How to rent your vacation home…without losing your mind

As vacation rental property owners, we have gradually learned the importance of mixing exceptional hospitality with a good measure of common sense. It is generally the goal of any vacation rental owner to provide their guests with comfort, affordability and a place of respite. Isn’t that what we all need from time to time? My aim in this article is to provide new or struggling property owners with suggestions on what floats the boats of potential guests.

When my husband and I first entered into this business, we were what you’d call rental property virgins. Oh yeah, we’d rented vacation homes or condos from the Bahamas to Maui, but we had nothing to prepare us for this new journey. Our curriculum was hours of Internet research and “Googling”.

Our quest began with a visit to Panama City Beach, where we stayed at some relatives’ home, about three blocks from the beach. For months before our trip to Florida, I began to contact several real estate agents. Not an easy task when you’re doing it from your home in the Midwest. But we muddled through. This California native was beach-starved and I wasn’t going to let 800+ miles stand in my way of the beach dream. Then we narrowed our real estate agent list down to one we enjoyed working with. We also printed out listings and photos, and trimmed down our shopping list of homes.

Location, location, location! Although we desired an actual single family dwelling on the beach, our budget limited our search to beachfront condos. So letting our agents know our price range, this helped narrow our search considerably. To make a long story short, hours of condo shopping resulted in finding our dream condo. We now owned a ground floor, beachfront condo on the quiet west end of Panama City Beach. I prefer a view closer to the ground as I’m agoraphobic (fear of heights) and I hate using an elevator. I have no aversion to using stairs, but I already use them at home. So I figured why not provide my older guests and those with young children with nosebleed-free accommodations. Nothing beats stepping right onto the sand from your patio. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. We returned a month later to close on our property, refurnished, and enjoy our first week as condo owners. That was the easy part!

We always knew we’d eventually run the business without the help of an agency, but we needed some guidance to get our feet wet (no pun intended). For the first couple of months, we used a rental agency while we figured out what we were doing. We knew we’d need to secure reliable housekeepers, obtain vacation rental web sites to list our property, and work our property into a successful business. Well, at least try to get it to pay its own bills. When we were ready, we learned that it was actually easier, for us. I won’t claim it’s easier for everyone. But since we only own one condo, it was a no-brainer.

I cannot stress enough how important record keeping is in this business. You must record every transaction relating to your business. Every loss, gain and receipt must be meticulously recorded…right down to the housekeeper fees, bed tax collected, and heaven forbid, stolen towels! By the way, we’ve only had spices removed! So find yourself a good spreadsheet template. Also, keep good records of your correspondence and emails with your guests, inquiries, housekeeping and maintenance staff. You are more likely to enjoy repeat guests if clear and friendly conversations exist between you.

I have made it a habit to contact my inquirers immediately (within that day). They are usually impressed that I took the time to get back to them. Some never get back to me even after I take the time to call or email them. But I figure, hey, it’s their loss! By the way, every email I receive from potential guests, whether they rent or not, get filed. I try to reconnect with them for the following season, or when I run specials. Never underestimate what an invitation to bookmark your listing site for future rentals can do for your business. Repeat guests can eventually become your bread and butter. This year we’ve enjoyed about 90 percent occupancy. There are other factors to contribute to this phenomenon.

Provide your guests with all the creature comforts. Upgrade your cable programming to HD and furnish the nicest high def television you can afford. Prices have really dropped as resolution and contrast ratio have risen. For the living room, a 40” to 52” LCD does nicely. However, be sure to put locks on pay-per-view. Also, it would behoove you to have a smaller HD LCD in the bedroom, instead of a bulky tube TV. The LCDs run cooler and do not attract as much dust. Also, provide DVD players in the living room as well as the master bedroom. If you have extra DVDs lying around, stock a few for your guests. Provide movies for younger guests. Mark them clearly and keep an inventory.

For the basic price of combining local phone service with DSL, the rewards are obvious. I’ve rarely had guests that didn’t need it or use it. Many ask for it and prospects just may choose your rental over another that doesn’t provide Internet service.

I cannot stress enough how important a good housekeeper is. Find one that has a spotless reputation, great references, flexible, has great attention to detail. Your housekeeper deserves to have good communication with you, for schedules, expectations, prompt payment and a good working relationship. She/he can make or break your business. Keep them happy and everyone wins.

Keep your rental like you would your home. Not only will it feel more like home for your guests, they will tend to respect it more. Provide plenty of linens and first-day amenities such as little soaps, TP, tea, spices, etc., will remind them they are not in a mere hotel. Little touches like bedtime mints, champagne for newlyweds, even a couple of loads of dishwasher soap will make them yearn to return.

A comfortable bed that they don’t want to get out of is sure to bring your guests back. Don’t scrimp on comfort here. A sturdy mattress will last years longer than one from a discount store. Do provide moisture-proof anti-microbial pillow and mattress covers. Let your guests know this, as it will ensure them that you have their health and comfort at the top of your list.

Keep your appliances updated and good working order. If you buy new, get extended warranties. I guarantee it will be worth it, and it’s tax deductible. Provide your guests with tips and information on how to use them. High efficiency front loading washers use only HE (low sudsing) detergent. Remind them to keep the lint traps clean on your dryer. Provide coffee filters! They are cheap, and even if you don’t provide coffee (which can go stale anyway), your guests will appreciate not having to buy filters.

It’s nice to keep a broom and dustpans, bagless vacuum and some cleaning supplies available for your guests to use. Some may never use them; after all, they are on vacation! But then you may have guests like myself, A-types that can stand to see dust or sand on the floor. My housekeepers are always delighted to walk into a recently vacated unit that was sparkling clean. It can happen!

When the deal is closed and your guests have only weeks until they arrive, be sure to send them receipts for payment, email to print out of what you expect of them, how to check in and out, how to get keys, times, phone numbers and anything else that will make their arrival and departure as smooth as silk. Encourage your guests to sign a guestbook. Others will enjoy reading pages of kudos and you can write their entries into the much-forgotten online guestbook!

Every January, I create a letter to email all my contacts, whether they actually stayed or just inquired. Then I write them and invite them to check our web sites to start planning their next vacation. I remind them to book early, especially for peak times like March through the end of September. Guests that you expect to return will appreciate the reminder. If you prefer not to rent to college age guests, and we strictly avoid this, do be cordial and diplomatic when emailing them back. Firmly remind them of your policy but don’t burn the bridge. Let them know to share your link with their parents, should they be shopping around for great accommodations. A little diplomacy may lead to a booking you didn’t expect.

Lastly, I’d encourage rental owners to remember what it is like to be on the other side of the door. Treat your guests as you would like to be treated. Do for them what you can afford, try to break even, and try to enjoy your vacation home yourself when you can. We’ve developed some great relationships with our renters. The dividends will be great new friendships and happy memories for all. Have fun with it and many happy returns!

Condo Auction Today at Ocean Reef

Get your checkbooks ready, because there is sure to be some good deals to be had today.

At 11 am, Ocean Reef Condominiums will be putting 31 beachfront condos on the auction block. National Auction Group, the same auction company that sold 50 condos at Palazzo August 2nd of this year, will be putting on the show onsite.

With over 63 to choose from, 31 will sell regardless of price. The sizes up for auction are either 2 or 4 bedroom configurations ranging in square feet from 1,100 to 1,600.

Registration will start at 9 am with the auction to begin at 11 am.

Get Live Auction Updates

I will be in attendance, and for those of you that can’t make it, I will be sending live updates to all of you that are “following” pcbdaily on Twitter. The way it will work is that I’ll be “texting” my Twitter account from my cell phone updates on prices sold per square foot and any other exciting information happening at the auction. When I do this, everyone that is “following” pcbdaily on Twitter will be notified of the updates. When you sign up on Twitter, you can set up a cell phone on your account to be notified automatically whenever I submit any updates to my Twitter page (you can turn this feature on and off at will, actually), or you can set up to be notified by email. You can also see pcbdaily’s Twitter updates in the sidebar of the website under the heading “Twitter”.

Click here for a full list of auction terms, etc.

Boo in the Park – Pier Park, that is.

Ghoulish ghouls and creepy crawlies should be expected at Pier Park on October 25th for the first annual Boo in the Park at Pier Park in Panama City Beach. In partnership with the Visual Arts Center of Panama City, Pier Park will bring spooky stories, and arts and crafts for the kids.

From 10 am to 4 pm, visitors can wander the hay-bale maze, and kids can explore the Panama City Beach Mosquito Helicopter. Audiences will be dazzled by performances by the Rosenwald Cheerleaders, Arnold High School Choir and the Bay Haven Chorus.

From 1 to 3 pm, Magic Broadcasting will feature live radio remotes at various locations in Pier Park.

In celebration of the Halloween holiday, the Visual Arts Center will install the commemorative hand-painted children’s tiles.

Resort Collection Educates the Tourism Industry

This has been discussed in the past, and the Resort Collection of Panama City Beach has taken the lead in paving the way to provide education to those involved in the tourism industry in our area.

“This is an opportunity to raise the bar among our employees and give them the tools to reach and exceed the expectations of our visitors.” Said Tom Sparks, general manager of The Resort Collection, “We are proud to be the leading hospitality organization in this program, it is our commitment to make Panama City Beach the premier destination of Northwest Florida Gulf Coast.”

By instilling some form of formal training for employees of the local tourism industry, a standard can be easily set for what is expected in order create a great customer experience for tourist of Panama City Beach.

The Resort Collection of Panama City Beach has partnered with Gulf Coast Community College (GCCC) to create the first of its kind hospitality education program for Bay County.

During a planning session last week, members of The Resort Collection and GCCC laid the foundation of what will become the Hospitality Corporate Culture training and education program.

This twenty hour course which is part of the college’s Lifelong Learning department, will provide the hospitality and tourism businesses in our community with a consistent industry wide training program to increase customer service standards and the customer’s experience while visiting our destination.

This Hospitality Corporate Culture program will officially launch before the end of the year. Sparks said, “The program will be open to employees at all levels of the hospitality industry and will prepare us to better serve our domestic and international travelers as our destination grows.”

The program is being facilitated and managed by John Hamati, president of Vie Hospitality LLC. Hamati has a successful history in the hospitality business and has helped create this initiative to fill the gaps in local training.

“The Hospitality Training Program has been a hot topic for the Greater Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce and for Gulf Coast Community College for over two years now. Finally, with the assistance of the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort, The Resort Collection along with Gulf Coast Community College, we are now able to launch this new training in Panama City Beach.” Said Hamati, “we thank Tom Sparks, general manager of the Resort Collection, and the Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort team as well as Gulf Coast Community College in stepping forward and making this training a reality.”

Now, Back to Regularly Scheduled Bashing

Notes from Today’s TDC Meeting

Bed Taxes are up $117,000 thanks to back-taxes being collected.
The Circus by the Sea is more than likely coming back. Maybe it will draw more crowds next year.
The CVB has a new interactive marketing manager coming on board.
Rowe distributed estimates of costs of strategic plan proposals to board. I’ll be asking for copies of those to post here soon.
Mayor Gayle Oberst explained that Panama City Beach could not use bed taxes to fund lifeguards. As one Marketing Committee member told me later, it’s a good thing we’re smarter than Walton county on that issue. I have a lifeguard manifesto brewing; I’m sure it’ll come out any day now.
The TDC’s market research firm, Klages, is up for contract renewal, and the board showed concern that the 2008 results were not worth the investment. Tabled. Marketing Research, tabled.

Now to the juicy stuff…

Spring Break is heating up quickly… Spring Break funding was tabled after Dan Rowe requested approval on the MTVu plan ($150K CVB, $100K co-op).

Chairman Andy Phillips and Marketing Committee Chairman Buddy Wilkes questioned whether the co-op could really raise $100K. Mr. Rowe believes so; however lodging leaders stepped up quickly and said that because of the exclusive booking deal MTVu has with Student City, they would not participate in that co-op.

Board member Mike Bennett suggests the funding should go into a different Spring Break program. Dan Rowe suggested that if it’s not MTVu, then put the money in something other than Spring Break. Jack Bishop said the Klages report proved the CVB should invest the $150,000 into Spring Break. (It’s getting good!)

Folks in the audience suggested that only the Boardwalk benefited from the 2008 Spring Break plan. (It’s really getting good!)

There was a hint that there may be another Spring Break community workshop. The marketing committee will address the issue before the next TDC meeting on November 6. (Don’t you think this is going to get good!?)

And More Utter Disregard for the Special Event Policy

The Board unanimously approved 2009 funding for the Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine, & Music Festival. Wow. Wasn’t even on the agenda.

Special Event Side Note – Do you realize that 3.25 million dollars worth of lodging has to be brought in to raise $65K in bed taxes?

If PCBSWMF would have reported the need for $65,000 invested in the infrastructure at Frank Brown Park for next year’s event, that would be different. PCBSWMF Promoter Jack Bishop stated that the event could not serve 30,000 attendees as reported by previous promoters. Hopefully PCBSWMF will use all $65K to improve the infrastructure. We’ll see.

Speaking of we’ll see, we’ll see the full PCBSWMF report next month. Hopefully that report will include exactly how and where the 2008 TDC investment was spent.

In the meantime, we sure would like to have other promoters comment here with your thoughts on the TDC’s Special Events “Policy.”

If I misinterpreted anyone’s comments from today’s meeting, please email me at lancaster.kirk@gmail.com, or even better yet, clarify your message right here in the comments section.

Beazer Homes Completes First Model at Whisper Dunes

Showing every confidence in the Panama City Beach housing market, top-10 national homebuilder Beazer Homes has announced the grand opening this weekend of its signature model homes at Whisper Dunes, a new master-planned community just one-half mile from the Gulf.

With prices beginning in the $170,000s, Whisper Dunes is located on 78 acres on West Back Beach Road, five minutes from Pier Park and just 3 miles west of HWY 79. Grand Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17.

One and two-car garages are available and all homes are three bedrooms with 2½ baths, with some floor plans having an owner’s suite on the first floor.

Beazer has kept and aggressive construction schedule since beginning the project in April and expects the first homes to be ready for move-in within the next six weeks, according to Matt Brandman, president of Beazer’s Northwest Florida Division. Designed for both permanent and seasonal buyers, the first phase will include 44 homes and once complete, Whisper Dunes will include 156 town homes and 222 single family attached villas ranging in size from 1,500 to 2,000 square feet.

Brandman said the response by Realtors to the development has been overwhelmingly positive, particularly in its affordability and amenities. In comparing square footage and proximity to the beach, he noted that a monthly mortgage payment in an entry level Whisper Dunes home would be comparable to what a renter pays.

“Beazer is bullish on Panama City Beach and we believe this area of the state will be a large growth corridor for business and commerce, creating the need for developments like Whisper Dunes and other future Beazer communities. While others may be putting the reins on new construction during challenging market conditions, we have put Whisper Dunes on the fast track, realizing that for those who have good credit and the right down payment this is a great time to buy a new home,” said Brandman.

Geared toward those who want maintenance-free living close to the beach, shopping, restaurants, outdoor activities and entertainment, Whisper Dunes residents also will enjoy a cabana, swimming pool and network of walking trails, some of which are expected to be completed in November.

“West Back Beach Road is booming and it’s exciting to see this corridor evolve,” said Brandman. “We look forward to bringing the Beazer commitment of providing superior quality and value, along with customer and community support to Panama City Beach.”

Beazer pulled out all the stops in designing and decorating its two Whisper Dunes model town homes, Brandman said. Each was designed using protocols of the company’s trademark SMARTDESIGN® process, which ensures Beazer’s planning design team maximizes the space, functionality and livability of each home design.

Whisper Dunes is Beazer’s first venture into Panama City Beach and its second project in Northwest Florida where it is building homes in Tallahassee’s SouthWood community. As in SouthWood, Beazer purchased the land for Whisper Dunes from the St. Joe Company.

The entry to Whisper Dunes has been designed as a welcoming enclave, with a roundabout circling a lighthouse-style monument and boulevard lined with palm trees. Southern coastal architectural-style homes in pastel yellow, blue and green color schemes have been selected carefully to reflect the look of the region.

For more information, visit Beazer.com/whisper.

TDC Narrows Pool Down to Three Website Companies

Friday, during a special workshop the TDC’s Interactive Committee, Marty McDaniel and Buddy Wilkes, whittled the 6 companies that submitted Requests for Qualifications (RFQ) down to their top three.

The six companies that submitted RFQ’s are as follows:

Simple View Inc.
Jennifer Barbee Inc.
Miles Media
Cyber Sytes
The 543 Group
Ypartnership

Susan Estler, VP of Marketing for the CVB recommended Simple View, Jennifer Barbee, and Miles Media as the top three that had the capability and capacity to handle the interactive needs of Panama City Beach.

According to Ms. Estler, Simple View had excellent references. All of their existing clients were extremely satisfied with their performance, and to date, Simple View has yet to lose a client. Their client list spans from Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Scottsdale, Park City, and tons more. One of the more important issues discussed was the database that will be amassed with this new interactive initiative, and Simple View assured us that the database that is created using our initiatives will, indeed, be ours (well, the CVB’s). This is a huge issue with our current agency, Miles Media, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

Second on Ms. Estler’s recommendation list was Jennifer Barbee, Inc. Jennifer Barbee is a newly formed interactive marketing agency that comes from very well developed roots. Jennifer’s position was secured in this list because of her background with USDM, who is considered somewhat the industry standard in interactive marketing. The database issue is not existent as the data amassed will belong to the CVB. As an added bonus, Barbee uses the same database system as the CVB, further easing the movement of data from the agency to the CVB. Her experience and work portfolio is in line with what the CVB is looking for, in fact, so much so, that the only reason she is in second is because of her company being in its infancy.

The third on the list was Miles Media. Miles Media is the current interactive agency holding the reigns of the CVB web site, VisitPanamaCityBeach.com, and there are several issues with this relationship, with the major issue being who controls the database. Marty McDaniel and Buddy Wilkes both agreed that in the past, Miles Media has been very uncooperative in sharing the database that the Panama City Beach CVB marketing efforts has generated. That is to say, they will not let us have the database that, essentially, we paid for through our marketing efforts that they deployed. Miles Media’s excuse is that all of the user data that all of their campaigns generates is shared with the Visit Florida database and that once it enters that database, it belongs to that “domain”, and can’t be given out to individual clients. I would agree, that the Panama City Beach CVB should not be given access to a database that includes data from campaigns or efforts that are other than their own, however (and this is a big however), there is no reason why Miles Media can’t distinguish the difference between “our” data and the data of someone else’s marketing efforts. Further more, if they are submitting the data to some “master” database, then there is no reason that they can’t duplicate “our” data so as to keep it segregated. If they can’t, I would submit that that is their problem, not ours, and they just need to figure it out. As the contact database administrator of over 750,000 contacts, I can assure you that if I told the principles of my company that I can’t distinguish the difference between different databases within the database, I would have been fired a long time ago.

There are nifty things called computers and programs that allow people to do cool things like organize data however you want, need, or desire to based on whatever you want.

As indicated by the committee members, the database issue in the past with Miles Media has been unsolvable. The committee felt that moving forward, Miles Media would continue to be unwilling to change their approach on this issue. The committee members decided that it would be prudent to ask the question up front whether Miles Media would be willing to share with the Panama City Beach CVB the database their marketing efforts generate, and if the answer was still no, they would be moved to position 4, and have virtually no chance on continuing to be the interactive agency of record. At this point, Cyber Sytes would replace Miles Media in position and move to position three.

You don’t have to be told that it was decided that Cyber Sytes would be in position four. It was agreed upon by all present that Cyber Sytes has a very talented team and in the last two years, they have made very positive movement by way of bringing on talented graphics arts staff and have grown professionally and artistically. They have become virtually THE web design firm in Bay County, and have been recognized for this. However, the committee agreed, they just didn’t think Cyber Sytes was “ready” for the CVB.

The process moving forward will include a special meeting to be called sometime in between next Wednesday’s meeting (agenda forthcoming) and the next scheduled meeting to hear presentations from the top two agency picks, Simple View, Inc., and Jennifer Barbee, Inc.

I will, of course, be covering these meetings, so stay tuned.

Steel Dirt – New Publix Taking Shape

Growing from a field of dirt, a steel and concrete structure is forming the shape of the future of Publix on Back Beach Road. With the hot summer months over, the crews are thankful to have the bulk of their work during what is arguably one of the best times of year in Panama City Beach.

With the thriving commercial development on Back Beach Road, especially around the area of Beckrich and Alf Coleman, it would seem the area is preparing itself for an influx of new visitors by way of condo rentals, vacation rentals, or new home purchasers in Panama City Beach. St. Joe is certainly ambitious in their prospective development at the end of Beckrich. The Breakfast Point subdivision promised to bring thousands of new homes to our area when there are people here to fill them.

The new 5400 square foot Publix will be replacing the old 4500 square foot grocery located at the corner of Beckrich and Middle Beach Road. The look will be similar to the new Publix on Thomas Drive and the Publix right next to Sandestin.

In addition to the new Publix, a much needed Office Depot will be opening a store in this new shopping complex.

Construction time is around 9 months and the new store should be open by summer 2009.

Runway Paving Started at New Airport

Construction of the airport continues to proceed several months ahead of schedule with nearly 45% of the heavy civil construction portion of the job complete with only 35% of the time used.

The project is still about 3 months ahead of schedule.

There are currently 203 workers and 138 pieces of equipment on site.

Asphalt paving on Taxiway D is started on Monday, October 6, 2008.

Asphalt paving on the north end of Runway 34-16 is expected to begin on Thursday, October 9, 2008.

The earthwork in the General Aviation area is 99% complete.

The utility package for the airport property will be finished and released the beginning of the week of October 13, 2008.

The mandatory pre-bid meeting for the utility package is scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, at 1:00 p.m. at the current airport. Bid packages are due to the Airport Authority Office by Friday, October 31, at 1:00 p.m.

Sea Urchins and Seaweed

I happened upon this scene one day while exploring Shell Island with the kids. Sea Urchin “shells” are the extremely fragile exoskeleton of the spiny urchins that remain after the urchin dies. These break easily with the slightest pressure. To have so many washed up unbroken and in horizontal line was simply amazing.

Photo Description: Interwoven with seagrass, the urchins shells aligned along the bayside shore of Shell Island.

Visit my photoblog Sand between Your Toes to see more nature photos of Panama City Beach and the Emerald coast.

Teddy Meeks