Thursday, September 27, 2007

Vacation in a Home in Florida - What to Do?

By Nathalie Fiset Platinum Quality Author

Vacation home rental is becoming a trend these days. More and more people prefer to rent a vacation home than stay in a hotel. Vacation home is accessible in most tourist places like California and Florida.

Vacation home is a fully-furnished house or townhouse which is leased to certain individuals who stays for a definite number of days. Vacation homes can either be with swimming pools or jacuzzi. It can also be with special amenities depending on what is agreed upon. There are some vacation homes which allow pets to be brought with the family.

Here are some things that you need to know in looking for a vacation home.

Check on the listings from agents or from the internet. When searching for a vacation home, be as specific as you can be. Use appropriate keywords when typing. If you prefer a 3-bedroom house within Orlando Florida and you would like to bring your pet, then put it in as keywords. Do not limit yourself with the top list.

Look for a house which is near the places that you would want to visit. Limit your travel time from 10 to 15 minutes only. A travel time of more than 30 minutes will consume a lot of your time. Traffic is likely to occur when you travel long. There might be areas where you have not considered having traffic which cause longer time to reach your destinations.

Search for units which offer short time rentals. Inquire for the minimum amount of days for the lease. It is cheaper when you reach the minimum days required. The succeeding days may also charge less compared with the original rate.

Consider the amenities that go with the home. The usual package includes the kitchen utensils like pots and pans with stoves, beds and linens, and towels. Some companies offer a grocery package which you will have to pay additional charge. Some homes offer strollers, cribs and wheelchairs for additional charge also.

Try to find a vacation home with a wide background. More activities can be held when the backyard is bigger.

Lastly, get a vacation home which has no second floor if you have elderly or disabled individuals with you. It can hinder their movements and it might even cause accidents.

Once you are able to come up with a checklist on what specifications you like for your future home, you can now start searching for ‘the house’.

Vacation home are listed in different newspapers and magazines. You can start checking there for possible home. If you can not find anything through this media, you can search through the internet or through agents or brokers. There are some who owns the vacation home and they speak for themselves without any agents.

If you are undecided on whom to go to, you can always rely on friends or relatives who had experiences with vacation homes. You can ask for referrals on which house to choose and who to talk to.

Other sites for listing are through visitors’ bureau websites which can be found in the internet.

When finalizing details, make sure that you have a copy of the agreement. Everything should be noted down and it should always be followed. It is important to note the dates and deadlines for payments as well as the special information regarding the house and its amenities.

Ask as many questions as you can from the agent. It is better to be prepared than know-it-all when in fact you haven’t discussed certain things. If the agent is hesitant to give answers to your questions, be wary. There might be some things which might not turn out well.

Here are some helpful tips that you should bear in mind!

1. Reserve as early as possible. If you have finalized your plans, reserve the vacation homes. During peak seasons, vacation homes are in demand and are easily booked.
2. Retain a personal copy for the agreement. Important data should be recorded.
3. Pay on time. Give special attentions to deadlines of payments, your reservation might be forfeited if you fail to comply.
4. Be aware of the cancellation procedure. Some do not allow cancellations so make sure that you decide well if you would like to avail the home.
5. Note on special instructions should be made. Do not wait for the last minute before moving.