Author: blogger

So, you’ve decided to go on vacation?

But you aren’t sure how you’re going to make it! After all, vacations are super expensive and you aren’t entirely sure how you’re going to have enough to go where you would like to. Not to mention that you also have to make sure that you have enough for food, getting there, getting back, emergency money, and maybe if you have any spare money at all a souvenir or two. With such tough standards to follow, it can be difficult to decide what to do and also where to go.

However, sometimes even the best thought out vacations don’t work out. The main thing that comes to mind in these cases is that lovely group of people called college kids. College kids are nice and everything, but they have the added problem of being energetic and loud-in short, something you don’t want when you are trying to take a vacation. You don’t want to get off a plane only to find out that everyone is yelling and screaming at your hotel you want to relax, sit back, maybe take a nice nap. You can’t do that if it’s super duper loud! So, what can you do?

Well, you can look into luxury vacation homes. But, just by reading the words luxury vacation homes, you probably cringed. However, there’s really no need for cringing or panicking. As a matter of fact, with the right budgeting, you can get pretty much any luxury vacation home that you have in mind. It’s all a matter of having the right timing, the right budgeting mindset, and lots of planning.

First of all, before you do anything, figure out where you want to go. You never know if you’re going to end up somewhere weird for your vacation, so try and decide now. Even if summer is still a year away, you still need to know how much you’re going to have to save.

Next, keep an open mind. You may not realize it, but quite a few places offer discounts if you book early or if you go off season. You only have to ask. And remember you don’t have to go on vacation during the summer. Some people may find that the fall is better suited to their vacationing needs! Or perhaps spring! Or maybe you want to go somewhere hot during the winter instead! The point is you don’t have to have your vacation during the summer!

Lastly, you need to start budgeting, which is the most important part when you really come down to it.

First of all, see what extra money you have. If you have a certain amount extra that you are wasting each month-well, start putting it up! Try to get a rough estimate of how much this might be before but also keep in mind that you probably won’t save quite half of that.

Next, cut what you don’t need. Do you really need that super duper keychain polish? Chances are no. Do you really need that fourteen dollar cleaner? You could probably get the same thing cheaper and better smelling at the dollar tree. The point is to cut out the wants and keep it to the necessities. However, don’t lose your stress relievers.

As more and more people become aware of the bargain vacations that are possible by booking a luxury vacation rental, vacation rentals have become increasingly more popular. As a result more and more vacation home owners have decided to add their vacation homes to the rental market.

However, many renters fail to read the contract they are required to sign, and make the mistake of signing a surprisingly one-sided contract that absolves the owner or rental agency of all liability. The renter signs away all rights to recourse if the property is inaccessible, when there is a power failure, or when vital appliances fail to work. Obviously, any one of these calamities could ruin a vacation, and renters should not have to buy expensive trip insurance to protect themselves.

Some rental contracts pressure the renter to buy breakage insurance in case something breaks during their stay. Of course all rental contracts state that the tenant is responsible for damage they have done to the property during their stay. However, we have been in business 16 years and have never had to charge a guests credit card for damages. That is because we know that some things such as furniture are prone to break from time to time. However, we always give the guest the benefit of the doubt and would not hold the guest responsible for any damage that was not intentional or malicious.

The guest is put in an extremely vulnerable position if the owner or rental agency cannot deliver on their part of the bargain, because often these contracts require that the full amount of the rental be paid at least 31 days in advance. Thus, owners are put in the unfair position of trying to get their money back after having signed away their rights in the vacation rental agreement.

A more reasonable contract would require 50% of the rental in advance and the rest upon arrival, as well as a willingness to give a full refund if the property is not habitable at the time the guest has reserved. Also, a good owner will be willing to hold that deposit and allow the guest to rebook if there is a family emergency that prevents the guests from arriving at the time they have reserved.

If the agreement is too one-sided, you should look elsewhere in booking a vacation rental.
Below are some important things to look for in reading your vacation rental agreement.

1)The contract pushes you toward purchasing trip insurance. If you are renting from a reputable owner or rental agency, you should not have to pay the added cost of trip insurance that will add 7% or more to your cost.
2)The contact pushes you toward purchasing yet another insurance, accidental damage insurance, by requiring a large deposit if you dont buy their insurance, or by holding you strictly accountable for any damage that might not even be your fault. As indicated above, we have never found it necessary to charge a guests credit card for damage because we felt that anything that was broken was not intentional. If it were intentional, the insurance policy would not cover it in any event.
3)The contract absolves the owner or rental agency of responsibility for having the property in habitable and accessible condition with all appliances working. You should avoid at all costs any property if the management refuses to take any responsibility for your not having the vacation that you have paid for.

As a final note, you should remember that the way the vacation rental agreement is written is a good indication of how you will be treated when you arrive at your destination. If you sign a one-sided agreement, you should not expect to be treated fairly if anything goes wrong. It has been our experience that sometimes things do go wrong. What separates good vacation rentals from bad ones is a good maintenance staff and a dedication by management to taking care of problems as soon as they happen.