How to save on your island vacation rental
Have you ever heard of the term "Online Travel Agents" or "OTAs"? Those are sites like AirBnB, HomeAway, and VRBO.
We use these sites to get our listings in front of a wider audience, just like many vacation rental owners who use them all around the world. Their popularity is always growing, and for good reason!
But have you ever noticed those extra "Service Fees" applied to your total cost? If you have, then you know they can certainly add up.
To give you an idea, the terms for travelers to use HomeAway say, "The service fee is between 5-12% for most bookings but can be above or below, based on the reservation. The percentage rate may change from time to time."
An extra 5-12% - maybe even more! - added onto your total cost can make a huge difference on your wallet.
There are also varying fees for credit card purchases and VAT...plus, the homeowner gets charged an additional percentage by the OTA just for making a sale.
Here's our quick tip:
These OTAs are awesome places to look for vacation rentals.
But, when you're ready to book, go directly to the property management website and book directly through there. You'll save on all of those extra fees!
Need specific advice for finding the property management company behind an OTA ad? Check out the Google search tips at the end of this blog to see how photos and textual references can help.
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