When residential markets improve, so does the real estate investment market. This means more people are purchasing secondary homes to either flip for profit or to rent out. One of the most common trends today is the purchase of rental vacation houses. As the economy improves, more people take vacations. With a shift toward vacation rentals versus hotel resorts, vacation rental investors profiting. As a new vacation rental owner, what types of furniture and amenities should you provide to your renters?
Indoor furniture
Vacation renters are different than residential renters. They are only renting the house for short period of time. Even longer term renters are only in the property for a month or two. For this reason, rental owners need to provide all needed indoor furniture. When renters rent a vacation property, they expect ample furniture. This means couches, chairs, dining room furniture, beds, nightstands, bathroom vanities, and any other appropriate furniture. Rental owners can find all of these items at any local furniture store.
Outdoor lounge sets
Most vacation properties offer a location that is vacation worthy. This might be a beachfront, lakefront, or mountain side property. Because travelers are staying in the property for the cities amenities, and not the house?s amenities, outdoor furniture and viewing possibilities are even more important than the indoor furniture. The outdoor lounge sets should be relevant to the specific outdoor activities.
For example, if the property is beach front, things like recliner lounge chairs and hammocks should be available to guests. If the property is mountain side, comfortable outdoor furniture surrounding a fire pit may be more appropriate. Outdoor entertainment areas will grow to a 7 billion dollar industry in 2015, up 4% from 2014. Outdoor entertainment areas can be a great attraction to vacation property renters.
Home decorations
Indoor and outdoor furniture is expected in a vocational rental property. However, renters also want to feel at home. They want to feel relaxed and enjoy their home base during their travel. They will also compare your property to other vocational rentals they have stayed in previously. In addition to the outdoor and indoor furniture of the property, the home should also be carefully decorated. Some vacation property owners decide to go with a theme, something that matches the city or type of vacation.
Beach property owners might include coastal photographs, seashells, and bright and tropical colored rooms. Renters will also desire a large amount of natural sunlight into the rooms. Large windows with minimally blocking curtains can achieve this look. However, when completely closed and lowered on a sunny window, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45%. This provides renters with all of the natural sunlight they want, but keeps cooling costs down for the property owner. Home decorative items can be purchased at home decor stores.
Safety items
While some traveling families will consider needed safety items when packing, many will forget. It can be extremely beneficial to include such items in rental vacation property. In some cities, it is even required to have items like smoke and carbon dioxide detectors and fire alarm systems. These safety features are for the safety of your renters, as well as the safety of your investment. It may also be beneficial to have an alarm system installed, as vacation properties that are not constantly monitored or vacated may be a target. In spring 2016, the number of people who said they live in a household bought drapes, blinds, and other window treatments within the last 12 months in the United States amounted to around 31.1 million.
Right now is a profitable time to own an investment property. A popular type of investment property is a vacation rental. Owners of vacation rentals can charge much higher rates for vacation weeks than they could have as a residential rental. However, renters often require more in terms of furnishings. They expect both outdoor and indoor furniture. The amenities of the house should complement the location and features of the local city. Homeowners should also consider safety features, as there will be times that the property is vacant.