The Jersey Shore is one of the best places to spend your summer days, with stunning beaches and a lively boardwalk. It is the perfect getaway for people looking to escape the hustle and bustle of cities and soak up sunshine. Summer property rentals are extremely popular for people looking for an ocean side vacation.
The internet has made it entirely possible for people to find and rent vacation homes worldwide at more affordable rates compared to hotels. Because of this rising demand for rental homes, more homeowners are opting to enter the vacation rental market to earn extra income.
However, simply uploading your home online wouldn’t be enough to get desired results. You need excellent reviews, repeated guests, and recommendations to entice potential customers to choose your rental home.
If you have a rental home you intend on renting out to guests for their summer vacation, it must be in peak condition. Doing so will give your guests the best rental experience and boost its reputation. Let’s check out some tips on how to prepare your rental home for the summer.
Deep Clean
A successful vacation rental prides itself on being very neat. Nobody wants to rent a dirty home.
As a rental homeowner, you must ensure that the property is always clean. If your home is not a year-round rental property, you must have it deep cleaned before summer. Vacationers spend a lot of money on renting homes, so they expect them to be in good shape and ready to be occupied. Sometimes, a spotless environment can make them turn a blind eye to other little quirks that may have otherwise bothered them.
Before you start cleaning, create a deep cleaning schedule. Whether you plan on cleaning by yourself or by hiring a cleaning service, a checklist will keep you on track with all cleaning tasks. Ideally, schedule annual or quarterly cleanings during the off-season. But a thorough deep clean should prepare you adequately for the summer.
You must also clean between each renter’s stay. If you can afford to, schedule regular weekly cleanings to reduce the amount of work after a renter leaves. Some rental property owners sometimes offer daily cleaning services at an extra cost to renters.
Prepare an Information Guide for Your Guests
Whether or not your renters are from out of town, they will still need to adjust to their new surroundings, especially living in a home different from theirs. You can make this experience much easier for them by giving them important information they would need.
Your information pack should include the rental home’s physical address, garbage and recycling pickup schedules, emergency contacts like police and hospitals, and Wi-Fi and home security passwords. If you want to go a little further, you can include directions to nearby commercial centers. Your information pack can also include house rules and should spell out off-limit areas.
Prepare an Inventory List for Yourself
You must have an inventory to help you keep track of the household items in the rental home. That doesn’t mean you don’t trust your guests. Think of it as a way to avoid any disagreements with renters concerning missing or damaged items during their stay. Your inventory list also helps you keep track of items your guests have to make their stay more enjoyable.
Before you open up your house to guests, ensure that you quickly inspect all appliances and other items. If there are important valuables in your home, you must note them down and state their condition. However, it is advisable to lock up all valuables. To protect your privacy and those you live with, take down any personal items such as pictures before your guests arrive.
Secure Your Home
Security is one of the first things renters look for when searching for rental homes. To make your guests feel safe with their choice, let them know that their security is of the utmost importance to you.
First, ensure that the home has a proper lighting system. A good lighting system can prevent some crimes such as burglary. You must also make sure that all entry and exit points are well secured. Include deadbolts and standard locks to make it more difficult for criminals to break in.
Peepholes and intercom systems are also excellent door security options. Your renter can allow who they choose to enter the rental home. You can also consider installing security cameras outside of your rental home for the best results.
Make sure you conduct a thorough guest screening. Unfortunately, not all guests are trustworthy. Conduct background checks to the highest extent before entering into any agreement with a guest.
Get Short-Term Rental Insurance
Since you’re renting your home for a season, it would be better to get a short-term rental insurance policy, especially since most homeowners insurance policies do not cover having commercial guests visiting your property.
This policy covers your home and any liability incurred while it is being used as a rental. If you plan on renting your home year-round, look into getting landlord insurance.
Most insurance companies add short-term rental policies to an existing homeowners policy. However, some also recommend keeping both options separately. Depending on the terms and conditions of your policy, you can only pay for the number of nights your guests will stay in your rental home. Check with your insurer to see if they have any similar policies.
Final Thoughts
There’s so much to do at the Jersey Shore during the summer. If you have a rental property in the area and follow these useful tips, your guests will have a wonderful time.
If you want to recommend some marinas for your guests to visit, look at this blog post for the top ones at the Jersey Shore.