As holiday let managers in Camber Sands for going on a decade, Beside the Sea has seen our share of missteps (and even made some of them ourselves, once upon a time!). Below, learn from others’ mistakes and make the most of your holiday home investment in Camber Sands.
1. Skipping professional photos.
You know those late afternoons when you get back from the beach and sink into your sofa, a cool breeze and golden sunlight through the windows? And have you ever tried to capture the beauty of that moment on a smartphone? It’s tough to do!
Photographers, however, have a keen eye for lighting, camera angles, and high-quality lenses that can come a bit closer to capturing the magical moments guests can expect to have in your home.
After all, guests haven’t had a chance to get to know your property and make memories there as you have. So while your home is likely particularly beautiful to you—as someone who know and loves it already—your photos are your guests’ first impression.
And at that stage, looks are everything. Guests also have dozens of other properties aiming to capture their attention. If you don’t have eye-catching images, they will likely turn to other, more visually appealing options.
In short, clean, well-staged, well-lit properties, captured with a professional eye, simply perform better. If you make one adjustment to your marketing this year, make it professional photos.
2. Furnishing with secondhand items.
It’s difficult to say “goodbye” to that much-loved sofa. So why not put it in your holiday rental, where others can enjoy it? There are plenty of reasons why not, actually.
Most importantly, even budget-conscious guests want to feel that they are being offered a quality, thoughtfully considered holiday. A mishmash of worn-in furniture doesn’t exactly convey that attitude of hospitality.
Remember: many of your guests are familiar and comfortable with hotel-style accommodations, which offer clean-lined, neutral-toned furnishings and décor. On the other hand, second homes with secondhand furnishings (and family photos and mementos) can make guests feel as though they are intruding on someone else’s property.
We’ve seen this time and time again in the Beside the Sea portfolio: homes that include affordable-yet-sturdy furnishings and a clean, uncluttered design perform (and photograph!) better than others.
3. Confusing your family’s needs and wants with your guests’ needs and wants.
Maybe you never bought an indoor dining table because your family likes to eat out on patio. Or maybe you were willing to keep your outdated kitchen appliances humming for a while because you don’t cook at home that often. Or maybe you’ve furnished your bedrooms with two bunkbeds for your grandkids, instead of doubles or queens.
It make sense that your holiday home suits your needs! However, as a holiday let property owner hoping to prosper in the market, you have to consider your guests’ needs first. Most holidaymakers require indoor dining, updates in the kitchen, and at least two adult-sized beds.
Of course, in some instances this does mean a bit of upfront investment in new appliances, kitchen tables, and so on, but these investments will quickly pay for themselves—all it takes is one booking from someone who would have passed your rental over because it was missing these crucial elements.
4. Not knowing/communicating your unique selling points to your target guest.
Related to the above point, you have to understand your guest demographic in order to succeed. Families, multi-generational reunions, couples, friend getaways, weekend jaunts with the dog—each of these groups have different need and wants in their vacation.
Consider the ways in which your rental is particularly suited to meet those needs and wants. Its distance to the beach, its fenced yard for dogs, its high-end mattresses, for example, and be sure to communicate those unique perks in your holiday let listings.
For more information about the holiday let market in Camber, join our homeowner mailing list for periodic updates and helpful content. Or learn more about Beside the Sea’s holiday let and property management in Camber.
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