Owning a vacation rental in Sedona is about as close to winning the lottery as possible, but there can be some complications if you aren’t careful, complications you can avoid simply by following this guide we have created. Sedona.Org is the first name in vacation rentals, and we have been doing this for a very long time, learning more than a few things about the business, and because we like to be helpful, we enjoy sharing what we have learned, especially this selection of tips that will make your Sedona rental stand out. With thousands of rentals being offered every day, there is a lot of competition out there, and if you want your biggest investment to draw the biggest ROI, getting your property seen is probably one of the most important tips we can offer. Below, we have listed many hints on how to do just that!
Take Photographer Quality Photos
There is an entire TikTok community dedicated to poor listing photos, and even though they mostly refer to homes for sale, the same issues can apply to vacation rental properties. You obviously know not to post crime scene photos or photos in which you appear in the mirror, but what about blurry pictures? We are always surprised at how many blurry or otherwise poor quality pictures are offered on listings trying to convince people that there is where they should stay. And if you aren’t a great photographer, it can make all the difference in the world hiring one, ensuring that your gem of a rental in Sedona is always showing her best side to the world.
Update Your Photos and Your Design Choices Regularly
Look at pictures of you from 10 years ago. Do you still look the same today? Of course, you don’t, and neither should your property. Styles change in fashion and décor, and 10 years ago, the popular décor was all white everything with the occasional accent wall, usually wallpapered. Today, darker, warmer colors are coming into fashion, and in vacation rentals, warmer is always the better choice. How did we keep all that white sparkling, and then how did gray seem to become the better choice? If you haven’t changed your décor in over 10 years, it is time to take another look at your design choices and update the photos on your listing. We all know that there is nothing worse than walking into a space that looked new and pristine in the pictures, only to discover that it is old, tired, and dingy in real life!
Prepare Your Guests for a Luxury Experience
It’s our job to browse vacation rental listings, to explore the competition, and to see what is new out there, and one of the things we love to find (and are sure to offer in our own listings) is photos that demonstrate a luxury vacation experience. Tell a story with your pictures. Take pictures that encompass the entire space, then focus in on an overstuffed chair placed near the fireplace (with the fire flickering, of course), a book open and placed pages down on the seat of the chair, and a steaming cup of tea resting on the small table next to the chair. The first picture lets guests see all the amenities you offer (leather sofas, fireplaces, state of the art televisions, and expansive windows showing the views of the red rocks) and the second photo tells a beautiful story of comfort and relaxation, with not a single word needing to be spoken. (Or written in this case!) We’ve seen it all at this stage in our professional lives, but that one picture makes US want to rent a place that was just an example that we used, and we can assure you, potential guests will too.
Don’t Cheap Out
If you want to draw top dollar for your rental, you have to spend more money, and believe us, guests will know when you don’t. It really is worth it to spend more on a dining room table that is sturdy and well-made, not just for the guests, but because it will last longer and end up costing you less in the long run. Sofas, beds, even appliances, and electronics are instrumental in attracting guests, and just like in real life, when you dress for success, dressing your spaces for success will keep your ROI climbing higher.
Additionally, many guests may not be able to afford the high-end furnishings, the name-brand appliances and electronics, and will be willing to spend more just to be able to play more luxuriously. They want to be spoiled, they want to be pampered, and they want to see if that Viking range really is as magnificent as the advertising world claims it to be, and if your property offers one, you can bet they will be clicking on the book now button immediately!
Utilize Technology
Technology in the rental business has gotten crazy good over the years, and that includes the way we market our properties. Back in the old days, marketing consisted of expensive flyers mailed to repeat guests, full page ads in newspapers and magazines, and full page listings in the yellow pages. We relied on word of mouth for the majority of our marketing purposes, but today, all the rules have changed.
New vacation rental websites are popping up every day, in addition to the ones you already know, including Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com. Also gaining in popularity are metasearch engines (HomeToGo) and niche platforms such as BringFido, which informs dog owners of all the activities, restaurants, service places, and housing providers that allow dogs. This technology is a boon for vacation rentals, and adding your own website and email marketing plan to the mix will get your vacation rental listing in front of ALL the eyes, boosting your rental booking rates!
Now That Your Listing Is Standing Out, It’s Time to Work on the Vacation Experience
So far we have mostly discussed all the ways to make your listing stand out, but once you’ve been seen, their interest has been piqued, and the booking is made, you want to make your guest’s vacation experience stand out. The best vacations begin and end in the best vacation rentals, and you want yours to be the one everyone flocks to, so we’ve added some hints and tips on how to make the vacation experiences stand out.
Pristine Properties
There are so many ways a vacation experience can be ruined, and staying in a property that is less than clean should be at the very top of your list. Sticky floors, dusty shelves, even dust bunnies hopping around under beds can be a turn off, so be sure to clean in the areas you don’t normally think about as well. And just because you think that the dishes in the dishwasher look clean, your prior guests were being kind and ran a load before leaving, what if they just rinsed them off really well? Nothing is worse than pulling a fork with dried food out of the silverware drawer or not noticing lipstick that you aren’t wearing lining the rim of the glass you are already drinking out of, so just to be safe, run that load again and examine every piece you take out before putting it away. Your guests may not actually notice that the grout is white and the mirrors are sparkling, but they WILL notice if they aren’t!
Be Your Own Guest
If this is your first rental, you may not know all the things necessary to create a serene and luxurious retreat, but if you stay there for a few nights, you may notice all the things you have missed. Just live there in the way you live in vacation rentals all over the world and discover again the importance of fresh batteries, extra blankets, and having enough dishes and chairs for the entire family. Again, these are all items that your guests may not notice while living under your roof, but if the batteries are dead, a sudden cold snap hits and shivering ensues, or any of the other things we have mentioned here today occurs, they will take notice and you can count on that a return stay will not be in the cards.
Share Your Knowledge with Your Guests
This may be the first time your guests will visit Sedona, and you want them to experience everything that makes our red rock town one of the top vacation destinations in the world, and providing a detailed guide will do just that. They want more than internet passwords and menus from local pizza joints, and your years of living and loving Sedona can ensure that they get the more they deserve. Serve as a concierge of sorts, letting them know the inside story on the best special occasion restaurants, the coolest vortexes, the most exciting jeep tours; there is so much that makes this part of the world so very magical, and your guide can lead them to all the best parts of town. If you do have your own website, this is something you can build over time, adding blogs and content that tell the whole story, acting as your own SEO manager as you share your Sedona sanctuary with the world of vacationers.
Consider Our Sedona.Org Property Management Services
By the time you have reached this paragraph, you may feel exhausted and concerned that there is no way you can do all of the above and still have a life and job of your own, but don’t let that discourage you. The most successful vacation rentals are often managed by vacation property management companies that can take on the somewhat daunting task of making your Sedona sanctuary stand out in a sea of rentals.
We at Sedona.Org have been in this business for many years, and we are passionate about our town, our owners, and the properties we take care of, providing all of the tasks we mentioned above and so many more. We are the live voice on the other end of the phone when middle of the night emergencies occur, we are the ones who can take care of the tax end of vacation rentals, the booking of your property, the vetting of your guests, and ensuring that your property follows all the new rules, regulations, and laws that pop up every year. Our team consists of the best people in the business, includes housekeeping and maintenance people in addition to our very dedicated office workers, all of which work together to ensure that your biggest investment also gives you the biggest ROI, which we don’t think anyone will complain about!
The #1 Vacation Rental Management Company in Sedona
Did we forget to mention that we are also the top vacation rental management company in Sedona? The best way to get your property seen by all the vacationers is by utilizing the best tools, and although we are human beings with families, hobbies, and traveling adventures of our own, we are also the only tool you will need to succeed.
Get a free analysis of what we think your property can bring in each year. We’ve made it very easy: Just fill in your name and email address found at the top of our management page and complete all the steps that follow. Prefer to talk to us instead? That human contact can be very beneficial to your peace of mind, this investment is probably one of the biggest you have ever made, so give us a call at 928-923-6770 and let’s talk in person about how joining our team can be the greatest financial decision you will make this year!
