If you have been in the Vacation rental industry during the summer months, you understand how slow our summer months can get. Not many people think of the Valley of the sun as the best summer getaway, I mean most of the residents are leaving to hit the beach or to just get out of the heat. This isn’t to say your vacation rental should sit empty all summer, we just see a different crowd of renters rolling through the valley. Some make this a pit stop in their road trip to California beaches and others are looking for a permanent home here and utilize vacation rentals until they find the home of their dreams. So how do you accommodate these guests that aren’t used to our Summer months? POOLS!
Investing in your investment Property
Investing in an investment property is a huge step in becoming a rental owner and there are a lot of questions that may follow. If you are seriously thinking about running your own vacation rental property you might want to consider whether you plan to buy a house or a condo/apartment to rent out to your future guests. If you are buying a home with a backyard pool consider all the costs that might come along with that versus buying a condo with access to a pool as well as a home with a community pool. All options have their perks as well as their downfalls, so you might want to consider the type of atmosphere you are wanting to provide for your future guests.
Investing In a property with A Pool
Here at Moxie, we see that the homes with pools in the backyard or homes that have access to pools tend to get more bookings in those summer months than the ones that don’t. I have heard so many Arizona Residents say “you can’t survive in the Valley if you don’t have a pool.” One of the first things out of town renters look for when booking a vacation rental in the valley during the summer is if they will have access to a pool. If your listing doesn’t have pool access they are most likely to skip right over your listing without even taking a second glance.
Yes, I know a pool can be a major investment from the installation if you don’t have one yet to the upkeep of the pool, but the benefits are most likely going to outweigh the risks. Not only can you charge guests a little more because you are able to offer this pool amenity, but you are more likely to get more renters during those hot summer months.
Pools in the Winter
What about the cost of my pool during the summer months, you might ask? Well, an even smarter investment is making sure your pool can be used during the cooler months by making it a heated pool. This may cost a bit more but most vacation rental owners cover the pool heat charge by charging guests who plan on using the pool and are wanting the heat turned on.
Check out the Blog with Chad Nikkel, Owner of Aquaman pools. He gives some great information on having a pool in the winter months and how to best utilize it for your vacation rental guests.
Maintaining Your Pool
It is possible to take care of your own pool from maintenance to cleaning, but that can also come with many risks if you are not familiar with pool maintenance and cleaning techniques. Doing it yourself may save you the cost of hiring a professional, but you also might be spending more money and time than it is worth to upkeep your pool. We highly recommend hiring a professional and there are many professional pool cleaning/maintenance services you can utilize here in the valley, Moxie Girl Recommends reaching out to Aqua Man pools for all your pool service needs!
It’s that time of year again…we wait with great anticipation for the monsoon season here in the Valley! Monsoon storms often bring us much needed (and heat-relieving) rain, as well as spectacular displays of lightning, high winds and blowing dust. Okay, maybe we don’t look forward to the crazy wind and walls of dust so much…
If you’ve ever owned a home in Phoenix – especially one with a pool – you already know that monsoon storm clean-up can be a huge chore. While you might postpone clean-up for a few days at your personal residence, vacation rental homeowners don’t enjoy the luxury of procrastination if guests are due to arrive.
Because these storms can develop rather quickly, it may not always be possible for the vacation rental homeowner – no matter how well-intentioned – to guarantee that the outdoor areas of their rental property are going to look exactly as pictured when guests arrive. Vacation rental home hosts should always make their guests aware of the storms that can occur in this area of Arizona, and the effect they may have on the appearance of the outside of the property.
Now, this is not an excuse to not TRY to make sure everything at your vacation rental home is as perfect as it can be. In fact, there’s a lot you can do prior to these storms that will help keep your vacation rental looking its best, while at the same time ridding yourself of additional potential problems during the monsoon season.
Work With Your Guests
Aside from alerting your vacation rental guests to the possibility of intense storms during their visit, it’s also a great idea to ask for their help in keeping your property and equipment safe from storm damage.
Outdoor umbrellas should always be closed when not in use. Leaving an umbrella open during a monsoon says, “Goodbye and good luck, umbrella! I’ll be replacing you tomorrow.” Ask your guests to be sure to close your umbrellas unless they are sitting under them (which they shouldn’t be, during a monsoon!)
Landscaping and pool umbrellas aren’t the only casualties of monsoon winds – downed power lines also become a thing during this season. If your guests see downed power lines on or around your property, advise them to call 911 immediately. Oh, and DON’T TOUCH the downed power lines! (Astounding to think a guest might decide to pick up a live power line, but you never know.)
Guests should also be reminded that any floating items for the pool (toys, loungers, etc.) should be stored securely when not in use.
For more great information on Phoenix-area monsoon weather, check out these other Moxie blogs:
Monsoon Season and Your Vacation Rental Home
Wildlife and Wild Weather- Things You Should Know About Summer in Phoenix
Attention to Landscaping
A professional landscaper will always advise thinning large trees and removing any tree branches that appear unstable – and this is particularly important before and during the monsoon season.
The winds created by the monsoon storms can be severe, easily breaking branches and even uprooting entire trees, so it’s crucial you be proactive in keeping your vacation rental’s landscaping as least vulnerable as possible to wind damage.
Also keep in mind that anything picked up by the wind has a really great chance of coming down in your pool, creating additional clean-up!
And Speaking of Pools…
Summer in Phoenix is the best time to have a pool – but it can also seem like the worst! Moxie Girl recommends a reputable professional pool service such as Aquaman Pools to take care of the pool at your vacation rental home.
If left unattended, foliage and other debris are blown into your pool can cause your pool pump and filter to work overtime, affecting their efficiency and lifespan – trash and leaves can also permanently stain some pool surfaces. So it’s best to “get the big stuff” out right away, if possible. Your guests may be of some help here – especially if they want to swim after a storm – if you provide a skimmer and a brush for them to use.
Check out our conversation with Chad Nikkel, owner of Aquaman Pools, for more summer tips for vacation rental homes with pools!
Don’t Forget the A/C Filters!
They should be changed monthly anyway, but during the monsoon season changing the filter in your vacation rental home’s cooling unit is an absolute must. Dirty filters negatively affect your unit’s performance – and summer is definitely NOT the time to have sub-standard cooling in your vacation rental!
Moxie Girl Leads the Way in Valley Vacation Rental Care
Find out how putting Moxie Girl in charge at your vacation rental home can help you reclaim your time! Moxie Girl services over 100 vacation rental properties throughout the Phoenix area. CLICK HERE for a free consultation.
Moxie Girl is growing! If becoming a Vacation Rental Assistant and caring for some of the most beautiful vacation rental properties in the Valley sounds like your type of gig, we’d love to hear from you. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF!