As a vacation rental home owner, you know that bad reviews of your property can be expensive. Seeing anything less than a positive review (especially if it’s recent) will cause many potential guests to keep on scrolling! No matter how fantastic your vacation rental is there will always be complaints, but here are some common ones that can quite easily be avoided.
“Property Not as Described”
No one likes unpleasant surprises! When listing (and photographing) your vacation rental, be honest about all aspects of your property. Of course you’ll want to showcase the fabulous – whether it’s the view, the pool, a grand garden bathtub…even nearby attractions! But you’ll also want to be sure your guests are prepared for other, not-so-great realities, if they do indeed exist.
Be thoughtful with your descriptions. Even some flaws may be turned into selling points for the right crowd. For example…let’s say you have a gorgeous vacation rental with loads of amenities…but it’s down the street from an outdoor motorcycle testing facility that “revs up” at the crack of dawn five days a week.
You can play up every single amazing feature on your property, but neglect to mention the fact that the motorcycle testing facility WILL be your alarm clock on the weekdays, and you’re definitely going to garner some guest complaints – and many of those WILL turn into bad reviews on your rental platform. But, if accurately described…
“Early rising thrill-seekers – this is for you! A stunning 2Bed/2Bath condo, beautifully decorated and upgraded to absolute luxury, in a gorgeous Arizona desert setting! Monday through Friday, start your day with the thrilling sounds of the world’s most technologically advanced motorcycles being tested at the nearby Xtreme Wheels facility. (The facility also offers free public tours and test rides, 7 days a week!) Evenings are quiet and minimal light in the area makes it perfect for sunsets and stargazing from the relaxing hot tub overlooking the Valley!”
“Uncomfortable Beds”
When you are charging people to stay overnight, they will absolutely expect a comfortable sleep! Don’t go cheap on beds and bedding. In fact, if you’re going to “splurge” on anything in your vacation rental home, make it the mattresses and linens!
Quality bedding will not only leave your guests feeling pampered, but it also makes financial sense. Higher-end linens tend to be more durable. Linens used in vacation rentals are going to be laundered considerably more often than in your average household. Do you really want to be replacing sheets every two months?
“Amenities/Expected Provisions Lacking”
Competitiveness in the vacation rental home market (especially in the Phoenix area) has led to increased expectations. Many guests may just assume they’ll find the same type of amenities they’d find in a hotel – body-care products, tissues, etc.- PLUS the basics they’d find at home, such as dishes, cookware…you know, “the basics”.
Your vacation rental listing should clearly state what is provided for guests and make sure the property is adequately stocked for the duration of your guests’ stay. Especially important: toilet paper and trash bags! Moxie Girl has published some great tips for stocking your vacation rental home in our blogs “How to Set Up A Vacation Rental Home Kitchen” and “Laundry 101 for Vacation Rental Homes” too!
“Non-Functioning Systems/Equipment”
Imagine arriving for your stay at a vacation rental home having eagerly anticipated a nice visit to the hot tub with a nice pinot noir, only to find that the hot tub “with the relaxing, spectacular view” OBVIOUSLY hasn’t been maintained or tested any time in recent history. Sad face. Then ANGRY face. Then, aggressive dialing of the phone. You really don’t want THAT phone call on a Friday night, do you?
Regular testing and maintenance of all home systems and appliances is a must if you expect your vacation rental property to be a success. Issues you might just ignore or “work around” in your own home aren’t acceptable for a paying guest to deal with. A great way to stay in touch with the condition of your vacation rental property is to actually stay there yourself. Use our blog “Visiting Your Own Vacation Rental Home?” as a guide!
“Access Issues”
One of the most frustrating things a guest can experience is difficulty accessing the vacation rental home and associated amenities. After each guest departure, all keypad and lock boxes should be checked for function, and any keys accounted for. Be sure your guests have current codes to access anything they’ve been made to understand is available to them – including WiFi, community pools and laundry rooms!
“Tired and Worn-Looking”
Many things contribute to the overall appearance of your vacation rental home, including everything from like linens and cookware, to larger items such as furniture and window coverings. Replacing items costs less in the long run than bad reviews. Consider updating and replacing items BEFORE they start to look shabby. (Use our blog, “Refresh Your Vacation Rental Home for Spring” for some quick tips – they can be applied to any time of year!)
“Cleanliness”
Cleanliness in a vacation rental should never be an option. Your guests should feel as though they are entering a space which has been prepared with them in mind. NO ONE is expecting any “ewwwww” moments – especially when they should’ve been easily caught by the cleaning crew well before check-in time. Our blog “Review Killers” points out some common cleaning “misses” you should definitely be aware of!
In Summary…
There’s a lot you, as the vacation rental home owner, can do to not only avoid complaints but garner great reviews! Being proactive in maintenance, seasonal “refreshes” and cleanings keeps your property continually looking and feeling its most appealing to your guests.
If you’re a vacation rental home owner in the Phoenix Metro area and interested to know how Moxie Girl can help your property shine, click for a FREE CONSULTATION!
Think you might want to BE a Moxie? We’d love to hear from you! Click here to APPLY!
As Mother’s Day rapidly approaches, have you ever wondered how Mother’s Day came about in the first place? It all started with a woman named Anna Jarvis (who actually never became a mother herself.) Anna was born in West Virginia in 1864, and was the ninth of eleven children born to Granville E. and Ann Maria (nee Reeves) Jarvis.
In 1908, Anna completed a movement that her mother had started. It had been a dream of Ann Maria’s to create a special day to recognize other women for all of their hard work in and out of the home, in the course of raising their families. Anna’s mother had passed before everything was approved to officially create the holiday. Anna’s drive to finish what her mother started was strong and with the help of President Woodrow Wilson, Mother’s Day became a nationally recognized holiday.
In it’s early days, Mother’s Day was recognized with flowers and giving mom “the day off.” Traditionally, the carnation is the signature flower of the holiday with red and pink carnations recognizing mothers still living and white carnations memorializing those who had passed. Today, Mother’s Day is celebrated in many different ways. Children and husbands give flowers, cards and perhaps treat mom to a special meal or a gift certificate for a day of pampering at her favorite spa.
(Moxie Tip: If you ARE planning to take mom out for dinner in celebration of her special day – you might be wise to choose a day right before or right after Mother’s Day Sunday. Mother’s Day is usually the #1 busiest day of the year for most restaurants (followed closely by Valentine’s Day) and although staffing can be at a maximum, everything else is too. Wait times to be seated can be long and service may suffer under the strain of a continuous and heavy stream of patrons, so you might not be treating mom to the very best experience she deserves.)
Moxie Girl would like to give a big shout out to all of the mothers around the world who work hard and raise families. Many of us Moxies are also moms, so we know it is one of the toughest jobs on the planet. Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Moxie Girl!
Moxie Girl is the Valley’s vacation rental specialist! Vacation rental home owners – get a FREE CONSULTATION and see how much easier it is to be a successful vacation rental home operator with Moxie Girl taking care of the turns! Moxie Girl is always looking for just the right fit to add to our reliable and motivated team – APPLY HERE. We’d love to hear from you!
It’s spring time! Oh, what a wonderful time to experience flowers, Easter, warm sunshine, and for many, a long-awaited graduation!
There are two major colleges in the Phoenix area: Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University. ASU will be holding Spring graduations in May, and GCU will also be holding several graduations for nearby high schools and community colleges. For those of you travelling to the Phoenix area this month here are some important dates and details you need to know…
ASU: Commencement 05/06/2019 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe at 7:30 p.m
Estrella Mountain Community College and Glendale CC and Phoenix College: Commencement 05/10/2019 at GCU
Gateway and South Mountain CC: Commencement 05/09/2019 at GCU
Grand Canyon University is located off the I-17 on Camelback Road and 35th Ave. So, if you plan on travelling this way during the graduation times, be prepared for some heavy traffic. Moxie Girl wishes you a great stay in Arizona at this most gorgeous time of year – and congratulations, graduates!
Planning a summer vacation in the Phoenix area? No doubt you’ve heard about the heat, but if you’ve never experienced summer in the desert, there are some things you should be aware of – especially if your doggos are along for the trip! Moxie Girl has some important tips to help you and your “best friend” have a safe and enjoyable summer vacation in Arizona.
The Perfect Place to Stay
Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley all have some great “dogs-welcome” vacation rental homes and these cities, in particular, have many restaurants and cafes with pet-friendly patios, too! Before booking your vacation rental, make sure you’re clear on the property’s pet policy.Some good questions to ask:
Is there a pet deposit required, and how much is it?
How many pets are allowed, and is the required deposit “per pet” or just a general pet deposit?
Is the pet deposit refundable (or not charged) if no pet damage occurs?
Does the property have any weight or breed restrictions?
Wow – They Weren’t Kidding About This Heat…
Nope, not at all! Moxie Girl cannot stress enough the importance of protecting your pet (and yourself) from extreme desert heat.First and foremost, NEVER, EVER leave your pet in the car! Even if the outside temperature is only 80 degrees, the temperature inside your vehicle can rise to 120 degrees within a matter of minutes, so just DON’T.
Staying hydrated is a must!Always have plenty of cool, fresh water available for you and your pet, especially when you’re out and about.Remember, if you’re feeling thirsty, you’re already on your way to dehydration…and that’s just a hop and a skip from heat stroke – or worse.
Walk your pet in the early morning hours. Not only is the desert gorgeous at sunrise, but it’s usually also the coolest part of the day. Still, even during the coolest hours asphalt or concrete may be uncomfortably hot for your pet to walk on. Take your shoes off and walk outside.If your feet are burning, so will your dog’s. Either stay on the grass during your walks or invest in some protective footwear for your pet.
Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan on Unsplash
Creature Features and Weird Plants
Even though your summer vacation rental home may feel as though it’s “in the city” – and it may well be – doesn’t mean you won’t find any critters. Sure, there may neighbors, restaurants, and shopping nearby, but please be advised that our desert wildlife pays no mind. Coyotes, javelina(wild desert boars) and various birds of prey are regularly spotted in well-populated areas around the valley, so NEVER leave your pet unattended outside.
Early mornings sightings are common, so pay special attention to your surroundings when walking your pet.If you should happen upon a coyote or javelin, don’t panic. They’re generally not aggressive unless they feel threatened, but then again they’re not called “wildlife” for nothing.It’s always best to stay quiet and calmly but firmly guide your pet in the other direction. If you feel threatened by these creatures, know that they can usually be dispersed by a loud noise, such as banging a heavy stick on a metal sign or fence if necessary.
Oh, and we also have scorpions and snakes.Don’t freak out, but definitely steer clear of either of those.Scorpion stings can be dangerous and are always painful.While many desert snakes are harmless, unless you’re versed in herpetology, take no chances. One of the most dangerous snakes in the Southwest is the rattlesnake and they blend in quite well with the desert landscape, so keep a close eye on and around your path.
Pets can be curious, and cactus is unique! Keep plenty of space between you and your pet and anything that looks spiny or full of thorns.
Stormy Weather
Summer monsoon storms can quickly come out of nowhere, bringing blowing dust, heavy rain, booming thunder and spectacular lightning strikes.You and your pet are safest indoors during these events and your pet may appreciate some extra TLC – these storms can be loud and scary!
If a monsoon storm is predicted, making a few simple preparations in case of a power outage is a great idea.A fully charged cell phone is a good place to start.Think about what you and your pet might want to have close at hand should you find yourselves in the dark for a few hours and gather those items in a comfy spot you’ve chosen to wait out the storm.
Moxie Girl hopes our tips for summer travel with pets have you feeling excited and well-prepared for a fantastically fun getaway with your whole family. Check out other blogs for more helpful hints for enjoying your Phoenix summer vacation rental!
Moxie Girl loves a summertime pool party and we have some inexpensive and creative ways to make yours a hit! Many of the items needed to implement these fun and functional tips may even be purchased at your nearest dollar store.
No Pests Allowed!
A week or so before your party is to take place, make time to do a thorough walk of your grounds and nip any pest problems in the bud. Your local hardware store can recommend products to take care of any issues you may discover and keep your party bug free!
Your guests will appreciate your thoughtfulness in having mosquito repellent available during your outdoor party – mosquitoes can be relentless during monsoon season. Moxie Girl recommends a chemical-free repellent such as Z-Shield which contains natural citronella, clove, peppermint and cedar oils.
Photo by Norwood Themes on Unsplash
Discourage flies, in particular around food service areas by cutting lemons in half and placing cloves in the flesh of each lemon half. Set the lemon halves in small dishes or candle cups, attractively placed between dishes on serving and dining tables.
BYOT*
*Towel…Bring your own towel! Unless you have a resort level stock of beach towels and would like a laundry duty for days after your party. It’s best to ask your guests to BYOT to your pool party. You may spark your guests and get them excited about bringing their own towels by making a game out of it. Consider providing a small prize for the guest who brings the funniest, cutest, or most colorful beach towel!
Speaking of towels, make sure there are plenty of places for your guests to hang their towels to dry. Retractable clotheslines are a great idea and can be useful on a regular basis for air drying your hand washables.
Photo by Lauren Fleischmann on Unsplash
Let’s Drink to That!
Liquid refreshments are a must at any party. Moxie Girl knows how to make cleanup easier, as well as reducing waste in the drink department.
Use drink dispensers with spigots for water. Guests will be able to easily serve themselves and you will not be creating a mountain of plastic bottles to be recycled – or worse, abandoned half empty around your yard. Since it is so important to stay hydrated, attract your guests to the water dispensers by offering an infused selection (or two!) as well as plain. Try these great combinations for infusions: cucumber and green grape, strawberry and fresh mint, and lemon and raspberry. Simply wash, cut and freeze the ingredients in advance and add to the fresh filtered water when filling your drink dispensers.
Moxie Girl thinks it’s a great idea to set up a “drink area” and keep dispensers, cups, ice, and napkins conveniently within reach. Consider placing a colorful plastic table cover from the dollar store underneath your drink dispensers to catch any drips or spills. Keep a sanitized cooler filled with ice for drinks and provide an ice scoop or tongs for your guests to use when making a drink.
Photo by Shubhesh Aggarwal on Unsplash
If using disposable party cups, have several Sharpie markers for party-goers to write their names on their cups, making it much easier for guests to keep track of their drinks and save on cups.
Small inflatable or durable plastic kiddie pools filled with ice make fantastic and festive open-air coolers for canned or bottled beverages. A shady spot is best for anything you are trying to keep cool, of course!
Go play!
Inflatable rafts and beach balls are pool play favorites. Quality, long-lasting inflatable pool toys can be pricey – you may want to consider some inexpensive selections just for your party. You may also invite your guests to bring their favorite pool toys to the party. Having a manual pump on hand will allow inflatable items to be quickly applied for play!
Pool “noodles” also make for a great floating fun, they don’t require air and can be found at the dollar store. Remember, none of these toys are safety devices, children should be supervised AT ALL TIMES!
Which Way to the Bathroom?
If you have a choice, select a bathroom with the shortest path through the house for your guests to use during your pool party. As always, make sure this bathroom is sparkling clean and stocked with plenty of toilet paper, hand soap, and hand towels!
Now, examine the path from the pool to the bathroom and decide if water could damage the flooring or create a slippery and unsafe situation for your guests. A protective runner or high absorbency mats are solid pre-emptive measures against mishaps!
If your backyard gala is particularly large, investigate renting a Port-a-Potty for the day. There are many reputable companies that will deliver these units clean, fresh and ready to use. Moxie girl has seen hosts decorate their rented portables with all the comforts of an indoor restroom – lighting, mirrors, fresh flowers, fancy soaps, and lotions. And once the party is over, the disposal company will haul them away for you!
Speaking of Hauling Away…
Discourage guests from abandoning their dirty dishes and other refuse around your yard and pool by making sure to have adequate, lined trash bins and clearly marked recycle bins that are easy to spot. Keep pests and odors to a minimum by using bins with lids and placing all bins away from serving and eating areas. Full liners should be replaced before they begin to overflow and hauled to an area away from the party, for permanent disposal later.
Party Patrol, Reporting for Duty!
Even hosting a party as a couple, it is easy to overlook things like the timely refilling of drink dispensers, replenishing food, emptying trash bins and freshening the restrooms. If you’ve got a few friends willing to help, put together your own “party patrol” with each member committing to periodic checks of items and areas needing attention during the event!
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash
We hope you found these tips useful and fun – maybe they even inspired you to begin planning your own outdoor summer party!
Moxie Girl is a local, female-owned cleaning company specializing in the care of vacation rental homes. Our team currently services nearly 120 vacation rentals in the Phoenix metro area, providing full between-guest turns, including SAME DAY cleanings for our valued clients! Vacation rental home owners, please click for a FREE CONSULTATIONto find out how much easier your life can be!
Moxie Girl is always open to expanding our very supportive team, too! The nature of our business lets our Moxie Girls (and Moxie Boys!) enjoy flexible schedules that fit with their college schedules, parenting duties and other obligations, while getting and keeping fit as a Vacation Rental Assistant. There’s plenty of room for growth here, and Moxie Girl prefers to promote from within our excellent team. Interested in joining us? Click to APPLY!
Phoenix vacation rental home owners often think it’s a good idea to just shutter their property and wait out the summer season – who wants to come to Phoenix in the summer, anyway? Actually lots of people DO come to Phoenix in the summer, even if they are just passing through on their way to cooler temps than we have to offer.
With our vast experience in the Phoenix area vacation rental home market, Moxie Girl can always be counted on for excellent tips for vacation rental home owners. We recently received an email from one of our valued clients, asking for tips to help her boost the summer bookings for her Valley vacation rental home – and we are happy to share our advice with you, too!
Here are a few things we’ve heard from our clients (vacation rental homeowners and professional property managers) whose properties in the Valley stay busy during the summer:
Use Multiple Rental Platforms
List your vacation rental home on multiple sites! Summer tends to have more road tripping guests and they use AirBNB a bit more than VRBO, so using at least both of these platforms to list your property “widens your net” for potential bookings.
Implement Active Tweaking
Rental platform sites all have algorithms that keep a secret eye on your listing activity and will boost more active properties to the top of relevant search results. Simply tweaking your prices on a weekly basis will help show the sites that you want your vacation rental to be listed higher than those of your competition!
Competitive Pricing
Speaking of competition, keep an eye on prices of your competitors – both vacation rental homes AND hotels/resorts in your area. One of the biggest mistakes we see vacation rental home owners make is to refuse to drop their prices in the summer.
Yes, offering your $199-a-night-during-peak-season vacation rental home for $89/night during the summer sounds painful, but if the nearby five-star resort with an amazing water park is offering $99/night, and a competitor’s vacation rental home down the street is listed at $89/night, then your home, listed at $199/night will most likely sit vacant.
It’s also important to think about what a potential guest sees when they look at a vacation rental home listing with a WIDE OPEN calendar – they may second guess if they should book with you based on that empty calendar alone (trust us, it’s a whole social validity/psychology thing.) Consider taking a couple reservations each month at deep discounts to get SOMETHING on your calendar. Having at least a couple bookings a bit in advance should help you attract more bookings, at regular summer prices.
Another thing you may consider doing is to take “last minute” reservations – anything is better than nothing! If your vacation rental home calendar for an upcoming week is empty, drop the price and you may snag the budget road trippers!
Guests Are Guests
In our experience, lower prices do NOT equal lesser quality guests. The interactions that vacation rental homeowners or managers have with guests prior to arrival have far more impact than the nightly amount the guest will pay. Moxie Girl actually sees the most damage to homes when guests stay over 30 days because they really start to LIVE in the home.
Something is Definitely Better than Nothing!
To illustrate what busy vacation rental homes in the Phoenix area CAN do in the summer, let’s look at the 2018 summer season stats for three properties belonging to Moxie Girl clients. Please note that all three properties are professionally managed by local property managers – it really helps to specifically “tuned-in” to Phoenix summer vacation rental market.
Remember, NO bookings equals ZERO income for your vacation rental property. So, even if your rental home is only booked for close to half of the days in each summer month – and even at summer rental rates – that income will go a long way in covering the regular, monthly expenses that come with rental ownership. (Mortgage payments, HOA fees and utilities don’t go away, even if you do “close” your rental for the summer!)
Check out the number of nights BOOKED for each of these vacation rentals:
Property
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
4Bed/4Bath
North Scottsdale
14
21
16
15
26
4Bed/2.5Bath
Scottsdale
12
11
18
12
10
4Bed/3Bath
North Scottsdale
16
17
26
18
22
Need More?
Be sure to check out our other blogs filled with even more helpful tips for a successful summer rental season!
We hope you enjoyed our feature on Moxie Girl founder, Amanda Thomas, last week. International Women’s Day may have come and gone but we’re still celebrating over here! Last year we introduced you to Going GreenHouse, Moxie Girl’s personal recommendation for your residential cleaning needs. Since we’re still feeling the girl power though, we thought it might be fun to have April, founder of Going GreenHouse to share some of her insights and experiences (so far) as a female business owner.
The Challenges of Being a Boss Lady
Being a business owner presents a bundle of challenges and a female business owner will experience all of them – and more. April says one of her biggest challenges is participating in networking groups. While the premise of these groups is to help you grow your business and make helpful connections, “Some networking groups are still ‘good ol’ boys clubs’ and I have trouble fitting in,” says April.
“It’s also been a challenge for me to recognize what and who I’m comfortable or uncomfortable with in business, and adjust accordingly,’ April says. Effectively setting boundaries and standards can be difficult, but it’s actually much easier in the long run than compromising your integrity or trying to do business with people or in situations that just aren’t cutting it.
Leadership and Tough Decisions
“I do think I’m a born leader, but some aspects of leadership are not natural to me – such as setting boundaries and making uncomfortable decisions,” says April, echoing the voices of many women in business today. Many of us find it difficult to stifle our nurturing, people-pleasing tendencies – even when it’s necessary to do so in order for business to be at its best.
Without revealing details, April admits that she’s had to make at least one tough decision in the past. “It was best for the company but it did some damage to an important personal relationship for a time. Thankfully, everything has worked out personally,” says April.
Help Along the Way
As women in business we are often reluctant to reach out for help because we fear being perceived as weak. But in fact most successful upstart businesses – regardless of ownership gender – can certainly benefit from the experiences of others. April says she’s “sought guidance and camaraderie from many – and definitely a few key people at certain times” noting that she’s had one “coach” on-going for about 5 years, and others she’s spent a year or so with along the way.
Balance is Everything
“Any uncommitted time I have, I tend to fill up with work-related tasks,” says April, adding that she also enjoys hanging out with family, watching Project Runway and, of course, getting some much-needed sleep. “I built my business to suit my lifestyle, 100%. It just took 5 years to get it that way!”
Congratulations on all your accomplishments to date, April! Moxie Girl wishes you all the best on your continuing journey!
How Can We Help?
By choosing Going GreenHouse for your residential cleaning needs and Moxie Girl to care for your Phoenix-area vacation rental home care, you can be assured you’re receiving top-notch service while supporting a local, female-owned businesses. Both Going GreenHouse and Moxie Girl take great pride in our reputations and our teams. Click a link and find out how we can help!
Happy International Women’s Day! The theme of this years celebration is #Balance for Better and we ask ourselves how we can help forge a more gender-balanced world. Unfortunately it’s rare to find a woman who hasn’t known the frustration of being seen as “lesser than” by men in the business world. Ever receive a compliment on your work, such as “You sure know a lot about running a company…for a girl”? Ugh. Yes – more gender balance would definitely be better!
Moxie Girl founder, Amanda Thomas, knows well that bias against women – especially women business owners – still exists. I recently had a chance to sit down with Amanda and chat about her background and the experiences that have helped shape the woman she is today.
An Earthy Beginning
The youngest of 3 sisters, Amanda grew up on her family’s farm where a solid work ethic and strong morals prevailed. “My grandparents had a neighboring farm and I spent a lot of time with my grandma, who’s now 98 years old. She was one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever known,” says Amanda, also noting that her grandparents labored in exchange for land ownership rather than money, initially, in order to build their own farm.
Amanda chuckles remembering her earliest entrepreneurial endeavor – selling candies to the workers on her grandparents farm when she was a kid. Sure, that business went by the wayside, but Amanda’s enthusiasm for business ownership grew with her into adulthood.
Back-Handed Compliments and Micro-Aggression
Founding Moxie Girl at the age of 27, Amanda quickly grew tired of the comments and behaviors she saw in her male counterparts. “I’d go to networking events and be talking to people – mostly men, of course – explaining my company and thinking I’m getting somewhere…And then I’d realize I was just being chatted up because I’m an attractive female,” Amanda says. “Even more annoying were some of the comments I’d get from men when they’d find out that my business was REALLY a business. Things like ‘Oh, wow! You have employees?’ There was definitely a different standard of acceptance in business, depending on your gender.”
“Bossy” to “Boss Lady”
Growing up, Amanda says her family often referred to her as “bossy.” She did – and still does – like to direct things. “I’m still ‘bossy’ I suppose, but I’ve learned how to be bossy in a way that works for my business and my team. Amanda knows that in many situations, it’s more important to trust that a job gets done to satisfaction than it is to waste time fretting about the method. “I truly want my team members to be able to effectively work things through on their own, but I also want them to feel secure in asking for help or advice when they need it.”
A Big Decision
Regardless of gender, business owners are continually faced with important decisions. Amanda says the biggest decision she’s made recently was to shift the focus of Moxie Girl from “household assistants” to “vacation rental specialists.”
“The business had grown to a comfortable level and I was happy with the way things were going but the booming vacation rental industry here in the Valley really presented an opportunity to fill a new niche. Internally, I wrestled with shifting our focus, but I’m sure I made the right move,” says Amanda. As proof, Moxie Girl has roughly doubled in size since concentrating on vacation rental properties only, servicing approximately 110 vacation rental homes throughout the Metro-Phoenix area.
Balance is Everything
Oh, did I mention Amanda has been managing all this on top of having a husband and a toddler-age son? With the past year devoted to the directional change and growth of her business, sometimes Amanda’s lifestyle has had to change – at least temporarily – to make it all work. I asked Amanda if she felt that owning her own business was “worth it” and the resounding answer was “Yes!” followed by “Most days.”
While owning a business can certainly be stressful, Amanda says she feels more secure knowing her business is hers. “Ultimately, it’s my business and I have the power to adjust things to counter shifting balances if needed.”
When I asked Amanda what she likes to do with any “uncommitted” time on her calendar, not surprisingly, her answer was “Nap!” For Amanda naps are a re-charge and allow her to be more productive and effective in the rest of her busy life. “I’m actually working on securing more ‘uncommitted’ time that I can commit to napping!” says Amanda.
Words of Wisdom
Amanda’s advice to aspiring business women? “LISTEN – a lot! And say ‘yes’ to whatever you think you can do.” Amanda actually began Moxie Girl Household Assistants in response to what she was hearing and seeing during her time spent as a nanny and in working in the fitness industry. “I could see the effects that ‘not enough help’ was having on couples and families. Instead of focusing on their common dreams, relationships and goals, I saw a lot of finger-pointing and blame, “ says Amanda.
Through listening and making numerous mental notes, Amanda clearly saw ways she could help. She imagined offering support by way of providing assistance in all the “little things” around a home which can add up and spark resentment between partners and family members – and Moxie Girl was born! Yay!
Enjoy Your Day!
Whether you’re looking for the best, most reliable care for your vacation rental property? A FREE CONSULTATION is a click away! Think you’d make a great Moxie Girl yourself? Click to APPLY!
As a female-founded, owned and operated business, the celebration of International Women’s Day is dear to our hearts. Moxie Girl would like to take time to recognize some of the women most important to US – the members of our Moxie tribe!
What We Share
Each of our Moxies is unique but our commonalities unite us!
First, and obviously, we’re mostly “girls” (hello! it’s in the name…but of course we welcome worthy Moxie “boys” as well!)
Second, we are all looking for flexibility for various reasons and the nature of Moxie Girl’s business allows for that flexibility!
And third, we all desire to be part of a trusted, supportive team – and that can seem hard to come by these days. Moxie Girl holds our core values in high regard and we believe these values are what allows us to BE a trusted and supportive team. We wouldn’t consider bringing anyone into our tribe we felt didn’t share our beliefs about respect, communication, personal development, people first, integrity and trust!
Where Do Moxie Girls Come From?
Well, we wish we could grow them on meticulously manicured trees, but they actually come from a variety of “places” – places in LIFE. For example, our Moxie tribe currently includes college students, moms with school-age kids, career-changers and a few new to the workforce or re-entering after a significant absence. There are all kinds of real-life situations that make joining the Moxie team a great choice! Moxie Girl appreciates your life experience. No matter your background, we believe that if you share our core values, you’ve got something to offer!
Use Your Skills and Learn New Ones!
The care of vacation rentals is an an excellent venue for utilizing your existing household management and domestic engineering skills! Think of it as “turning” a tiny hotel – spotlessly cleaning, handling the laundry and making it guest-ready, right down to the staging.
Moxie Girl loves multi-taskers and self-motivation – and we definitely have our own processes. So even if you DON’T HAVE those household management or domestic engineering skills, we can help you learn and cultivate those things!
Keeping Fit in Body and Mind
Turning a vacation rental isn’t for “wimps”…But who needs a gym membership with all the stretches, squats and hustling the job requires? Save your money AND make more – all in a day’s work!
Most vacation rental care assignments are “solo,” and for many of us, that equals “meditative.” Just cleaning our own homes is mind-clearing for a lot of us anyway, so why not get paid while you sort out your head?
What Else Do You Do?
Moxie Girl is a rapidly growing company, which means sometimes we don’t know what we need until we need it. It also means we may be able to utilize your skills from a “previous life” or ask if you might be interested in exploring and developing new ones! (For example, I’d never done any blog writing before the summer of 2018…I think I’m improving.)
Our more experienced Moxie tribe members bring with them quite the collection of talents – care-taking, accounting, marketing, serving – even running their own businesses – that can be applied to the ever-changing needs of our business. All Moxies are encouraged to “test the waters” of duties that may interest them when the need arises, giving opportunity for personal development.
The End Result…
We all win! Moxie Girl has set goals and high standards for ourselves as The Valley’s Vacation Rental Specialist and as our business grows, so does our tribe of Moxies. It’s all about the resources – and we know a fabulous team is the greatest resource we can have.
Ready to Join Moxie Girl? We are always interested in adding the right people to our team. If you think you might be a fit, speak up – APPLY HERE!
Almost everyone’s heard of Spring cleaning…but what about a Spring “refresh” for your vacation rental home? It’s always important to keep your rental looking its best and now is the perfect time to make some updates that will let your guests know you care.
Spring in Phoenix is peak season for vacation rentals. Properties renting for $80/night during the summer can command 3-4 times that price during the Spring. This alone may raise the expectations of your guests, so you certainly want them to be happy they chose YOUR vacation rental home.
Competition is fierce – don’t let your rental look dingy! Almost everything in a busy vacation rental experiences significantly more use/abuse/laundering than it would in a normal residence and should be replaced/updated accordingly anyway. Read on to find out what you can (and should) do to get ready for Spring!
Soft Stuff
When thinking “fresh” we MUST think linens! No one wants to sleep on torn or stained sheets, or use “crunchy” towels – especially at $300/night.
Do a thorough inspection of all bedding and bath linens in your vacation rental home. You should definitely put yourself in your guest’s head for this task – would YOU be happy to be paying to use these items? Weed out anything that doesn’t look, feel or smell completely fresh and replace as necessary. (Psst…For ease of care and organization, Moxie Girl recommends white cotton everything for bed and bath!)
Check out all throw pillows and rugs throughout the home. Don’t forget the kitchen towels and potholders, too! Spring is an excellent time for a color change in these household goods – especially if replacements are necessary due to staining or wear. Discount department stores such as TJ Maxx, Ross and Big Lots generally have a ton of options in colors and designs at bargain prices.
Got shower curtains and liners? These items can get especially gross – and quickly – even with regular laundering, so it’s almost always time for new ones anyway. And new shower curtains are a great way to carry your “color change” into the bath, too! (Moxie’s advice: Splurge on a “wow!” machine-washable curtain and stock up on cheap vinyl liners.)
Other Touches
Look for decorative items in the home that may be easily swapped out for a more season-appropriate look. Colored vases, silk floral arrangements – even candles and coasters – may be good choices for Spring updates. (Check those discount stores we mentioned earlier!)
If you live in Phoenix, YOU’RE probably not in the pool yet, but chances are your out-of-town guests WILL be, so it’s not too early to put out the “summer goods” – pool towels, plastic drinkware for poolside, etc. (Read more about this topic in our blog, “5 Sizzling Summer Tips for Vacation Rental Homes with Pools”!)
How Moxie Girl Can Help
Having a professional vacation rental specialist you can count on makes a world of difference in the operation of your property. Communication being one of our core values, Moxie Girl vacation rental service includes immediately alerting our clients to any damages or theft of items in case emergency replacement is needed. This means that not only will the issue be resolved, but you’ll be well within the reporting window if you need to hold guests financially responsible for any mishaps!
Moxie Girl is happy to not only provide you with our expert recommendations on specific goods that perform well in a vacation rental situation, but many of our clients prefer to just have us shop for and stock their properties for them. Easy-peasy!
Moxie Girl can also help you to put your retired household items to good use by donating them to the Esperanza Preparatory Academy. Esperanza Preparatory Academy is a complete circle of care school in Tempe, Arizona. Visit their website HERE.
Phoenix area vacation rental home owners – CLICK HERE for a free consultation and discover the benefits of having your own vacation rental specialist!
Did you know many vacation rental home owners periodically book stays in their own vacation rental homes? Whether it’s just to “check on things” or take advantage of their Phoenix “investment” during perfect weather, these visits are never bad idea.
And regardless of your the reason, it’s always a good idea to mentally prepare yourself for an “in-between-guests” visit to your operating vacation rental home. In other words…various and multiple virtual strangers have been almost continually occupying your home since your last visit, so it may not look exactly as you left it last time you staged it yourself.
Loved, But Also Lived In
Moxie Girl, your vacation rental specialist, makes a point of alerting our clients immediately to theft, es or anything in obvious need of repair when we turn a home, but everyday wear-and-tear in a busy rental home is quite different than that of the home you live in full time.
Paint may seem a little dull compared to last season, and throw rugs and sofa pillows might look less than brand new – bed and bath linens could feel slightly less than luxurious to you this time around. Wow, it’s a good thing you dropped in! Now could be the perfect time to replace your soft goods and maybe even consider planning some more extensive updates such as paint, flooring or window coverings (during “off season” of course!)
A “Turn” Clean is Not a Deep Clean
Moxie Girl services many vacation rental homes that offer back-to-back availability, limiting the time we can spend making the home guest-ready. Our “window” to completely turn a home, including laundry, is often a matter of a few hours. So, while we certainly don’t skimp on the cleaning – we want your home looking top-notch, too! – there simply isn’t time to get to “deep cleaning.”
Things such as hard water build-up, stained grouting and other issues that slowly become an issue over time really SHOULD be addressed, whether it be during your visit or by scheduling a deep clean with Moxie Girl as your property’s schedule allows. But the point here is, yes, you might see some things that need attention, but they will generally be the type of things that would fall under the deep cleaning category.
Why is This HERE???
Are you sitting down? And is your chair exactly where you left it last? If so, great! But if you’re walking into your vacation rental home for the first time in a while, this may not be the case. We’re not sure why, and the reasons may be many, but brace yourself for this bit of news: GUESTS MOVE THINGS!
Weird, right? And yet, it’s absolutely not uncommon. Moxie Girl, being who we are, takes care to beautifully stage your vacation rental home as soon as we’re done cleaning, but even WE sometimes just don’t know where a chair (or a nightstand, or a this or a that) actually belongs according to your original plan. So, we do our best.
And you know if guests are relocating furniture, chances are the items in your kitchen cupboards and drawers have definitely been moved! Again, Moxie Girl does take care to make sure these areas are clean, neat and organized, but maybe not exactly as YOU would have them arranged.
P.S. You’re absolutely welcome to arrange them as you wish during your stay!
What Can You Do?
As a vacation rental home owner there are steps you can take during your visits that will help you (and us) keep your investment looking its best for your guests. Remember, proper maintenance of your vacation rental home and its contents help keep your ratings high…which helps keep your calendar full…which gives you higher return on your investment!
Meredith Willis of Arizona Getaways, a Phoenix vacation rental management service, understands that between-guest attention, even by professionals, is on a strict time limit and advises vacation rental home owners to visit their properties regularly to check out the wear-and-tear and make needed repairs and provide routine maintenance to household systems.
As we mentioned in our blog “Minimizing Your Liabilities as a Vacation Rental Homeowner” keeping your home in good repair not only LOOKS better but greatly reduces the chance of accident or injury to guests, and ta-da! – minimizes your liability. Brilliant!
Meredith says this is also a great time to check all the linens! Even if your property rotates multiple sets of sheets and towels, these items are heavily used and laundered much more so that in regular residential use, and everything from kitchen towels to duvet covers are bound to take some mild abuse.
In short, nobody sees things in quite the same way you do, so it’s best you make it a point to do regular inspections of your vacation rental yourself. If we’re not doing things quite the way you’d like, let us know and Moxie Girl will make an effort to accommodate all reasonable requests.
Contact Us!
Looking for reliable, professional vacation rental service? Moxie Girl is here to help with everything from converting an existing home to a vacation rental to in-between-guest turns, including same day services! Contact us today for a FREE CONSULTATION!
This month, the team at Moxie Girl would like to take a moment to honor one of the greatest U.S. Inventors in history: George Washington Carver.
George Washington Carver was born into slavery during the 1860’s. Due to the Civil War ending when he was boy, he had the opportunity to pursue an education in botany. Since childhood, Mr. Carver had always been fond of experimenting with plants and agriculture. With education, his interest grew into a teaching career that helped heal the crops in the southern United States by introducing farmers to his concept of crop rotation.
Peanuts and Cotton
What do peanuts and cotton have in common? They were the two crops largely used in the south. The peanuts were used to fix the soil that had become depleted by the cotton crops. You might be asking yourself, “wow, was that how peanut butter was invented?”. Well, while Mr. Carver created many things with the peanut crops; he did not create peanut butter. So, what were the peanuts used for? They were used to make about 300 products, including but not limited to: mayonnaise, laxatives, laundry soap (for which we are eternally grateful) and glue!
A Great Role Model
George Washington Carver is a great model for us here at Moxie Girl. We strive to have a positive impact in our community and on our environment, doing our best to be eco-minded, use local (and natural) cleaning products and give back to our community. Please join us in celebrating this great inventor, entrepreneur and teacher, George Washington Carver!
It’s still February and love is STILL in the air (it’s smelling more like roses and chocolate now though.) In our blog “Match Made in Heaven – Part I” we let you in on our “Pro-Mance”…that is our professional romance with our clients. Moxie Girl knows that relationship wouldn’t be possible without our OTHER match made in heaven – the whole Moxie Girl team!
Our Mutual Loves
Moxie Girl likes to think of itself as a family. I know lots of companies say that (and some even mean it!) We do, too, but we’d like to think we have a cooler version…where you actually WANT to spend time with EVERYONE. And everything is pink.
Our tribe is diverse, but Moxies tend to share some common qualities. First, we tend to be “get shizz done” kind of people – and that means we love being part of a GSD team. And while we love being part of a team, we also tend to “like our space.” There’s a lot going on in these pretty heads of ours, and cleaning “solo” can be very meditative! We also share core values and work ethics with a focus on continuous improvement, not only to ourselves but to our team.
Why Our Moxies Love Us
The nature of our business – caring for vacation rental homes – allows for flexible job scheduling. And this flexibility can accommodate a wide range of real-life situations such as school, other jobs and family obligations.
Whether you’re new to professional cleaning or have cleaned before, Moxie Girl offers paid training in our current best practices and provides you with all the tools and supplies you’ll need – plus some soft and snazzy Moxie Girl tees to wear on the job!
As a rapidly growing company, Moxie Girl can be full of opportunities for you to learn new skills – and develop existing ones! Moxies come from all types of backgrounds, so we are always anxious to hear about any special talents you may have and how we might help to grow them!
Above all, Moxie Girl prides itself on creating and maintaining a supportive environment for our family. We want our Moxies team as a whole to be successful and we realize we need successful individuals to accomplish that.
The Key(s) to Our Heart
What makes us fall in love with our next Moxie, you ask? A prerequisite of course is that you share our common qualities listed above. We’re just picky that way.
Beyond that, we LOVE a great sense of humor! And can you stay positive (and keep that sense of humor) in the face of last-minute or unexpected events? We LOVE that, too.
Moxie Girl also has “a thing” for great communicators – not only in necessary on-the-job reporting, but also in sharing your ideas about how you feel we can do a better job and be an even better team!
Your Idea of a Match Made in Heaven?
Moxie Girl is always open to growing our family! If we sound like a match made in heaven for you, CLICK HERE to apply! – we’d LOVE to hear from you!
It’s February, and love is in the air! A perfect time for Moxie Girl to share a “match made in heaven.” We like to call it a “Pro-Mance.” It’s the PROfessional roMANCE between Moxie Girl and our valued vacation rental home clients!
Why DO Our Clients Love Us?
First of all, Moxie Girl believes in building relationships, not just “business.” We take the time to get to know you and your properties, so we can be sure we’re always doing our best to keep that relationship strong!
We know clear communication is crucial in our mission to provide our clients with the best service possible – not just with our clients, but between our team members entrusted with caring for your property.
Because Moxie Girl has extensive experience in the care of vacation rental homes, our clients know they can trust us to meet the specialized demands these homes present. We are just as concerned with guest satisfaction as they are – and we know what it takes to garner great reviews!
With Moxie Girl in charge of the “dirty” end of things, our clients can use their time to focus on filling their booking calendars and maximizing the return on their investment!
Of Course the Feeling is Mutual…
We love our clients, too! Moxie Girl clients KNOW we know our stuff and they’re willing to allow us to do what we do best, because they’re just chill like that. And why shouldn’t they be? Moxie Girl IS The Valley’s Vacation Rental Care Specialist!
Our clients also understand the need to “do their part” in keeping their vacation rental home and all its systems and contents properly maintained. As powerful as we are, Moxie Girl is just one facet of a profitable, well-functioning vacation rental!
Moxie Girl is always grateful for the referrals our appreciative clients give to their associates and we are especially excited when our clients thrive to the point of adding multiple properties to their portfolios (and ours!)
Looking for Pro-Mance?
Operating a vacation rental in the Phoenix area? You could be our next match made in heaven! Contact us for a FREE CONSULTATIONtoday!
Moxie Girl, your vacation rental homes specialist strives to provide the best service available when caring for your homes. Part of providing the best service is having the best team! Moxie Girl values our team members as family and we want our Moxies to feel that way, too.
We thought it might be fun to give you a peek into our monthly Sunday morning team meetings so you can see how it’s done!
Noooooo…!
If you’ve been in the workforce for more than a week, you’ve probably suffered through at least one seemingly endless staff meeting. You know the one… You and your peers are summoned to a cold conference room and talked AT by the boss about blah blah blah… All the while thinking, hey, this would’ve made an excellent email!
Many employers miss the boat when it comes to effective interaction with their employees by using staff meetings merely as a platform to spew information, rather than getting to know their team members and the really great ideas about business they might have. These ideas may often include very useful feedback on current processes – everyone needs that! Often there is an unspoken ‘no socializing’ rule at these meetings, too, reminding you that you are definitely not there for fun.
Our Marvelous Moxie Meetings
Moxie Girl is different from other companies in many ways but especially with regard to our team meetings. Amanda Thomas, founder of Moxie Girl, knows her team members are always working to improve efficiency – and since they are out in the field every day, the Moxies are an active hive of new ideas.
In planning the monthly Moxie team meeting, Amanda makes a very conscious effort to cover all the bases, making our gatherings as interactive, informative and FUN as possible. And being the smarty-pants she is, Amanda knows an immediate way to our hearts is directly through our tummies! Our monthly team meeting starts off with a yummy variety of morning snacks (including gluten-free options) coffee and juices!
Getting to Know You
Moxies work in teams on larger vacation rental home locations but more often than not we are solo on smaller projects, so it’s likely we’ve never even met many of our team members until we attend our first monthly meeting.
Amanda understands that actually getting to know your fellow Moxies is a great way to build the strength of the team. Meetings often begin with a “getting to know you” type activity that encourages interaction between Moxies. The better you know someone the more likely you are able to communicate with them effectively, right? And communication is a key to what Moxie Girl does.
Many times the “getting to know you activities” Amanda comes up with also include problem-solving aspects and best practices discussion, adding to our understanding of how to best work together while we’re getting to know each other!
The Moxie Hive
One of the things I personally most admire about Amanda is that she not only welcomes ideas and feedback, but actually invites them! A portion of the monthly meeting almost always include some version of a group brainstorming session directed toward issues currently relevant to the Moxie team. I often see Amanda fervently taking notes as discussions unfold. More importantly, I later see those great ideas and concepts finding their way into standard Moxie procedure.
How Are We Doing?
We all look forward to hearing updates on Moxie Girl’s progress toward our company goals. Amanda delivers the stats and makes us aware of, well, anything we should be aware of. She also answers any questions we may have. It’s nice to be in the loop!
Moxie Girl has experienced astounding growth in the past year – 40% over the previous year – and it is exciting to see that we are on track to hit our goal number of vacation rental home clients in early 2019!
Creative Endeavors
Who says you can’t be a creative and be a vacation rental home cleaner? Opportunities abound in our Moxie meetings to be creative! Charades, folding toilet tissue into fancy things, fun photo shoots and more have all come into play at Sunday morning meetings. (Not all at once, but that DOES sound fun!)
And We’re Off!
Our monthly meetings wrap up just in time for Moxies to grab any needed supplies and head out to conquer their Sunday vacation rental home cleaning schedules, feeling full of food, inspiration and new insight into our fellow team members. Thanks Amanda! Inspired to be a Moxie? APPLY NOW!
Discover the difference a strong team makes by choosing Moxie Girl for all your vacation rental home needs! From set up to in-between guest cleanings (including same-day services) you can trust Moxie Girl to deliver quality and reliability. Contact us today for a FREE CONSULTATION!
We’ve all had the experience of dealing with rule-breakers in our lives now and again – and it’s almost never pleasant. As a vacation rental home owner, rule-breakers can ruin your property – or at the very least, your schedule.
Moxie Girl founder, Amanda Thomas, recently had the opportunity to sit down with a local pro in the business of vacation rental property management to find out what types of rules are typically broken by guests – and how to best protect yourself and your property.
Amanda Thomas-Moxie Girl: I am here with Meredith Willis of Arizona Getaways. She is one of the property managers that we work with doing vacation rental property management.
We’ve been working with you for about a year and so we have gone through a few different surprise situations with you, and I thought we could just get some tips from you on how you handle some of the surprises that come up as a property manager for vacation rentals. So talk to me about what are some of the surprises you’ve run into?
Meredith Willis-Arizona Getaways: Yeah, lots of surprises along the way in the probably three years of doing this. But definitely guests breaking house rules so any rules that we set, that’s always a surprise. For example no smoking, or no pets or even check-in or check-out problems such as guests not checking out on time – possibly disrupting the next check-in.
So, I guess the best way to handle them is to be preventative as much as possible, like clearly posting your rules. Signs, even check out signs saying, ‘Reminder check out is 11 AM’ or 10 AM whatever time it may be. We always like to send a reminder text before guests check out saying ‘Hi, we hope everything is going well – just a reminder check out is at 11am.’ You can also charge a late check-out fee, too, and make incentives for guests to leave on time. Of course, clear communication is always great. You can make arrangements for a planned late check out, for example. So that way you don’t have a rush with the next incoming guest. That is a great way to avoid that specific problem.
AT: Let me ask, from a customer service point of view, I remember there was one time when we showed up at one of your units and the guest said ‘No, I leave tomorrow.’ How did you handle that from the back end with that guest?
MW: And that’s another example of something you want to prevent with clear communication. So we had to first of all clarify that, indeed, he was supposed to check out that day. And then we just try to be as polite as possible, because it was a mix-up. I think we got in there and just started cleaning around him, politely. But, he was very slow and kind of taking his time to leave. And we did have another check in that day, I think. So, you’ve just got to do your best and kind of work together with… You guys are great to work with, with your flexibility! And working with the guests-you just try to do your best.
AT: So, it has been a learning experience. Yeah, I think we have all learned in this industry, to expect the unexpected!
Pssst – Take a break right here and think about you operated your own vacation rental property…Have you had any problems with guests not following your house rules? If not, you’re either extremely lucky (hooray and go buy a lottery ticket!), or you’re already making your policies clear to your guests (hooray and very smart!). It’s always a good idea to review your rental platform listings just to be sure everything is as clear, precise and correct as it can be, especially when it comes to rules!
AT: We are back with Meredith Willis of Arizona Getaways, property manager for vacation rentals. They have their own properties they work with that are super cute in the Mesa and Tempe area. We love working with them. They have been doing this for about three years. So we thought we would ask Meredith, what are some of the red flags that you look for in terms of reservations or requests coming in? Like, how do you know if a guest is going to be a good guest or not?
MW: Whenever we get an inquiry or a reservation request, we always like to check out the guest profile and make sure they have good reviews, make sure they have some sort of feedback and verification. Like verified email, verified phone number, and then we also like to add another layer of protection and require that they have a government ID on file. And if all looks good and they do have reviews and prior references, then we feel comfortable.
If not, we like to look a little further and see where they are from. We find if they are local, it’s a little suspicious as to why they need a place, so we will ask them, you know, ‘what brings you to our rental?’ and find out more information.
AT: Yeah, same day arrivals make sense if it is a road trip coming across the country or you know, it doesn’t make as much sense if it’s somebody who lives in Scottsdale who is wanting to stay at your place tonight.
MW: Right. We use Instant Book and you can always cancel reservations, no penalty, after the fact, if you are not comfortable. And by doing that potentially preserves your house.
AT: Yeah, that’s a really good point that I think a lot of people don’t understand when they start using AirBNB is that a reservation comes in through Instant Book,,,Well, first of all how important Instant Book is-it really bumps you up in the ratings! So you want to use it, but then if you get somebody who is not up to your standards, or you’re cautious about them, there’s just something that doesn’t seem right, you can talk with Airbnb and get that cancelled.
MW: Exactly. Yeah, listen to your gut instincts, because as a host you will kind of have that little nagging voice saying ‘maybe this wasn’t the best reservation.’ And follow through with that, because another one will probably come along that is a better fit for your property.
AT: Yeah, I love that. Well thank you for that tip and thanks for sharing!
MW: You’re very welcome!
Whether you’ve been operating a vacation rental home for awhile, or you’re new to the game, you can always count on Moxie Girl to share ways to minimize your efforts and maximize your profits. Check our blog for more tips from Moxie Girl, your vacation rental specialist! Looking for reliable, professional turn service for your vacation rental? Contact us for a FREE CONSULTATION!
With the vacation rental business booming in the Phoenix metro area, Moxie Girl has made vacation rental home care our specialty! Moxie Girl and its founder Amanda Thomas were featured in the December 8 2018 Arizona Republic, in which one of our clients is quoted as saying, “They are very good at understanding the short term rental market and being able to accommodate a weird cleaning schedule.” No lies there! Moxie Girl even handle same day turns.
But we’re not known as your vacation rental home specialist based only on our understanding of the business and our accommodating nature. Being a vacation rental home owner herself, Amanda Thomas knows from her own experience how to best set up and stock your vacation rental home, too. And that’s not all… Amanda and the Moxie team can go even further than that in helping you achieve your goal of a owning a beautiful – and beautifully operating – vacation rental home.
One Such Project…
Moxie Girl recently helped one of our existing clients, who lives out of state, take a newly purchased a condo from “as- is” to “guest ready.” The two bedroom two bath condo had formally been a long-term rental and there was much to be done to bring it to the desired condition.
Amanda advised the client on just about every aspect of the transformation. She also became the owner’s eyes and ears through all of the painting, flooring, lighting and mirror installation by contractors. Amanda regularly reported on and provided photos of the remodeling progress to the owner and alerted him to any potential issues.
Once the interior was ready, the owner furnished the home to sleep five adults, maximizing potential rental income on the two bedroom condo. Moxie Girl ordered all of the “essentials,” bath and bed linens, dishes etc. from Amazon.com and filled in the “soft touches.”
And Just Like That…
As always Moxie Girl took care of the cleaning and staging, making the home look its absolute best. And just like that, this vacation rental home was ready for its photo shoot and listing on AirBnB!
We can help you, too! Whether you’re looking for a reliable vacation rental home cleaning team, or need help in converting a property to a vacation rental home, let Moxie Girl be YOUR vacation rental specialist. Get a FREE CONSULTATION!
You may know by now that Moxie Girl has made vacation rental home care our main focus. And we should clarify, when we say “vacation rental homes” we mean homes with a short-term rental of anywhere from a day to several weeks. Alas, it’s true…Moxie Girl no longer services 30-day+ rentals.
But…WHY?
Well, it’s that focus we mentioned earlier…With our extensive experience in the vacation rental home business, we know exactly what it takes to be able to promise our clients SAME DAY service if necessary.
We also have very high standards regarding that service. Moxie Girl wants your vacation rental home the best it can be for each and every guest. By limiting our vacation rental service to short-term (as in, less than 30 day) properties, we can properly set our team schedules, allowing us to deliver what we promise.
30-day+ rental properties are different from what we consider vacation rental homes first and foremost in that the rental terms almost always start on the 1st of the month and end on the last day of the month.
Also, guests usually spend at least a month in a 30-day+ rental property. “Well, duh,” you may say, but consider that folks tend to get really comfy after about day 3 and this leads to the need for a much deeper clean than a 2 or 3 day stay would require. (Many vacation rental homeowners limit the number of nights in a stay for this very reason – it IS a thing.)
So, basically, you’ve got at least a “semi” deep clean AND a same day/overnight turn since there’s another 30-day renter waiting to get in on the first.
We Keep Our Promises
One of the most important promises we make to our vacation rental clients is that they can count on Moxie Girl to accommodate their bookings – even if that means a same day turn. With The Valley’s booming vacation rental industry, same day turns happen a lot – and it’s not unusual for Moxie Girl to have multiple “same-days” on our calendar on the first AND last days of any given month.
Sure, another company might contract a team of “extras” to handle the overflow at the beginning and end of the month and try to squeeze in those 30-day+ rentals, too, but that’s just not how Moxie Girl works. We prefer to use only our own meticulously selected and professionally trained team members to meet the goals and high standards we’ve set for ourselves. (We’re also very picky about the cleaning products we use, but that’s a whole other story.)
That Being Said…
A few months ago, when we initially announced our shift of focus to vacation rental care, we introduced you to our friends at Going Greenhouse for all your residential cleaning needs. (Fun blog – read it HERE!) Since 30-day+ rentals require attention more similar to a residence, Going Greenhouse may be your answer – please give them a call and tell them Moxie Girl sent you!
Back to Our Focus, Vacation Rental Home Care
If you’re a vacation rental home owner and would like to find out how Moxie Girl can make your life easier, give us a click for a FREE CONSULTATION!
Think you might be a fit with our team of Moxies enjoying flexible schedules in a supportive environment? We’d love to hear from you – please APPLY HERE!
