As a vacation rental property owner, you want to have the best property in the region. Vacation rental properties are a great idea for those who wish to increase their income and have a diversified investment portfolio. Nevertheless, this won’t be achieved by just having an average rental property.
The needs and expectations of travelers are changing and to stay ahead of the competition you need to keep on researching ways to give your guests the best experiences. This way, they will come back and tell friends, family, and coworkers about your property.
Ensuring your vacation rental property allows guests to get an immersive cultural experience, as well as clean and sophisticated living quarters, will have the property booked out. It is not hard to provide such a space if you know the kind of home improvements to undertake. They include:
Contents
A functional kitchen
Guests who will be staying for more than a few days may prefer to cook for themselves at least once a day, especially if eating out is expensive in your area. That’s why a functioning kitchen is essential. It should be modern and well stocked with all the supplies necessary to prepare a decent meal. A kitchen renovation can be one of the best areas of the home to focus on to attract renters and for future home value when selling.
It is crucial to offer kitchen amenities that will allow the guests to express themselves fully. Whether this means cooking elaborate meals and inviting their friends to indulge in the experience or simply cooking a big meal for the other guests staying with them at your property. This can actually be a great selling point for the vacation rental property. Thus, include it in the property description when you are posting the online listing.
To set your property apart doesn’t require opulent displays of wealth or luxury. It can be something as simple as having a functional kitchen.
Tasteful decor
Nobody wants to stay at a boring property while on vacation because the whole idea is to escape reality. A lot of people choose the properties to stay at on holidays based on appearance and decor. The more tasteful it is the more people will be scrambling to book it.
Tastefully decorating your property doesn’t even have to be a big deal. Funky rugs, throw pillows, and pieces of art can bring the magic alive. You need to stage your vacation rental property like you would an open house. A neutral color scheme and tasteful decor pieces will go a long way. Going overboard may cost you a lot of bookings.
If you feel lost on where to begin you can check online for ideas. Pinterest and other social media sites are full of pages dedicated to interior and even exterior decor. Some of these projects are DIYs which can be completed using inexpensive products sourced locally.
A little bit more research can often help you find the best materials locally. So, make sure to research carefully so that you are not only picking out the most desirable pieces but also ones that are going to be liked by most everyone.
Check out my post on indoor plants for small apartments as well.
A luxurious master suite
The master suite is the most important bedroom in the house. This should be an absolute escape compared to the other rooms. Vacation rental property guests want to escape their reality for a few days and indulge in luxury. Some people never leave the property for the entire vacation and that’s why you want to make the rental property an ideal destination!
The master bedroom should have a down comforter, fluffy pillows, and the most luxurious sheets you can ever find. Mix patterns when upgrading the beddings and ensure the textures are appealing to someone who doesn’t want to get out of bed. Lighting fixtures that give guests complete control of the ambiance are a must.
These are simple home improvement projects that can earn you great reviews online and bring in a lot of guests. You want to design a master bedroom that appeals to potential guests so much through the online photos that they don’t need further convincing to book the property.
If you want to turn your attic into a master suite, check out my post on loft conversions. Check out my post on the best quiet portable air conditioners as well.
Updated curb appeal
From the pictures posted online to the first moment the vacationers see your property, you want to maintain the “wow factor”. Updating your property’s curb appeal is quite easy. You need to declutter the driveway, pull out any weeds and replace dead plants. A fresh coat of paint on the exterior spaces or installing a new letterbox might be essential depending on the current look of the property.
I am sure that you’ve heard the saying “you only have the chance of making one first impression”. this does not only have to do with meeting a person. The same saying applies for the first time you see a home or condo.
The first time you pull up to a vacation home or open the door to a condo while on vacation will be one of those lasting memories. You can make sure that those memories will be happy and positive by doing some simple curb appeal.
Landscaping is essential too because the better the outside of the property looks the more attractive it will be to guests. The bottom line is to make the property irresistible. The decision to book or not to book will be largely influenced by the outlook of the property based on the photos you post online. Thus, invest in upgrading the curb appeal and it will pay off within a short period.
Free WIFI
In this era, every vacation rental property should offer free WIFI to the guests. International or out-of-state cell phone plans are expensive not to mention how frustrating it can be to figure that out.
Vacations should be all about convenience. If guests want to stay in bed browsing the internet, order food online, or stream music and movies, it should be possible without costing them too much.
Free WIFI is a must, and the password should be easy to remember. Don’t even wait until the guests ask you about WIFI. You should mention this when listing the amenities available online.
Safety upgrades
Being in a new place gives people enough to worry about. Thus, safety shouldn’t one of the things giving vacationers sleepless nights. Install safety features inside and outside of the property to make guests feel safe and secure.
CCTV cameras for home security are a must. Video doorbells, carbon monoxide detectors, security doors or smart locks, and remote garage controls are some of the essential safety features you should add. Motion-sensor lights that illuminate entryways are a great help when guests are walking through the property at night. They also keep intruders away.
If there are no security personnel manning the property, you need to provide the guests toll-free numbers they can call in case they need to report an incident.
Any of these safety and security upgrades and improvements for the home can lead to more rentals, better sales, and more bookings by the same guest for the following year. Don’t fall prey to a mistake many vacation rental property owners fall for, which is not paying enough attention to simple safety factors.
There are some extremely simple features mentioned above that can go a very long way for renters.
Fun amenities
Nobody likes to drag around dozens of luggage, especially if the distance to be covered is immense. Therefore, guests coming from far will only pack the essentials. This is a great chance to impress them by providing fun amenities they couldn’t fit in their suitcases.
These are items like boogie boards, bikes, and also beach toys. They are perfect for properties located in the tropics.
For colder climates, snowboards and sleds are fine. Also, provide the guests with extra logs to keep the fire going during cold days or nights.
If your budget does not allow you to provide these items for your guests, you can just offer them a guide to the fun activities they can engage in locally. They can be recommendations for nearby shopping centers, maps of the town, and even restaurant recommendations.
These won’t cost you a dime, but they will make a difference when it comes to guest satisfaction.
Make sure to check out my rental maintenance checklist for more suggestions.
Final thoughts
Home improvements are not expensive undertakings depending on the projects you choose to work on. However, even if it requires some monetary investment, it very well may be worth it for vacation rental properties.
Your goal should be to stay ahead of the competition all the time. If guests love your property, they’ll give you a higher rating and better reviews which bring in more renters. This translates to increased profits. Therefore, these home improvement ideas are worth your time.
Make sure that you evaluate each and every improvement, upgrade, or renovation that you do to your vacation rental property. Evaluate the cost and the benefit to make sure that the money you are getting ready to put into the property will equate to additional revenue.
If it does, then this home improvement is most likely a good idea.
