Jon Duignan, the owner and managing director of Vantage Point took the time to explain how his company can help make you a pretty penny out of your unoccupied property: “This particular client (as in the photos in this article) is away a lot working, so it’s not really being used for almost 6 months of the year. Which is where we (Vantage Point) can help. The property owner will give us the dates that he doesn’t intend to occupy the property for, then we make it our mission to fill those dates with renters via the Airbnb website”
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Airbnb service. Here’s a little insider information: ‘The latest in travel accommodation’; Airbnb consists of an online portal that enables homeowners to rent out their property/flats/cottages (whatever really) to holidaymakers. This service is totally changing the travel industry, with more and more people opting to stay in homes let out through this service, as opposed to choosing more conventional accommodation such as hotels. The site itself makes this really easy to do so. For starters, each property is required to display their availability on the easy to navigate website. This is a huge development, which saves holidaymakers so much time swapping emails back and forth with the property owners. All of the information you need is there in black and white. Finally technology that matches our ‘want now’, fast paced, way of living.
Where Vantage Point comes in, is the handling of bookings and managing of your property. Take this property for example: once the property owner has negotiated available dates for rental of the property, the VP team can then get to work. They will arrange some professional photographs to be taken, along with a professional write up to allure guests and holidaymakers alike. Essentially it’s about marketing your property, optimising its potential income.
A lot of holiday home owners, (or even just home owners who are frequently away) get very disheartened owning a property that often costs them more to keep when it’s empty. Although the property isn’t being used, you have to consider the costs of rolling taxes, the cost of damage repair, even something as simple as running the taps to avoid bacteria building up in your plumbing. Then of course there is the added pressure of getting renters in, which to be perfectly honest is a full time job in itself. The team at Vantage Point has years of experience in property under their belts. Having come from a background in property development and property maintenance, they really know the ins and outs of all things house and home.
Now of course there is the more ordinary way of letting out your property (to a full-time renter for example), but let me enlighten you as to the financial reality. Say you have a tenant for a set period of the year (perhaps a student or someone that is working in the area for a certain amount of time). That fixed fee is all you stand to make. Whereas the service Vantage Point offer via the Airbnb website, could make you so much more. By hosting multiple lodgers over shorter periods of time, your rates can stand to be a lot higher. Think of it in terms of what you’d be willing to rent a property for living, as apposed to how much you’d willingly pay for a hotel room for the weekend – especially a property such as this one, in such a stunning beachfront location.
Vantage Point truly takes the stress out of the entire process. Whilst you stay in your regular home, or are away on work (or even a holiday of your own), Vantage Point handles everything. Booking in renters, maintaining the property and preparing it for guests, even meeting and greeting them (if necessary). They can manage as much or as little as you would like, but its great to know they really can do it all. Not to mention the relief of having your property ready for when you decide to come and stay in it yourself. The last thing you’d want to do on your relaxing break is to have to deal with a leak, or an even just an untidy room.
It’s important to stay open minded. You don’t have to be a second homeowner to reap the benefits of Vantage Point’s unique service. Consider this: even if you are only away for 2 weeks of the year on a holiday of your own, that’s 2 weeks you could rent out your property for – how does that free holiday sound?
If this article has stirred your curiosity, then get in touch with Jon at Vantage Point for some handy information, and explore the possibility of your potential financial gain.
t. 01202 619 868
e. jon@vantagepoint-uk.com
w. www.vantagepoint-uk.com
a. Vantage Point, 93 Commercial Road, Bournemouth, BH2 5RT
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