How to be protected from foreclosure or shady owners on VRBO?

[Smiling JOe]

This thread somewhat ties into what I just posted on the thread about WaterColor's amenities for renters. If you are renting through a good property management company, your worries will be forgotten. VRBO may work well most of the time, but I would hate to have the headache if I was on vacation, when it didn't. I want someone local who can fix the a/c when it goes out on July 4, or clean the house immediately if that was an oversite. When using a good management company, you don't show up to a house that has no furniture because it was foreclosed.

If price is all you care about, VRBO away. If having a great experience and vacation is most important, don't cheap out. Most people have a very limited time to get away on vacation, and you don't want to spend the entire time upset about not being able to check in to a rental whose owner has your credit card and or deposit.

 

[Matt J]

This thread somewhat ties into what I just posted on the thread about WaterColor's amenities for renters. If you are renting through a good property management company, your worries will be forgotten. VRBO may work well most of the time, but I would hate to have the headache if I was on vacation, when it didn't. I want someone local who can fix the a/c when it goes out on July 4, or clean the house immediately if that was an oversite. When using a good management company, you don't show up to a house that has no furniture because it was foreclosed.

If price is all you care about, VRBO away. If having a great experience and vacation is most important, don't cheap out. Most people have a very limited time to get away on vacation, and you don't want to spend the entire time upset about not being able to check in to a rental whose owner has your credit card and or deposit.

There's no guarantee that they'll remove the furniture. When I worked in rentals we went to a unit to do a walk through for arrival, no electricity and no call back from the owner. Moved the guest and then looked, sure enough Lis Pen.

Of course this does back up your point of renting through a rental company, they can move you and have incentive to do so. VRBO owners don't.

 

[pk305]

suggestions

not sure if this would be 100%....but will share my thoughts.

First, we rent our home via VRBO and then turn it over to a reputable local agency....so we feel that gives the renter more confidence in the entire process (as it would us)...the renter deals with the agency for the contract, deposit, etc....

Second, years ago, remember when EASTERN Airlines went belly up!?! We had booked a family trip, including several thousand dollars on credit card with Eastern airlines....THANK GOODNESS we were able to get a full refund due to Eastern Airlines being unable to perform.....we jumped on the phone immediately when the Eastern Airlines news broke and Visa gave us a credit very quickly.....it was absolutely so gut wrenching to think we might lose all that money!! Anyway, it has probably changed now....but who knows....perhaps the cc gives more protection.

dd is important always....but more so in these times.

 

[Smiling JOe]

pk305 is correct in that a credit card (not to be confused with a debit card) does give you some protection, but it offers no house in which you can stay if the home is foreclosed. Your only security if that happens is if you rented through a rental company and they can quickly put you in another rental home.

 

[Matt J]

pk305 is correct in that a credit card (not to be confused with a debit card) does give you some protection, but it offers no house in which you can stay if the home is foreclosed. Your only security if that happens is if you rented through a rental company and they can quickly put you in another rental home.

Unless it's Memorial Day, July 4th, or Labor Day and then your really pushing your luck. I've sweated through a couple of those praying that an air conditioner didn't break or something flooded.

 

[Paula]

This thread somewhat ties into what I just posted on the thread about WaterColor's amenities for renters. If you are renting through a good property management company, your worries will be forgotten. VRBO may work well most of the time, but I would hate to have the headache if I was on vacation, when it didn't. I want someone local who can fix the a/c when it goes out on July 4, or clean the house immediately if that was an oversite. When using a good management company, you don't show up to a house that has no furniture because it was foreclosed.

If price is all you care about, VRBO away. If having a great experience and vacation is most important, don't cheap out. Most people have a very limited time to get away on vacation, and you don't want to spend the entire time upset about not being able to check in to a rental whose owner has your credit card and or deposit.

I agree with pk's post. Many people (like me) advertise their site on VRBO and then have people who are interested book through the rental company that manages their property. I think this can be the best of both worlds because you get to talk to the owner directly to ask questions, you usually get more information and photos of the property through VRBO, and you have the local rental agency to take care of the booking, maintenance, and they can move you to a different place if there are any problems of any kind (e.g., if an airconditioner breaks down or something like that) because they have other properties available. I always assume that the owner who uses VRBO and the local rental agency work together to give the guests a successful vacation experience. We've had rentals for 7 years now, and I think the agency had to move the guests just once, and I'm glad the agency was able to take care of that locally. I'm sure the guests were glad, too.

As for foreclosures/places for sale, ideally, the agency would know if a property is up for sale and that's a reasonable question to ask the owners on VRBO or to ask the management company or rental agency. In many cases of places for sale, I imagine the new owners would continue the rentals.