Does VacaConnect own or rent properties directly?
No. VacaConnect is a venue for vacation rental owners/managers/listers to advertise their vacation rentals. VacaConnect markets and advertises the Site to help renters easily navigate through the properties to find the suitable vacation rental property. The rent a property, the renter contacts the owner/manager/lister directly by using the contact information provided on the listing’s page on our Site.
If I contact an owner/manager via email or telephone, am I under any obligation to rent from them?
No, you are under no obligation to rent, but please review the listing extensively and decide whether it meets your requirements before contacting the owner/manager. Please also keep in mind that most of the owners will be talking to you from their home so please take the hour and time zone of the rental into consideration. If you leave a message, make sure to clearly state your name, telephone number and/or email address to be reached and the dates you are looking to rent the property.
Why have I not heard back from an owner/manager after contacting them?
Try contacting the owner/manager through email and telephone if available. Most owners/managers take 24 to 48 hours to respond. If you have not heard back by that time, try again but look into other properties that fit your needs as the owner/manager of this particular may be out of town or otherwise engaged.
Is it better to rent from properties listed by owners versus property managers?
We believe both options to be of great quality. You will either be contacting a property management company that maintains a property on a regular basis or an owner that is in close enough proximity to the property to maintain it in the same manner as a management company would. VacaConnect does not believe one to be better than the other. It solely depends on which properties appeal to you for your vacation.
Are the prices of the properties non-negotiable or is there room for negotiation?
Generally, if it is during a peak season or holiday, prices tend to be firm. If it is an off peak time and the property is not booked, owners/managers may be negotiable on the price. Please do not expect to get a deep discount. Most owners/managers do not rely on off-peak season income and would rather have the property vacant that rent it out for a low price and risk any damages, etc. Owners/managers will sometimes post special offer prices which will give you a discount for a certain period of time.
How are payments handled?
Renters make payments directly to the vacation property owner/manager. Each vacation rental is individually owned and operated, therefore the payment methods and schedules will vary between properties. Generally, the owner/manager will require a security deposit and the remaining balance to be paid in one or two installments prior to the rental period. Paypal and credit card payments are most common, but some owner/managers may take personal checks and/or money orders. We highly recommend that you discuss cancellation policies with the owner/manager and receive the policies in writing.
Will there be any extra fees beyond the rental price?
Typically additional fees will include refundable deposits, cleaning fees, local taxes, and in some cases there may be charges for telephone calls, etc. All additional fees generally appear on the listing’s page, but you should confirm any additional fees with the property owner/manager prior to placing a deposit.
What happens if something goes wrong while we are in the rental property?
If something goes wrong while you are staying in your vacation rental (i.e. something breaks, etc.), call the owner/manager and they should be able to get the problem resolved quickly. Even if the owner/manager is not in the area, they generally have someone that can fix the issue professionally and quickly in the area.
Can I provide feedback about my vacation experience at a vacation rental property?
Absolutely! VacaConnect highly encourages you to do so. We will donate $1 per review received on our Site. Your review will be posted on the specific listing page as well as in our Forums for other visitors to view. We welcome all reviews of properties and we do not review and delete any review submitted unless the language used includes any profane words or otherwise offensive language to visitors of the Site.
Is cleaning the property upon leaving necessary?
This will vary from property to property. In some cases the owner/manager will have a cleaning crew come in after you leave, although you will most likely be expected to leave the property as tidy as possible so the cleaning team does not have to deal with any major messes. In other cases, you might be expected to clean the property (washing linens, dishes, etc.) before leaving. Be sure to check with the owner/manager on their check-out policies.
How do I opt out of receiving email promotions and news from VacaConnect?
VacaConnect respects your right to privacy and we have taken every measure to make it an easy process to opt out of receiving emails from our Site. On the next email received, simply click on the Unsubscribe button and your email address will automatically be removed from our email list. You can also send an email to unsubscribe@vacaconnect.com and your email address will be removed.
Can I make changes to my listing?
Yes. You can make changes at anytime by signing into your Owner Listing Page and click on Edit Listing. You will see all of the tabs of your listing that you filled in upon signing up. Go into whichever tab you need to make changes and then click Save Changes before leaving a tab. You will see updates in one to two business days.
How quickly will my listing be online?
Once you have entered in all required fields and made your payment, VacaConnect will review your listing and it will be live on the Site within one to two business days.
Why do some photos look better than others online?
Photos are a key element of your listing. It is imperative that you upload the best quality photos you have access to. Photos pulled from brochures tend to be blurry due to the color printing process used in making the brochure. Best results come from digital photos or 35mm. Another great tip is to take your photos on a sunny day so your property looks as light and bright as possible.
Why does it say Pending on my photos?
Once your photos have been uploaded, VacaConnect will review the photos for quality and your photos will go live within one to two business days, in which time the “Pending” status will be removed.
How do I change my primary photo?
Simply go to editing your listing in the photo section. There is a box to check along the bottom of each photo that allows you to set whichever photo you choose to your primary photo.
What is considered a full or half bathroom?
A full bathroom includes a toilet and shower/bathtub while a half bathroom has a toilet only with no shower/bathtub. If you feel you need to explain in further detail, there is a place provided for you to add more notes while listing your property.
How can I increase exposure of my listing?
Add more photos or continue to update the photos you have. Use a digital camera preferably to get the best quality photo.
Can I include more than one property in my listing?
VacaConnect does not allow more than one property on each individual listing so visitors can search by specific criteria on the exact type of property they are looking for. We do offer a 10% discounted rate for owners and managers that have 5 or more properties to list. If you have several properties you wish to list, please contact us and we will discuss payment options.
Can I change my listing to a different property at a later date?
VacaConnect does not permit owners/managers/listers to change the property listed at a later date. We have a specific system of property identification numbers that would tend to confuse visitors if changes to properties were allowed.
What factors determine the order of the search results?
Search results are not in any particular order, although listings with updated calendars and the maximum number of photos tend to increase traffic to that particular listing. Search results depend highly on the search criteria entered by the visitor. You may also feature your property in order to have it shown in the Featured Properties section in your regional area.
What should I do if I have forgotten my password?
On the homepage, go to Owner Login and click on “Forgot Password”. VacaConnect will ask you to enter your email address in order to email your password to you.
How do I determine how much, if any, sales tax to charge for my rental?
Contact your city, county and state governments to determine the requirements for the area in which your property is located. Ask how much sales tax you should charge, how often payments are due and if any registration is required in your area.
If I receive a suspicious email, what should I do?
Suspicious emails will usually contain poor spelling and grammar and odd placement of capital letters. These emails will sometimes offer to send the owner/manager a payment that equals more than the rental price and ask the owner/manager to refund the difference. The checks they send will be false and the bank will likely not discover it by the time you send the difference back. To protect yourself from any scams, please always insist on exact payment and delete any nefarious emails. Notify us at support@vacaconnect.com if you are suspect of any fraud committed. To learn more about fraud, please visit www.fraud.org .
How do I opt out of receiving email promotions and news from VacaConnect?
VacaConnect respects your right to privacy and we have taken every measure to make it an easy process to opt out of receiving emails from our Site. On the next email received, simply click on the Unsubscribe button and your email address will automatically be removed from our email list. You can also send an email to unsubscribe@vacaconnect.com and your email address will be removed.
