Opinion

Simon Lehmann Talks Human Capital, the Sustainability of Industry Growth Rates, and More

By: Alexa Schlosser | May 16

The VRMA Executive Summit (June 1-3, 2022) is designed for executive-level leaders focused on business strategy, organizational excellence, sustained growth, and charting a vision for their company’s future.

This Year’s VRMA Spring Forum Wowed Me!

By: Natalee Pfeifer | Apr 29

In mid-April, I attended the inaugural VRMA Spring Forum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Historically, this event was broken into Eastern and Western Regional Conferences, but this year was the first time they were combined and named the Spring Forum.

Avoid These Four Mistakes When Training Employees

By: Jane Sandwood | Jul 18

One-third of new hires quit their job after just six months. Training your employees is absolutely critical to employee retention, leading some 73% of organizations to revamp their entire onboarding process to foreground retention.

OTA Channel Challenges

By: Steve Milo | Jun 26

If smaller property management companies want to be on OTAs, they have no choice but to work with their Property Manager Software System (PMS) or a Channel Manager (aka OTA Middleman). The problem with this model is that it can be inherently inefficient, expensive and in many cases, more trouble.

A Brand New World for Vacation Rental Managers

By: Michael Harrington | Jun 5

Hear from VRMA President Mike Harrington on branding for vacation rental management companies.

5 Tips for Selling Your Vacation Rental Business

By: Sandra Brahn | Jun 4

The process of transitioning your vacation rental business to new ownership is relatively simple — but there’s very little information out there about how to do it right.

Attracting and Keeping Owners: A Persona-Based Approach

By: Heather Bayer | May 29

In recent years, the online travel platforms have made the business of renting out a property so much easier. This is great for us as property managers, but it’s now just as easy for a property owner to do their own marketing, advertising and administration.

What the Last 100 Vacation Rental Business Transactions Have in Common

By: Ben Edwards | May 22

As I approach year 19 in the vacation rental business, I finally sat down and counted all of the vacation rental transactions that I’ve been associated with over the years.

Housekeeping Management Rules to Live By

By: Kyle Cassidy | Apr 27

Over his seven-year tenure as a housekeeper and housekeeping manager, Patrick Ryan has learned a thing or two about how to make a clean (and his team) successful. Combining consistent training, accountability and common sense, he keeps his staff prepared for anything that may come their way.

What We Learned at VRMA East 2018

By: Andrew McConnell | Apr 24

Another fantastic VRMA East conference has completed and we’ve returned from Miami. Knowing that not everyone can take the time to step away from their business for some South Beach sun at this time of year, I wanted to share my top five takeaways from the conference.

3 Big Questions with Steve Milo

By: VRMA Editor | Mar 13

In 2002, Steve Milo bought his first vacation home in Florida. Fast forward to today, where Steve is the owner of several vacation rental homes and property management companies throughout Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Mexico and Hawaii.

Greetings from Paris—VRMA European Conference Showcases Excitement

By: Mike Copps | Mar 9

The VRMA European Conference was an amazing start to the VRMA event season! Attendance reached an all-time high with more than 430 individuals, a 30%+ increase over the 2017 event in Amsterdam. Without a doubt, there is a thirst for knowledge and networking that continues to grow in Europe.

Voice-Controlled Guest Services: A Q&A with Properly’s Alex Nigg

By: VRMA Editor | Feb 15

This week Properly announced support for remote management of Amazon’s line of Echo devices. Touting as the first of its kind in the vacation rental industry, it certainly provides an intriguing option for vacation rental mangers who are looking to enhance guest services and relations.

TripsIn Looks to Flip Script on Booking Process

By: VRMA Editor | Jan 3

In early December, TripsIn.com launched with the plan to buck the trend of booking sites that charge consumers booking fees and instead give homeowners and property managers the opportunity to promote listings and engage guests as they see fit.

Buil

Gazing Into the VRM Future: Four Predictions for 2020

By: Alex Nigg, Properly | Nov 14

Industry conferences like the VRMA National Conference, which was held in October in Orlando, offer a natural milestone to mark the progress and direction of the industry. This year’s conference highlighted the pace of change.

Intimate Interactions from VRMA National Conference

By: Kyle Cassidy | Oct 24

This year’s VRMA National Conference brought almost 1,500 professionals to Orlando. With over 300 more friends, colleagues, and strange bedfellows attending the show than ever before, attendees had the opp

VRMA National Speakers: Dawn Yeskulsky and Michael Charalambous

By: VRMA Editor | Sep 19

Don’t miss the session, ‘Payment Processing: It’s All About YOUR Money!’ scheduled for Monday, Oct. 16th at 11 am, which will address the idea of seamless merchant processing.

Ascent uses Interchange-Plus Pricing, which is designed to make payment processing simple, so merchants can focus on runnin

Four Tips for Building a World-Class Housekeeping Team (From a Housekeeper)

By: Ellie K Madsen | Sep 5

Yes, people enjoy working as housekeepers—especially in a culture that makes us feel professionally significant. Enabling housekeepers to go the extra mile of our own accord creates an environment in which we can work our hardest and be the most positive about our work.

Stay Strong During these Trying Times

By: Mike Carrozzo | Sep 1

The impact of Hurricane Harvey has been enormous, with wide-sweeping effects that have touched parts of Texas and the Gulf Coast. For many of our members located in these areas, we know that you are working tirelessly to not only protect your properties, but also lend assistance to those in need.

W

The Importance of Partnerships in the Vacation Rental Industry

By: Nico Nicholas | Aug 17

The global vacation rental market is expanding at a rapid pace. According to a study by Technavio, the industry was worth $137.77 billion in 2016 and is predicted to reach a net value of $193.89 billion by 2021.

More Control with the Cloud

By: VRMA Editor | Aug 16

This past June, HomeAway announced upcoming changes to their listing inquiries experience, which affect HomeAway’s listing inquiries when a guest has a question regarding a property they are interested in.

Talking the Winds of Change

By: VRMA Editor | Jul 28

New technology, greater distribution channels, major acquisitions, new regulations and more! As the state of the vacation rental industry continues to transform, Mike Copps, VRMA Executive Director, sat down with VQuarter to give his take on the winds of change in the market.

Game of Homes

By: Andrew McConnell | Jul 20

With the masterpiece that is HBO’s Game of Thrones, based on the books by George RR Martin, about to enter its seventh season, I could not help but think of a similar epic struggle closer to our own world: One of dominance in the vacation rental industry.

3 Big Questions with Michelle Williams

By: VRMA Editor | Jul 11

Arrival caught up with Michelle Williams, the director of marketing for Atlantic Vacation Homes, to talk about the current sea change taking place, and how to ride out the wave.

3 Big Questions: Jeff Robertson

By: VRMA Editor | Jun 20

Can sales and marketing tools truly be a “disrupter” for vacation rental managers? In a word, yes. The bigger question is whether you let these tools be a disrupter for your business or against your business.

Building a Successful Proposal

By: VRMA Editor | May 25

Have you attended a VRMA conference recently and wondered how to go about submitting a proposal to present? Do you have a proposal ready, but you're not sure if it'll be a successful topic? You've come to the right place.

3 Big Questions with Kirsten Brink

By: VRMA Editor | May 23

What has 2017 meant to you? As we near the midway point of the year, it’s good to look back at the trends that have taken shape and the ways in which they have impacted your business. At the same time, looking ahead to the biggest challenges in front of you helps you prepare.

3 Big Questions with Maureen Regan

By: VRMA Editor | May 15

The state of the vacation rental market is one that is filled with challenge and opportunity. Changing market dynamics, higher expectations from customers and a range of new tools and processes at the fingertips of all professionals in this space continue to shape the big picture going forward.

Stronger Together

By: Michelle Acquavella | May 12

In a unanimous vote of the members of Vacation Rental Managers of Washington, the decision was made to officially change our name to the Northwest Vacation Rental Professionals. To our members, the name change represents a renewed sense of strength and unity.

Announcing Our Arrival

By: Maureen Regan | May 4

Today marks a very important milestone in VRMA’s mission to advance the vacation rental management profession. With the launch of our new online content experience, the name Arrival has evolved to become the official content brand of VRMA.

Overcoming Threats in a Period of Rapid Change

By: Toby Babich | May 1

What Market Consolidation Means for Your Business

By: Andrew McConnell | Apr 28

Consolidation: It seems to be an ever-present part of doing business—any business. And for the vacation rental management space, consolidation seems to be a hot topic as more money continues to enter the industry.

Model Legislation

By: Greg Holcomb, MPA | Apr 21

A new year brings about new challenges and opportunities; this is especially true in government relations. In the U.S., state legislative sessions are underway, and these new sessions will have numerous prospects to protect the short-term rental market place.

Let's Push Things Forward

By: Mike Copps | Apr 21

By the time you’re reading this, VRMA has undergone some major changes: A new (ish) name, a new logo, and a new website with new features. We’re building toward launching our certificate program in the fall.

Say Hello to the New VRMA

By: Maureen Regan | Apr 3

It is my pleasure to say hello to you as the new president of VRMA. I believe many of you know me already, but for those of you whom I haven’t yet had the pleasure to meet, please reach out and say hello!

Advocacy Toolkit: A Year in Review

By: Greg Holcomb, MPA | Dec 1

Short-term rental regulations continue to spread across the U.S. from the smallest town to largest state. There will never be a one size fits all method to fighting restrictive regulations. However, uniform strategies and tools are being implemented to help you. VRMA is dedicated to helping members

The Untold Stories of Vacation Rental Management

By: Mike Copps | Dec 1

This summer, I had the pleasure of staying at a vacation rental managed by a VRMA member. My family vacations in Bethany Beach, Delware, every year. It’s a nice 3.5-hour drive from Washington, D.C., which is manageable with young kids — this was especially important this summer, as we have a new fam

Celebrating a Successful Year of VRMA

By: VRMA Administrator | Dec 1

As we wind down from the 2016 Annual Conference, I’ve started to reflect on my involvement in the Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA); this year marks nine years of VRMA board service.

While VRMA has historically been an excellent place to network and learn, I thought there was an opportuni

Let’s Change the Story on Vacation Rental Management

By: Mike Copps | Aug 1

These past few months have afforded me the opportunity to meet with many VRMA members and nonmember industry stakeholders alike at VRMA’s regional conferences. In all these conversations, one thing has stood out to be clear: Vacation rental management is a fascinating industry.

The skills you each

Build Rapport and Communicate Your Message

By: Greg Holcomb, MPA | Aug 1

Public opinion is in our favor. The Pew Research Center’s recently published study “Shared, Collaborative and On Demand: The New Digital Economy” includes eye-opening information on public opinion regarding short-term rental regulations.

Speaking with a Clearer Voice

By: Greg Holcomb, MPA | Apr 1

Communities across the U.S. continue to develop short-term rental regulations that threaten the vacation rental management industry. Unfortunately, there are often cases in each community that warrant regulation.

Recent Articles

Meet Me at the Treehouse: Lessons From Niche Alternative Accommodation Management Companies

Updated 12:14PM EDT, Mon May 23rd, 2022

From treehouses to tents, wagons to windmills, no matter the shape and size of the properties you’re renting out, effective management and marketing strategies have never mattered more.

If the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that the property management industry needs to be ready to tu

The New Minimum Standard for Vacation Rentals

Updated 2:11PM EDT, Tue May 24th, 2022

In the face of increased guest expectations, growing competition in the space, and heightened regulations, there is a new minimum standard for success in this industry.

How to Be a Good Neighbor and Avoid Vacation Rental Bans in Your Area

Updated 1:58PM EDT, Tue May 24th, 2022

It’s best to take a proactive approach to responsible hosting. This way, you can avoid tensions rising in your neighborhood in the first place. Here’s how you can be a good neighbor even if you’re managing remotely.