SablePoint

I read the thread about Management Companies from last August. People had lots to say about Beach Rentals of SW... and a few other companies.

But is there anyone who has experience with Paradise Found Vacation Rentals? We've already been unhappy with the first company we used and are considering Paradise Found this time.

But after what I've read about other companies on the previous thread I'm concerned that there's a good chance that things could become worse if we picked the wrong company! Maybe our last company wasn't so bad after all?

I'm also curious about experience that anyone has had with Southern Resorts? (We own in Seacrest Beach... a condo on the pool.) Or is there any company out there that anyone would highly recommend?

Bottom line is that we want a company to make it easier on us. We expect that we'll do most of the bookings... and just want to rest easy that our guests will have a good check-in experience and walk into a clean condo.

BTW. I'm new to this site and have been lurking and read most of the threads in the Real Estate discussion and select threads in the Rental discussion over the last few days. Wow! I sure wish I had found this site a long time ago (my architect just recommended it to me).

Great Job Kurt! We'll probably be getting a Virtual Tour from you soon! Thanks for everything that you do!

Beach Runner

We are considering vbro.com. Our neighbor uses it and gets more rentals than we do. Our rental management agency is pretty good compared to others (so I don't want to change), but if we weren't there frequently to check up on things, the house would not be well maintained. And the damage deposit is a joke because they don't want to risk offending a customer and jeopardizing a future rental. We've had a lot of damage from renters and have never collected a penny from damage deposits, even when there has only been one renter between when we we saw no damage and the damage occurred (gee, let me guess who did it!).

SablePoint

Hi Beach Runner -

We used VRBO last year and booked up the summer pretty quickly so we're pretty happy with that. The management company managed to rent it 10 days total... and we rented it for about 12 weeks. We paid them 20% for the weeks that we rented it... and I'm okay with that... but we weren't happy with a lot of things including once when we arrived at our unit (after it had been rented but had been vacant for about a week) and it had not been cleaned. On the other hand, we didn't have any problems with our guests checking in, etc. We were never completely happy with the unit being cleaned to our standards, but maybe we expect more than is realistic. And my wife, who keeps the books, was in a constant struggle with them to pay us what they owed us because they never seemed to get it right.

At the end of this year we decided to not renew with them and are now looking for another management company. Our partners in the condo wants to go with Paradise Found Vacation Rentals but I'd really like to get an opinion from someone who has used, or is currently using, them.

Our place is almost brand new and we have it very nicely appointed. I expect wear and tear... and even occasional damage as I guess it's the nature of the business.

We'd just like a company to manage our unit that is responsive to us (and our renters). We can generate the rentals. We just need someone to service our renters without creating more problems than they solve.

Would you tell me the name of your management company that you seem to be happy with? How long have you used them? Do they generate many rentals for you... or do you book most of the rentals? Do they do a good job of keeping your unit clean? Are they responsive to you and your renters? I presume they pay you without any problems or you probably wouldn't be happy with them...

Thanks for your help.

jdarg

Good morning Sablepoint!

skippertoo

Paula

We use BRSW and are pleased overall. We also use VRBO and get many bookings from them, though BRSW has gotten us some excellent bookings this year. I think the biggest thing you want from the management company is good cleaning and good care of guests. I think a dirty place is one of the biggest turn-offs to guests and I've been pleased with BRSW cleaning.

We/I come down at least once every other month (it's a tough job but someone has to do it ) to check on things. There's usually some small maintenance to be done and I call the management company to send the maintenance men and they are very good. I'll look very carefully at the quilts and slip covers and I usually end up washing all those when I'm there, though they are also done sometimes when I'm not there. I'll get rid of pillows/blankets/etc. that are getting worn. I do the "big jobs" like bleaching the porch about every six months (it gets moldy), cleaning the outside lights/trash cans/etc. I do the "deep cleanings". And I patch and paint the window frames after hurricanes (from the wood that is nailed up to protect the homes). Rather than hire someone to do these things, I'd rather use the money for an airplane ticket and do it myself and get a trip to SoWal.

I think the smartest thing I did this year at the cottages was to get the long-life (6 year) light bulbs throughout the cottages. It's expensive in the short run, but they are supposed to save money over the years in electric bills. Also, guests are less likely to have lights that aren't working and you don't end up paying a maintenance person to change the bulbs when the guests call to say some lights are out.

Finally, it is helpful to think of the relationship with the management company as a partnership in which you are invested in each other's success.

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Paula

Miss Kitty

SablePoint!!! Good luck in your search!


Paula....do those lightbulbs really last that long? I am so interested in knowing this!!!

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

kurt

SP


I don't own rentals but have done virtual tours for Paradise Found Vacation Rentals (PFVR) since they opened.

I've known Gary Bennett several years before he started the company when he was with other agencies. He's always been sharp and responsive and great to deal with as far as my business. So have the reps in the office.

PFVR is a medium size company which is probably a good thing. Hopefully some of their clients/customers will add their input.

www.pfvr.com

Unplugged

SP

Where is your place/ is it currently listed on the web?

We own 2 rental properties in the area, and my experiences are similar to Paula's & BR's.

Hands down, the BEST rental site I've used is findvacationrentals.com. I receive many MORE inquiries/ bookings from this site than any of the other popular sites by a factor of 3:1 or better.

We also have a very healthy referral network in the area. We pass along inquiries to friends & colleagues for weeks where we're already booked.
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SablePoint

Hello Everyone. Thanks for the warm reception to a new member.

Our condo is on the 3rd floor overlooking the 12,000 sq. ft. pool at Seacrest Beach.

I just put together this site over the holidays:
www.RentAMillionDollarCondo.com
We are also listed at
www.VRBO.com/54916

Thanks for your 2 cents worth on Paradise Found, Kurt. This board (and your site) is great!

Are there any members out there who use Paradise Found that can share their experience? I beginning to realize that this may be a touchy subject for a message board thinking that it's probably not good to criticize local companies (although I'm seeking praise as well as criticism... which ever is warranted). Maybe members could PM me if they have experiences that would best not be publicized?

Thanks again to all of you.

Rita

Sablepoint. Hope you have a successful rental year.

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"Peace .... starts with the person who attempts to diffuse the tension and backs away from the inflammatory rhetoric."

TooFarTampa

Welcome Seacrest neighbor! I had a similar experience as you and we also recently switched companies, to Emerald Sun. I can't say whether they are doing a great job or not yet but a change was in order. The problem is, as an owner you really can't afford to not stay on top of everything, even if you have a "management company." No one else will look out for you.

Great website, btw!

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Proud to practice indoctrination
at least when it comes to the GATOR NATION

Paula

I don't know yet because I just put them in Aug/Nov. But none of the long-life ones were out when we were there in late Dec. A few of the non-long-life ones were out and I replaced them. I'm going to order long-life bulbs off the internet for some of the light fixtures that can't really take the ones from Home Depot. It has been my mission this year. I especially like having long-life bulbs on the porches and by the entryway because people sometimes leave these on for long periods of time. I also use the 25-year night lights so I don't have to worry about changing those little light bulbs either (you can get them at Home Depot or Bed Bath and Beyond).

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Paula

Miss Kitty

Thanks for enlightening me!!!! Do they come in three way bulbs? The porch idea is a very good one!

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The mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open.

Paula

I have the big ones that go in the recessed ceiling fixtures and the regular-size ones. I got them at Home Depot. The regular size ones don't look like regular light bulbs, so I haven't put them in some of the more conspicious places yet (like over the bathroom sinks). I did see some online that look like regular bulbs and that last 5-6 years and use less energy, so I'll order those. I don't remember if they had the 3-way bulbs. Just check online and I'll be doing the same. I'll know in about a year or two whether they seem to be living up to their promise. Too soon to tell.

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Paula

STL Don

For those of you that use a local management company and also advertise on VRBO or findvacationrentals.com, do you post the same rental rates on your individual sites that your management company charges? Or do you have a discounted rate because your management company takes less of a cut when you bring in the rental--realizing that their cut may be a % of their posted rate?

Unplugged

Great question - I'll PM you on this....

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Jennifer Steele Saunders

I just have a story to share that is conincidental with this thread...

As I'm on my way to Rivard this morning to pre-pay for my November rental, some man in a red Corvette in front of me throws his cigarette out his window, hitting my car. He was obviously also going to Rivard, and after he pulled into the parking lot and stepped out of his car, I said, "You know, you just hit my car when you threw your cigarette out the window." And he said, "Oh, I did?" I said, "Yeah, it was very rude!!" And he walked on past me up the stairs without even an apology! I found out he is the OWNER! I'm still so angry at his nonchalantness that I'm considering cancelling my reservation and asking for the owner's address to let them know why.

My new pet peeve...middle aged litterers who drive corvettes and wear too much cologne!!!

Donna

Ironic, since all the Rivard rental properties clearly specify "No smoking." Sorry you had this experience. It does not sound like the owner that we know.

Mermaid

I would certainly write a letter of complaint first. I'm sure Rivard would find it in their best business interest to know that they've ticked off a prospective customer enough to make her consider cancelling a reservation. Who knows? Maybe this guy's inconsiderate behavior has cost them other business as well. If you've been otherwise happy with this company, I'd give them an opportunity to formally apologise.

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I was outed twice now in my life--the first time by my sister in high school...the second time was right here on Sowal--by of all things, a dumbass mermaid--eh, go figure. ~a drama queen

graytonlover

I am very familiar with Rivard. We have repeat renters year after year, and they are all satisified with Rivards service. I don't care who is manageing your property, from time to time there will be issues, it simply cannot be avoided. The gentleman who posted his experience with the man in the red corvette, may have used a tone of voice that sounded threatening or harsh, or just plain irate. It sounds to me that the man in the red corvette was simply trying to avoid what could have been a very unpleasant exchange. It certainly sounds out of character from the man I have known for such a long time.

Paula

My cottages are managed with Beach Rentals of South Walton. As I've mentioned before, I think it's very important that you think of your relationship with your management company as a partnership. Well, it sure paid off this week. I had made an error with a rental (no need to go into details but I was embarrassed) this week (fortunately, it was the first and only time I made such an error and it will be the last time I make such an error). BRSW managed it beautifully. If I hadn't had an ongoing very respectful relationship with them, if they weren't familiar with the cottages and the options available with our rentals, the situation would have been even more embarrassing. But they solved the problem beautifully and with good will toward the guests as well as toward me despite my error. So, the message is (aside from the fact that Beach Rentals saved my behind and took great care of our guests) to develop a respectful partnership with your management company, help the staff get to know your property(ies), and be sure to notice what they do very well. We often focus so much on what rental companies do not do well, we forget to notice and show appreciation for what they do well (and sometimes we aren't even aware of what they do because they just take care of problems and don't tell us -- it's just part of their job).

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Paula

wetwilly

We self rent and also use BRSW. When we bought the house we met with Mary Brown at BRSW, walked the house, discussed what both sides expected from the relationship, my wife handles any issues with the cleanliness or household items and I handle any issues with the bookings, $$, and any maintenance items. We have had several minor issues with BRSW but we always seem to get positive results at the end of the day. In the year that we have been with them, we have been down 4-5 times and we always go by their office and say hi and discuss any issues outstanding or just let them know about the positive things as well. So, as you discribed, we treat the relationship as a partnership and with respect and all is going pretty well. I am getting the majority of the bookings this coming season from my 3 self rental sites but BRSW got us some very good guests last season. The biggest issues have been some nit picky charges on the monthly statement and some follow thru with some issues but over time they have been good for us. I figure that you get out of the relationship what you put into it and I have heard some real horror stories about rental companies. Not everyone has had a good experience with BRSW but we are happy.

kurt

Great imput guys. It sounds like it comes down to being reasonable and responsible. If a company has been in business for awhile here then they are keeping the majority of their customers happy. Unfortunately, these days all businesses know that there are some people that it is impossible to make happy no matter the level of service.

Many problems come from the lack of labor quantity and quality that is covered in other threads.

Paula

Yes, Wet Willy and Kurt, managing multiple vacation rentals is a complex job (and it is hard for management companies to get consistent great staff). And things will go wrong in the best of circumstances. The issue for me is how the problem is handled and BRSW has handled a few problem situations (that I'm aware of) very well on my behalf. So I agree that we need to have a realistic picture of all that a management company has to deal with, help them do the best job that they can, let them know we appreciate all they do, and do whatever we can to make their job easier, not harder. The more respect we show the staff, the more likely the staff will enjoy their job and stay -- and it's that longevity that gives the staff the experience they need to handle tough situations.

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Paula

Smiling JOe

Wise words, Paula, and they apply to all aspects of life and business.

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wetwilly

BTW, even though we have BRSW, we have heard awesome things about Angie at Beach Seekers from several people. I have met her when I had some folks looking at 2-4 houses inc mine and since she owns in/near Summer's Edge in Eastern Lake and she is very nice. Her agency is smaller, she is very selective, but everyone that I have spoken to about her agency has great things to say about it. Check them out at www.beachseekers.com. Alot of the houses in Summer's Edge use them but they are not exclusive to SE.

Good luck.

Paula

Thanks, SJ. It's good to be humbled now and then to remind us to be appreciative of the people who help us out!

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Paula

Ocean Lover

BRSW drew us into the area. ( great website with lots of VT's) The first year we booked with them we had rented a brand new house across the street from the beach in Seacrest. (Bare Necessitites) We would have been the first renters. We arrived and the pool wasn't finished and some minor interior details. They pulled up the website and showed us a tour of Memories by the Shore in Water's Edge. It was beautiful, huge and oceanfront. No private pool but they offered the Seacrest pool for us to use. We drove up to see it to see if it would meet our approval. Well, that was a no brainer. I think we rented BN for $2700 and we were getting a $4,500 a week house for no extra charge. We were tickled to death!!! Anyway, they've had our business ever since because we were treated so well.

STL Don

Have to totally agree with Wet Willy. Beachseekers and Angie have been a great company to work with. Superb service.

Mermaid

We plan on advertising ourselves and keeping the rates the same. I think many people cross-reference, and it would be a source of irritation if they found out after the fact that they could have booked more cheaply had they found the owner's site(s) first. So we're keeping everything uniform. However, I should add that we do not plan on making our own bookings--we're letting our rental company handle all the particulars. Our main goal in using other advertising is simply to increase our visibility and to answer any extra inquiries before handing our guests over to the management company.

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I was outed twice now in my life--the first time by my sister in high school...the second time was right here on Sowal--by of all things, a dumbass mermaid--eh, go figure. ~a drama queen

Diane4145

Hmm... Denial ain't just a river, in Egypt! There is NO justification, for the Rivard owner's response(or should I say, lack there of), period! You're right gl, there's always the chance of a situation like this, but it's how it's handled, that matters! I'll bet that the negative word of mouth here, will be much more damaging than ANY face to face confrontation, that he ran from! Personally, I wouldn't want to give him or his company any business, or even a referral!

Jennifer Steele Saunders

Well, I have rented from them, and I am also a life-time Grayton local who has always recommended Rivard to my friends who visit SoWal, and I have always been very satisfied with the customer service at Rivard. Those who actually answer the phones and handle my reservations are friendly and professional.

I can't imagine the man in the red corvette felt in any way threatened by me (a female, actually) since he is twice my size and age. I got the impression that he was trying to avoid me because he simply didn't care.

Lois

A few of you have mentioned you do your own self-rentals but still use a property management company and pay them ~20%. That seems like an awfully large chunk to hand over each week just to basically pay for cleaning (e.g., if you charge $3000/week, that's $600!). Why don't property owners use House Watch type companies to occasionally oversee their properties and ensure that the cleaning is being performed properly by a cleaner the owner has hired or the House Watch company has recommended? I did a search and found "Spouses Watching Houses" at http://homewatch.info/contact.htm, I assume there are others, and they apparently charge $350-$400 per quarter + $35 an hour for additional services. That's a HUGE savings. Are the property management companies providing other valuable services? I feel like I'm missing something here.

Unplugged

Lois, we secure approx 50% of our bookings and our management company books the other half. Their fee is 30% unless I refer the guests to them, in which case they handle check-in/ check-out and any CS issues that arise during the rental for just 10%. Cleaning is a separate line item charge.

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Wastin Away

I have been doing both and in my case, my rental company does not handle anything for me. I have my own housekeeper, and maintenance person and all bills are sent directly to my home for the other things. I told my husband that I feel sometimes it is that security to know that there is someone out there also working to rent your home but I have found that I have kept my home booked throughout the last 2 years, with the exception of 3 bookings from the management company in 2005, myself. Granted I love to do it and you have to have time to run it properly but the savings is great. I have just decided in the past week or so that I would like to try and only list off-season with the rental company because I have already had 2 booking conflicts and it is only January. My idea of a good mangement company is not one that can book during the prime season but one that can bring guests to my home during the off-season.

Paula

As a far-away owner, I feel much better having a management company around to give keys, take payments, handle problems (e.g., maintenance that may come up), changes due to hurricanes, get some bookings (I get many on my own as well but they've gotten me some very good ones), etc. I can give the personal touch through my response emails on VRBO and by calling people after they check in to see if all is OK. I'm sure they take care of many problems that I don't even hear about, so I get to sleep well at night. I definitely have to go to the cottages every few months to check on things (darn it! ) and do some extra maintenance/cleaning/etc., but that's fine with me. And I could pay someone to do these things, but I'd rather get a trip to SoWal out of it and do them myself.

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Paula

Shutters

STL Don had this great question about 20 threads ago. I just found it and have some thoughts. I have always felt the relationship between the owner and property management company is a partnership. If you undercut your property management you're no longer a partner but a competitor. I do feel strongly that your property management company should get one percentage if they book it and another if you take the booking. My experience is 20% and 10% is a standard rate. I know that 10% no way covers the extra time and effort I put into booking and managing the property. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't spend answering an email or talking on the phone, or running a Visa charge, or sending back a security deposit, or paying the sales tax etc. etc. (speaking of that, it's the 17th, I've got to get those sales taxes off for the last Q.)

Mermaid also pointed out how frustrating it would be for a guest to find out they could have gotten a better price by booking with the owner. I agree.

Ultimately what I look for in a Property Management company is someone who treats me as a partner, and is just as concerned about my house as I am. It's there for both of us to make money. We use Royal Beach Resorts and couldn't be happier. Denise and Mark are the best! They may be one of the smaller companies but I never have to worry if things actually got done.
They take care of business just like I do. We are partners.

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For a great beach rental home visit
www.ShuttersbytheSea.com

Mermaid

I believe gotothebeachmom uses Royal as well, and shares your experience with them. She's very happy with their performance.

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I was outed twice now in my life--the first time by my sister in high school...the second time was right here on Sowal--by of all things, a dumbass mermaid--eh, go figure. ~a drama queen

gotothebeachmom

I do indeed use Royal Beach. They have been wonderful to work with. Shutter's is right Denise and Mark are great to work with. My guests have been very pleased as well.

JB

We have been renting almost exclusively through Dune-Allen for more than 10 years. Don't know about others experiences with them, but of late, their customer service has really gone downhill. I can't even get them to answer a simple question. Management does not return phone calls, either.

audie

we have been renting with dune allen for about 5 years, and while have no had outstanding service, have been taken care of. 2 yrs ago the air conditioner was out on the house we rented, we called and they had someone there the next morning, so we were pleased about that. we on the other hand have had great service with resort-quest. they have always bent over backwards for us.

JB

I don't necessarily mean their response to problems while you are occupying one of their rentals, but rather their overall customer service and generally unhelpful attitude of their employees. Lately, their attitude seems to be "we don't care if you rent from us or not." Their phone reservationists are not particularly friendly and they can't seem to provide a straight answer to even the most simple question. I always get "well, I'll need to check with management on that and get back to you." Problem is, they never "get back to me," which forces me to call again, each time getting more and more frustrated.

Like I said, I have been dealing with them for more than 10 years and there has been a steady, noticible drop-off in their willingness to help customers with legitimate questions/issues.

I have probably dropped somewhere in the neighborhood of 20K with these folks over the years and feel I deserve a little better.

Santiago

We were happy too our first year with them. Check back with us next year. I won't bore you with all of our experiences but I do have a good one to share. We had 3 rental homes with BRSW at one time and had referred dozens of new clients to them as well. We had an issue with one of our homes, lack of rents or something, and my wife called Mary to politely complain and remind her of our loyalty to their company to try and improve the situation. She was told and I quote, "We've got you 10 weeks already on your other home". Of the 10 weeks that she was referring to, we had booked 9 of them through VRBO. They were so out of touch with what was going on and so overloaded with all of their accounts that we didn't feel that we would ever get decent service from them again. It was a happy day when I convinced my wife to move. Good luck and I sincerely hope you receive continued satisfaction.

audie

i understand what you are saying, and like i said, i've never had anything bad, just never anything outstanding either.

John R

based on just this experience alone, i will not be recomending anyone towards rivard. there are too many players out there with great product. a rude litterbug can have a little less potential business imo. S1, it would have been great if you walked right in behind him and asked to cancel your reservation.


jr

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click >> Filter your water instead of using bottled water << click

crobbins

Does anyone have any experience with Private Retreats (Coastal Properties?

Beach Runner

Okay, so every week we have another crisis with damage and repairs needed. The renters deny doing it, and we end up having to pay for it. What is the point of a damage deposit if you never get a dime back for the damage? If the rental management company isn't confident that they've properly inspected the house between renters, then of course they can't blame the most recent renter. Have any of you ever gotten anything back from a damage deposit? We haven't. It's as though our rental company doesn't want to offend the renters, and they'd rather screw us than offend a potential customer. I am sick of it.

Donna

Hi, Beachrunner...We have had damage twice at Conch Out. One Christmas, the family dragged a Xmas tree stand across our recently refinished hardwood floors, leaving a huge scratch. Of course, the entire floor had to be redone, to the tune of about $1,200. The people were required to pay, had a hissy fit and fell into it, never rented with us again. (Good riddance.) The second time, was the time we had a bunch of unchaperoned underage kids who threw a drunk there. The damage was less daunting than the description, the latter being revolting. I had the management company take photos and also send the disgusting sex DVDs that were in the CD player to the parent who rented. They paid for damages and even wrote a letter of apology. So we have had no problems with getting damages paid.

However, you are right that the companies don't want to make renters unhappy. They just want to keep them coming back. I have had a hard time convincing ours at times that damages are simply not acceptable. Nor are unchaperoned, underage kids fueled by alcohol. I mean, it's not the stuff I'm worried about, but our liability. Good luck. Your place looks so nice, and a pity that someone would not value how nice you made it for renters.

Beach Runner

You're lucky you were compensated. Like I said, we've never gotten a dime for any damage done by renters.