How To Choose Vacation Homes?

By Author: David Davies
Total Articles: 15
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We all prefer holiday rentals for the privacy, space, independence and additional comfort they provide as opposed to hotel rooms. But for a truly enjoyable holiday, you need to find the most suited holiday cottage that delivers the comforts promised and more.

When renting a holiday cottage you can never know that the one which looked so perfect in the pictures might have a leaky roof or rotting mattresses. Before you head out for the cottage, here are some tips to ensure that you are getting a good bargain.

Renting through an Agency or Owner-Making the Choice

This can be a difficult choice to make. Renting straight from the owner is much cheaper as there is nothing to be paid towards agency commissions. However, there is no sales support, in other words if the home turns out to be a dump, there is nothing much you can do about it. On the other side, agencies scan the homes and also give the assurance of onsite support in case of faults. Most agencies also offer lucrative deals like free spa packages.

Ask for Photos – Lots of Them

You must never be satisfied with a mug shot of ...
... the front of the house. In fact ask for several interior and exterior views of the holiday cottage. Do not fall in to the trap of fish eye lenses that make the rooms look bigger; if the terrace doors or windows everywhere are closed, then it means there is something outside that can be a problem.

Ask Questions- Expect Detailed Answers

You have to make the place a home for the next few weeks. So it is your right to know every little thing so that you know you are in good hands. So ask the property owner/dealer about sleeping arrangements, plumbing, heating, kitchen gear, location of the amenities like hospitals and grocery stores. You can email these questions or can get them answered over the phone too.

Explore For Yourself

With Google Maps and Google Earth, you can yourself see the property on the map and judge its location. Is it located in the middle of various factories, or is nestled in the valley or in a quiet neighbourhood- Google Maps will reveal all details about the location. It may be only meters from the beach as claimed, but there could be a city dump in between.

Always check reviews and references

Try to locate the prior guests of the property and try to gather their views and experience in the vacation rental. Do not trust blindly the glowing reviews on the cottage owner/agency’s website. See trustworthy customer resources like TripAdvisor.com for reviews. Another great idea is the Google the holiday cottage’s name, or the agency or the owner’s name and "complaints," "fraud" and "scam."

Try to get a Good Deal

The economy is not that great. This means easy negotiation is a possibility in the real estate market. Try to book when special booking discount offers are on. Some vacation rentals may let go of the minimum-stay requirements or throw in the cost of cleaning.

If you can get a listing with guarantees that there will be compensation in case the property is not as described, then sign up for it.

Draft a clear rental agreement

A detailed rental agreement must be drafted to define the payment procedures and other details for both the renter and owner.

Keep all these pointers in mind when you are looking for vacation homes rentals located in any part of the world.

The writer is associated with Simply Self Catering, the leading provider of holiday home rentals, from across the world.