In a perfect world, vacation rental owners would just reply to inquiries and always get a response back, but as owners know, that’s not always the case. Unless you’ve signed up for our reservations management service, you’re going to need to follow up on the inquiries you get. Sometimes the traveler won’t reply to the initial response, or they’ll let the owner know that they’ll get back to them and then never do, or they’ll keep saying that they’re “thinking about out it”…you know how it goes. If you’re a homeowner, then, what’s the best way to follow up on inquiries?

The first rule of following up is to always call before emailing. By calling, you get instant feedback from the client and you can immediately address any concerns that they may have. By email, in contrast, they may not even be upfront about their real concerns, and even if they are, by the time you’ve addressed them, they could have booked another property. That’s partly why leads with phone numbers are always considered of higher quality than those without, so if the client provided that, always call before writing.

The question I get most from owners, though, is when to follow up and how often. This can be tricky and the answer partly depends on when the inquiry is for. In terms of the initial response, though, the answer is easy – answer immediately, since you want to show the traveler that you’re reliable, and also because you don’t the traveler forming a relationship with another owner. If you don’t get a response from that initial reply, it’s a good idea to follow up two days later just to ensure that they received the response. If the traveler still does not reply, follow up again two days after that. If they do reply, then the follow up dates vary. If it’s for something last minute (i.e. less than two months away), a follow up 2 or 3 days after speaking is entirely appropriate. Likewise if the dates are very popular, such as over Christmas, as these dates book fast. If, however, the trip is a ways off and not during your busiest booking season, you can follow up 5 days later. If you follow up 3 or 4 times and still don’t receive a response, it’s time to let that lead go.

If you follow these rules, you’re sure to improve your conversion ratio. The most important thing to remember, though, is to never shy away from following up – remember, persistence pays off!

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Every vacation rental owner hopes for the best when it comes to their prospective renters, but everyone’s heard those horror stories of rentals gone wrong. How can owners protect their rentals from damages, ensure that the maximum occupancy of the rental is respected, and just generally ensure that their house rules are respected?

The answer to all these questions lies in the rental agreement. As we’ve seen, the rental agreement is the owner’s legal lifeline, so in many ways it’s worth having it reviewed by a lawyer in order to ensure that it corresponds with your jurisdiction’s laws. This includes establishing the amount required as a security deposit, but if you’re seeking added protection from damages, one way to do so is by charging your guests for accidental damage insurance, which covers, as the name implies, any damages that occur in your rental during the course of the stay (but does not cover theft). Taking payment by credit card, though, will protect you from theft, which is another reason why this payment method is the preferred option of most owners.

What if your guests are making a ton of noise, throwing parties, or engaging in some other behavior that violates the terms of the contract and makes you want to throw them out of the rental? For such cases, it’s important to have an eviction clause in the rental agreement, although you’ll want to make it brief so as not to scare off potential renters. Related to this, it’s important to state in the rental agreement that potential renters forfeit their right to sue the property owner as a result of the rental, and that all disputes will be resolved by an independent third party (most likely an arbitration organization), with another clause limiting the amount of damages that will be paid.

Of course, in many cases, owners can avoid these situations by thoroughly screening guests, as well as consulting sites such as Badvacationrenter.com and Guestchecker.com, and in any case most renters are respectful anyways. Still, with an airtight rental agreement, you can ensure that your rental is protected at all times, thereby allowing to rent your home with the upmost of confidence.

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With destination weddings more popular than ever, competition is heating up among wedding planners, each of whom are promoting different locations as the ultimate places to exchange vows. That’s why nowadays, you’ll see Disney weddings, Vegas weddings, ski weddings, wine-tasting weddings, and much more. With the market expanding, it seems like every niche is getting covered. Jamaica however, has always been one of the most popular wedding destinations and will likely always remain so, and it’s not hard to see why – with crystal clear water, white sand beaches, and a great reputation for safety and friendliness, as well as an abundance of luxury villas happy to accommodate weddings (like the ones pictured below), Jamaica has everything you could hope for in a destination wedding.

Don’t get me wrong, though, Jamaica is a big island, and there are plenty of different areas, each of which offer different advantages. Most weddings, though, take place in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Runaway Bay, or Negril. Out of all them, Ocho Rios is the priciest, but offers the most in terms of luxury villas and five-star staff. Negril, on the hand, offers your guests a chance to experience Jamaica’s cultural life and move to the rhythm of the reggae music that constantly sways the island, while also providing them with plenty of affordable accommodation. Runaway Bay and Montego Bay offer the best of both worlds, with villas and vacation rentals in plenty of different price ranges and an abundance of private beaches to accommodate your reception.

No matter where in Jamaica you choose, though, rest assured that you will experience a wedding the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Many of the luxury beachfront villas, in fact, were designed with weddings in mind, and wedding planners around the island are more than happy to accommodate any wish you may have. You’ll also have access to top-of-the-line food, including locally grown fruits and vegetables, fresh seafood, and any kind of meat or desert you wish to provide your guests with, since the island is home to so many gourmet restaurants and thus has a steady supply of high-end food, which is not something that can be said for all Caribbean islands.

In the end, walking barefoot down the aisle on the beach with the sound of waves crashing behind you and enjoying a sunset reception is something you and your guests will never forget, which is what any good wedding is all about, so be sure to consider Jamaica if you are in the market for a destination wedding.

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