A colleague has written a short article about renting out a holiday property online.  He does very well with his cave houses near Baza and in Granada and the tips make a lot of sense.

Tips for renting out your Spanish property online

Paid Vacation Rental Sites versus Free Sites Versus My Own Site...

My Experience...

Hi all…

Just finished collating all my data for 2009 with regard to my apartment rental…

In 2009 I ran an advert on

Owners Direct (Cost £180.00 Approx)
Holiday Lettings (Cost £250.00 Approx)
Travel Library (Cost FREE)
Eyes On Spain (Cost Was FREE but now £45.00 Approx)
Personal Web Site (Cost £125.00 plus £25.00 / Year Approx)

Plus an assortment of other free sites…

The key info is here…

OD / 17 Enquiries / 0 Booking / £180 Invest for Rental income £0 / Profit after Clean and Key drop £180 / Loss

HL / 27 Enquiries / 1 Booking / £250 Invest for Rental income £199 / Profit after Clean and Key drop £190 / Loss

TL / 12 Enquiries / 3 Bookings / £000 Invest for Rental income £2600 / Profit after Clean and Key drop £2200 / Profit

EOS / 7 Enquiries / 2 Bookings / £000 Invest for Rental income £1650 / Profit after Clean and Key drop £1390 / Profit

Own Site / 23 Enquiries / 9 Bookings / £150 Invest for Rental income £7230 / Profit after Clean and Key drop £6100 / Profit


For my own site I did also spend a further £100 on cards and spent a few Saturdays distributing them while out walking…

My Conclusion….

My figures above have now proven to me that Vacation Rental Websites are not worth the cost…

Rough figures to look at…

HL… 35000 plus + adverts they claim…

Basic advert cost £220 + VAT…

That is over £7 million revenue….

Profit margin I can only dream about….

Time to do your own site and stop making these overnight millionaires into billionaires….

Even Travel Library which is free outperformed HL and OD…

My own site murdered both….

I believe that Vacation rental sites need to change how they work and charge…

I have today discontinued my paid adverts…

To take an example… HL Classic ad now devalued by Premium ad both of which have gone up in price in an even more competitive market where there are less and less renters and more and more properties…

OWNERS…. WAKE UP….

Set up your own sites… Work with other owners on your complex…

My gripe over for 2009

Wishing all a fantastic 2010

John.
http://www.benatalaya.co.uk

Hi John

Having just gone into your own site you can see why it was more succesful - it was very impressive.  Did you do the site yourself or did you employ someone else to do it?

I am so greatful to John for the figure analysis he has provided for those who may need it. I have always thought that the rental websites were cashing it in.

I am just in the process of completing our website once we have pictures taken.

John did you take those pictures or did you get a pro in? Pictures in the main are the best sales feature and your pictures were great.  

Hi nicolaraho and nigela

My site and photos were done by

Photography & Website By Motion Views

The content I already had in numerous adverts...

Remember your page headers need key info...

First 5 seconds ...

No of bedrooms, Sleeps, geographic location and Key facilities...

My first page header instantly tells visitor key info...

Benatalaya, Atalaya Golf Resort, Benahavis, Costa del Sol.
3 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms, Sleeps 6, With Heated Indoor Pool, Spa & Gym.

Best of luck for 2010...

This message was last edited by Lava Clip on 02/01/2010.

Hi John

We are currently getting someone to put together a website for our recently completed property in San Cayetano, I would like to thank you for the tips and the link to your website, it is the best format that we have come across so far and doesn't surprise me that you have been successful with bookings.

Thanks

Alan 

http://www.benatalaya.co.uk

Hi AlaNicki
 

Dont forget to back up your site with every means you can to promote site...

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs etc etc... Obvious I know but takes time...

Also... Business cards and leaflet drops...

Select the area you leaflet to match your apartment...

I target affulent neighbourhoods near Golf Courses including lots of other stuff....

You can advertise here on EOS and I have had a good response from here...

There is an interesting video here http://www.eyeonspain.com/services/holiday-lettings.aspx  which I recommend you check out when creating your site...

http://www.benatalaya.co.uk