As vacation rental home owners, we all know first-hand that the travel landscape has undergone significant changes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Guests now prioritise flexibility and reassurance when making travel plans.

This shift in consumer behaviour has led to an increased demand for vacation rentals with relaxed cancellation policies.

The three types of cancellation policy

Three types of cancellation policy are commonly used. These are:

• Relaxed

Offers guests a full refund if the reservation is cancelled at least 14 days before check-in.

• Moderate

Provides a full refund if the reservation is cancelled at least 30 days before check-in.

• Strict

Allows for a refund if the reservation is cancelled at least 60 days before check-in

To maintain competitiveness and enhance guest satisfaction, we strongly recommend selecting the “Relaxed” cancellation policy for your property. This policy offers guests the flexibility they desire while providing you with a competitive edge in the market.

Let’s consider why it’s a good idea to offer a relaxed cancellation policy for your vacation home bookings.

Meeting changing guest expectations

In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in guest preferences towards flexibility when it comes to booking accommodations. With uncertainties such as travel restrictions, unforeseen emergencies, and changing personal circumstances, guests are increasingly seeking out properties with lenient cancellation policies. By offering a flexible cancellation policy, owners can cater to these changing expectations and attract more bookings from discerning guests.

Standing out in a crowded market

The vacation rental market is becoming increasingly saturated, with countless properties vying for the attention of potential guests. In such a competitive landscape, it’s essential for owners to differentiate their property from the rest. A flexible cancellation policy can be a powerful selling point that sets a property apart from competitors. Guests are more likely to choose a property that offers them peace of mind and flexibility in case their plans change, giving properties with flexible cancellation policies a distinct advantage.

Building trust and loyalty

A flexible cancellation policy not only attracts guests but also helps build trust and loyalty. Guests appreciate the transparency and reassurance that comes with knowing they can cancel or modify their reservation without penalty if needed. By prioritising guest satisfaction and demonstrating flexibility, owners can foster positive relationships with guests, leading to repeat bookings and positive reviews.

Ensure a consistent cancellation policy across platforms

We recommend that you offer a relaxed cancellation policy across all the platforms on which you market your vacation rental home.

This includes:

• Vrbo
• Airbnb
• Other listing sites
• Our channels
• Any direct bookings you take
• Other agents

This way, you simplify policy enforcement, booking administration and the guest experience.

Why a flexible cancellation policy is important for vacation rental owners

Offering a flexible cancellation policy is essential for vacation rental owners looking to stay ahead of the competition.

You can:

• Meet changing guest expectations
• Stand out in a crowded market
• Attract more bookings
• Enhance guest satisfaction
• Build trust and loyalty
• Ultimately, achieve greater success in the vacation rental industry.

Embracing flexibility is not just a competitive advantage—it’s a key ingredient for success in today’s dynamic marketplace.

What should owners do next?

To facilitate the process of selecting a cancellation policy, we will be emailing all owners a document to complete. This document will allow owners to choose their preferred cancellation policy from the options provided: relaxed, moderate, or strict. We believe that empowering owners to select their own cancellation policy ensures that it aligns with their preferences and business goals.

Questions? Get in touch

If you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

US: 407-605-5865

UK: 0333 332 1411

Vacation Rentals are under attack in Florida from Senate Bill 280 (SB280) that recently passed the Florida state legislature. We have only days remaining to make an impact!

Your voice is needed.

What is SB280?

The Florida Senate and House of Representatives recently passed Senate Bill 280, which, if signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, will significantly impact vacation rentals, tourism, and property rights across the state. Let’s work together to stop this overreach.

This bill opens PMCs, property managers and guests to increased restrictions, such as:

• Local governments can remove vacation rentals based on undefined “violations” with no notice to guests and no course of redress for lost funds for either the rental owner or the guest.
• It eliminates the right for bunk rooms in homes and enforces a 2 person per bedroom maximum – negatively affecting traveling families among others.
• Unlimited fees means higher costs to run a vacation rental business and higher costs to rent a vacation home by visitors to Florida. This equates to an additional tax for PMCs and homeowners alike.

Key Data estimates this could impact upwards of 40% of vacation rentals in the state of Florida and reduce associated revenue in communities by 30% or more.

We need your help to stop the overreach.

We believe in fair thoughtful regulation but Florida SB280 is a jobs killer and will impact the rights of businesses, property owners and guests alike.

How Can We Stop This?

We need Gov. DeSantis to Veto SB280. All voices are important but especially those of you based in Florida.

Take action yourself. Reach out by email and by phone:

1. Email the Governor directly: GovernorRon.DeSantis2023@eog.myflorida.com
2. Click Here to Sign
3. Click Here for Information on How to Contact the Governor’s Office and see Our Call and Email Scripts

We’re doing our best to share the news and urge our homeowners to take action. Please share this blog with other Florida vacation rental homeowners you know. This will impact them directly.

Please also share with your employees, partners and vendors in the Florida market. These changes will have a negative impact on them and their businesses as well.

You can find more details about SB280 and efforts to stop it here: https://www.streamlinevrs.com/sb280/

If you have additional requests or need more information, please reach out to Scott Leggat, Inhabit’s Director of Government Affairs at: scott.leggat@inhabit.com.

Comments?

As always, we are on hand to answer your questions. If you have any comments or queries, please reach out to our team.

US – 407-605-58650

UK – 0333 332 1411

Our housekeeping team go above and beyond to ensure a pristine finish for our guests and vacation-home owners.

Every homeowner knows that the quality of housekeeping in a property can make or break a vacation. Our housekeepers do amazing work, day in and day out, to make sure our guests have a wonderful stay.

Recognising our team’s hard work

In February, at our monthly team meeting, we took time out to recognise the hard work of all our housekeeping team.

Our housekeepers truly go the extra mile to make sure all of your homes look their best and to ensure your guests are impressed with the cleanliness of the vacation rental home at which they stay.

Two members of our housekeeping team won special mention and we’d like to also recognise their hard work here.

Lena and Jessica always go the extra mile for our guests and homeowners. They prioritise guests needs and ensure a pristine finish to the homes they look after. We really appreciate all their hard work.

Praise from our Housekeeping Manager

Jessica K, our housekeeping manager, praised Lena and Jessica’s work.

She commented: “Lena and Jessica are team players. They frequently go above and beyond for the team. They are always up for a challenge and help others along the way.”

“Their work is always excellent and they continue to strive to do better.”

Our owners’ homes look great

It’s thanks to the continued hard work of our housekeeping team that we frequently receive wonderful reviews for the quality of our housekeeping.

We get high scores for homes that are:

• Free of clutter
• Squeaky clean bathrooms
• Spotless furniture and linens
• Have a pristine kitchen

We’d like to thanks Lena and Jessica and the whole of our housekeeping team for their dedication, enthusiastic hard work and the great results they achieve for our guests and homeowners.

View our homes

You can see the results for yourself by browsing our homes.

We all know the importance of guest reviews in increasing the occupancy of our homes.

With this in mind, we’d like to encourage all owners to share ALL of your guest reviews with us. Good and bad!

Fostering a Culture of Improvement and Recognition

Guest reviews in shape the reputation and success of our vacation rentals.

Reviews provide valuable feedback that helps us enhance the guest experience and maintain high standards of service. However, to truly leverage the power of reviews for continuous improvement, we need the support of our property owners.

Why Sharing All Guest Reviews Matters

Comprehensive Feedback for Improvement:

By receiving all guest reviews, our team gains insights into areas where we excel and areas that require attention. Positive reviews highlight what guests love about the property and our service, while constructive criticism in less-than-perfect reviews helps us identify areas for improvement.

Training and Development Opportunities:

Sharing all reviews allows us to use them as teaching tools for training our team members. Whether it’s recognizing exemplary service or addressing areas of concern, every review contributes to the ongoing development of our staff.

Recognition and Motivation:

Our team works hard to deliver exceptional service, and positive reviews serve as a testament to their efforts. Recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance boosts morale and motivates team members to continue delivering top-notch service.

Incentivizing 5-Star Service:

Many vacation rental platforms prioritize properties with high ratings, making positive reviews crucial for maintaining visibility and attracting future guests. By sharing all reviews, owners contribute to our efforts to secure 5-star ratings and enhance the property’s reputation.

The Role of YourWelcome Digital Welcome Book

In addition to guest reviews, our YourWelcome digital welcome book includes a feature that allows guests to rank the home upon check-in. If a guest provides anything less than a 5-star rating, we take immediate action to address any concerns. Our goal is to ensure that every guest has a 5-star experience, and we proactively reach out to guests to resolve any issues.

How Owners Can Help

Share All Reviews:

We encourage owners to forward all guest reviews, both positive and critical, to our property management team. This ensures that we have a comprehensive understanding of the guest experience and can take appropriate action to address any issues.

Timely Submission:

Promptly forwarding guest reviews allows us to respond promptly to feedback, whether it requires immediate action or serves as a source of motivation for our team. Owners are encouraged to share reviews as soon as they are received.

Support and Collaboration:

By working together to collect and analyse guest feedback, owners and property managers can create a collaborative environment focused on continuous improvement and delivering exceptional guest experiences.

Assisting Our Team:

Your reviews help our dedicated cleaning and inspection teams understand guest expectations and improve the quality of their work.

We also encourage you to share positive reviews with your cleaners. While it’s common to address negative feedback, acknowledging their hard work and dedication when things go well is equally important.

Team Meetings and Training:

Our Housekeeping Manager, Jessica, works tirelessly to train and lead our cleaning teams. Your reviews provide essential insights that enable us to continually improve, especially in these demanding times.

Your feedback is instrumental in our monthly team meetings, where we recognize outstanding cleaners and develop training materials to continuously enhance our services. This is particularly important in the current challenging market.

Bonus Rewards:

In a gesture of our gratitude, White Rose Villas has instituted a bonus program. Housekeepers who are recipients of 5-star reviews will have the opportunity to receive special bonuses. We deeply respect the demanding nature of their work and believe in recognizing and rewarding our dedicated team.

Where to Send Reviews

Please forward guest reviews to admin@whiterosevillas.com. Your prompt sharing of these reviews will contribute to our collective effort to maintain and elevate our standards. 

We acknowledge that not all owners may directly manage bookings, but we genuinely appreciate your feedback following your visits. Your input is invaluable in our quest to consistently meet and surpass expectations. Rest assured, we will continue to share guest reviews we receive with property owners.

Conclusion

At White Rose Villas, we believe that transparent communication and collaboration between owners and property managers are essential for achieving mutual success. By sharing all guest reviews, owners play a vital role in supporting our efforts to deliver outstanding service and maintain the property’s reputation. Together, we can create memorable experiences for guests and drive positive outcomes for our vacation rental business.

Thank you for your cooperation and ongoing partnership. We look forward to receiving your valuable guest reviews and working together to maintain our reputation for excellence.

Need more information?

Please get in touch. We’re always happy to help and answer your questions.

Visit our contact page.

Find out more about how White Rose Villas is using YourWelcome, a digital welcome book service, to offer a five-star service to guests.

Most of you are already using YourWelcome.

If you aren’t, let me explain: YourWelcome is the leading digital guidebook platform offering a premium solution across entire guest journeys.

Getting important feedback at check-in

One of the most useful features from a property management point of view is the feature that allows guests to rank the home upon check-in.

If a guest provides anything less than a 5-star rating, we take immediate action to address any concerns. The digital notification we receive enables us to ensure that our guests are happy on arrival.

If the review highlights any issues, we can act fact to take remedial action.

Early reviews ensure fast action

Our goal is to ensure that every guest has a 5-star experience, and we proactively reach out to guests to resolve any issues.

Our fast response doesn’t only benefit the guest. It also helps you because it protects the ratings and reviews the guest is likely to give your home at checkout. If a customer complaint is handled well, it will earn you trust and a better overall review.

Guest management made easy

YourWelcome offers a number of brilliant features for you and your guests:

• Digital Guidebook
• Contactless check-in, guest surveys & video property guides
• Fully customisable guest check in
• Reduce guest queries with video or text property guides
• Chat directly to  guests via the tablet

It also helps you collect guest reviews and will be an important part of our ratings and reviews analysis moving forward.

Why choose YourWelcome? 

YourWelcome is more than a digital guide. It’s your secret weapon for creating unforgettable guest experiences while boosting your property’s revenue potential.

Here’s how:

1. Seamless Guest Engagement: Provide guests with instant access to everything they need, from property details to local hotspots. Say goodbye to unnecessary enquiries with all-encompassing information at their fingertips.

• Tailored Recommendations: Make each stay unique by offering personalised recommendations based on local insights.

• Revolutionise Revenue: This is the exciting part: YourWelcome opens the door to additional revenue streams! Guests can effortlessly add extra services, covering the costs and even surpassing them. YourWelcome makes it easy for your guests to opt for a late check-out – enhancing their experience and contributing to your bottom line.

Why we’re introducing YourWelcome

Since the onset of COVID-19, guests have moved to preferring digital formats. This is great for homeowners because it saves you the cost and hassle of printing, updating and replacing physcial welcome books.

YourWelcome Digital Handbooks are insured and will be replaced free of charge in case of any mishap. This not only ensures cost-effectiveness but also provides peace of mind.

To bring YourWelcome to your vacation rental, we’re offering an exclusive annual subscription for $195 (normally $250). This investment covers ongoing support, updates, and the potential for remarkable increases in guest satisfaction and revenue. 

During our trial period, we witnessed first hand how costs associated with the YourWelcome subscription were not just covered but exceeded by guests adding extra services.

The improved ease of management for you, the better experience for your guests, and the boost to revenue to your home all add up to a great solution which will positively impact on your property’s profitability.

Contact our team for more information

If you aren’t already using and benefiting from YourWelcome and you would like to give it a try, please get in touch and our team will be happy to assist.

Return to our contact page.

New year is typically a time of reflection and new starts.

For us, here at White Rose Villas HQ, we’ve been working hard over the holiday period to bring all accounts up to date as part of our start to 2022 so we can go into the new year with our best foot forward.

Like most of the travel sector, we’re hoping that 2022 marks a new beginning in the state of international travel. The good news is that, thanks to vaccines and our growing understanding of the virus and the way it spreads, nations around the world are beginning to learn to live with COVID-19.

Fluctuating cashflows over the last two years

The bad news, from our homeowners’ point of view, is that all the cancellations and re-bookings we’ve had to manage have taken their toll over the last two years. Cashflows have fluctuated much more than normal.

As a result, we’ve tried to be as flexible as possible with all our homeowners as we work together to support each other through these difficult circumstances.

However, even allowing for the changes and cancellations that have been disrupting all of our cashflows, we need to remind you that it is absolutely vital to maintain your escrow balance at all times.

Why keeping funds in escrow is important

Keeping your escrow account topped up is vital because it gives us instant access to funds we can use on your behalf. If your home requires emergency repairs, we will need these funds to be able to act quickly. Even in normal times, we need these funds to cover the ongoing housekeeping bills that keeps your house looking great and your guests happy.

The difficulties with escrow funds

During the pandemic, some homeowners have relied on us to undertake vital work and continue with ongoing housekeeping without ensuring these funds are available to us. This means that they are effectively using us as a free credit service.

Of course, this isn’t a sustainable business model for us and, as such, we’re taking this new year period as an opportunity to remind everyone of their responsibilities as a White Rose Villas homeowner.

Homeowners must keep at least $1,000 in their escrow account at all times (unless you have agreed a different minimum amount with us due to the size of your home). You’ve already agreed to do this when you signed your contract with us.

New rules around escrow

If you do not abide by your side of the contract, we are going to have to start passing on overdraft, interest and admin fees. Although this is our standard procedure as outlined in your contract, we have tried to avoid doing this until now.

We know it has been a difficult few years, but we do have to maintain efficient operations for everyone’s benefit – and this means that everyone needs to operate on the same basis. We simply can’t allow a few homeowners who want to use us as a free credit service to increase the costs of operation for everyone else.

We thank you all for your cooperation in this matter. And we look forward to a fantastic 2022 with you all.

What are we doing to navigate through this new uncertainty? And how can we protect the improvement in bookings we’ve seen lately? Here’s an update from our team.

With the discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the uncertainty that had been waning over recent months has returned to the travel industry. Travel operators are waiting to see what the effect will be on bookings.

Booking rates around the world

Travel to South Africa feel dramatically – 750 percent – almost overnight. But with many European countries and the USA imposing travel bans on up to eight South African countries, including South Africa, this was inevitable.

Meanwhile, bookings to the rest of the world have remained surprisingly strong. The swift action of the South African authorities to share what they know has enabled many countries to take pre-emptive actions and identify the few instances of the variant within their borders. This has helped to maintain travel confidence.

Furthermore, so far, countries haven’t reimposed wider travel bans. Travellers are expected to take pre-departure tests in many cases, but this is a manageable inconvenience for most.

As a result, while there has been a small drop off in bookings to Europe and the United States, the fall has not been as dramatic as seen previously.

Latest news on flights into the USA

So far, President Biden has implemented stricter travel rules but not made major changes to who can travel. This is great news for European visitors who have only recently had travel open back up to them.

The new rules mean that, from next week, all international travellers to the USA – including American citizens – must take a COVID-19 test one day before travel. This must be completed regardless of your vaccination status.

Furthermore, mask requirements on planes, buses and trains will be extended until mid-March.

We will keep an eye out on updates to the situation. At the moment, experts are still working to understand what the variations in Omicron will mean in terms of transmissibility and the seriousness of the effects. Until we know more, it is hard to predict what will happen in the short term, either in terms of travel restrictions being ramped up or relaxed or in terms of any effect on bookings.

We will keep you posted!

Strategies to boost booking

In the meantime, we will continue to be flexible in our approach to booking, so that we can maximise occupancy rates and revenues for you.

#1. Communicating clearly about the cleaning procedures we have in place

We’ve always been known for our immaculate cleaning procedures and we continue to emphasise this to guests, including detailing the enhanced cleaning procedures we’ve implemented during the pandemic.

#2. Contactless check-in

As well as enhanced cleaning regimes, we’re doing a few other things differently at the moment to shore up guest confidence. We continue to highlight these standards to ensure guest confidence when they stay at your property.

#3. Marketing to customers within driving distance

Local bookings have been really important throughout the last two years and we are continuing to look at new ways to reach this market. These bookings held strong even when flight restrictions were imposed, so they are an important part of building resilience in your rental income.

#4. Discounts for longer stays

With the increase in remote work holding strong for many people, this is opening the door for travellers to stay for longer. And who wouldn’t want to work poolside? Travellers can take their families away without needing to book extra vacation, so offering discounts for longer stays can be a good way to serve this market and boost occupancy.

#5. Lowering minimum night stays

We know this isn’t for everyone but lowering the minimum night requirement can help to boost bookings. For one, you’ll show up in a greater number of searches in the listing sites.

#6. Adaptive pricing

We’ve seen over the last year just how effective dynamic pricing can be in maximising bookings and revenue. Thank you for working with us on this over the last 12 months. Options include lowering your minimum price, increasing last-minute discounts and offering some special deals. We’ll continue to tweak our activities on this to ensure that we are maximising occupancy without jeopardising maximum rates.

Reach out to our team

If you have any concerns, or would like to talk through anything raised in this blog, please reach out to our team as normal.

White Rose Villas is introducing a new marketing contract and we’ll be approaching all our homeowners over the next few weeks about it. This blog explains the reasons behind this change.

We’re facing very challenging market conditions in what is traditionally a quiet season in the theme parks. We need to step up our game when it comes to marketing, to ensure that we are doing the very best we can to book your home.

To help us do this, we’re going to introduce a new marketing contract that we’ll be asking all our homeowners to complete and sign. This will help us to act faster when it comes to taking bookings – as well as being able to offer enticements to ensure enquiries convert into sales.

What will the new marketing contract include?

Essentially, the new White Rose Villas marketing contract sets out in black and white the lower limits that you’d be willing to accept on a per-night basis. It also establishes the rules around taking a booking for your home.

You’ll be asked to tell us:

• The minimum price that you are prepared for us to accept for your home on a per-night basis
• Any promotions you would be happy to run.
• A number of complimentary nights you would be happy for us to offer on your behalf in order to secure bookings for your home.

Knowing this information in advance, spelled out in black and white, is really important. It will enable us to act quickly. Rather than doublechecking on rates and possibly losing a booking during that delay, we can act fast and secure the booking.

Furthermore, we’ve had a couple of instances recently where we’ve taken a booking, but our homeowner hasn’t wanted to accept it at the slightly lower rate. This creates a bad guest experience and costs us all money.

The importance of getting the quote right first time

The listing sites apply a penalty for cancellations. As well as any financial compensation, they also drop the listing further down their search results. And it doesn’t just do that for the property concerned. It drops every single property that we manage.

This means that a cancelled booking impacts all our homeowners. That’s why it’s so vital that we don’t find ourselves in a position where we’ve taken a booking at a reduced price which we later need to cancel.

Furthermore, because our customer-first business model succeeds in attracting a high number of repeat bookings, we really want to avoid anything that could compromise the guest experience. Not honouring a booking we’ve taken is really upsetting for the guest and there is the potential we could lose their lifetime of future bookings as a result. We obviously work hard to ensure this doesn’t happen, but it is still a risk that impacts all our homeowners.

Signing the new marketing contract

That’s why we’re now introducing a new marketing contract for all homeowners. We’ll be approaching you over the next couple of weeks to discuss your options and ensure that the contracts are all signed and that you are happy with them.

We’ll be asking all our homeowners to sign the new contracts – whether you choose to use the RevMax dynamic pricing platform with us or not.

If you aren’t familiar with dynamic pricing, please check out our earlier blog about this automated system. It uses advanced algorithms to run fluid strategies that enable your property to achieve the highest income during high-demand periods and stay at the top of productivity in the market during low-demand periods. Last quarter, the team behind the system booked 70% more nights than the market average and at rates that were 17% higher than most.

It’s even more important to be really clear about what you’re willing to accept in terms of per-night revenue when working with the RevMax system, because the pricing is automated.

As you’ll know from our previous blog, there is no charge for you to use the dynamic pricing system – that’s a cost borne by us. The only real change you need to make is to be willing to accept different per-night rental rates, based on market conditions.

Find out more about RevMax here.

The offer of free nights

RevMax has told us that one great way to boost revenue is to run offers of a free night when a certain number of nights are booked. They’ve suggested that each homeowner specifies a number of nights per year which you would be happy to allocate free of charge on a promotional basis.

This way, the RevMax team can use the free nights to attract new business and close more bookings more quickly, before the guest can look elsewhere. They’ve told us that they have good results with these tactics and have advised it would be useful for us to test them too.

If you’re happy to do this, then all you need to do is to specify the number of free nights per year that we or the RevMax team can use for your home. You can do this in the marketing contract.

We understand that some homeowners may be reluctant to agree to give away free nights – and that’s fine too.

Next actions

You’ll receive the new marketing contract from us by email soon.

Please have a think about the rates and promotions you’d be willing to accept. If you’d like to talk this over with a member of our team, please get in touch.

Complete the rates and promotions details, sign the contract and return it to us.

If you have any questions about this, please reach out to us.

N.B. If you aren’t yet using RevMax, but you’d like to start using it, then please drop us an email to the usual email address: admin@whiterosevillas.com

With bookings in Florida taking a hit from the pandemic again right now, we take another look at the RevMax dynamic pricing system with this guide for homeowners.

Have you signed up to use our dynamic pricing service yet? If not, this blog is for you. It explains how dynamic pricing works and why it can help you maximise returns on your vacation home.

The counter-intuitive profitability

Let’s be clear from the outset: we have to acknowledge that it seems unlikely that by reducing the amount of revenue you get per night for your home, you can actually make more money from it.

However, that’s the starting principle on which RevMax works: by agreeing to be more flexible on the rates you achieve, you can boost your occupancy rates. Since the discounts per night are relatively small, the increase in occupancy rates more than offsets them.

In fact, in practice, RevMax is a bit more complicated than this.

That’s because on some nights – especially during peak season or busy periods – you can earn more per night for your home than you would at your standard nightly rate.  And that’s what makes RevMax so clever: it identifies the trends in the market and adjusts your per-night rate accordingly to ensure you achieve top dollar whilst also boosting occupancy rates.

Why do we need such sophisticated tools?

Your vacation home is great. It’s unique to you. No doubt, you’ve enjoyed many wonderful family holidays there. And you’re totally committed to making sure your guests have the same great Orlando experience.

We get it. Unfortunately, so do the big theme park hotels. And the big tour operators. And they’re doing everything they can to win those bookings instead.

To do that, they have the latest tools and technologies at their disposal. And they act fast: adjusting rates so that they dominate quiet markets and achieve premium pricing during peak periods. 

In fact, they are using similar technology to RevMax. They have their own advanced algorithms. That’s why some of the biggest hotels dramatically and suddenly dropped their rates two weeks ago – because they saw the market slowing.

That’s what we’re up against. And that’s why last year we started working with RevMax to implement dynamic pricing for you.

RevMax is already delivering great returns for some owners

Most of you will know that we’ve been working with the RevMax dynamic pricing system over the last difficult year. Some of you may already be benefiting from it.

The beauty of RevMax dynamic pricing is that it uses advanced algorithms to assess the state of the market and then prices your per-night rental rates accordingly. This means that your house is always marketed at a competitive rate, based on current market conditions. The main benefit to this is that you’ll see a big uptick in your occupancy rate – and, consequently, the overall revenue your home generates.

The main requirement is that you need to be really clear about the lowest per-night rate you will accept and what promotional tools (like free nights for certain bookings) you’d be willing to employ.

It’s only by having all this information upfront and programmed into RevMax that we can act as fast as the big hotels.

We’ve already seen some great results. It’s hard to comprehend that some of our owners have been able to increase revenues during this difficult period – but that has been our experience with dynamic pricing.

As we progress with the system, we’re continually refining and developing what we’re doing to try to maximise revenues for you, our homeowners, whilst also delivering the very best experience for your guests.

Could you benefit from introducing dynamic pricing?

If you’re not yet using RevMax dynamic pricing but you think you might like to, please get in touch with our team.

There is no additional charge for using the RevMax service. It’s a cost we are absorbing for the benefit of our homeowners. It’s completely up to you whether you want to use it.

Our advice? The key to getting the most from RevMax is to have a deep think and be really honest with yourself – and us – about what you want your home to achieve.

Our team will work with you whatever you decide. Our goal is to help you achieve your goals.

If you have any questions about this, please reach out to us.

If you aren’t yet using RevMax, but you’d like to start using it, then please drop me an email as soon as you can at the usual email address: admin@whiterosevillas.com

Cindy Miller and her husband own a fantastic family vacation home on the Indian Wells community in Kissimmee. Her home has received some wonderful reviews over the past year – and she’s kindly agreed to share her experience on our blog.

“The first time we stayed in our Orlando home we rented it – because we were visiting Disney. My husband and I lived in Florida and we’d been going to the parks for a while, but we really stepped up our Disney trips once we’d had our son!” explains Cindy.

Soon afterwards, the homeowners at that time decided to put the three-bed, two-bath property on the market. They emailed all the guests on their mailing list with details of the sale. The news came at just the right time for Cindy and her husband.

She says, “It was the right opportunity at the right time. We lived 45 minutes away at that time, so we felt like it could be a good investment for us. The family who owned it were renting it out for vacation rentals already. And we were familiar with the home. We knew it was really close to Disney, so it was perfect.”

Choosing to buy the property

Because Cindy knew the home and its location, she felt very comfortable about purchasing it.

She says the features that guests love most about the home are:

• Proximity to the parks.
• It’s such great value – between $115 per night in low season to $145 over peaks seasons, such as the Christmas period. This is great value for families when compared to a hotel.
• It’s pet friendly.
• The pool.

“This house was just perfect, very clean and had everything you might need. Cindy was extremely helpful and on top of everything. The location is unbeatable! Everything you need is close by, grocery stores, gas station, restaurants, and the neighborhood was very clean and quiet. The pool was amazing, we were able to enjoy it everyday throughout our stay. Overall experience was amazing. Thank you for letting us stay in your house!!!”

When Cindy and her husband purchased the home in 2016, they chose to stay with the existing property manager. The previous homeowners had used them, so it made sense not to change too much.

However, Cindy says, “We were with that property management company for three or four years. Over that time, the service depreciated. Changing property managers seemed like a huge risk because we’d been with the existing company for a long time. However, I didn’t feel they shared my commitment to the guest experience.”

 Switching property managers was a tough decision

“I am part of several Facebook groups dedicated to Disney and sometimes questions about accommodation pop up,” Cindy explains. “I reached out to people on those groups and got a few recommendations, including for White Rose Villas property management.”

The family began investigating local property management companies and talking to the companies that had been recommended.

Cindy recalls, “One of the homeowners I’d spoken with had been through the ringer with their property management companies too and he told me White Rose Villas are the most professional company he’s worked with.”

“I definitely had concerns,” admits Cindy. “I’d only worked with the one property management company, so I was jumping into the unknown. I spoke with White Rose Villas at length and going with them felt like the right decision. Even so, I was worried about the sales situation: could they live up to their promises? And would their service also decline over time?”

Despite these concerns, Cindy and her husband knew it was time to move on. The service from the incumbent property management company had declined so much, she knew she couldn’t stay with them.   The transition process away from the incumbent property management company was a hurdle that Cindy was nervous to take on alone.  Cindy and White Rose Villas created a transition plan together, which was executed with full support and guidance from White Rose Villas. In 2020, the family successfully switched to White Rose Villas for the management of their vacation home.

“It was a tough decision, but there’s been a huge payoff,” Cindy says. “I’m so happy I made the change.”

Alignment on the issues that count

The key differences in the property management service delivery have been in communication and the general ethos.

Cindy explains: “Overall, White Rose Villas are 100% more professional. I’d say the value they place on guest satisfaction and happiness is on a par with me. With my previous property manager, I felt like I had to fight for the guest. With White Rose Villas, it’s the opposite. They put the guest at the heart of what they do too. As a result, we work much more smoothly as a team.”

She says that the White Rose Villas team quickly helped her overcome any reservations she had about making the switch.

“They earned my trust. And they maintained that trust by keeping the lines of communication open. They tell me about issues. And they help me resolve them quickly. If I ever raise anything with White Rose Villas, someone will be over there the same day or the next day having that facetime with the guest and fixing it. They are attentive. They have the right staff to understand the issue and what needs to be done. And they execute on that plan and make sure the guests are satisfied.”

Managing from a distance

Cindy has now moved out of state. Instead of being 45 minutes away, she is now several states away. Not being able to attend the property herself in the case of an emergency has made the relationship with her property management company even more important for Cindy.

“The White Rose Villas service has definitely been consistently positive,” Cindy says. “If anything, I have more trust in them now. I turn to them for advice – and 99% of the time, I go with what they recommend.”

She lists the main benefits of making the switch as:

• Maintenance: White Rose Villas are really on top of the cleanliness and the repairs and the aesthetics – and that’s really important to guests.
• Communication: It’s always timely and thorough for me and my guests.
• Representation of our home as a brand: White Rose Villas are always friendly and professional and I feel like we are on the same page.

“Bringing money in isn’t part of the dynamic for me,” Cindy explains, “because I market the home myself on VRBO. I do a lot of my own bookings. Because they are mostly local, we’ve seen a steady occupancy, even through the pandemic.”

“It was a great stay! Our son loved the pool so much he asked if we could take it home with us! It’s very convenient to many shops and outlets and a very easy Uber/Lyft ride to any of the Disney parks! Cindy was wonderful in her communication and the house felt very Covid safe!”

Excellent feedback

Cindy is a super host on VRBO. Her home now has a 4.7 star rating on the website.

“I have 72 reviews and most of them are five star,” Cindy says. “It has been a turnaround from what I was hearing from guests prior to switching. Things are now perfect and kept to the standards I expect. I feel like I can sleep well at night, even though I live many states away. My guests are now free to focus on having a good time and creating great memories.”

See more of Cindy’s home here.