All Forum Posts by: Karen Chenaille

@Majid Tahir I too am

Shopping PCB. Thanks for your take on the #’s.

You can drive higher occupancy by investing up front in furnishings and finishes that make you stand out. I have had this work for me time and again in all my other markets. It also gives you a nice boost if you decide to sell. Most investors don’t want to be bothered with repairs/rehab. They want to list the property and turn a profit on day #1. If you have the time/inclination to make your place stand out, you will benefit.

So far 80% of the properties I have looked at online are average at best when it comes to interior finishes. There is a big opportunity to stand out.

I agree with @Lucas Carl. You need to focus on the reward side of the equation. Play big!

Try get paid for your pad. It has some good basic advice that is well organized by topic area. The forums are awesome but you gotta do a lot of digging. The book delivers the info quickly and concisely. 

Hi Raif!

I run an air BnB out of my home in Southern Vt And I own 2 condos at Mt Snow. 

Vermont has two shoulder seasons that will impact your returns. April-May and Late Oct to Mid December. 

The big returns are during winter. Most of the Little cabins you are seeing on Air BnB are not suitable for winter occupancy. 

Killington is the #2 STR market in the US. Mount Snow also offers some good returns. Have you thought of other asset classes such as condos or SF close to a ski mountain?

I would be happy to chat with you about investing in Southern VT  

Karen

@Anna Zimmerman. My lodgetax will do it all for you. I used to do this myself and just recently switched over to MyLodgeTax. Totally worth it. 

Hi

PM me I have someone I can recommend. This person owns a STR and specializes in real estate For book keeping I went the Quickbooks book keeper route.

You are smart to be getting your back office in order. 
Karen

You should also see what it costs to add a video. I was advised by VRBO recently that video’s really help boost bookings. I plan to add video March. 
Good Luck!

Offer adult toys as amenities. 

I own 2 on Mount Snow. Both as investments. They both do very well. Mt Snow is a little less pricey than Killington. PM me if you want to talk numbers. 
Karen

@Jeff Conn. I have been using OwnerRez. Initially I didn’t like it, but I needed a web integration so I could generate bookings from my own site. I have found it to be extremely customizable. It is possibly the best documented software I have ever encountered. Their customer support is prompt. Usually within a few hours. It has the ability to integrate at the API level which allows you to use it as a Chanel manager. Definitely worth a look. 

Good Luck!

Karen