising and post your generosity on VacationRentalAgents.com. See how the Ski-For-All Foundation gave property owners the great satisfaction of helping disabled kids and adults to ski. Read more

What I do for a living

By William May
Published: 04/08/14 Topics: Comments: 0

After a tragedy that has taken dozens of life in the small town of Oso Washington State, first-responders open the door to untrained volunteers after realizing they are better equipped at working in such difficult conditions. Read more

Top Reasons to Do-It-Yourself Vacation Rental

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

Renting the house seemed like a good idea. Cut out the middle man and rack in the big bucks. Guests will love the place, housekeepers are a dime a dozen, advertising is easy. Here are the top 10 reasons to handle everything personally. Read more

Sponsor: VRAI – VRIA is a not-for-profit organization of vacation rental owners, managers, and suppliers working together to grow and improve the industry. Learn more at www.VRIA.org. or 866-925-7083.

Varoom Vacation Rental Cooperative Springs to Life

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

Even with the thousands of advertising websites catering to vacation rental owners, guests often search in vain to find the perfect accommodations. Now the website www.Varoom.biz, the world's first Vacation Rental Cooperative matches guests with property owners and managers to increase bookings. Read more

How to Hire & Retain Happy Housekeepers (10 rules)

By Wm. May
Published: 01/28/14 Topics: Lodging Management, Vacation Rental Association, Vacation Rentals, WAVRMA Comments: 0

Servers at restaurants, both fancy and plain, demand tips. The valet who parks your car puts his hand out. Even your neighborhood Starbucks barista wants money for making up your fancy café mocha, skinny, double cup, with foam. So how come lodging housekeepers seldom get tipped, and often receive far too little. Read more

Sponsor: VRAI –

Coming to Skippy's Class ill Prepared

By William May
Published: 12/11/13 Topics: Comments: 0

Looking back it is astonishing to realize that a world class scholar was teaching in a small community college off the beaten path in the Northwest corner of the country. She would have wowed any student in the finest college anywhere. Read more

Sad Story for Non Renting Vacation Home Owner

By William May
Published: 12/06/13 Topics: Comments: 0

Home Owner Association caretaker has bad news for vacation home owner who should have kept his home in rental, with which he could have retained the attentive eyes of a full time manager almost next door. Read more

Read all about it. An insider newsletter for Vacation Rental Managers, Owners & Suppliers

How clean is clean enough?

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

Take the Deep Cleaning test. Most owners fail in their primary homes and, let's face it, second homes often get short shrift. Top property managers clean to high hospitality standards because failing to do so makes for unhappy guests and refunds. Read more

Vacation Rental Housekeeper Spills the Beans

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

As professional lodging managers it's not too often that we get a full glimpse of what life is really like for Rent by Owners who manage their personal vacation homes. Here is a Q&A with a top housekeeper who has horror stories to tell. Read more