How to turn your property into a holiday rental

Renting out a holiday home or inner-city apartment is easier than ever, but what are the secrets to transforming your property into a money-making machine?

Stayz

Renting out a holiday home or inner-city apartment is easier than ever, thanks to sites like Stayz.

Renting out a holiday home or inner-city apartment is easier than ever, thanks to sites like Stayz (now operated by Home Away). But how do you make your listing stand out from the pack and attract the right guests? And how do you provide a seamless holiday experience for guests while at the same time managing your property and booking process in a way that’s cost-effective and easy? We speak with a couple of successful hosts to find out their secrets.

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

There are thousands of listings on holiday rental sites. So how do you make sure your listing stands out and attracts the right guests?

Put your copywriting hat on and think about your headline — what descriptive words will appeal to potential guests? You can have a bit of fun and get creative with your description.

Travel writer Fiona Harper rents out her small cottage on a property an hour west of Cairns. She says quality photos that show the entire property and surrounds are crucial.

“Also a clear description of the property and where it is located in relation to a major landmark or airport is important,” she says.

Your aim should be to attract guests with beautiful photographs but also provide a genuine representation of the space. You need to manage expectations, so your guests aren’t disappointed when they realise you’ve failed to mention the lack of parking or air conditioning.

CREATE A WELCOMING SPACE

Lucy Cousins manages a 1930's mountain cottage in the town of Blackheath in the Blue Mountains.

“We fell in love with the cottage in about six minutes when we first saw it, but we realised the only way we could have both a gorgeous holiday home, and also afford to pay off a mortgage, was to use it for short-term rentals. It works perfectly as we just book it out when we want to come up, and then the rest of the time we manage the bookings,” she says.

She says the perfect short-term comes down to the ‘little touches’ that provide everything a guest might need, like WiFi, Netflix and books. A holiday rental should make guests feel instantly at home, not like they’ve booked a sterile hotel room. Guests will appreciate a small hamper on arrival with a welcome note, or instructions on how to navigate the coffee machine or nearby public transport.

“We have an automated keypad entry, as well as automated architectural lighting in the garden,” she says. “Plus we make sure that the kitchen is fully-equipped, there are extra pillows and blankets, and we provide cooking and  bathroom staples, birdseed and a bottle of wine on arrival.”

While guests won’t expect the comforts of a five-star hotel, there are a few simple luxuries that’ll elevate a holiday rental. Quality sheets, fluffy towels and clean tea towels speak volumes. Quality, comfy mattresses and pillows are a must — a good night’s sleep away from home is key to a restful holiday.

While those little, thoughtful touches are a nice touch, she says it’s essential “your home is clean, tidy and free of unnecessary clutter”.

“It's important any personal items are hidden, you want your guests to feel like this is their home for their stay,” she says. “When it comes to decorating, don't go with your personal style, instead look at what suits the property and what is user-friendly. And of course, less is more when it comes to furniture and decor.”

[design element: table]

Stock your rental with basics like:

• toilet paper
• dishwashing liquid
• dishwasher tablets or powder
• basic spray cleaner
• paper towels
• tea, coffee and sugar
• salt and pepper
• cooking oil
• basic herbs
• Books
• games

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEAK SEASON

For three years Alan Ho has rented his five-bedroom, family home in Footscray. Just 5km outside Melbourne’s centre —  three stops on the train — the fully-equipped home attracts young families who want modern home comforts in a convenient city location. His home enjoys a 70 per cent occupancy rate, providing additional income he has used to help pay off his mortgage and repair aspects of the house.

“Listing the property has been a blessing. In 2017 I was out of work for around seven months — but I felt no stress at all. My mortgage repayments were taken care of thanks to my listing with Stayz,” he says. “One of the benefits of short-term leases is that I look after the house and maintain its quality. Holidaymakers expect things to be perfect, so when something doesn’t work, I find out quickly and get it fixed.”

Over the years, Alan has adopted a process to deal with the busyness of peak times and adjust the nightly rate to take advantage of these times.

“Over time I came to see where the low and high seasons are — any holiday time, such as Easter or Christmas, is busy, so it helps to have reliable cleaners and laundry services on call,” he says. “It’s important to be organised. During low seasons the house rents for $310 per night during the week, but during high seasons the cost goes up to $390 per night, so we want to get it right for the guests.”

ESTABLISH A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOU

Managing a holiday rental can be a hands-off or hands-on as you prefer. Some homeowners prefer to meet their guests on arrival; others choose to leave keys in a locked box and share instructions or a code allowing guests to let themselves in.

Patricia Baldwin has managed her Jervis Bay holiday rental from her home in Sydney for the past eight years.

“Without Stayz my business wouldn’t have ever got off the ground. It has done very well considering it doesn’t have a water view or is in walking distance to the beach,” she says. “I’ve got my own website, but I’ve never had anything come through there.”

She says she manages all communication with guests, while a cleaner based in Jervis Bay manages the on-ground turn-over of guests.

“I have a very, very good cleaner. That’s absolutely essential; without that you’re stuck,” Ms Baldwin says. “I just keep an excel spreadsheet, which I email to the cleaner so she knows when people are coming and going. It’s a system that works really well for me.”

Ms Balwin says there are many companies that can take the management work out of your hands and take care of all communication, changing bedding and towels and cleaning.

“I used a service called Home Time when we let out our house in Sydney because we were overseas for a long period, which worked really well,” she says. “But most of the time I prefer to do all the communication with guests because it’s more personal — people know I have a passion for it, they know I care, and they know they’re going to have the best possible stay.”

She offers guests flexibility where she can.

“Check-out is at 10 am, but if I don’t have anyone else coming in, I’ll tell them they can enjoy the place the whole day,” she says. “It’s a kind gesture people appreciate.”

In the past eight years managing her holiday rental, she has received only one complaint — the walls were too thin, according to one guest.

“It’s a fibro beach shack; what do you expect?” Ms Balwin says. “Reviews are key to anyone starting out; you do not want a bad review! I’ve been fortunate.”

On the whole, her guests leave positive reviews and are grateful she provides budget options, as well as being pet-friendly.

“I provide them with the option of having linen and towels, or they can bring their own,” she says. “It means people can save money by bringing their own. I think that’s good for young families.”

Originally published as How to turn your property into a holiday rental