Sage-Tips

How do I ask for a discount on a vacation rental?

Negotiate a Last-Minute Rate for Cheap Vacation Rentals​

1. In your initially email inquiry, politely ask if they would consider a discount for last minute travelers.
2. If they don’t budge on the fee (or very little) consider asking for a free night.
3. Another good tip is to ask if the cleaning fee could be waived.

How can I avoid paying the vrbo fee?

Instead, search our regional vacation rental listing sites, where you can email or call the owner freely, and book it without paying the Service Fee. If it is not listed on these sites, contact the owner and tell them to list their rental here so you can book it without paying the Service Fee.

Can you be scammed on VRBO?

When using a website like HomeAway or Vrbo, people run the risk of being vulnerable to scams. And it’s not just renters who need to be careful. Sometimes hosts can be defrauded by potential guests, too.

Can you get discounts on VRBO?

Vrbo doesn’t offer discount codes for travelers, but you may be able to get a discount on a vacation rental by using the website’s messaging function to contact the owner and negotiate the price. This is often easiest for last-minute rentals. Book well in advance to get the best deals on Vrbo’s vacation rentals.

Is the VRBO fee worth it?

Is it worth paying these fees to list your house on Vrbo? The answer is a resounding yes. The amount of advertising you get from us Vrbo is phenomenal when you think about all the affiliate sites connected with your account. Guests can find your house on Expedia, KAYAK, Trivago, and many more.

What percentage does VRBO take from the owner?

8\%
Vrbo fees to owners are typically 8\% per booking. This is made up of a 5\% Vrbo manager fee and a 3\% Vrbo payment processing fee.

How does Vrbo verify owners?

To confirm your identity, we may ask that you verify information, such as your first and last name, email address, mobile phone number, physical address and birth date. What information is shared with the host? We value your privacy. Once confirmed, hosts will simply see that you are a verified guest.

What happens if my Vrbo owner doesn’t respond?

Once you submit a booking request, hosts have 24 hours to either accept or decline your request. If they do not take either action, we will automatically decline the request so you are able to submit a booking request on an alternate property.

Is VRBO a good alternative to Airbnb for bookings?

To be honest, VRBO has also introduced an instant book feature similar to Airbnb. For the two vacations we’ve booked in the last year, we’ve used the instant book tool and liked it. Airbnb is starting to get rental agencies who list their properties too.

How much down payment do you need to buy a vacation home?

Con: Your down payment might be higher than you think. If you’re buying a primary residence, you can sometimes get a loan with a 3-5\% down payment. The rules are different for vacation rental properties. When you’re buying a second home that you don’t plan to live in full time, expect to put down 20-30\%.

Should you buy a vacation rental property in a different town?

If you buy a vacation rental property in a different town than your primary residence, you also need to think about the time and costs for traveling back and forth between your two homes when you need to take care of something at the rental property. There’s also the marketing aspect.

Is it possible to haggle with Airbnb booking fees?

Airbnb is starting to get rental agencies who list their properties too. Normally, you can’t haggle with agencies as much and they tend to charge more fees than individual owners. To be honest, Airbnb has some mysterious and vague booking fees as well.