How to Create a Vacation Renter Profile
Who is the most ideal type of person to rent your vacation property, who would result in more profit and minimal headaches?
For many owners, the description of their perfect renter is a lot like themselves. If you have a young family of four and 1 small dog that doesn’t shed, that description will probably pop into your head when you first think about who you wish to rent your house to. But it is also important to consider other factors about your property.
To determine the best type of renter for your home answer these questions:
- What age group can you rent to?
- Chances are, you are hoping for mature individuals who will take care of your home. You might also have insurance and restrictions to consider. Besides a minimum age for the renting adult, you may also want to determine the ratio of adults to children. It’s certainly more difficult to manage children and pets if the number of adults is only 20% of the party.
- How many people can your home sleep comfortably?
- A lot of owners advertise that their home “sleeps 8” when in reality it only has 6 beds and an optional pull out. If the extra sofa bed is small, it might only be suitable for small children. You need to define the “comfortable” number of adults that your home can accommodate to provide a 5-star experience. Define the extended number as well, so you can consider those situations as they come along.
- How many cars can park at your home?
- This is an important factor that is often forgotten. If the neighborhood is strict about parking, you need to be realistic about how many vehicles can fit at your home without violating rules. If the home can only accommodate 2 cars, you probably won’t be wanting to attract big caravans. You will need to include these details in your guest interviews and booking information.
- Is your home pet-friendly?
- This may be your own decision, or it may be a restriction of your HOA, condo association or property manager. If you decide not to allow dogs or other pets in your home, be sure to omit pets completely from your “renter profile” and never advertise your place as pet-friendly. If you only allow certain pets (like only small dogs), define this clearly in your requirements so you have a guideline to follow. Personally, I am very allergic to cats and would never allow one in my home. When I interview new guests, I ask if they will “be bringing a dog” and never insinuate that I allow other types of pets.
After the basics, consider these other factors:
- Can your home support watercraft or other items?
- If you have a private boat dock, boat lift or space for a sail boat, you will likely make more money targeting boat owners. But if you store your own boat at the property, you may prefer to discourage renters from bringing their own.
- What kind of activities attract people to the area?
- Even if you may not be a fisherman, the fact that fishing is a highlight in that vacation area should sway your decision-making. If you want to maximize your potential rental income, you need to consider why most vacationers come to that area. Perhaps you will find that mature, retired individuals who are crazy about fishing become one of your ideal renters.
- What restrictions does your Association have?
- If your property is part of a home owner association, condo association or other community organization, there may be restrictions that create some limitations about who can stay in your home. This includes things like deed restrictions that prevent someone from only renting short term. If you are only allowed to rent by the month, you can’t include those last minute “weekend getaway” folks in your renter profile.
- Is any other amenity included, like access to other facilities?
- Does your community have additional features that your guests can access beyond your home? If the home is right on a golf course, your potential renter is probably a golfer.
- What is the renter’s motivation for choosing your place?
- If you really just want low-key renters who will do minimal damage to your home, then you don’t want their motivation to be partying and celebrating.
Take all these points and build a description that paints the picture of what you are looking for. It’s ok to create more than one persona.
You don’t necessarily want to tell prospective renters what you are looking for right away. Use the personas as a guideline to help you make good decisions about whether to accept or decline a reservation. When you review a new renter or talk with them, listen for queues in their story that indicate if they fall into the right category. If there are too many things about the person that do not seem to fit your requirements, you can choose to decline their request and wait for a better fit.
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