All Forum Posts by: Bob L.

@Catherine Wong,  https://www.biggerpockets.com/... I did not get any vacation rental in the Yosemite area.  For a vacation rental to get peak income, you need a property that will attract renters in all four seasons.  I realized Yosemite is slow in the winter season because many roads to the park in the higher elevation is closed due to snow.

Great work Joe.  Congratulations on taking the initiative on a niche and turning it into a success.

@ Derek Blades, Craigslist is not a good place to advertise your STR. You need to place a test posting on Airbnb, but say it will be ready soon. People that are actually looking to book a STR does not use Craigslist. That is what I notice anyway when I had a listing on Airbnb and also listed on Craigslist for a few weeks. I never got an inquiry from Craigslist.

I cannot believe there is so much debate on this topic. The simple answer is that a HELOC CANNOT help you payoff your mortgage faster!

You can see that and proof in a Microsoft Excel worksheet using the PMT formula.  It is all in the math.  There is no magic.  

Thanks for all the replies.  I figure the winter season is not too busy in the yosemite area since there are no ski resorts and there are park and road closures.

Yes, my best bet is probably to ask the hosts directly on airbnb in an area I am interested in.

Are there anyone here that operate a VR in the Reno, NV area?  Did the Tesla plant announcement out in Fernley cause any big demand increases?  I read many reports that Reno rent (long term rental) increases are within the top 5 in the nation in the last several years. 

Please share your experience running a vacation rental in the Yosemite Area.  I am looking into towns such as Sonora and Mariposa because they are the closest towns right before the park from my location.  I read discussions on Mammoth Lake and Big Bear, but no threads on Yosemite.  

How many bedrooms is your VR?  Your occupancy rate during peak and slow times.  How difficult is it to find cleaners and handyman in your area?

Thanks for sharing.

@ Angelo Wong, like you said a lot of the factors of per unit profit is random and cannot be controlled.  What you can look at is what your guests are preferring.  Are they asking how close your place is to the train station or to the university?  If so get keep the homes closer to the train station and university.

Joe, you are not selling your needs right.  It just sounds like you are looking for free labor.  You need to tell your audience more of what is in for them.

Hi Valerie,

Your post did clear things up.  I checked into listing (advertise) on VRBO and it cost $399 per year or 5% of bookings.  So MyVR offers a discount on VRBO if you use their software.

Thanks,

Bob