A few years back, brave heart buyers were rewarded with great prices on Hilton Head.  This can be considered perfect timing.  In general though we were missing confidence in the overall economy therefore many buyers sat on the fence.  It is hard at best to time purchases like real estate but when all the variables including price, condition, location, value, rental and economy come together we find perfect alignment for our Hilton Head Buyers.  It’s better than perfect timing!  Read the rest of this entry

Here is a possible money saving idea for second home owners on Hilton Head.  As an owner of investment rental property, check out a cost segregation study for your home or villa.  You may find tax savings by recognizing assets that are typically buried into a building’s construction or acquisition cost.   There is really no minimum value a property and given the finishes in many of the homes and villas on Hilton Head, this study may be worth looking into.  Visit their website or contact John Miller at (706)672-2760 or email John for more information.

Whether you are just beginning your vacation property rental program or if you want to boost your rental income, we have photographers, cleaning companies, rental companies, free websites, fee websites and ways to get your Hilton Head Property into the short term rental market.  You can make your rental home hassle free or you can run it like a business, either way this step by step guide will help you crank up the rentals on your Hilton Head vacation property. Read the rest of this entry

Rental properties on Hilton Head may have taken a beating in value but they have kept on ticking when it comes to rental income. While some values have dropped on rental properties (approximately 36%) on Hilton Head Island, the gross rental income has stayed fairly constant. Recently purchasers have warmed up to rental properties as they negotiate some very sweet deals on some of the best locations.  Although investors have started buying these rental properties, we still have a few great locations available. Read the rest of this entry

Are you satisfied with your rental income on Hilton Head?

Rental companies typically rent a property on Hilton Head 12 weeks in the summer, 6 weeks in the spring and 6 weeks in the fall.  The typical owner than occupies their rental property an additional 4 weeks.  Under this scenario, you can double your rental income with a minimal amount of work.

Increase your rentals on Hilton Head with your rental company!

Some rental companies allow the owner to rent direct and collect the income, others will let owners rent, but will only reduce the commission.  The best scenario is to find a rental company (or negotiate with your current rental company) to allow you to rent your property direct filling in those empty weeks.   The perfect rental company will allow you to rent your own property and they will handle the keys, the passes for your rental, any emergencies and will charge you a reasonable fee for the checkin and cleanup.

Market your Hilton Head Rental Property on the Web!

To get started all you need are some photos of your property, a photo blog and an internet rental company.  You can either do this yourself or call on us  or your realtor!

Steps to take to increase your rentals on Hilton Head Island:

1. Set up a “free” posterous blog for your property.  Use this as your main page for your rental property.  Posterous is a free blog that allows you to post photos and information about your rental property.  Just pick a great name and go.  It also uploads to your Facebook, Linkin and your website very easily. 
2. Set up a VRBO rental website.  The website will walk you through the process for setup.  The fee for this setup is $249 per year and will pay for itself with the first rental.  Be sure to set up your rental calendar with a link through your posterous blog.
3. There are also free rental websites that can add additional income to your bottom line including www.craigslist.com, www.base.google.com, and www.free-rentals.com

A system that works for your Hilton Head Rental Property.

Once you have the rental websites in place and you have updated your rental calendar by checking in with your rental company, it is time to get ready for business.  The initial contacts will send you an email and reply time is crucial.  Assign this task to someone that is on their computer throughout the day. 

How an inquiry will rent your property on Hilton Head:

1. The first email will inquire about availability, location to the beach, pool location and other specific requirements the rental guest may have.  Prior to recieving this email, set up a draft e-mail that includes a few additional photos of your property, beach and pool information.   Simply check availability before responding.
2. The second email will ask you how much you charge and will you take less?  Set your rental at the same rate as the rental company as it makes it far less confusing.  We suggest paying for cleaning and taxes from the total, giving the renter approximately a 10% savings which you can  explain in your email as most renters pay these in addition to the rental fee. 
3. The third and final email, ask for the order!  Your final email let’s them know that if they are interested you would put it on hold and send out the rental agreement.  (Ask for 50% with the reservation and the remaining 50% approximately 30 days prior to their arrival.)Once you have a rental guest that has made the commitment, simply call your rental company and block that time(be sure to change your rental calendar to reflect this.)  Send out the rental agreement with two postage paid envelopes for the deposit, the 30 day final payment and the agreement.  This is a good time to include directions maps.google.com to the rental company and your property. 

Renting your Hilton Head Island property is that easy!

As you rent your property we have found that their are some excellent websites that can help you or your rental guests including: Trip Cancellation Insurance, pet traveling ideas, a great place to find linens and towels, and a good traveling with kids website.  Some other ideas include calling or emailing your rental guests after their visit asking if they had any suggestions.  As well, pet friendly properties are gaining appeal and you can even charge pet fees! 

We are at your service on Hilton Head Island! 

As you work through the steps above, we are here to help.  We offer a service that is available to help you set these up for a nominal fee if you are interested!   E-mail us at islandrealtor@hargray.com or call us at 800-932-3652 as we will help you get these programs up and running before the rental season of 2010. 

Happy renting!

Robbie Bunting & Jane Hyers

800-932-3652