Managing your own Florida vacation property as stress free as possible

Managing your own Florida vacation property

Some people own dozens of vacation rental properties and make a great living with them. A vacation home “house or condo” has to be turnkey furnished.

There are few rules to a successful vacation rental home or condo such as:

1. Don’t be emotional about it – tread it as a business and not your personal home. If something disappears you don’t shed a tear. Just replace the items as they are mostly just little things such as towels, or dishes or silverware.

2. The main goal is to decorate your vacation home as appealing and comfortable as possible with as most natural light as possible as well as light or Florida style furniture – Always keep in mind the tenants are not renting a ski lodge or an Ohio farm house, they want the Florida Lifestyle.  

3. Repair what is in need of repair. Nothing worth when tenants have to call or leave bad reviews, because the ceiling fan, A/C is not working, the water tank from the toilet is running, or the washer and dryer is not working.

4. Block the house at least for 1-2 weeks to do repairs, upgrading, replace furniture, painting, etc. This is best to do in the lowest season such as September.

5. Plan a budget for Linens such as towels and bed sheets, silverware, wine glasses, remotes controls, pots and pans, items that go quick. When you use your vacation home for you and your family check what is missing. Depending on the standard you want to offer, you can even shop at the Dollar Store, Big Lots, Old Pottery Barn and Home Goods for certain items like plates, glasses and cleaning supplies.  

6.  If you’re not living near your vacation property hire a rental agent to manage the rentals. The management company handles the leases, turnover, set up the cleaning etc.  

7. Replace worn items immediately – don’t wait until they break.

8. Comfortable and clean mattresses are very important. You can even store a mattress in the box in your garage for emergencies and if needed you put the mattress on the existing Bunkie boards for platform beds or a box spring for regular beds.  

9. Keep in mind some tenants like to rearrange furniture or accessories and sometime they leave it as they decorated it. Just don’t get upset about you want them to enjoy their vacation time. Sometimes they even carry chairs into the pool – for this occasion it is best prepared having some plastic deck chairs available.

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Check out our vacation & seasonal rentals in Naples & Marco Island

https://www.realestatefloridausa.com/buyers/vacation-rental

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For more information, please contact Kirsten Prizzi, Naples Real Estate Broker

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