As reported here, for the last year we couldn’t sell the lake house so we decided to rent it out. We did that when we first bought it because everyone told us how great it was.
They lied. It wasn’t great.
The theft, the damage and lest not forget the lawsuit.
Yea, that last one made us stop renting for years.
But now being in the financial situation we are in and the fact that vacation homes aren’t selling during a recession this was our only option so the bank wasn’t on our heels.
We rent it from a vacation by owner website. It has 12-15 pictures of the home.
The cost is laid out in high season (summer) mid season (spring and fall) and low season (winter) It states very clearly that high season rentals are ONLY weekly. No exceptions.
There are maps for the location. It lists all the amenities in the home and nearby.
The site has a calendar that shows the weeks that are full and those that are open.
It states very clearly in two places that in summer the rentals are Saturday to Saturday.
It also states if the calendar is updated. So you can be assured what you are looking at is up to date. This site also lists how to contact us via email and phone.
It is quite detailed but in a way that it is a quick glance and you can get all the info you need.
So imagine how giddy I am when I get an email or a call that asks to just rent for 3 days.
This past week these are some of what I have been asked.
“Is your home available from August 2 – 6th?”
(the calendar shows it is not AND if you can count you know that isn’t a week)
“Is you home near the dam”
(gee the picture on the map clearly shows it is indeed)
“Can your home accommodate 12 people?”
(the sentence on the top right of the page states 6 person occupancy max due to county ordinance, not clear enough?)
“I know it says you only rent for a week but we only need it for 5 days from Friday to Tuesday so that should be enough right?”
(bang head on table)
“I’m coming from San Diego and the weather will be cooler and less humid in August there right?”
(Oh the poor thing….NO, normally the temp is the same number as the humidity and it is usually in the 90’s or above)
“I know it said no dogs but my 3 dogs are very well behaved I can bring them right?”
(gee the word no exception to this rule wasn’t clear huh?)
“Do you have parking for more than 7 cars?
(no we only can accommodate 6 people) Oh we only have 6 people.”
(Oh my goodness - no room at the inn buddy)
“It said no smoking but we can smoke on the lower level of the house though right?”
(Bang head on table over and over again!)
My personal favorite:
“I am allergic to dust, mold, mildew and dampness of all kinds. I also have issues with trees. You home looks very clean but do you have any unforeseen dust or dampness issues I need to know about? Do you have a lot of trees?”
(We are surrounded by a lot of trees on one acre. The water is our backyard. We are at a lake lady it’s not dry &; it is humid weather. Yes our home is very clean but there is only so much one can do living on the water sometimes. This may not be the vacation spot for you, try a bubble. )
“We have 14 people and the women and children are willing to sleep on the floor so is the last week of August open?”
(OH MY GOD NO and NO)
No I didn't say these things I have written here but you all know I wish I could have.
You have to laugh or you’d be in jail for hurting them.
The hell with Calgon ....Big Lottery Money come take me away.
17 comments:
I'm banging my head on my desk over here....I so get this....when we go down to Sanibel the whole island pretty much has a Saturday to Saturday rental policy.
It costs so much to have the place cleaned, insurance, fees, etc. that weekly rentals are the only option.
Anything less than that and the
owners don't pull a profit. And they aren't even making a huge profit....just enough to clean it and get new furniture and updates for the next season. There are always people who are all, "well I can give you twenty bucks, that's better than leaving it sit empty, right???"
Ummm, no.
Lizbeth - oh you get it!
Yes that last line of yours I have heard many times. I want to say, No it's not and I'll go enjoy my home myself numbnuts. But that is frowned upon in a customer service capacity.
So your life is dealing with people on the phone. You must really really like that.
the women and children are willing to sleep on the floor?
that is super.
you know, i really enjoying your accounts of this, but i don;t think my blood pressure can take much more.
Next time we all get together, the first round is on me...it sounds like you need it.
Mike - yep I love it. I do it for work and do it in my off time as well. And then Rick wants to know why I won't answer the phones in the evening. Oh please don't make me!
flask - I have a feeling the women and children comment was a different culture from his accent and manner on the phone. Not that it makes it any better but easier to understand who the hell would say such a thing. And my blood pressure can't take much more either.
Bilbo - seriously I find it funny although like I said to Mike - I sure don't want to speak to people in the evening. It gets old you know?
Confession time again (seems like I do this a lot on your site). I have a friend who says/does all the things you just wrote about because (in her words not mine)
"It doesn't hurt to ask."
I can now refer her to this post and say,
"Yes, yes it does."
people are so...... hm... what are they..... so....
by the way, my head hurts from all the banging you did! LOL
We don't have THAT kind of rental, but do have property that is rented out to deadbeats! If we could sell it, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but I refuse to give it away.
This makes me laugh!
I can only imagine the people that inquire.
And...
BTW...
I have a weiner dog and 17 family members. Would it be okay with you if you we rented it for 7 hours?
ha!
Mamma/Bonnie - I feel like a priest taking your confessions.
It doesn't hurt her to ask, it hurts me. :-)
Daphne - thanks for sharing the pain with me, misery loves company you know!
Cora/Ms. A - my neighbor sold her house in 2 days. It's getting better where I live so it will be trickling down to your neck of the woods soon.
Jenny - only 17? hell c'mon down. We can cook that weiner dog on the grill right? mustard, relish.....
this is funny, although you probably don't think so.
one of my biggest pet peeves is people who think that the rules don't apply to them. and those people seem to seriously want to rent you lake house.
Unforseen dust. I promise you I'm about dead from the laughter.
Arnebya,
I know! I find all of these a damn hoot. I see the humor but it gets damn frustrating. I did tell her that this was not the right home for her. I anticapted too many issues with her.
OMG people these days. Re that comment from San Diego. I promise we are not all that silly. We just don't understand that the weather anywhere outside our bubble gets over 80 degrees in summer, winter, spring or fall:)
oh. wow. good luck with all this...what a pain in the butt
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