5 Ways to Remotely Manage Your Vacation Rental
Manage Your Rental Remotely
Gone are the days when vacation rental owners had to be on site at all times. Back then, everything from guest check-ins to cleans to answering guest questions had to be done in person, but in today’s technology-driven world, it’s become much simpler to manage your vacation rental right from your computer or smartphone screen. For owners who live far away from their rentals, remote management can be a godsend, as it allows them to take care of necessary tasks without expending time and energy traveling back and forth to the rental itself.
In this blog, we’ll break down 5 easy ways to manage your short-term rental from afar.
#1: Utilize Automation and Smart Home Technology
One of the easiest ways to remotely manage your vacation rental is to lean into using the latest and greatest in technology. Smart home technology in particular can be an incredibly helpful tool when setting up your remote management tasks, as it allows you to control everything right from your computer or smartphone. You won’t even need to be physically present in order to ensure that the door is locked, the lights are turned off, and the thermostat is set to a reasonable temperature.
For instance, rather than handing over the keys to your rental to a guest yourself, install a keyless entry system, which allows you to just send guests a code to enter the property. Taking this smart technology approach to your rental will streamline your remote management, saving you the hassle of having to travel to your property every time you have to check on something or switch off the lights.
#2: Go With A Cleaning Service You Can Trust
Another important thing to remember when setting up a remotely-managed rental property is that you want a cleaning service that can be trusted to do the work and inform you of any issues that need to be addressed in your rental.
When you’re managing your property from far away, you won’t be able to drive over and check on things, so you’ll have to rely on people like cleaners or property managers to get the inside scoop on what’s been going on at your property. So instead of just searching for the lowest-priced cleaning service in the area, take some time to get to know your options before you choose. Since these will be your boots on the ground going forward, it’s better to pay a little extra for higher-quality service you can trust.
#3: Prioritize Guest Communication
While you might not be able to pop right over to your rental for a chat with your current guests, it’s quite easy to stay on top of guest communication from afar. Since everything is done digitally these days, there’s no excuse for not sending timely messages and responses to your guests, as it’s all managed right from your laptop or cell phone.
Since you’ll be communicating from a distance, it’s a good idea to go above and beyond to ensure your guests that you’ll be reachable and able to handle any issues for them as soon as possible. Contact them with check-in instructions a few days before their arrival, check in with them once they’ve settled in, and ask them to leave you a review upon checking out.
#4: Write a Welcome Guide For Guests
Just because you won’t be in the immediate vicinity of your guests doesn’t mean that you can’t provide them with recommendations for things like activities or restaurants in the area. But rather than waiting for guests to come to you with these questions, it’s a good idea to write a welcome guide to your vacation rental. Your welcome guide should be filled with useful information about your rental, such as the WiFi password or how to turn on the fireplace, but it should also give guests a good idea of what there is to do around the rental.
When you’re working on your welcome guide, be sure to include all of your favorite spots to hike, play, and eat. Writing a welcome guide is a great replacement for actually being on site, as it allows you to explain the highlights of your locale without having to play tour guide yourself.
#5: Hire a Property Manager You Can Trust
Managing your property remotely can be helpful if you aren’t close by, but it’s still a time consuming and energy draining task. If you’re hoping to have a bit of the weight lifted off of your shoulders and you want to add in some additional oversight into your property than your cleaners or inspectors can provide, you might want to think about hiring a property management company.
At LocalVR, for instance, we offer full-service management that is perfect for remote vacation rental owners, with a huge focus on increasing your potential revenue as well as keeping your property in the best shape possible. To learn more about our property management services, visit our homepage.
Discover Even More Ways to Become a Better Vacation Rental Owner
Managing your short-term rental from afar doesn’t have to be difficult. With technology and preparation on your side, the quality of your vacation rental is sure to impress your guests while you reap the benefits of not having to travel back and forth to the property.
Hoping to discover even more ways to become a better vacation rental owner? Check out our tips for a smooth check-in experience or our guide to preventing parties at your vacation rental.