#booklocal

New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/bookdirect-vacation-rentals-101/

BookDirect Vacation Rentals

Book direct vacation rentals is the key to saving big money . Today is the 2nd annual Guest Education #BookDirect day. I'm here to explain how to find, book safely and save on outrageous travelers fees.

Before rushing off to book your next oceanfront vacation through one of the large travel sites, there are some important things to consider:

WHY BookDirect:

First and foremost is your pocket book. Travelers Bookdirect at sandnsol.com for our Lowest Rate Guarantee.  By booking direct through vacation rental owners, you avoid extra fees. Service Fees on major travel sites like VRBO and Air B&B range from 3%-20%! I’m not talking about a few dollars, in many cases it is hundreds of dollars of cold hard cash. Cash you work hard to earn. Cash you use to enhance your trip. Instead of paying those fees, rent that jet ski, parasail over the emerald green waters, or enjoy a romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant!

Secondly, communication between the owner and guest is open and direct before you book.  You can ask any number of questions you have before you commit to book. Oftentimes owners can accommodate special requests. There’s no pressure to instant book. 

Another benefit of booking directly with an owner is the personal knowledge and attention you receive from them. Owners have a unique understanding and knowledge of the property and surrounding area. Access insider tips, videos, bucket list activities and numerous pictures on individual property websites.

Finally, did you know that many of the best vacation rentals, including Sandnsol, aren't event listed on the major sites anymore? Because of the horrible business practices and cost of using the big sites, many rentals with the highest demand can no longer be found on the major booking sites.

HOW to #BookDirect: 

*Social Media *No fee regional vacation rental sites *Branded property websites

Since the fees on major booking sites have increased exponentially, owners have taken to social media to advertise their spaces.  Facebook is a great place to start, just search for your destination. For example, Destin has multiple groups where owners list properties and guests search for them.  Destin Florida Vacation Rentals is one of my favorites.

Because of frustration with the bigs, numerous new listing sites are modeled after the “old VRBO”.  Emerald Coast By Owner (ECBYO), Houfy, Vacation Soup and Alabama Vacation owners are just a few of the no-fee sites gaining traction. They allow owners and guests to communicate before they commit, and do not charge exorbitant fees to travelers or owners.

More and more owners are investing time and money in branding. They create websites for their individually named vacation rentals. If you find a named rental, search to see if it has its own website. This is where you will find all the insider information, extra pictures and the best rates. Call or email through their branded site.

Just yesterday, one of my repeat guests saved over $500 for a one week rental!  She did this by booking our oceanfront condo directly rather than using our property manager!

You work hard for your vacation, cut out the middle-man and book direct.

Here are some tips on avoiding scams while booking direct.

Search for the property and compare contact information 

CONTACT Owners THROUGH THE LINK THEY PROVIDE, their own property website or no-fee listing site (NO LINK, NO DEAL.) 🚫DON’T DEAL IN Social Media PRIVATE MESSAGES. This is where 99.9% of scams happen.  🚫BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS W/ PAYPAL (no protection with Paypal Family and Friends)

🚫Don't wire money

Just Say No! No to hidden fees, no to pressure, no to limited communication.