That was what I asked my friend last summer on our way to Martha's Vineyard. She's the co-captain of our cycling team and we were headed to the Vineyard for an MS Bike Tour. Since my husband only rides things that have motors, I was flyin' solo and wasn't super interested in our accommodations... until I got there and found out it was a vacation rental. Then my interest was piqued of course.
It turns out the other co-captain rents this very same house every year for our group of riders and he loves it. The house was, well, "fine". I mean, there were no glaring issues, and no one complained. But after a night on possibly the most uncomfortable futon I'd ever slept on- I wanted to! However, my mother raised me to be polite, and I didn't say a word as I woke up in the morning with a back ache and a 60 mile bike ride ahead of me (after all, we were riding to help end the devastating effects of MS). In addition to the poor quality of the "Low Status Adult" bedding, if you looked closely, the home was very worn- the sofas were torn in places, there wasn't enough outdoor seating for the amount the house slept (don't worry, we took the dining room furniture outside), the decor was a bit out of date, and the comforters were in need of an overhaul.
Now while our group leader will probably go back to this house again as his first choice for a rental, the home’s owner missed reaching the other 9 people in our group. Meaning, I didn't go running home to my husband or friends and family and say, "Hey, I stayed at this great house, and if we ever go back to Martha's Vineyard, we should rent this house". I don't think the other people on our team did either.
It's important to note that the majority of our rentals are usually with 2 or more groups of people, but the booking and decision making component is in many cases only done by one group member. The others are just tagging along to what their friend chose. So, essentially, each time a reservation goes into your property, it's a chance to market your property to the rest of the group! Make an impression that makes the other group members want to return to YOUR property when they return to Killington the next time.
While the house in Martha's Vineyard that I stayed at may have worked well for our group type, why confine your renting potential to one type of guest? Why not seek a new market for your property by performing simple and often times cost effective upgrades/enhancements? This will not only make your current repeat clientele thrilled, it will open you up to a new market of renters... maximizing your home's rental potential.
If you'd like to discuss what upgrades, replacements, or enhancements your property would benefit from, feel free to contact Stacy.