Also known as mud season, shoulder season, and low season, the off-season is something every vacation property owner has learned to dread. This is the time of year when it is quite possible that your property won’t generate enough income to cover the mortgage, and even if you have had quite a profitable year during the high season, it still hurts to see the dip in your bank account numbers. Abode Sun Valley understands your pain, and because we don’t consider ourselves successful unless our owners are having a banner year, we have done some research, learned some things, and have developed these tips that will help you escape the off-season and improve your Sun Valley rental rates for that dreaded time of the year.
First, When Is the Off-Season?
If this is your first vacation rental property in the Sun Valley area, you may not even know when the off-season is, at least until you look at your rental schedule and discover that you have very few, if any, bookings for spring. Yes, the season of promise often promises to break us in the vacation rental business, especially as tourists seem to be looking forward to summer and head to more tropical climates to get a head start on their tanning and relaxing, leaving the still chilly and often muddy Sun Valley region of Idaho out in the cold. Early fall is another off-season month, too early for snow, too late for summer, and we will take that into account as well. There are ways, however, of lessening the trauma and increasing your ROI, starting with tip number five below, the beginning of our countdown to success.
Tip #5: Add Seasonal Amenities to Your Property
Amenities are always a key way to entice travelers to rest under your roof, and so now that we have determined that spring and late fall are the off-seasons, so let’s think about what amenities might help draw people to your doorstep during these times, starting with spring.
A Change of Décor
In the winter months we are drawn to darker, warmer colors, so now that summer is just around the corner, let’s brighten up the place a bit and update the photos on your listings. You don’t have to buy new furniture or anything expensive; maybe just add a bouquet of silk flowers to the center of the dining room, switch the throw pillows on the sofas out for ones in bright floral colors, and when taking the pictures, be sure the curtains are open and the sunlight is streaming in. Small changes can make the largest impact and at the very least, may draw the eye of potential renters, curious to see what else your spring sanctuary may offer.
Focus on the Backyard
When we live in cold climate states, we spend most of the season seeking the sun, longing for the days when we can spend more time outside and less time inside staring out at gray skies and icy streets, so it just makes sense that you emphasize the outdoors. Bring out the cornhole games, the full sized connect four games, maybe even a badminton net with rackets and shuttlecocks, take the cover off the grill and make sure its stainless steel surfaces are shiny, and just like you did inside the house. Add bright pops of color to these backyard spaces with throw pillows or cushions on your outdoor furnishings or place a colorful candle centerpiece on the outdoor patio table is appealing. And if you can handle the expense, today’s hammocks often come with their own stands, eliminating the need for trees that are spaced the correct distance apart. Don’t forget to take pictures to update your listings.
Tip #4: Seasonal Discounts
During the off-season you may notice that restaurants lower their prices and stores offer some really fantastic deals, earning people’s business with these deals and you can do the same with your vacation rental as well. The idea is to get heads in the beds, so even though you will be taking in fewer dollars than normal, fewer is better than nothing altogether!
Take a Percentage Off the Overall Price
It doesn’t have to be a lot if you are uncomfortable about the expenses involved with a rented property (electricity, water, gas, cleaning). Advertising a 10% discount during the season, for example, can make people book your place quicker than full price ever would.
BOGO Works
BOGO (Buy One Get One) has long been a popular sales tool in the retail world and can be used in the vacation rental world as well. Offer a “Rent six days, get one day free” special and watch the offers come flooding in. Everyone loves a bargain, and a free vacation night is a great deal!
Tip #3: Blog About the Seasonal Activities That Make Sun Valley Special
Advertising has changed a lot over the decades, and blogging (or vlogging if you dare!) has become a prime way of getting the message out to the public. During the off-season, it can be a way to encourage travelers that may not have thought about Sun Valley, Idaho as a spring vacation destination to start doing so now. If you’re not from the area, you may not know what those things are, however, but that’s ok; we have listed a few ideas below.
End of Season Party
All good things must come to an end, and that includes the end of ski season, which also happens to coincide with the beginning of the off-season, so get the word out about the fantastic end of season party we throw every year offering live music, family friendly activities, and often, an Easter egg hunt that the kids will beg to take part in.
Fly Fishing Season Begins
April happens to be the best month for fly fishing for steelhead on the salmon river, so why not gear your advertising efforts towards the fishing demographic? For many travelers there is no greater activity than the sport of catching fish and pointing out the barbecue grills in the backyards can spark even more interest in choosing Sun Valley for an April vacation destination.
Fore!
Yes, golf is a popular warmer weather sport with the courses opening in late April or early May, depending on how long winter keeps a tight hold on our part of the world. Golfers will go anywhere with a champion course, and if you indicate that the greens will be practically empty during this time, even better as fans of the sport dislike having to wait for or golf around slower golfers, and learning that our courses are open and virtually empty will entice them to take their Spring Break here.
Tip #2: Look into a Different Renter Demographic
At the end of the day you can’t force travelers to take a vacation during a time that is more convenient or preferrable to you, but you can change the direction you look when seeking guests. Direct your advertising towards those seeking a longer term vacation rental, such as the groups listed below, and although some of these are super specific, remember they are just here to give you a few ideas.
An Author’s Retreat
Writing a book is not an easy job or everyone would be doing it, but that can work to your advantage as you “dress” your rental to appeal to the more scholarly sort. Fill the bookshelves in your home with books purchased from local discount stores, add some antique typewriters as décor (we’ve found some that cost as little as $10), and focus on the office part of your rental.
Staycations for the Locals
We’re pretty sure that staycationers are not a demographic that you may have thought about, but it makes sense. There are a million reasons why someone can’t leave the state for a proper vacation and a million more as to why they still need a vacation, and focusing on the location, the comforts, and the luxuries of your rental property can be just what the average staycationer needs to start looking at your investment for their respite needs. One key component that you should be sure to point out is the lack of honey-do lists in your vacation rental property.
Someplace to Stay During Property Repairs
Again, we are focusing on the local market, reminding homeowners who may be temporarily displaced from their own homes. Living in a construction zone isn’t necessary when they can rent your place, or when family members decide to visit for an extended length of time, having a home nearby that isn’t theirs will help save the relationship. Everyone knows the old saying, “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.” (You can thank Benjamin Franklin for that gem, in case you were wondering).
Tip #1: Hiring Sun Valley Abode as Your Property Manager
Life is hard enough when you aren’t having to constantly worry about ROI and heads in the beds, and when you hire a vacation rental property management company (OUR vacation rental property management company, to be precise) you won’t have to. Our job is to make your job easy, and as you go about your daily chores, spend time with your family, and try to squeeze in a few moments of relaxation, we will be doing all the things we have listed below!
Finding More Heads to Go in Your Beds
The whole point of today’s writing was to help you avoid the pitfalls that take place in the off-season, and for as many ideas as we have listed here, we have hundreds, perhaps thousands more. You made this investment to make your life easier financially, and our years of experience will help you achieve that goal!
We Do the Hard Work
There are a lot of social media accounts showing vacation homeowners cleaning after their tenants have left, but no matter how much fun they seem to make this activity, we all know what hard work it is, and with Abode Sun Valley, those videos are as close to the hard work as you will get. We provide a housekeeping team, a maintenance team, and more team members that will take those middle of the night phone calls when something unplanned happens. If nothing else, being able to sleep through every night, not having to worry about what might happen to your largest investment, is a benefit you will enjoy.
All the Details
As you begin your journey into the vacation property rental business, you are rapidly learning that there are more details involved than you first realized. Photos must be taken, advertising must take place, cleaning, repairing, and decorating must be on point. There are city laws, state laws, even federal laws that must be learned, and there are fees and penalties that can accrue when they are not. Vetting tenants, taking in the money, monitoring the schedules so you aren’t double booked or not booked at all; the list is long and exhausting and can make you feel as if it just isn’t worth it when you are doing it on your own—which you won’t be if you hire Sun Valley Abode for your property management needs.
Give Us a Call Today to Help Your Sun Valley Rental Rates
Having someone who understands the market is perhaps the biggest reason you should consider Abode Sun Valley for your rental needs. Give us a call today!
