Filling Your Remaining Vacancies

The recent trend has seen record-breaking numbers of vacationers booking earlier than pre-pandemic times, but there are still many procrastinators who will wait until the spring – and even continue to book right through the summer.

How can you book up your remaining availability?

If you do still have availability late in the booking season, here are a few tips:

• Post a FREE Owner Special with any special offer you’d like. (See the link under the Manage Listing section in your Homeowner Center.) Owner Specials are eye-catching and can be posted at any time of year.
• If you’d like to turbo-boost your listing’s exposure and your special offer, purchase a Last-Minute Availability Alert. Doing so enters your listing onto our Special Deals and Last-minute Availability page, which receives a ton of vacationer traffic, and costs very little.
• Promote your home on social media, including a direct link to your listing. Read more about The Value of Social Media.
• Respond immediately to any inquiries (see our post about the best way to respond to inquiries), and, if the vacationer provides a phone number, call them.
• The most desirable weeks of the summer are the last two in July and the first 2-3 in August.  Consider pricing your weeks accordingly.
• Make sure your calendar is up to date! Many vacationers will sort by “Calendar Last Updated,” and you definitely don’t want to fall to the bottom of the list.
• Have your pricing set for as many upcoming months as possible. While the bulk of the traffic is related to people looking for a last minute getaway, many are looking for the fall, long-term, and even rentals for next summer!
• Make sure your pictures are the best they can be – large, seasonal, and as many of them as possible. Need help? Ask about our photography, video, and consulting services.
• Solicit guest reviews from your past guests, if you have had any. Read more about the importance of guest reviews.
• Our Marketing Team offers a great Exposure Package to give your listing increased exposure on all our social media channels.