Central Florida has a lot to offer for those searching for an area to spend their retirement years. Fabulous weather, numerous lakes for fishing, boating and water skiing, a multitude of restaurants boasting nearly every international cuisine, championship level golf courses, and world-class entertainment, highlighted by the two theme park giants – Walt Disney World and UniversalOrlando.
People who decide they want to retire in the Orlando area often purchase a home several years before they plan to occupy it. Rather than leave the property empty, it makes good sense to generate income from the home by renting it out to holiday travelers.Â
Before you let any guests occupy your home, you’ll need to decorate and furnish the property (unless you buy a home that is already furnished). Then, when you begin renting, you’ll need to find a balance between your convenience and your guests’ comfort.Â
Walk through your vacation home and remove any valuable or irreplaceable items. If you have some personal items or supplies you’d like to keep on hand, create a lockable closet to store these pieces. Finally, clear the home of any clutter.Â
Kitchen
One reason people rent homes instead of staying at a hotel is to save money on dining out. That means you should make sure your kitchen is equipped with enough plates, glasses, and flatware for double the number of people that you sleep. Guests also appreciate conveniences like a coffee pot, adequate pots and pans for cooking, and a large dining room table
Bedrooms
When it comes to bedrooms, make sure you provide plenty of quality bedding for your guests. Have at least two sets of high-quality sheets for each bed, pillows with pillow protectors, extra blankets, and mattress pads. It’s also helpful to provide an alarm clock and reading lamp for the bedside table in each bedroom.
Living Area
Survey your home’s living area to be sure it has enough comfortable seating to accommodate the least number of people you plan to rent to at a time. Include a large enough TV for guests to watch from across the room. Plan on providing your guests with basic cable (at a minimum), a DVD player, cards and board games for rainy days. If your home has a dedicated game room, it’s a good idea to include a billiards table and/or foosball table.
Bathrooms
Spend extra time on your bathrooms to ensure they are spotless for your guests. At a minimum, you should provide two quality bath towels, two hand towels and four washcloths per guest, as well as a hair dryer.
Extra Amenities
To ensure repeat business, remember why guests want to stay in a vacation home instead of a hotel – the perks! Consider providing items to enhance your guests’ stay such as:
- high-speed Internet
- books, games, videos
- video game system
- first aid kit
- crib
- pool table
- espresso machine
- beach gear
- take-out menus from local restaurantsÂ
Need help finding the perfect property for your retirement and to use for rental income? Contact the experts at Team Donovan. Not all communities in Orlando allow short-term rentals, so we can point you in the right direction, saving you precious time and energy during your real estate search. Contact us online or call 407-705-2616 today!
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