Vacation Rental

5 tips to help prepare your Airbnb, VRBO, or Vacation Rental Property for success!

5 tips to help prepare your Airbnb, VRBO, or Vacation Rental Property for success!

Written By: Stephen Miller, Arizona Listing Media

So you’ve decided to jump into the world of vacation rentals or perhaps this isn't your first rodeo. Either way, ensuring guests are entertained and pleased with the property is a surefire way to obtain constant bookings. Here are a few tips and tricks I’ve gathered along the way. As an Airbnb, VRBO photographer in Phoenix, Arizona I have seen a lot of great ideas along the way. So, here we go!

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Consider Labeling

I can't even begin to tell you how many rounds of musical light switches I’ve played in my day. As a full-time real estate photographer, I’m constantly flipping light switches on and off trying to figure out why I can't get those darned art lights over the hallway painting to switch on. I’ve seen probably a handful of savvy vacation rental owners tackle the task brilliantly. Label printer in hand, I’ve noticed just about every light switch in the house tactfully guiding me to exactly what light fixture I’m looking for. As a guest in a new location for a weekend or even longer this could be extremely frustrating.. but not anymore! A few property owners have even gone above and beyond by labeling cabinetry and kitchen storage to show guests exactly where items are located. This is the type of move that elevates you as a property owner to an Airbnb super host.

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Entertain Your Guests

This doesn’t have to be a strenuous task, and the entertainment value you can provide guests is affordable and easy. Now, some hosts prefer to invest in a shuffleboard or pool table, and that’s great! But simply offering a cozy space to read a book next to a well-stocked library is plenty. Creating a space for family game night with a decent selection of interactive board games next to a small popcorn machine will give guests memories that last a lifetime. Most hosts offer a small booklet at the front entry that showcases all of the hip local spots to visit.

Creative Marketing

Don’t be afraid to try out some creative marketing. Adding little fun quirks to your Airbnb can keep guests coming back again and again. Take this photo below as an example. β€œTake a bottle, leave a bottle” was implemented to create a wine bottle share between guests who visit local vineyards. What a great idea! Also, as a social media guy myself, I strongly recommend creating a name for your VRBO property then sharing a hashtag for your guests to use in their social media posts as they enjoy their stay and share their experience.

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Hot Tub

Not every location can host a full-size swimming pool, adding a hot tub to your vacation rental property is the perfect little additive to keep guests cozy and having fun. Especially when stunning views are involved!

Quality Photography and Staging

In everyday real estate sales, staging and photography are key to marketing a listing. This holds true and even more so for Airbnb, VRBO, and vacation rental properties. Selling the location and lifestyle that a specific vacation rental boasts is very important in acquiring bookings. When a photographer has staging to play off of, their creativity can skyrocket. Since web searches are the first place a client will see your listing it's extremely important to have quality photography to represent your investment. With creative photo opportunities increased, the real estate aspect can be set aside as the focus of a photoshoot turns into a hospitality-focused endeavor.

If you’re considering an Airbnb, VRBO, or vacation rental property and would like to have the best visual representation for it, please visit my booking page, and let's set up a time for services. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out, I'm always happy to help!