White Rose Property Management homeowner Ruth Moriarty shares her travel tips for a great day out in Winter Park, Florida.

We’re really delighted that our homeowner Ruth Moriarty has kindly shared some more of her Florida travel tips with us. 

Her blogs about Bok Tower Gardens and the Lake Eola farmers’ market were really well received. And it’s so great to hear about day trips beyond the Orlando theme parks.

This time, Ruth tells us all about the wonderful shops, side roads and sightseeing to enjoy in Winter Park.

Winter Park, Florida by Ruth Moriarty

Winter Park is an old city just outside Orlando with lots of history. Its first inhabitants were regional American Indians (Seminole).

Later, the Europeans rocked up in the late 1850s. Today, Winter Park very much retains the feel of a small European town.

The railroad has been here since the 1880s and is still being used. The track runs straight through the central park and a very cute station. 

There are lots of small, winding brick streets to explore, plenty of trees to shade you from the hot Florida sun and lots to do covering a wide variety of tastes, prices and interests. 

The Saturday Farmers’ Market

When I lived in Florida, I used to do the almost 80-mile round trip from home to Winter Park once a month, mainly to visit the market! It’s bright and vibrant and there is so much to choose from.

There are stalls selling food, baked goods, plants, jewellery, local produce. It’s a very popular place for people to gather.

The unofficial parade of dogs and their humans is a delight for anyone who has a soft spot for our four-legged friends. Be prepared for dogs in buggies, dogs in tee-shirts, dogs in boots and being as or more groomed than their human counterparts.

Currently the Market is located in the West Meadow (150 North New York Ave.) from 8am-1pm.

Downtown

The town and surrounding area is well worth a visit and there is lots to see. 

At the centre of Downtown Winter Park is Park Avenue, a tree-lined, cobblestoned street full of eateries and some great shops. It is such a pretty place to wander around and there are lots of small boutiques, including one of my favourites, Peterbrooke Chocolatier.

Another great place to stop where you can try before you buy is The Wine Room. No need to say more.

Little cafés and restaurants are hidden away in small arcades, which are well worth exploring. Many eateries have terraces, where you can watch the world go by!

There is something for every taste and price. Winter Park is also one of the dog-friendliest places I have ever been to.  Dogs are welcome in many places and there are always doggy water bowls and people ready to make a fuss of your precious pooch.

If you need more retail therapy, Shops on Park, at the centre of Park Avenue, is an elegant, indoor centre with some big brand shops. 

Kraft Azalea Park

This is a stunning public park bordering on the lakes. It is a gorgeous place to go and take a picnic and sit in the shade on a hot day.

Here you can while away the hours people watching, admiring the boats and deciding which of the mansions that surround the lakefronts you could live in!

It’s one of more than 70 parks in Winter Park, each holding various events, festivals and celebrations throughout the year – so you have plenty of choice.

Scenic Boat Tour – East Morse Boulevard

This is one of my absolute favourite things here.

I suggest you go there first to secure your ticket as they get very busy even out of season.

It’s a fully guided tour, in turn relaxing and exhilarating. The one-hour cruise takes you through the some of the lakes and canals of historic Winter Park.

The boats go from a slow crawl through the tiny canals to whizzing across the open lakes to get from one side to the other.

The canals linking the chain of lakes were man-made by the Seminole hundreds of years ago and it’s easy to imagine them coming through these narrow waterways in their little dug outs – very atmospheric.

At the other extreme, you get to see the many million-dollar mansions (some of them worth $20,000,000). Your guide will have all sorts of local knowledge and information to share.

It costs $14 adult, $7 child (go with cash as they don’t accept cards) and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every hour on the hour.  The boats are fine for anyone who is a little shaky on their feet, but I didn’t see anywhere for wheelchairs.

Croissant Gourmet Bakery

We chose not to go back to the main street as we found a little French café just up the road from the Boat Cruise after our hour on the water. 

We had a delicious lunch at Croissant Gourmet Bakery on East Morse Blvd. We did eat some delicious, healthy salads and savoury croissants but had to save ourselves for the beautifully crafted desserts (each cake was fairly divided into three!)

Why you should go

Go to shop, go to explore, go to people watch, go to watch an open-air movie in the Park or go for some culture too (I love the town’s museum – also worth a visit!).

You can find further information about Winter Park on the Visit Florida website.

About Ruth’s home

If you’d like to book your stay to enjoy Winter Park or other Central Florida attractions, please check out our homes here.

Ruth’s home is the very wonderful Sapphire Sky Villa at Orange Tree.  See more – and book – here.

Would you like to share your tips for great days out in Florida?

We’d love to share contributions from our guests and homeowners about great days out in Florida.  If you have tips or ideas you’d like to share on our blog, please reach out to our team. 

Even if you haven’t visited downtown Orlando, you’ll recognise Lake Eola’s rainbow-hued lakeside theatre, its famous fountain and the swan boats from postcards and pictures of the city.

Many guests don’t make it as far as downtown Orlando, but Ruth Moriarty, one of our homeowners, says everyone should venture a visit!

We’re really delighted that Ruth has kindly shared some more of her Florida travel tips with us.  Her blog about Bok Tower Gardens was really well received. Plus, it’s so great to hear about attractions that are a little off the beaten track.

So… over to Ruth…

Lake Eola & Downtown Orlando by Ruth Moriarty

Firstly, although this is a blog about downtown Orlando, this is not about shopping …well, very little about shopping! 

I had a French friend over to stay with me in February 2020 and she asked about visiting downtown Orlando.  I have owned my home in Florida since 2002 and lived there for a number of years, but I think I only made it as far as downtown once before!

Lake Eola Park is right in the centre of the city, but far from hustle and bustle of any description. We went there one Sunday, so there were no problems finding a free parking spot right by the Lake.

It was wonderful to see families out together. A smile “good morning” went a long way to striking up conversations with all sorts of people.

This little pooch even came in his own car!

Lake Eola isn’t a tourist destination.  But there is a wonderful walk of around one mile you can stroll.

This is where locals come for downtime, dog walking, exercise and the Sunday market. 

The Lake Eola Farmers’ Market is a lovely place to wander around.  You’ll discover food stalls, jewellery, flowers, jams, drinks and much, much more. 

The Sunday Farmers’ Market usually runs from 10am to 4pm. 

When we visited, we treated ourselves to a bag of freshly popped corn.  Then, a bit later on, we shared a bag of warm, little donuts, freshly cooked and shaken in powdery sugar – extremely tasty!

The rainbow arcs of the Disney Amphitheatre sit just alongside the lake.  Regular events are held here – so keep an eye on local listings.  It’s also a colourful addition to any photos you take and can be seen from all round the lake.

The lake teems with birds.  We saw black and white swans, geese, ducks, egrets and anghingas.  We watched the anghingas fluff out their black wing feathers to dry off.  Then trod carefully by some protected swans’ eggs, nestled alongside the path.

There were no alligators as far as we could tell!

Our only small disappointment came from our discovery that the Swan paddle boats weren’t running the day we visited.  However, that’s simply given me a good excuse to return when I am next in Florida!

All in all, our lovely, slow saunter around the lake edge and the market took around 2-3 hours, stopping to take photos and explore the market. 

The great thing is – it cost us nothing, apart from the few purchases we made at the market.

The path is quite wide and very well maintained so wouldn’t be a problem for people with strollers or in wheelchairs. It’s a calm and gentle walk, great to be away from the madding crowds elsewhere. 

NOTE:  At the moment, the farmers’ Market is still closed due to Covid 19.  If you’re thinking about visiting, check the website for current information – hopefully it will be reopening soon.

About Ruth’s home

If you’d like to book your stay to enjoy downtown Orlando, Lake Eola or other Central Florida attractions, please check out our homes here.

Ruth’s home is the very wonderful Sapphire Sky Villa at Orange Tree.  See more – and book – here.

Would you like to share your tips for great days out in Florida?

We’d love to share contributions from our guests and homeowners about great days out in Florida.  If you have tips or ideas you’d like to share on our blog, please reach out to our team. 

Trisha is one of our homeowners from the UK.  She lives in Yorkshire with her partner Mandy.  Together, they own the beautiful Anchor’s Away property on the Tuscan Ridge community in Davenport.

Browse Trisha’s home here.

We caught up with Trisha to ask her about being the owner of a vacation home in Florida and what she loves about her home and the state of Florida.

What made you decide to buy a holiday home in Florida?

We were looking in Spain originally, but then a friend told us about a company selling houses in Florida.  They flew us out for a week and showed us a load of homes.  We fell in love with the second one we saw, right on the first day.

How long have you had your home in Florida?

We bought it in 2003 and we’ve never looked back!  When we bought it, it was brand new.  We bought it with the intention of keeping it for five years, but we’ve had it now for 17 years.  We love the house and the area and we absolutely love Florida.

When did you first fall in love with Florida?

I went for the first time in around 1989, I think.  We’d been a couple of times in the 1990s.  But now it’s a home from home that we really love.  When it was my sixtieth birthday, we went out and stayed for a month.

Did you always know where you wanted to buy?

Osceloa county is Disney county and the homes there are much more expensive.  We bought just over the county line in Polk county.  At that time there was quite a few neighbourhoods going up and it was a lot cheaper to buy in Polk county.  What I love about it is the close access to the I4.  Within fifteen minutes of leaving our home, we are driving under the Welcome to Disney arch.

What is the area like?

When we first bought the home, there were just a few restaurants nearby.  Now, there’s everything you could want right on the doorstep.  There’s an English café that serves English food like Sunday roasts.  We love Bob Evans and Mani’s Chop House and Longhorn Steakhouse.

It’s just five minutes onto the Interstate and, from there, you can explore the whole of Florida.

Did you always know you would rent your home?

If we can’t rent a home, we won’t buy it.  This home has been great for us, especially with White Rose Villas managing it. Every year it’s already booked up for most of the next year!

How did you find White Rose Villas property management?

We had various nightmares with other property management companies.  We were even robbed by one of them!  But White Rose Villas property management is the best we’ve ever had.  Everything gets done if they say its going to get done.  They go above and beyond; we can’t fault them.   After all the nightmares we’ve had, White Rose Villas property management is like a godsend – they’re absolutely the best!

Do you have any advice for other people thinking about buying in Florida?

You need to be aware of all the financials.  You need your own accountant because you have to be IRS registered.  If you are going to rent out your home, you’ll be paying tax.  You have to consider the admin and the community charges, the homeowners’ association fees.  And the utilities cost a lot more than they do in the UK.  Get the right advice before you buy.

Have you got any tips that guests should know before booking your home?

We’ve tried to make it a home from home – so that nobody ever thinks ‘I wish this home had…’. It’s got everything you might need.  The only thing we don’t allow is barbeques because it can really stain the covered area around the pool.

What is the best thing about your home?

What’s the best feature – besides the pool?  I think the games room we’ve created by converting the garage.  There’s table football, pool, ice-hockey, a big TV with games. 

White Rose Villas comment: the heated hot tub on the pool deck is another superb extra.

Have you got any advice for anyone considering a holiday in Florida?

Everybody should go!  It’s every child’s dream.  And once you’ve been, you’ve got the bug!  I know two or three people who’ve bought a home there after going there on holiday.  It’s a fabulous place.  Last November, one of our guests went swimming with manatees!

We love to take our granddaughters to the parks.  When you watch the Disney parade with the fireworks over the castle afterwards, it has brought tears to my eye every time I’ve watched it!

We also love St Augustine.  It’s about an hour and a half to St Augustine but the drive is really interesting.  We’ve been to Anna Marie Island and Key West.  Miami is 240 miles away but it’s like a different planet altogether!  It’s so fabulous!  We’ve been all over, but we like Clearwater and Treasure Island.  We just book overnight at a cheap hotel and go and explore.

You can have your own Florida adventure by booking Trisha’s home.

View Anchor’s Away here.

Or browse all homes managed by White Rose Villas property management here.

The global Coronavirus pandemic has changed many aspects of life in just a few short months.  The travel sector, in particular, has been profoundly impacted.

Restoring people’s faith in travel is going to require sustained and careful effort to reassure staff, guests and travellers.  It is our belief that this restoration of faith must be achieved without creating any misplaced confidence and must be built on safeguarding all involved in the best possible way.

Essential Coronavirus cleaning measures

White Rose Villas has implemented safer cleaning regimes since the news of the pandemic first emerged.  We have been following advice to leave homes empty for 24 to 72 hours between bookings, depending on size of the home and the quantity of bedlinen available. 

We have provided staff with personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.  And we have asked them to stay at home if they show any signs of symptoms, as per the official guidance.

As always, our routine inspections are in place to ensure that your vacation rental meets all expectations.  

Our cleaning commitment

Our cleaning programme ensures all guests can enjoy a thoroughly cleaned villa by including such practices as washing and drying all towels, sheets and comforters at high temperatures. Staff will use new gloves when handling clean and disinfected items.

Our housekeeping team will also pay extra attention when cleaning high-touch surfaces.  High touch areas include (but are not limited to):

• Doorknobs
• Stair railings
• Telephones
• Remote controls
• Television buttons
• Sliding door handles
• Touch screens
• Kitchen appliances and fixtures
• Light switches

All of these surfaces will be cleaned with hospital-grade, EPA-approved disinfectants to ensure that they are thoroughly cleaned to the highest standards.

To give further confidence, we are now following the new SafeHome scheme.

The SafeHome scheme for vacation rental properties

The Vacation Rental Housekeeping Professionals (VRHP) and the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) have launched a new SafeHome initiative to help members adopt safe cleaning standards.  In many cases, these standards exceed those mandated nationally, state-wide or locally.

Since these enhanced precautions have been developed to keep guests and staff safe and healthy, we have decided to adopt these enhanced cleaning standards.

The SafeHome recommendations include:

• Disinfection and sanitation techniques
• Proper use of personal protective equipment
• Recommended products, cleaning agents and equipment
• Updated cleaning and inspection processes for soft surfaces, upholstery and linens
• Waste removal and maintenance processes
• Communicating the new, expanded cleaning processes to guests

VRBO President Jeff Hurst said, “Making families feel comfortable enough to travel again after this pandemic is a must for the entire vacation rental industry.  Adopting these new cleaning guidelines will reassure travellers that vacation rentals are safe places for their next vacation.”

Self-catering can be the safest way to enjoy travel

Toby Babich, the president of VRMA, also highlighted how the launch of the SafeHome scheme will help to restore confidence.  He said, “We can count on our professional community to rise to this occasion and restore confidence within our local governments and guest populations that staying in a professionally managed vacation rental is the safest way to enjoy travel.”

We agree.  That’s why we welcome the news that we can reopen our homes in Osceola county to bookings from across the USA (provided the guests are resident in U.S. states with COVID-19 case rates less than 700 cases/100K residents).  For your information, CDC information on COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population by the state can be found here.

The new changes we’re making to White Rose Villas cleaning processes

As part of the implementation of the SafeHome guidance, you will notice some major changes to the way we clean your home. 

These changes include:

• Dining tables and breakfast bars will no longer be set.  Plates, glasses, etc. will be washed and put away with the other dishes in the kitchen.
  
• Throw cushions and throws will be washed and put away in the closets.
  
• Handwash and extra soap will be left for guests on arrival.  In addition, cleaning spray and cloths will be left in the home for guests’ use.
  
• We will be training all staff on approved VRHP courses about the new cleaning procedures and how to enact safe social distancing rules.
  
• In light of the new guidance, owners won’t be allowed to clean the home as this needs to be carried out by professionally licensed cleaners.
  
• Additional pillow protectors, pillows, mattress pads/protectors, blankets, comforters should be purchased, as possible, so they can be easily changed and laundered.  If choose not to purchase additional linens, we will continue implementing the 72-hour delay between bookings.

Procedures after cleaning has been completed

We have introduced a new detailed cleaning checklist to outline the new procedures and help our staff to embed them.  We are happy to send any of our owners a sample checklist for review, if you wish.  If you’d like us to do this for you, please get in touch.

From now on, all cleaning reports will follow this new extended format and you will receive a copy of it after every clean, as per normal.

Once homes have been cleaned, our usual pre-arrival inspections will be performed to confirm that the villa meets the standards we have set.  This final inspection confirms if a villa is show-ready and able to welcome its newest guests, making our procedures as thorough as possible.

Do you have questions?

As always, our team remain on hand to answer your questions.  If you would like any further clarification about these changes, or have any questions at all, please call or email the White Rose Villas team. 

Thank you for your support.

The Governor has finally announced a plan to facilitate the re-opening of your vacation rental homes in the State.

It requires every County to submit a plan for the safe operation of vacation homes to the Department of Business and Professional Regulations (DBPR). The DBPR will then allow those counties to re-open or request further information. We are, naturally, hopeful that this process can be completed as soon as possible.

 

News for White Rose Villas vacation home owners

We at White Rose Villas are anxious to comply with the stringent DBPR sanitary guidelines and follow the CDC recommended guidelines for home cleanings and the staggering of bookings to allow a 3 day gap. We await any further requirements and will implement them without delay.

From May 18th gyms can open and restaurants, retail, museums and libraries may operate at 50% capacity; theme parks can submit plans to re-open. Along with further testing and the ability of pro sports teams to gather without fans, there are gradual but positive signs for our industry.

 

What’s next for Orlando vacation home owners?

We will, of course, keep you updated as the situation develops; rest assured that we’ll be ready to go as soon as the green light is given!

If you have any questions, please get in touch. Reach out to us at admin@whiterosevillas.com

 

 

 

These are challenging times for all of us involved with vacation homes in Orlando, both financially and emotionally.  I’d like to say a big thank you for your support and understanding as we work through these changes together.

 

As you know, the situation on the ground in Florida is very fluid and we are continuing our work to keep all of our vacation home owners and guests appraised of the latest information.

 

Where do vacation-home owners stand now?

Florida Governor DeSantis announced the shutdown in March and the restriction on vacation rentals began on March 27 following an Executive Order.

On April 29, Governor DeSantis announced the phased reopening of Florida businesses.  The first phase began on Monday 4.  This included the opening of restaurants with outside dining having spaces of six feet between tables and indoor dining reduce to 25% capacity. Retail stores also reduced shopper capacity inside of 25%, and the resumption of elective surgeries.

Sadly, vacation homes were not included in this first phase of reopening.

 

How have vacation-home owners responded?

Many Florida vacation-home owners have expressed frustration that the phased reopening hasn’t allowed vacation homes to reopen in the first phase.

The San Destin Golf and Beach resort wrote to the state government to argue that vacation homes are safer for social distancing than a hotel, yet hotels have been allowed to reopen.  It wrote, “The entire nation has been sent to their own homes to shelter in place, making a private residence much less of a threat than a multi-room hotel with countless public areas.”

This frustration has led to a Change.org petition with over 20,000 signatures, petitioning for Governor DeSantis to reconsider the ban and provide greater clarity about the next stages.

 

Florida’s vacation rental ban is challenged in court

You may have heard rumours that some vacation-home owners have started legal action against the ban.  A number of plaintiffs filed a lawsuit to this effect in Tampa last Thursday, arguing that the vacation-rental ban violates due process, equal protection and other constitutional rights.

The lawyers also argued against the prohibition on advertising, arguing: “Ironically, Fortune 500 companies which own hotels or large timeshare businesses may engage legally in the same speech that the plaintiffs find themselves subject to criminal and administrative sanctions.”

 

What is likely to happen in the near future regarding the ban?

The situation remains very changeable and it remains very difficult to predict when things are likely to change.

The task force charged with planning Phase Two has suggested that vacation homes could open under certain conditions in phase two of the reopening.  These conditions are likely to include:

• Open, but only to in-state reservations (Florida residents only)
• Ban on rentals to visitors from countries that do not have the virus under control
• A mandatory 72-hour hiatus between guest check-ins
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection between rentals
• Signage in all units detailing the new cleaning and sanitation procedures.

However, at this stage there are no guarantees about this phase of reopening or the conditions that are likely to be applied.  We will continue to monitor the situation and bring you news when we have it.

 

What should vacation-home owners do during this time?

This period is worrying for us all.  We’re doing our best to turn the situation into a positive as much as we can for our homeowners. 

For this reason, we’re implementing new safety procedures for the guests that do book.  We are encouraging everyone to use this fallow time to prepare their homes and marketing, ready for when the market does reopen again – everyone is going to be so keen to holiday once it is safe to do so again and we are expecting a surge in bookings as soon as restrictions are lifted.

Here’s a list of what the White Rose Villa team are doing to support our home owners at the moment:

• Weekly inspections of vacant homes
• Conducting health and safety audits
• We have contracted a photographer to take new photos of all homes.  These will be given to owners free of charge as a thank you for their support.
• We are redesigning the WRV blog to make it more helpful to our owners during this difficult time.  Check back regularly – or follow us – because we’ll be updating the blog regularly.
• We’re reviewing listings and activities across all the listing sites, property descriptions and marketing channels.
• We’re offering discounted deep cleans for homeowners who book a deep clean during this period.  It’s often hard to find vacant periods where we can schedule deep cleans, so this is the perfect opportunity to wash those carpets and jet wash those hard surfaces!  If you’d like to benefit from this service, please call us.

 

What’s happening elsewhere in Florida?

You may be aware that some restaurants and shops are beginning to reopen their doors under the first phase of the reopening specified by Governor DeSantis.  However, the news from the parks is less positive at the moment.

 

News from Disney

There has been much speculation online about the opening of the Disney parks, especially with the Disney Shanghai park opening earlier this week.

However, the Disney parks around the rest of the world – including Orlando and California – won’t be opening to guests anytime soon.

The good news is that Disney Springs will begin a limited reopening from May 20.  This will allow third-party traders on the site to reopen, provided the appropriate safety measures are in place.  However, the rest of Walt Disney Resort will remain closed for the foreseeable future, including theme parks and resort hotels.

Note that guests to Disney Springs will be expected to wear a mask and observe social distancing rules.

 

News from Universal

As with the Disney Parks, there is no sign of the Universal parks being able to open anytime soon. 

The good news from Universal, is that City Walk will begin its limited reopening from May 14.

As with Disney, CDC guidance – including the wearing of masks and the observance of social distancing rules – only certain traders will be opening.

Universal Studios store and a number of merchandise stores will open.  Some restaurants will open with a limited menu and limited seating.  Valet parking won’t be available.  All nightclubs, Blue Man Group venues and Universal Cinemark will remain closed.

A temperature check will be required on arrival and you will need to wear a mask.  Universal is also temperature checking its staff.  It is also limiting capacity to enforce social distancing and has placed signage around City Walk to help with this.

 

Do you have questions for us?

Our team remain on hand to answer all of your questions.  Please get in touch if you have any concerns or would like further information about anything listed here. Drop us an email at admin@whiterosevillas.com

Tips for Active Revenue Management for Orlando Vacation Rental owners in the post-Covid recovery period

 

There is a lot of uncertainty right now and property managers and owners are going to have to evolve their strategy to stay competitive when markets begin to bounce back.

 

More than Just Lowering Prices

Dynamic pricing is only one component of revenue management. It should also include the following:

• Channel management
• Marketing
• Forecasting

Now is a good time to focus on your vacation rental business and look at how and where you advertise your Orlando vacation home. 

Plus, you can use this quiet time before the markets reopen to look at the ways you can make your home more appealing for guests.  Stay ahead of the competition.  Maybe offer a late check out or – for the road tripper – a complimentary early check in. 

Will you welcome pets?  Most road trips involve families taking their beloved pets.  Accepting them could open up a whole new market segment for your home.

 

Forecasting for your Florida vacation home

Anticipating future demands and forecasting trends is another key skill that property owners need to develop. 

A good place to start is looking at publicly available information and statistics from local and international tourism boards.  AirDNA and Transparent provide market insights, historical data and benchmarking tools, so you can forecast low and high demand.

Tip! Record your own vacation home booking data to help you analyse and anticipate future booking behaviour

 

Expand your Distribution

Are you only selling on one channel? There are lots of channels open to homeowners these days: your own website, AirBnB, VRBO, etc.

Now is the time for owners to look to expand your presence and attract more guests to book your Orlando vacation home.

Rather than depend on low prices to get your occupancy levels up, you can use these new channels to find completely new audiences for you to sell to. 

Have you thought about business travellers?  Contacting conference centres to see what events may be running in the future when things are back to normal?  Reach out to large companies, airlines, tour operators as they may have stranded staff that need accommodation.  Get creative and think outside the box!

Increased marketing efforts will drive more traffic to your website or listing.  Expanding your online presence for your Orlando vacation home, whether it be via social media or new listing sites, is an easy way to increase your potential pool of guests.

Tip! Be mindful to review commission and fees on the different distribution channels, as these can vary.  Work out the net rates that you would see after the booking.

Remember that lowering your prices to be more competitive is something that can be easily matched by your competitors.  Worse – ultimately it can lead to a nasty price war!

Yes, be competitive with rates.  But, to be successful, you will need to look for more ways you can widen your home’s appeal to guests.

 

 

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus the short-term rental and travel industry have reported great losses globally.  This virus has not only affected peoples health, but business too. Vacation property owners in Florida have been particularly badly hit. 

 

It’s important to know how your Property Management company is dealing with the situation in the best possible way. This way, you know that when the time eventually comes for things to return to normal, you have planned effectively and are able to get the best outcome for you and your home.

Boost health & safety

Ensuring that your home is cleaned, sanitised and prepared for guests is not new.

However, your property manager should have introduced new, more stringent cleaning and sanitising activities in the wake of this global pandemic.  For example, bleach-based cleaners are more effective than anti-bacterial cleaners.

Check with your Property Manager that care has been taken to ensure that all areas or items that many guests would touch, that would usually only be wiped down are now sanitised with alcohol-based wipes. This list should include TV remotes, light switches, appliances, door handles etc. 

Ensure ALL crockery and cutlery are washed in soapy water (standard washing up liquids are effective) between guests and are packed away to prevent any accidental contamination.

Cleaning schedules should allow for one cleaner to be in the home at a given time, wearing mask and gloves and then the pre-arrival inspector arriving separately ensuring mask and gloves are worn at all times limiting any contamination during this process.

These should remain in place for the foreseeable future.

 

Book a deep clean

You can use this fallow period to your advantage and get your home and carpets deep cleaned and jet washing completed. 

With these additional precautions taking place in your home, you can rest easy knowing that your guests and home is being maintained at the highest standard.

 

Stay in touch with guests

The situation remains very fluid, with advice being updated on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

During this uncertain time, it is vital to stay in touch with your guests who have booked directly with you, the owner.  They will have many questions and may decide to stay or cancel their reservation depending on their situation.  Stay ahead of any cancellations and notify your Property Manager so they can plan and amend their schedules accordingly.

For your guests who have decided to stay, it is a good idea to highlight your increased Health and Safety protocols so they feel comfortable and know that their well-being is your top priority.

 

How to respond to the inevitable cancellations

Given the current situation, it is inevitable that some guests will want to cancel.

With travel restrictions in place around many parts of the world, some will have no choice but to cancel their booking with you.

For your guests who have decided to cancel, the best solution is to offer them the option to amend their dates to later on in the year or in 2021. 

Encouraging them to amend their reservation rather than cancel outright will help you to ensure your calendar is booked and bounce back again as soon as possible.

 

Marketing your home

This is a very difficult time to market vacations in general due to the restrictions of flights and travel bans. 

You will need to be sensitive to the situation, but also open to potential guests who you would perhaps not have had stay before.  For example, you can take bookings for longer than 30 days, so looking for longer-term lets is one important way to keep the money coming in.

These potential guests may require longer stays, but lower daily rates.  This is something you will need to discuss with your Property Manager and perhaps consider, should the opportunity arise, to ensure some occupancy in your home over the next coming months.

 

Communication is key

Keeping the lines of communication open between yourself and your Property Manager is vital.

Ensuring you are informed at all times and answering any questions you may have is part of the value-added service your Property Manager should be providing.  Working in partnership will ensure the best outcome for you and your home moving forward.

 

Have any questions or looking for Property Management Company in the Orlando, Florida area? 

Contact us for more information at:  admin@whiterosevillas.com