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Renting a privately owned vacation home for the first time
For those folks who have never considered renting a privately owned vacation home before this guide will help take you through the process in general. Of course for specific information about a particular home you may ask the owner himself.
Private homes are nearly always of a superb standard and are lovingly maintained to offer both the guest and owner a haven in Orlando away from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
If you are at all apprehensive about renting directly from the owner then a good look at the homes available through this website will show you how much choice you have. All the homes are verified by the website to ensure they are owned by the people advertising them.
It can be a little daunting the first time you rent a home. You may have many questions, such as
- Is it going to be very expensive?
- How safe is our money when dealing with an individual rather than a big company?
- Will we get the home we have paid for?
- What happens if we have questions once we have booked?
- What are the advantages of booking a home rather than a hotel?
To answer some of these questions:
- The cost of each home is different but generally the price is a lot less than one would expect considering the facilities, space and comfort of a whole house as opposed to a single hotel room. Remember the cost quoted is for the whole house rather than each person.
- Your money is completely safe when you rent a home from a verified owner on these sites. Most owners are only too happy to provide any assurances you need. Their homes are their pride and joy, and the trust works both ways.
- You can be assured that by renting from an owner on this site you will get the home you have booked and not accommodation allocated on arrival.
- Any questions you may have will always be answered to the best of the owner’s ability, both before and after booking. You may also have questions on arrival at your vacation home and it is easy to get in touch with the owner as you will have their contact details.
- The advantages of a privately owned home are numerous. The space and comforts provided in a home. A private pool. Separate bedrooms as per your requirements. Luxury fixtures and fittings. Personal contact with the owner. The list is almost endless, and the reasons you book a home to stay in for your vacation will be very similar to the reasons an owner decided to buy their home.
Finding your vacation homeChoosing a home that perfectly suits you and your family’s needs is all part of the enjoyment. The choice available from this website is as diverse as possible so it is worth taking some time to identify some of the things you would like your “home from home” to have. Most Orlando homes are within a 20 minute drive of Walt Disney World, and Gulf Coast homes are within a short drive of a beach. All the homes have private pools for your exclusive use; some even have a hot tub or in-ground spa.
Many have Games rooms, TV’s in every bedroom, and a whole range of luxuries not found in a hotel without extra expense.
The booking processWhen you have chosen a home, or maybe several homes, you can fill in the online inquiry form. This notifies the owner’s that you are interested in either, some more information, or would like to book their home. At this point the owner will contact you directly with the information you have requested.
All your questions can be answered by each owner and we are all happy to talk about our homes as they are our pride and joy. The owner can tell you in detail specifics about booking directly with them. If your dates are flexible let the owner know and they will try their best to accommodate you.
Most owners will require a completed booking form and a deposit. All homes have a maximum occupancy and we are not allowed to exceed this number, to comply with fire regulations. The owner will send you a booking form to complete and return with your deposit. This will secure your dates.
Upon receipt, the owner will then send you a confirmation letter (either by mail or email) and this confirms your dates, the total price of your vacation rental, and this is your contract with the owner.
If this is your first time renting from an owner directly and you may be worried about the safety of the money you have paid. All owners on this site are honest, genuine people and they also trust you with their dream home. So they trust in you as much as you trust in them. This works very well and most owners have lots of contact with their guests for months before their vacation, and even stay in touch and become friends, in many cases, after the vacation. Lot’s of guest’s return year after year to the same home.
Payment of the balanceThe balance of the rental payment is usually required between 8 - 12 weeks before arrival. A security bond is normally payable at this time also. This is a refundable bond to cover any breakages/damage during your stay. Owners are reasonable people and will only make a charge for extreme cases, as we all know little accidents do happen, and things like breaking a cup or plate are considered normal wear and tear. The bond is usually returned within 28 days of your departure.
Most owners will usually send confirmation of full payment, and then a few weeks before your arrival you will receive all the details for your home. We try our best to cover everything we can think of, but if you have questions at any time just contact the owner and they will do their best to help you.
Owners have lots of knowledge of the area their home is in. They can offer suggestions for everything from the best place to buy park tickets, to restaurants, to shortcuts on the road. They have a wealth of knowledge not found in guide books and are happy to share what they have learned.
Have a wonderful vacation in your own “home from home”.
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