Team Donovan Blog - Short Term Rental (STR)

How to Prepare Your Home for Vacation Rentals

Renting your Orlando home to vacation travelers is a savvy way to provide you with additional income while helping you get the most out of your home investment.

The vacation rental market is booming, with sites like Airbnb featuring millions of listings in tens of thousands of cities around the world. As a result, more homeowners are investing in secondary properties that they can rent to travelers.

Condos near Disney World for sale are a great example of the types of rental properties you can purchase as a second home that will attract visitors all year round. Homeowners can also rent their primary homes to take advantage of the growing rental market.

Knowing how to prepare your home for vacation rentals is the first step in meeting the needs of…

How to Use Technology to Appeal to Today's Holiday Renters

Attracting the right renters to your holiday home is a big part of getting the most out of your Orlando vacation home investment. But meeting the changing needs of today’s holiday travelers isn’t always easy.

As the vacation rental market becomes more competitive, homeowners must provide the features and amenities that appeal to all renters. 

Knowing how to use technology is one of the best ways to make Orlando holiday rental homes stand out from the crowd and keep guests connected, entertained, and secure. 

Technology Essentials 

Holiday renters need to keep their devices charged at all times. Make sure you have plenty of available power outlets for guests to plug into. 

Avoid blocking power outlets with furniture or occupying them with…

How to Impress Your Vacation Rental Guests

The experience your guests have is one of the most important factors in the long-term success of your vacation rental property.

As more people are choosing to travel to Orlando, FL, vacation homes make it easy for them to enjoy all of the attractions and amenities that the area has to offer. But how can you enhance that experience for your guests? 

There are some easy steps you can take to ensure that your guests enjoy their stay and share their positive experiences with your future vacation rental guests. 

Personal Care Items for Guests 

The easiest way to impress your guests is to consider their personal care needs. How many times have you forgotten a toothbrush, floss, shower cap, shampoo, or other personal care items when traveling? 

…

How to Attract Business Travelers to Your Kissimmee Vacation Rental

The business traveler market is growing, and its value is now estimated at over $300 billion in the U.S. alone. This growth has been fueled by the popularity of home rental sites like Airbnb, VRBO, and others. 

Kissimmee is a popular vacation destination because of its proximity to Disney World. Business travelers who come to Orlando for conferences frequently tack on a few extra days to their trip so they can visit the theme parks before heading back home. 

As the business traveler market becomes more competitive, putting the following steps in place ensures that homeowners get the best return from their Kissimmee vacation homes. 

Knowing What Business Travelers Need 

Attracting and satisfying business travelers requires you to consider their…

5 Essential Steps to Buying a Vacation Property in Orlando

Buying a vacation property is a great way to generate income and maximize the return on your home investment. As a result, more investors are looking to buy a vacation home in Orlando.

The vacation rental market is estimated to increase to $170 billion in the next couple of years, and smart home buyers are taking advantage of this opportunity.

But buying property can lead to costly mistakes if you don’t know what you’re doing. The following are 5 essential steps to buying your vacation property.

1. Establish Your Vacation Property Goals 

Home buyers want to earn additional income when purchasing and renting out a vacation property. But you achieve greater success by establishing specific goals early on. 

When you know your target income,…

Why You Should Join a Vacation Rental Forum

There’s more than enough information online for homeowners looking to rent their Orlando holiday homes. But finding the right information isn’t always easy. 

Inaccurate or outdated information can lead to unwanted and costly issues. Local regulations that affect homeowners and their vacation homes can change over time. 

Fortunately, today’s homeowners can use online forums to find out how to get the most out of renting your vacation home. The following will help you find the right vacation rental forums to join.

Understanding Online Forums

Online forums are sites that are dedicated to discussions around specific topics. Users can create new discussions or join existing conversations while connecting with others who share similar interests and…

How to Highlight Your Orlando Vacation Rental on Facebook

The Orlando area is a competitive market when it comes to vacation rentals. Knowing how to promote your home to holiday guests will give your property a leg up on the competition. Since millennials prefer vacation rentals over hotels, it’s a good idea to use social media to promote your listing, especially Facebook and Instagram.

Most users “check-in” on social media and add locations to a post, so it’s smart to add your vacation home to the list of options to help it get noticed by more prospective guests. Here’s how to add your custom location to Facebook and Instagram.

Why Use a Custom Location

Since nearly 60 percent of millennials post their vacation plans on social media, you can let your guests advertise for you with your custom…

How to Protect Your Orlando Vacation Rental

Many people buy a vacation home near Disney World so they can generate income by renting it out to holiday visitors. Buying a second home is a big investment, so it’s important to put security measures in place to protect your property. This is especially vital for home owners who live outside of the area – whether you’re a snowbird, or a resident of another country, like the U.K. or Canada. Here are several vacation rental security tips to help keep your home and its contents safe. 

Lock up your valuables

Most of the time, you’ll have no issue with a short-term rental. But theft is still a top concern for homeowners. It’s wise for you to place any valuables like jewelry, artwork, family photos, important documents like passports or financial…

How To Get Luxury Rental Bookings For Your Orlando Vacation Home

Having your own Orlando vacation home lets you take advantage of local attractions like Disney World and amenities all year round. 

But home owners are becoming aware of the growing opportunities to leverage their properties by renting them out to luxury travelers.

High-end travelers are moving away from traditional hotel rentals and choosing to spend their time and money on the comfort, privacy, and amenities that vacation homes like yours have to offer. 

Knowing how to market your vacation home to luxury travelers makes it easy to maximize the return on your home investment. 

Make Your Home the Ideal Rental for Luxury Travelers 

You’ll need to make sure that your home is right for the guests you want to attract. Luxury travelers have…

How to Hire a Property Manager for Your Vacation Rental

Many of today’s homeowners are getting more out of their investment by renting out their vacation homes in Orlando, FL. Although this provides a significant source of additional income, it can also require you to take on additional responsibilities.

Managing a vacation property takes time, energy, and money. Maintaining your property requires ongoing maintenance and repairs.

Hiring a property manager is the best way to meet the needs of your home and make it profitable over time.Knowing what to ask a vacation property manager ensures that you work with a knowledgeable and experienced professional.

What Services Does the Vacation Property Manager Provide?

You may have already received a price quote from a property manager. But you need to fully…