The Most Costly Vacation Rental Furnishings
In the past, homeowners would fill their rental homes with low price furnishings. It was a great way to save a few bucks, right? Grab a few tables, dressers, bed sets, and wall pieces from a thrift store and voila… a full furnished vacation rental!
This is no longer a good idea. In fact, the thrift store approach is a very, very poor one and extremely costly for vacation home owners.
Today’s guests have an endless list of vacation options thanks to the web and growing vacation rental marketplace. While online, guests quickly compare properties’s furnishing. Poorly furnished properties are skipped… and quickly skipped.
Owners still using the “thrift store” approach often forget why people are thinking of vacationing. Guest want to rest and relax. Yes, the beach and water are a big part of the interest, but rest & relaxation are the keys to great vacations. Without a good presentation of a comfortably furnished property, “thrift store” properties are doomed to a wildly poor rental schedule.
What To Avoid – The Big Three
- Light Tan Woods – looks like it was just in a dorm room
- Everything Wicker – color doesn’t matter but white is the worst
- Gold & Brass – this is more about hardware but gold/brass takes 20 years off your property
How costly is the “thrift store approach” in vacation rentals?
A strong example can be made for two side-by-side condominiums we managed years ago. The first condo was comfortable, colorful, and updated. The second was decorated by an owner with a thrift store preference. The first condo owner generated $30,000 more in a year than the second condo owner. The investment of a few thousand in good furniture generated 10x the return. Other hidden loss also includes the maintenance to repair and patch old furniture.
It is important to mention that furniture price is not the key. Affordable, comfortable, and replaceable is the best approach. Pricey and custom furniture is the same mistake as buying thrift.
by Wes Walker
Vice President of Vacation Rentals
Dunes Properties of Charleston
(843) 513-1604
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