More Specific Target Market--OceanFrontCondo--Side Unit w/Ocean View only from Balcony??

Parent Cafe
1

Trying to more strategically market a Side Unit (with Ocean View Only from Balcony) of an Ocean Front Condo. There are 2 floors of condos, and this one is on Top Floor, at rear of Condo Building. Made sense decades ago, got extra windows as a corner unit, had views of both the ocean and the inlet (this is a small island). The building has 24 units in it, and a sister Condo building right next door has another 24 units with same layout and square footage.

I still think the top floor is better, you don’t have to listen to kids running around in a condo above you, but climbing an extra set of stairs going to and coming back from the ocean can be frustrating. Over the years, construction of tall houses behind this condo building obstructs any possible view of the inlet.

All the units in this condo share a community pool, and a small laundry building beside the pool for washer/dryer. About half of the units have upgraded the half bath to include either a shower or have gutted the master bedroom closet and made room for a tub/shower to make it a full 2 Bath in the unit. A couple of units have gutted the pantry closet (that also houses the water heater) to make room for tiny stackable washer/dryer.

Decades ago, rentals were word of mouth and rental loyalty year after year was high. Now, so many options available on the internet, you are competing with so many units available to choose from. Saturday to Saturday weekly rentals was the norm for decades, especially for June/July/August. So trying to be open to partial week rental is a different concept for us to work into the rentals. We currently rent our unit through a local agency on the island.

Trying to figure out how best to turn the “negatives” into “positives” or at least “neutrals” and search for the type of renter that would best “fit” the unit. It is 2 BR, 1.5 bath (no tub or shower in half bath). Full bath is completely renovated and fully updated to current trends. Recently updated with new paint in all rooms, and highest level of internet/wireless WIFI. Flat screen TV in Living Room swivels to gain access to kitchen area if desired. Offer beach chairs to take to the ocean (replace chairs each summer.) Full kitchen with Full Size Fridge/Freezer, full size electric oven/stove, full size dishwasher. Microwave, coffee maker, pots and pans, all dishware, utensils, everything you would need to cook and serve a meal.

I am thinking of updating to meet the needs of a Business Traveler, or someone who vacations with family but needs to log in some hours of work each day? Or is there another type of traveler I can appeal to?

Selling the unit is NOT AN OPTION. This is a Family property with high sentimental value. But now this unit needs to produce rentals, not to Make Money, but at least to get close to breaking even on expenses. Winter season is mild, with the occasional hurricane to get our attention. Hoping to entice Monthly Renters for off season?

If we need to upgrade the half bath, do we just put in a shower, or do the major renovation to make it a full 2 Bath unit?

Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated. Even little items that you would want/expect in a condo rental?

2

Why not check out HomeAway, AirBNB or similar websites? I think they provide guidance on how to list, describe, etc. various properties. A sis-in-law has two HomeAway rentals in New Mexico and I’m almost positive that when they listed the first one, HomeAway provided some input on how to take the photos, describe the home, etc.

3

As a vacation renter who travels with 4 kids, we prefer condos that have 2 bathrooms (shower instead of bath tub is fine) and someplace to do laundry. I’m willing to pay more for the convenience of doing laundry in the unit.

4

“About half of the units have upgraded the half bath to include either a shower or have gutted the master bedroom closet and made room for a tub/shower to make it a full 2 Bath in the unit. A couple of units have gutted the pantry closet (that also houses the water heater) to make room for tiny stackable washer/dryer.”
I would do both for your unit.
you want your unit to be JUST as functional and desirable as those units .
listing it with airbnb or another online rental website is a must these days.
that probably means getting an electronic remote front door keypad so the code can be changed after each rental.

5

If you can squeeze in another shower (no tub needed) and the laundry stack in a closet it would greatly help.
Especially the shower would be a HUGE advantage.
Picture-wise–some photos with good balcony furniture would be a plus. Any shade out there?

6

I suggest joining the Facebook groups for VRBO & AirBnB hosts; “say no to the VRBO fee’” is excellent and the Hosting Journey is pretty good.
You can post a link to your place and get some input from other hosts, possibly even hosts on your island, the ‘say no’ group has nearly 6000 members.

7

I rent lodging often through Airbnb when I travel. Photos are the most important marketing tool in a listing, in my opinion.

It’s possible that other rentals in your very building are already listed on Airbnb, Vvrbo, etc. You could compare your listing to those (apples to apples) and see what reviewers have said about those listings and how they are marketed. Pay particular attention to any negative comments and think about whether you can proactively address those issues. People often post on craigslist in addition and link to their Airbnb ad.

8

.

9

Gorgeous photos are key. They attract the renters. Allow shorter term weekend rebtals in the off season.

Laundry in the unit and another shower would be desireable. Remember that short term renters do not care about kitchen storage or storage in general. They are looking for amenities like laundry, bbq, wi fi, parking, beach toys, etc

10

Is there a space in the condo to “park” beach toys ground level so they don’t have to be hauled up and down stairs?

11

Shower and washing machine were big plusses when we did beach rentals. No need for a second bath tub.

12

Weekend renters don’t usually need laundry facilities, but if you are targeting monthly renters, in-unit W/D are a must. Check your state landlord-tenant laws… if you rent this unit to someone for longer than a certain period of time, they might be considered tenants and will have certain rights.

13

When I look at rentals on VRBO or Airbnb, the first thing I look at is the furniture. Is it comfortable? Are there places for all in our rental party to lounge comfortably? Then I check to see if it is cleaned professionally rather than by the renters. If renters are responsible for cleaning, they never do a deep clean, so I’ve found a buildup of dust on baseboards, lamps, etc. Then I look at price and how it compares to similar listings.

14

I never rent anything without a washer and dryer (even if I am staying in a hotel, I look for one with guest laundry available), so I vote for that. I also would have someone else look at your listing photos to give you some ideas; I’ve run into tons of owners who think their properties are ship-shape, when they’re not. A fresh, critical perspective could be helpful.

15

Like others, I prefer a nice rental to a “hotel” any day! For me, as a renter, I travel with a friend (sometimes female, sometimes male - not romantic) or my adult D. I use VRBO (hate the new fee structure), or when I go to Maui I use a local realtor group that has an excellent reputation (on the island) and a large selection.

Things we look for that put a place at the top of the list:

  1. Reviews - I know "someone" has to be first, but I'm not comfortable being that one (I did have a very successful experience being first, once, and am taking a chance again in ABQ in the fall...the selling point was I could speak with the owner directly)
  2. Two bathrooms - not a deal breaker but when traveling with a friend it's nice for us each to have our own (no tub is fine)
  3. If we're going to a beach area we do want a view, and want to hear the water as well. That said, we rented a cute condo 2 blocks from the beach in O'ahu. The sell point was 2 bedrooms (only one bathroom) and included parking...at a great price.
  4. Laundry access.
  5. Parking
  6. Walkable area (high walk-score is important)
  7. Access to public transportation (if we're in a city, like NY)
16

Add me to the list that wants laundry, I don’t want to pack up wet beach towels! I also look for a place that is dog friendly if their is a dog beach near by. We rent a beach house on Galveston in the off season between Christmas and Epiphany every year, the same place every year because we can bring the dog.

17

Another person who likes laundry in a rental. We have lots of dirty smelly workout clothes and wet beach towels at the very least.

Another consideration is bed sizes, no full size beds at the very minimum. I prefer a king but it’s not a deal breaker

Oh and it has to have high speed internet. My il’s rented a place without internet and my fil went nuts. He couldn’t figure out how to tether his cell phone to his computer (we tried to help but he had trouble)

18

I won’t rent a place without a washer and dryer…especially a beach place. Wet towels, bathing suits, etc. sorry, need to be able to wash and dry.

Two full baths are nice (one with just a shower is fine), but 1 1/2 would work for us as well.

Agree with others…pictures are what sells a place online…that…and word of mouth from other renters…so get positive reviews!

19

My friend who has 2 beachfront condos she rents says she always tries to have the place nicer than is expected and charges slightly less than competitors so her renters feel they got a great deal. She hires a lady who lives in the complex to clean between visitors. I’ve seen her rentals—very lively with many homey touches and sleep a lot of folks.

Washer/dryer unit is very helpful. We rented a condo at Northstar and 1st thing S did when we got there was run a load of his laundry! We normally stick with hotels, and like it if they have a guest laundry somewhere on premises, especially if we are there for a prolonged visit.

20

I rent my vacation home (for one month in the summer) through a realtor (it pays all our expenses). We hired a photographer to take photos of the property. The photographer also took an aerial shot of the property. Our place is fully furnished along with linens.

For me, having a place that is clean is extremely important. I have cleaning people do a really thorough cleaning before the renters arrive; also, at the request of the renters, my cleaning person will clean while the renters are staying at the house. We do have a washer/dryer in both the main house and the cottage. I’ve been lucky and have had the same extended family group rent our house for a month for the last 5 years. We’ve never had a problem.

Do you live near your rental condo? Do you have people on call who can do maintenance and cleaning? If I were in your position, I’d rather rent for longer periods. Personally, having to clean up from a short-term rental every few days would make me anxious, especially if you’ve got folks coming in back-to-back. i’d have a one week minimum stay if it were my place.