Holiday Home Rental

DEEMAR

Hi

Not sure if this is the right forum for this. I have a house in Clare (coastal) which I would like to rent out for holidays. Has anyone any advice they could give me regarding this, i.e , where to advertise etc. I was thinking of european visitors, but not sure where to advertise to attract them. Would I need to go through an agency or are there websites etc. Any help would be appreciated.

Lady Chatterton

Would you consider setting up a website to market your property? If it is nicely designed, includes good quality pictures of your house and provides information about local attractions, it might be cheaper and more effective than placing adverts in foreign newspapers or magazines.

If you are going to place adverts, I'd try to target the markets that might best suit your property and its location. For example: I'm living in Killaloe so if I was renting my home, I would be focusing on fishing/water-based holidays or walking holidays.

Have you considered adding your property to one of the domestic self catering websites? In recent years, I've holidayed at home and I've rented properties in West Cork, Kerry, Sligo, Mayo, North Clare and the Slieve Blooms in Offaly. I love self catering, it's cheaper and gives you more comfort and flexibility when holidaying with young children. I reckon that as money is tight at the moment, a lot of families are choosing to holiday at home, so don't give up on the Irish market completely.

http://www.letsgoselfcatering.com/en/holiday-homes/ireland/clare/search
http://www.dreamireland.com/home/index.php
http://www.westcoastholidays.ie/
http://www.irelandselfcateringholiday.com/

Good Luck with your venture!

DEEMAR

Many thanks for that info

I haven't considered setting up a website, because I thought it would be too costly, but I may check it out. Thanks for all the links, I will check them out also.

Lady Chatterton

There are lots of web designers out there who are desperate for business at the moment so you should be able to get a basic website for pretty handy money. You could also consider setting up a facebook page for the property and I've seen properties on You Tube too.

Carry

It's not only about having a website but to be high up in search engines, like tourists looking for "Ireland, Clare, Coast" or such like and turning up top.

My neighbour has a holiday home in Clare and joined the following website: http://www.clareireland.net/
He, my neighbour, does a relatively brisk business since he joined it, despite not being at the desirable coast.

The man who runs it is not only a professional who knows about bumping up search requests, but does a thorough research about the properties and businesses, does the photos and the individual websites. And he informs you about everything. He concentrates mainly on the European market and offers several languages. Though requests come in from all over the world (I should know, I do the bookings for my neighbour).

He is very picky though, so a ramshackle cottage won't have any luck.

You have to pay an annual, though reasonable fee for an actually excellent service. He would even do the bookings for you, if you wish.

Just contact him. Though as far as I know he's not around at the moment. But early next year should be enough time for the upcoming tourist season.

DEEMAR

Thanks Carrie

That sounds very interesting, I will check it out

Jim Martin

Isn't the easiest thing to hand it over to an auctioneer (assuming you can afford their fees!)?

DEEMAR

Don't think an auctioneer would handle holiday lets, I was thinking more of an agency.

Clareman

I couldn't imagine them not taking the business to be honest, I wouldn't think many people would go through them though.

Try places like Bord Failte or Go Ireland, they'll get you in brochures and on their sites, the business you are getting into is very difficult and there are an awful lot of people at it, maybe ask around the local pubs to see if there's anything they can suggest, often they'll have an agreement with a tourism operator and will be able to get you in contact.

Lady Chatterton

Bord Failte accreditation is pricey and they've very strict guidelines for their properties, properties have to up to a particularly high standard.

They has some advice on their website about getting involved in the tourism industry as a small business owner.

http://www.failteireland.ie/Develop-Your-Business/Start-Your-Business.aspx

Carry

Board Failte costs a fortune (I remember 600 Euro per year) and they have unreasonable demands to give the coveted shamrock sign, like the curtains have to match the bed linens and such like. Too much "Keeping up appearances".

Auctioneers are easy to advertise a house, but not for the international tourist business. Does any tourist know about local auctioneers or even websites like daft or myhome? No.

They google something like "Ireland cottage west coast" or "holiday home clare ireland". And then look at what turns up.

What often turns up is one of the big agencies which charge a lot and don't really promote individual businesses. They just take on whoever wants to as long as they pay the often high fees.
Important for tourists though is the presentation and the communication, not some agency.

It's certainly very community-minded to promote desperate local web-designers, but if you want international business and tourists you have to look further than the borders of Clare. And local pubs aren't exactly into international tourists, unless they turn up and get drunk. Or you are happy with local business - once or twice a year for a weekend.

My tip in my previous post is your best bet I know about, but you can test the waters by pretending to be a tourist and google the buzz words for your house. See what turns up, check it and ask.

However, the tourist business with holiday homes, with so many empty (and often ugly) tourist estates around, is a bit underwhelmed. You need to have to offer something special or be in a very special area.
Or you decide to rent long term. Which might be for some a bigger risk but a more steady income.

Sorry for the long post, but I really try to be honestly helpful to everyone who wants to go into the tourism business.

I'm in the international tourist business long enough to know what I'm talking about.

DEEMAR

Thanks so much Clareman, I really appreciate your help. I will check out the various agencies, and search the web etc., as you suggested. I appreciate that the market is very tight at the moment. What I have to offer is a good quality house, kept in immaculate condition, located in a seaside resort. So my goal is to "get it out there". Thanks everyone for all the advice and links

rainbowdash

Theres a website called ownersdirect.co.uk which pretty much expains itself. I think there are many more UK based sites but their names allude me, I'm sure you could google them.