Taking reservations for your STR?

[Paul Sandhu]

There is a big work project coming up in the refinery of my town.  4000-5000 people will be here from start to finish.  I already have people contacting me and want to reserve a place in February or March of next year.  But I expect the "tips of the spears" to start showing up in January, these are people I do not know.  Some of my past renters are the ones contacting me wanting to reserve a place. 

I don't want to reserve a place and end up turning people away when the house is unoccupied but reserved.  I don't want to turn my past renters away either.

So this is what I did.  One of my past renters went to another company and got a better job.  He's the project manager.  He probably will have 200-400 people working underneath him.  I used the contact webpage from his companies website to send a general message.  It was addressed to him.  It basically said that I would reserve it for him if he paid me some money each week to hold it for him.  When it's rented, it brings in $800.  I'm asking $250 for each week that I'm holding it for him.  Split 3 or 4 ways, that's only $60-$80 a week per guy.  I sent the message earlier today.

Do you think it's the right thing to do?