From the WNAV Office

What Sets Us Apart from Our Competitors?

Written by Elizabeth Weedon
5/5 - (6 votes)

“In what ways are you different from your competition?” is a common question we get from homeowners who are considering listing on our site.  Well, there are a lot of ways!

  • We give homeowners complete control of the process,
  • We do not charge vacationers booking/service fees.
  • We are exclusively dedicated to vacation homes on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
  • We are locally owned and operated.
  • We offer many other benefits including lower rates and shorter subscription options.

We give homeowners complete control of the booking process. Do you like being told how and when to take payments? Do you care that a listing site controls the process – and makes an added profit on it in the process?  Most of our competitors now require vacationers to book through their sites, automating the process in favor of large volume property managers, but, in so doing, preventing or significantly restricting direct communication between homeowners and their prospective guests. This runs totally counter to our belief that establishing full communication and a personal connection between both parties from the outset is vital to the success of renting!

We do not charge vacationers booking/service fees like most other sites now do. Doing so not only interferes with the booking process but impacts a homeowner’s ability to charge as much for their home. Naturally, it also drives vacationers to other sites (like ours) to avoid paying the fee.  Read more about why homeowners are outraged about booking fees.

The advantage of being a local, niche site: We live here, work here, rent out our own vacation homes here.  We know the Cape and Islands rental market in a way that the global sites cannot.  As a result, our website is chock-full of local, relevant information including local events, beaches, transportation, restaurants, etc.  Vacationers love this – and that our site allows them to so quickly and easily target exactly what they are looking for.

Being locally owned and operated enables us to run a much more personal business.

We care.  We’re passionate about what we do.  Some of our homeowners have been on our site for nearly 20 years! Many we have met face-to-face at our complimentary annual Homeowner Forums, during our onsite consultations, or when they stop by our Brewster office. And many others we have gotten to know by phone or email. We are genuinely interested in making a personal connection with our homeowners and help them to successfully market and manage their vacation rentals.  

Having an office right on the Cape also allows us to offer exceptional On-site Photo, Video, and Consultation Services. These marketing services can include promoting your listing via powerful social media channels, touring your rental home, offering input on furnishings, amenities, and other details, and providing specific marketing suggestions for your listing.

We offer many other listing benefits which you can learn about on our Listing Benefits and Cost page. There you will see that our rates are the most competitive in the industry, we offer 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscription plans for a flat fee, and don’t charge any commissions.

If you haven’t already listed with us, we hope you will consider doing so. We will bring you the same success (or more!) in booking your rental home as the “Big Box” sites (see our Listing Guarantee. And our smaller, more local and personal niche site will provide you with a significantly more enjoyable experience. We’re happy to discuss your rental situation with you – call us anytime!

About the author

Elizabeth Weedon

Elizabeth Weedon - Although I’ve worked for WeNeedaVacation.com since 2008, I’ve been a loyal homeowner on the site since early 1998, just a few months after the website was launched by the Talmadges. I grew up summering on the Vineyard and managed my family's rental home there since the mid-1980’s. I’m passionately devoted to the Vineyard – and to WeNeedaVacation, which I credit with enabling me to hold onto the special property that has been in our family for nearly a century. An enthusiastic member of the WNAV Homeowner Support Team, I endeavor to keep my finger on the pulse of the Cape and Islands vacation rental industry so that I can provide homeowners advice about how to ensure their booking success with us. With owner Joan Talmadge, I am also responsible for editing and writing much of the text on our website, our monthly newsletters, and Homeowner Blog posts.

1 Comment

  • It is comforting to hear a business person speak honestly and natural. I will call you and see if I can have the opportunity to list with you. I have rented the family home About the same length of time you have been in business. It makes me smile thinking of people cheerleading my dream along the way. Thank you for writing as a human being. I will call you for sure!