The Vacation Rental Manager's Podcast with Sarah and T

Send us a textWe've waited 159 episodes to have the wizard of content marketing on the Vacation Rental Manager's Podcast.   David Angotti is on today's episode dropping knowledge about everything you thought you knew, but the secret is you probably don't.   The master is in the house.In the news segment Sarah and T (and David) talk about the upcoming VRMA International Conference and how to get the most out of your time there.Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textIn this episode our two fearless rental managers talk about the subject of bed bugs.  Don't pretend you don't think about this or haven't had this happen to you.   What do you do when you get them?  How do you handle them?  Will I catch them just thinking about the subject?   The answer to these and many more questions will be revealed in this episode.  In the News segment Tim talks about the wildly successful ExploreFest 23 conference that VRBO and Expedia Group just hosted in Las Vegas.  Another can't miss episode with lots of takeaways to help your business!  Detailed show notes below:  Bed Bug education - all from the great Durk Johnson who explains it better than anyone.  - First, a fun fact - we are seeing a rise in bed bugs the past 10-15 years because DDT is outlawed. That's a good thing, but DDT used to kill bed bugs and they were going down in numbers of outbreaks.   FACTS about BB's - size of a tick- nocturnal- attracted to our CO2 we breathe- they can live for 365 days without food! - They like to live in wooden footboards, headboards, wall (check baseboard)- Often the way to find them is to check for poop and blood stains on mattress or mattress pad. How are they transported? they are hitchhikers- luggage (in other words guests bring them.  Guests don’t want to believe it, but it is true!  It is not a commentary on the cleanliness of a rental property)- clothes (eggs are sticky) HOW TO IDENTIFY: Teach your housekeepers to do the following BEFORE start cleaning every single time not just when reported: - Take flat sheet off & look at fitted sheet (look for long line of blood spots) - Then get down to the mattress - BTW, you need to have tight fitting mattress pad b/c they will live in the folds if loose. Yes, ALL beds should have mattress pads and even better, full encasements. - Blacklights will show them up or flashlight on phone - looking for poop & blood stains & exoskeletons! - then check box spring (between cover & spring) - check under the nightstand- check behind the bed This training also goes to your maintenance staff, inspections team, and of course you need at least one manager who can verify before you get to treatment because the treatment is EXPENSIVE.  HOW TO TREAT- Pest control. - With Heat thru entire house- generator, wires thru house - 120 degrees - Sprinklers need to be covered so they don't go off. (there are also bed bug sniffing dogs?)   Yes, there is.  And How to Treat Your Laundry you bring out of the property AFTER treatment complete:  -Bagging up all of the impacted linen in an airtight bag, keeping those items separated from your normal laundry, and the process of laundering those items, then getting the appropriate items back to the property after sanitization – bedspreads, mattress pads, etc.).  - Trash the pillows- Consider trashing the mattress if there is a sizable infestation. 2) Have a Process Documented and Explained to all before it ever happens (this should also be part of new hire training!) - So, Tim is perfect as we all know, so he actually has a flow chart for this. I'm talking decisFind all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textHave you been feeling a bit disconnected with your property owners?   Concerned about what feedback you may get if you ask them how you are doing?  Well, fear not fellow Vacation Rental Management Professional.  In this week's episode Sarah and T take you through three fail safe ways to re-connect and energize your relationship with your property owners.   Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textA few episodes go (I've Had It!), more than one vacation rental company owner said they have "had it" with being threatened by guests with bad reviews if they don't give a refund, an increase in chargebacks and fraudulent transactions (aka. stolen credit cards).  In this episode,  Sarah and Tim welcome 3 experts on to talk about how to tackle these frustrating events. This fresh perspective gives tips on new ways you may want to consider accepting funds, how to effectively approach chargebacks and win, as well as how to deal with those quasi hostage taking guests who seem to make a profession out of saying something was wrong at the end of their stay. Many thanks to Terry Whyte, Chris Savino, and Matt Gurley for joining us and sharing proven tactics against these shady actors. Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textThis is a master class in getting direct bookings and not relying on On Line Travel Agencies (Vrbo & Airbnb) to get your bookings.  Listen carefully to up your game on getting direct bookings to your website from two of the true experts in the business.Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textIn this episode The professional vacation rental manager's podcast with Sarah and T has fun with our listeners by letting them sound off on what they have had it with.   Taking the lead from a popular podcast we let our professional vacation rental manager friends give it some thought and record what they "have had it with."  Quasi Hostage Taking Crisis with Reviews, Software frustrations, Scammers, rude owners, rude guests, rude guests that write bad reviews, Owners not respecting boundaries, 3rd party websites, bad customer service are among the subjects covered by 13 of our avid listeners.  Get ready for some VRM therapy in this episode.Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textVacation Rental Decor topics are a favorite for Sarah and T.  Today our hosts have a true V.R. Decor expert on the show to discuss the BIG 3 things (The Decor Trinity) to think about when you consider decorating a property.   Cara Shimizu bring of great content and takeaways in this episode.  In the Not So Hot Off The Press, But Definitely Happening segment Sarah and T talk about Expedia Groups new rollout of a loyalty program that could have a huge impact on Vacation Rental Managers.Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textIn this episode Sarah and T take a deep dive into what makes a 3rd party listing of your property great.  We predict you will listen to this episode again and again as our two pros give some great tips about how to make your property stand out on VRBO, Airbnb, or any 3rd party listing site.   Great episode!Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textIn this episode of Sarah and T - The Professional Vacation Rental Manager's Podcast our hosts cover a subject everyone in the Vacation Rental business can do better on.   It is the subject of employees verses hiring contractors.   There are a lot of moments in this episode that will make you squirm with discomfort as the hosts identify many common mistakes in the employment world.  Our hosts bring your invaluable information on this subject where you can learn from their experience.   The tips and tricks of decades of experience is revealed in this episode and will make you a lot of money.  In the Not So Hot Off The Press segment Sarah and T interview Marcus Rader the CEO and Founder of Hostaway software.   Marcus just got $175,000,000 in funding to grow his company - the most money ever raised in the vacation rental industry.   Hear how he did it!Find all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com

Send us a textDo you have insurance?   Of course, everyone who runs a vacation rental business knows you need insurance.   Do you have enough insurance?   Do you have the right insurance?  Are you SURE you are covered in the event of anything that might happen?    Maybe the answers to the last 3 questions are not as convincing as the first question's answer.   In this episode Sarah and T are out to save your backside.   We assure you that you will learn some things in this episode that could save your business!  So listen up and get ready for our hosts to drop some knowledge on you!Key Points: Disclaimer: we are not insurance agents nor do we play one on TV. Everything we say here should be verified with your insurance agent and not hold us liable for anything we say that turns out to be incorrect.  Many thanks to Tim's insurance agent, Larry Barker of Towne Insurance Agency in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina for giving us the 411 on insurance of all types in the vacation rental business.   In this episode, we cover: - Liability Insurance- Workman's Comp Insurance- Errors & Omissions - Vehicle insurance for employees driving company vehicles & their own vehiclesVacation rental managers small or large are ultimately responsible for finding and keeping tenants (aka "guests") on someone else's property.  To be successful at this, they must do the following five things: 1) Negotiate, sign and enforce leases (aka Guest Agreement or Contract)2) Collect rents 3) Make repairs4) Conduct routine maintenance 5) Ensure the safety of guestsEach one of these five comes with its own set of risks and that's why there's property and liability insurance designed to protect. Let's talk about the protection you need to cover these five activities: 1) Professional Liability insurance aka "errors and omissions"  coverage.  This coverage protects you when you forget to purchase appropriate property insurance, resulting in a loss for the homeowner, wrongful or negligent evictions, discrimination claims, and other failure to perform professional duties according to your contract.**big reason to get this - commercial general liability may not provide coverage for any expenses related to professional liability claims or suits.  It does need to be said that errors & omissions does NOT usually include criminal, fraudulent, or malicious acts, bodily injury and property damage, workers compensation claims, and punitive damages.2) Property & Liability Insurance - two biggest risks in our line of work relates to property maintenance and contract negligence. There are often questions about who - the manager or the property owner - has the "insurable interest" on the building. a) Commercial property insurance - this protects the VRM's assets after a physical loss due to smoke, fire, wind, hailstorm, vandalism, and other events. It all depends on the wording in your contract as to whether you are responsible for keeping this coverage on buildings you manage. b) Business income insurance aka "business interruption insurance" - this is typically included in a commercial property policy.  It protects your earnings if you can't collect b/c of storm, fire, etc. c) Commercial General Liability - (read from Larry's doc - I have it printed and ready to go)If you want to get everything we have discussed to date, ask your agent about a BOP - business owner's policy which incFind all of Sarah and T's content at www.sarahandt.com You can also follow this podcast on Instagram or Linked In Special thanks to our podcast Partners:Intercoastal Net Designs www.icoastalnet.comKeyData www.keydatadashboard.comSojo www.getsojo.com