The short term/vacation rental market in the Ft. Myers area is becoming an increasingly competitive market. An ever increasing number of property owners are deciding to try and maximize their income and profits by advertising on the apps and websites that market vacation rentals. In our next few blog posts, we will explore some of the amenities that you can add to your property in order to differentiate it from other properties to ensure that yours gets the attention and guests that it deserves.
One of the most efficient methods to ensure that your property books as many days as possible is to secure repeat visits. You want to make sure that the entire experience is as enjoyable as possible. Below you will find some of the amenities that rank the highest in importance to people who stay in vacation or short term rentals. These items will improve guests’ experience and dramatically increase the likelihood that they will come back and stay at your property again.
How do you welcome your guests?
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This starts with the initial impression guests get when they pull up to the property, so don’t forget to pay attention to how the exterior and landscaping of the property appear. For customer convenience, a lock box with the keys inside can allow for 24 hour check in without making it necessary for you or your Ft. Myers property management company representative to be onsite for check in. This amenity is a huge benefit to travelers and alleviates any pressure they may feel if they happen to arrive later than planned for some reason. Another idea that can create an amazing first impression is a welcome basket. You don’t have to spend a fortune to pull it off either. Simply having a few treats and a handwritten note waiting for your guests can be a sure way to start off their stay in your property in a memorable way.
What are the most searched amenities on Airbnb?
You can get a pretty good idea of what amenities are the most important to people staying at a Ft. Myers vacation rental property by seeing which ones are searched most often on Airbnb. The top amenities searched on their site are as follows:
- Coffee maker
- Full kitchen (kitchenette’s are much less desirable)
- Air conditioning (speaks for itself in a market like Ft. Myers)
- Free parking
- Pool (also a huge plus in the Fort Myers area)
- A set of wine glasses (the wine experience is so much better when it is sipped from an actual wine glass)
- Pet friendly property
- Wifi (a strong signal and enough bandwidth to support multiple devices is paramount in this day and age)
- Washing machine (having a dryer is a huge plus as well but not as important as the washing machine)
- Hot tub/Jacuzzi
- Television (the more the better)
- Heating system (Having space heaters accessible for chilly evenings can be an affordable remedy to not having a central heating system)
Prioritize your upgrades to get the most bang for your investment dollars
When travelers are using sites like Airbnb and Vrbo to search for properties to book, they can filter their search parameters by the availability of certain amenities. You could potentially miss out on a whole segment of potential clients if you are missing something as simple as a coffee maker or a set of wine glasses. These items can be acquired for a very affordable price. Things like a complete kitchen renovation or expansion or putting in a below ground pool in the backyard would obviously be significantly more expensive. It is best to focus on items that you can purchase quickly and affordably to start, and then allocate some of your profits towards more capital intensive projects down the road. Remember that your vacation rental property can be made more desirable immediately with just a small amount of expenditure and effort.
Be sure to watch for our next blog where we will discuss more amenities that will make your property even more attractive to potential clients.