The Best Time to Book Vacation Rentals

There is no doubt that vacation rentals will offer savvy travelers some great deals over the next year.  This is especially true for large groups that are traveling. They will offer the most space, and large areas for cooking. Values will be found all year long. But when is the best time to book vacation rentals?  When might the deals be even a bit sweeter?

The first tactic that one can consider is based on geography.  Let’s say that you want to go to the mountains. Most people will be there over the skiing season in the deep winter, and during the middle months of summer, when the weather is at its best.  If you want the best deals, you would look in spring and fall. Then summer will be the next best time, and then winter will be the most expensive. This is especially true if your vacation rental is located close to a ski lodge. You can apply this same sort of tactic to oceanfront cottages, and even city locations.  Look for the times of the year when traffic in the area is at a lull.  In the Branson, Missouri area, for example, you can find your best deals between Jan 1 to March 1 of each year. This is the time when traffic is gone. That is what I always advise people coming to the Ozarks.

If you are going to book your vacation rental in a popular area, then you are best off to plan to book 6-8 months in advance. This is when you will get your best prices.  This is also true of booking into areas during peak visitation times.  After the 6 month window, you will see an increase in prices.  If you are already into this window of time, then you might want to consider booking  last minute, looking for some vacation rental that has cancellations, or left over vacancies.  Again I will use a local example:  in the Branson, Missouri area, you can save yourself 25-30%, if you book 6 months out for the peek seasons.  You can get even better deals, if you will come over the spring.  The driving factor is Silver Dollar City being closed.

East coast summer destinations for vacation rentals can be even more demanding.  Since the northeast has a short summer season, and demand tends to always be high, you may want to get your booking in 7-8 months out.  This number is also good for booking in coastal areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

Another tactic to try is going to areas that used to be popular spots, but have been forgotten over time.  One of our best examples of this is Jekyll Island Georgia. You can great some great deals on vacation rental property here up to 4 months out.  This beautiful area has turn of the 20th Century charm, and used to be a big spot for vacationing for the rich and famous.  In more modern times, this area has changed, but the values are still there.  The water is not as blue as Hawaii, but the beaches are wonderful, and the locals will treat you well.

One last thought to consider about the best time to book vacation rentals:  you may want to compare properties owned by private home owners and property management companies.  Loss of rental days can be very hard on private vacation rental home owners. You may be able to find some great deals in this sector as close to travel time as 2-3 weeks.  If you are looking at a vacation rental from a property management company, you will want to stay in the six month range discussed earlier.  Otherwise, your best is going for the last minute deal.

Posted by on Mar 6th, 2010 and filed under Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site

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