Experience Renting out a high value week

[Bill4728]

Hi all

I had a high demand week at whistler I wanted to rent and I'm wondering if my experience at renting it out was typical.

We used our points to reserved a 1 bd and studio during President's week at our home resort in Whistler. Then just before xmas started to try and rent them. We posted both on TUG and on Craig's list (CL) .

After several weeks, we got a few feelers but no offers then decided to just go ourselves. Last week my son got sick and will be having tests during the week, so we put them up again on TUG and Craig's list. Two days later, we rented them to different people thru CL. (Didn't get what we were asking but got close.) Both paid 1/2 thru paypal right away and after confirming with the resort that the reservation was changed into their name , paid the other half the next day. Easy

Would my experience be typical?

TIA

 

[tschwa2]

Your experience on Craigslist is similar to mine. Most serious offers come about 2 weeks prior to the rental dates. On TUG if it happens to be something that someone is looking for and knows the value of the rental you might get an early offer but if it is something that someone sees and might want as a spur of the moment thing most TUGgers are only interested in extreme bargains.

 

[vacationtime1]

My experience is that rentals via CL and eBay tend towards last minute (of course, one uses eBay only in a panic, in my case, a SuperBowl listing).

Rentals through Redweek and MyResortNetwork were months in advance.

 

[Bill4728]

thanks So posting a CL ad, months in advance isn't as likely to get better offer than the last minute ads.

 

[tschwa2]

It might. It's no cost to do so but I wouldn't worry about updating every 3 days. Maybe once every week or every other week. If someone is looking for something in advance and is willing to pay full price, they will be willing to do the search. You will likely get more low ball offers than anything real but it only takes one. There are way more people on Craigslist looking for last minute but you might find someone who was looking for last minute who sees your ad and decides they would be willing to lock in that vacation.

 

[ronparise]

My experience may not be typical and Mardi Gras weeks may not be your typical high value week.

I advertised exclusively on Craig’s list and usually got most of what I had to rent, rented early. (6 months or so in advance) the few I had left usually wouldn’t rent until the last minute. This years Mardi Gras was the last I worked and all 17 reservations I had were rented a year ago to my regulars

To sum up: in my experience prime weeks rent really early or last minute. The last minute people want deep discounts. Don’t do it. If what you have is truly a high value week, you can raise your price at the last minute. there will be someone willing to pay to play. And one more thing. Folks that rent the same week year after year go back to the same guy every year.

By the way I already have 10 requests for Mardi Gras 2019 that I can’t handle. If anone has one or several of these reservations let me know. I will put you in touch with my former customers

 

[mjm1]

If one lists a unit on Craigslist, I assume you put it on the CL for the location of the unit rather than where you live? Is that correct?

Mike

 

[ronparise]

If one lists a unit on Craigslist, I assume you put it on the CL for the location of the unit rather than where you live? Is that correct?

Mike

Absolutely. I don’t rent out rooms in my house

 

[mjm1]

Absolutely. I don’t rent out rooms in my house

Thanks Ron. That’s funny. I should clarify that I meant “rather than in the city in which you live.” Your response still applies.

Mike

 

[ronparise]

Thanks Ron. That’s funny. I should clarify that I meant “rather than in the city in which you live.” Your response still applies.

Mike

I know....nobody likes a smart a$$... Sometimes I just cant help myself

seriously; advertise where you would look if you wanted a vacation rental. With some exceptions, that will probably be where the timeshare is located

 

[tschwa2]

Sometimes a vacation spot is popular with visitors from another area. I sometimes create a second or third ad (it may get flagged if they are all identical) for the other areas.

For example for Wisconsin Dells, I advertise in Chicago, Green Bay in Wisconsin.
For some mid Atlantic destinations, I might through in the DC suburbs. Some local may be looking for something local but might see Virginia Beach, Ocean City, Hershey Park, Massanutten, Williamsburg etc and consider.
Hilton Head is popular with people from Ohio in the spring.
If your week is during a non traditional local school holiday that you know of in another area, you might want to advertise there. Always have one in the primary area where the timeshare is located.

 

[Bill4728]

For some reason I can't seem to post my Whistler week on the Vancouver BC craig's list. BUT I don't have any trouble with the Seattle area website. So I posted my Whistler week on the Seattle site.

 

[bizaro86]

For some reason I can't seem to post my Whistler week on the Vancouver BC craig's list. BUT I don't have any trouble with the Seattle area website. So I posted my Whistler week on the Seattle site.

Craigslist checks IP by country.

As a Canadian I can't post a TS rental on a US Craigslist.

 

[chapjim]

If one lists a unit on Craigslist, I assume you put it on the CL for the location of the unit rather than where you live? Is that correct?

Mike

Craig's List prohibits listing the same thing in two locations. It can get your listing flagged.

 

[Mosescan]

Craigslist checks IP by country.

As a Canadian I can't post a TS rental on a US Craigslist.

Tunnel bear. You can set your IP address to anywhere you like.