How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner: The Complete Guide to Buy, Manage, Furnish, Rent, Maintain and Advertise Your Vacation Rental Investment

Christine Karpinski provides a wealth of practical knowledge for anyone interested in acquiring vacation rental property or renting their existing property. As a new owner of vacation rental property, I could not imagine embarking on a vacation property rental program without the tips and recommendations provided in this book. What we learned from reading this book improves our confidence in every part of the rental business. I liked that this book was not written for get-rich-quick real estate investors. Rather, it was written for average people who just want to enjoy second home ownership yet enjoy the potential rental benefits offered by their investment.

We have various family members who now own vacation homes or second properties in Hawaii, France, Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, here in California and along Hoods Canal in western Washington, and one thing they all worried about was what would happen if the wrong people rented their properties. And since I got the book in June I have had to fight to read it, since so many of my family and friends would see it on my table and would grab it and rave about it. This is the first (literally) book I (and my family and friends) have found that tackles all the hard questions, worries and various 'what ifs' on the subject. Beginning with the 'before' you buy questions, which is something I know a lot of people never really give much thought to, since many assume renting it out during off season etc will be a breeze. I especially liked the chapter dealing with 'why self management makes sense' since this is an issue I know something about. How many prospective rental owners know that a management company who handles rentals for clients can take 30% or more as a commission? Or that using a rental manager doesn't assure your property will be safe, or repaired in a timely way without gouging your bank account? The author deals extensively with the how to of finding clients to rent your property, including which websites are the best and what to have on your website as well. This includes good and accurate digital photos of all the rooms, yard, as well as Mapquest.com links so people can see how close they are to stores, beaches, rivers etc, that would be a draw as well as a drawback. A place may look nice on the website but how many owners show photos of the neighborhood so that clients can see that its safe and clean? The author covers how to screen clients, pet clauses, smoking, and party issues and issues of liability in general. Will you use PayPal, credit cards, checks etc? What about the phone in the property and the agreement on use and charges? This is why I like the call anywhere in the country one fee programs phone providers now offer. If you have DishNetwork will there be an extra fee for use or will that be included in the rental fee? Will you provide bed linens and basic kitchen items? What about those few people whom you can never please? How will you handle them and how should you, legally? These are also covered in-depth. Does the state where the rental property is require you to pay state or local taxes like some hotel, motels charge a fee or tax for? These are all things you need to think about before you even buy a vacation rental. The back two 'chapters' or index's offer a lot of Internet sites for valuable information that makes the price of the book worth every penny. Ms. Hrib Karpinski deserves a lot of thanks for finally writing a book that is easy to read and understand as well as recommendations of those she trusts who might provide the reader with even more information. And I am buying a copy for my local li

Author Karpinski wrote me that one reader wrote to her saying "My first renter wrote me a nice note about how much fun they had and how they want to rent it again next year. Then she says, "Friday as I sat down to eat lunch, I heard a crack before the chair broke and I fell to the ground." Just though you would like to know how true your words are. Thanks! Now I'm re-reading your book to see what else I snubbed my nose at the first time around." That's the point of "How to Rent Vacation Properties by Owner." There is detail, detail, detail, and you'd better read this with,well, to mix metaphors, a fine-toothed comb. Not only is the advice to furnish with STURDY chairs in there, but other wisdom that can save you, the vacation landlord, time and money and heartache. Have you considered a condo versus a free-standing property? What about maintenance, what about distance from the property? Are you going to be able to handle that or will you need someone to help you? Don't forget, a condo has maintenance included in a fee, usually. That fee may look large at closing, but later on... What about the 20% downpayment usually required by lenders? Turns out that, too, can be borrowed. PMI, mortgages, lending, this is also covered. How do you advertise to get the best results? What needs to be in that ad? Where do you advertise? I can't go into all the detail here, but chapters include finance, self-management, advertising including photos and description writing, pricing, organization techniques, tax collection and payment, key management, problems such as major damage, minor depredations, theft, cancellation and complaints. If you plan to rent a property, this is an absolutely essential book, written by someone with first-hand experience and an eye for detail. Get it.

If you haven't ever owned and rented out a vacation or second home, you probably have the same concerns that I have: How will I find renters? Will people destroy the property? Will people sue me? How will I get the toilet unclogged at 4 a.m. from a distance? How will I avoid having a terrible negative cash flow? How much time will this really take? Am I turning myself into a minimum wage slave?Relax! Ms. Christine Hrib Karpinski answers all those and many other questions you didn't know enough to ask. She also provides details of how she does everything efficiently and relatively painlessly. Further, she gives you good advice on how to decide what property to buy, how much to charge, who to rent to, where to advertise, how to write the copy and even how to create great photographs for a Web site. In fact, both the marketing and the administrative details she provides are outstanding. My only suggestion is that you have an attorney in the state where your property is check out the forms she suggests (or obtain the standard forms used by landlords in that state). The only area where the book doesn't cover a related subject in detail is in the tax advantages. If she does another edition of this book, I suggest that she have a c.p.a. write up a section on that point. As a result, the book makes it seem like you will make less than you actually will. Her focus is on long-term ownership and rental, but she also points out how you can make substantial short-term gains. The section on the current mortgage options is excellent.Even if you decide not to buy a vacation home and rent it, I suggest that you read the book for advice that will be valuable to you as a potential tenant of such properties. You can more than save the price of the book in that context.I recommend that you do the work she describes for setting rental prices and marketing a property BEFORE you purchase a home. Good luck!