<p>I think a lot of people may get partially around that by having the rental be a front, back or half of an owner occupied single or double shotgun.</p>
<p>The down side for NOLA is no hotel/motel tax is collected. The upside is that lots of people can afford to come and spend money. I wonder if the sanctioned hotels could even accommodate all the folks who descend on the city for the various festivals (Essence, Voodoo, Jazz Fest, Mardi Gras and some others that I’m sure I’m forgetting)</p>
<p>Yeah, there are a ton of them. I wish they were legal because we’d like to buy a place there some day and being able to legally rent it out would help pay for it. :). </p>
<p>Obviously, people do it anyway but it’s riskier. And I’m kind of risk-averse and my husband is even more o. </p>
<p>There was a thread a while back linking to someone with a recent book about retiring to a few months at a time with vrbo …I’ve been digging for it, did anyone bookmark? They had just written a book…</p>
<p>Dragon, was it this couple?
<a href=“http://homefreeadventures.com/”>http://homefreeadventures.com/</a>
<a href=“Can't Decide Where to Retire? - WSJ”>Can't Decide Where to Retire? - WSJ;
<p>Wow…kind of sounds like fun!</p>
<p>I used housetrip when I booked for a stay in Istanbul. It was not a good experience and the landlord cancelled my booking due to a “conflict” and offered me another “similar” property. I did not want the other property and it was almost impossible to get my down payment back. Housetrip would not respond after multiple requests. I ended up renting one of a group of condos that had a web presence. I can’t imagine a better place, so all was good and I finally got my down payment back. </p>
<p>The book written by the author of the Wall Street Journal article is Home Sweet Anywhere. Their website has book and other info:
<a href=“http://homefreeadventures.com/”>http://homefreeadventures.com/</a></p>
<p>She and her husband were interviewed for a recent article in the New York Times:
<a href=“Increasingly, Retirees Dump Their Possessions and Hit the Road - The New York Times”>Increasingly, Retirees Dump Their Possessions and Hit the Road - The New York Times;
<p>@GTalum, would you mind telling me which condo you rented? I had been looking in Istanbul for our family and very few places have 2 full bathrooms.</p>
<p>We have friends, a couple, who have sold their beautiful oceanfront home recently and are renting. Her husband will be retiring in 2 years and they plan to travel a lot afterwards, renting in one city for 1-6 months then moving on. I really admire their courage to convert to such a different lifestyle.
I love to travel but after a long trip (longest was 1 month since H is still working), I need to go back to my own home and familiar surroundings to relax.</p>
<p>cbreeze, we stayed here <a href=“http://www.istanbulholidayapartments.com/Apartments.html”>http://www.istanbulholidayapartments.com/Apartments.html</a> at the Glorya apartments tower view. But, it didn’t have 2 full bathrooms. My husband and I shared it with my brother and SIL. It is a wonderful location with easy access to anywhere in Istanbul. Plus, climbing to your apartment everyday is a great workout!</p>
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I used housetrip when I booked for a stay in Istanbul. It was not a good experience and the landlord cancelled my booking due to a “conflict” and offered me another “similar” property. I did not want the other property and it was almost impossible to get my down payment back. Housetrip would not respond after multiple requests. I ended up renting one of a group of condos that had a web presence. I can’t imagine a better place, so all was good and I finally got my down payment back.</p>
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<p>I would not use a site that did not have an excellent reputation. Maybe Housetrip does? I don’t know. Never heard of them. </p>
<p>I would strongly recommend always using a credit card so that if you have to, you can challenge the charge. In the above scenario, the credit card company would have reimbursed you quickly.</p>
<p>I have used both Airbnb many times in the US and have always had good experiences. I only look at places that have multiple very good reviews and where people have not said the host canceled on them. I have a friend that travels all over the world using Airbnb with great results. </p>
<p>OP here. I took the plunge and booked a gorgeous (a least according to pics) apartment in a great location in Lisbon for the first 4 nights of our trip. The owner has almost 200 positive reviews on his listings. I actually rented a new, recently renovated one that only has 7 reviews so far, but I feel confident given all the other positive reviews. He has been extremely prompt and professional thus far. </p>
<p>I am still researching for the second stop of the trip - Seville. I currently have several requests pending and will hopefully decide today. I really am putting way too much time into this! </p>
<p>Hoping for the best but I’m feeling confident. Thanks again for all the great replies. </p>
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The owner has almost 200 positive reviews on his listings. I actually rented a new, recently renovated one that only has 7 reviews so far, but I feel confident given all the other positive reviews. He has been extremely prompt and professional thus far.</p>
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<p>Yes, it is rather safe to book with an owner with a new property who already has lots of positive reviews on his other properties. (but, frankly, 7 recent reviews is really plenty to get an idea anyway. :)</p>
<p>have fun!!!</p>
<p>One of my dreams is to build a 4-plex on a lake and live part-time in one of them and rent the others as vacation rentals… It sure would make it easy to see what is going on!</p>
<p>BTW…heads up. Many owners are installing security cameras outside exit doors (not inside the home) to capture rule-breakers (those who bring pets, bring extra guests, etc). </p>
<p>Just a small hint for Airbnb. I lost a number of rentals by waiting for a confirmation. Check the calendar and look for the immediate booking tool, and especially if the cancellation is liberal. In so many words, you DO NOT have to engage in back and forth with the owners to be “accepted” and some might try to impose additional restrictions when multiple parties are involved. That is the benefit of AirBnb over VRBO and private renters. </p>
<p>In so many words, my best rentals have been where I had NO exchanges, and the lesser when there were LOTS of emails and messages. The closer it gets to a hotel booking, the happier I am. I do NOT need the owner to be my guide during the visit. This is a business and not a social interaction. </p>
<p>.@xiggi - I see your point but there was a specific question I needed answered prior to booking. I have a severe cat allergy and a couple of the rentals said “contact owner” under the “pets allowed” category. It would be impossible for me to stay anywhere that allowed cats. I can’t even visit someone if they happen to own one - it really can be a hindrance. @mom2collegekids - I am a good example of why they may need those cameras!!</p>
<p>I did get my questions answered and am all set in Seville! </p>
<p>@dwhite, I was not addressing your reservation directly, but making a general comment. Obviously, a medical issue is a good reason to contact owners. Probably wise to inquire about stairs in cities such as Paris when you see an ad for a beautiful loft with a terrace looking at Notre Dame! Hint, it might be on the fifth floor. </p>
<p>My point was to move quickly if an apartment looks great during a busy time. </p>
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<p>@xiggi Do you mean that you submitted an inquiry and then the owner booked the property with someone else before you could secure the place? </p>
<p>Personally, I also like it when the inquiry and the reservation can happen rather quickly, but often it is the guest’s incomplete info that requires more questions. I’ll get inquiries that don’t state the number of people, that don’t provide a phone number (cell preferred), and seem so mysterious that I can’t help but seek more info. Plus there is some odd Ukraine scam that is rampant so owners need to expose those. We report them as soon as we find them, but there are soooo many. </p>
<p>I’ve found that communicating with the owners (have only used VRBO) has been very helpful for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they offer a better rate, when possible can be flexible with checkout, and the best was the time that we were scheduled to be staying in a place in Beverly HIlls while on a combination vacation/college tour visit. The owner of the house in Beverly Hills was a retired anestheseologist. He was helpful when my DS#1 shattered his femur on the slopes!</p>
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My point was to move quickly if an apartment looks great during a busy time.
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<p>This is one of the most nerve-wracking parts of being a vaca rental owner. I’ll get an inquiry for a busy time, I’ll respond, and then the person will say, “I have to check with my spouse/friend/etc”. Sometimes you never hear back from these folks. Then another person will inquire for the same dates, and will want to book. What is the best thing to do? I try to send a quick text to the first party to let them know another inquiry has come in, but I feel weird when doing so because it seems pushy. (and often inquirers don’t provide cell numbers or even home numbers! </p>
<p>One time I didn’t contact the first party, and I let the 2nd party book, and then a few days later, the 1st party called and said that they wanted to book. I hated telling them that the place was already booked. The lady was angry and said, “I told you that I needed to discuss with my husband.” I politely told her that people often say that and then I never hear from them again. Time is money. People have to realize that we’re not hotels with 50+ empty places to fill. We often only have 1 or 2 units in their desired area, and once they’re booked, that is it.</p>
<p>I hate this part so much.</p>
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<p>That is scary…and serious.</p>