Renting Out a Vacation Home This Summer? Put These 10 Things on Your To-Do List

Summer is on the horizon, which means the calendar is filling up with bookings for your vacation rental. Are you ready to show your guests a good time? Here's how to prepare your vacation rental for the season.

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Preparing a vacation rental is a lot like getting a house ready to sell. You want to provide a turnkey experience where everything is in working order. Before the start of your rental season, schedule service for the heating and cooling system, run a test of major household appliances, and secure doors and windows, among other regular repairs.

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Was that scuff in your hardwood floors already there before guests arrived? How many bath towels should there be in the linen closet?

Create a detailed inventory list that examines the condition of the space and counts everything from the number of chairs to the number of forks. That way, you know what needs to be replaced or repaired due to use over time -- and when penalty fees should be assessed in cases of damage or loss.

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A vacation rental is a different experience from booking a hotel room. Your guests want to feel that this is their home for the length of the stay, so anticipate their needs.

Fill your kitchen cabinets with dishes, glasses, silverware, and other items. A basket of snacks and some bottled water or soft drinks is a nice touch, but make sure everything is individually wrapped for sanitary purposes, including condiments.

Keep plenty of toilet paper, hand soap, and towels on hand for the bathroom. And make sure every bed has the proper amount of linens and pillows -- don’t forget about any cots or sofa beds.

It goes without saying that you’ll want to hire cleaners to restore your rental in-between visitors. But you should still keep a cabinet or closet stocked with basic cleaning supplies for the occasional spill or other household mishaps. Stock a closet or shelf with paper towels, cleaning supplies, a vacuum, a broom, and other basic items they might need in a pinch.

Check all smoke detectors and CO2 alarms to make sure they're working and have fresh batteries at all times. Check all door locks and windows as well. Guests want a comfortable stay, which includes feeling safe in their home away from home.

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Do not make any assumptions when it comes to the etiquette of your guests. If you have a no-smoking property, indicate that in the house rules. If you allow pets, make it clear if any parts of your yard are off-limits for furry friends. Remember, it’s your house, your rules -- but you’ve got to state them somewhere, so there’s no misunderstanding.

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It’s a vacation for your guests, but it’s just another week(end) when it comes to routine maintenance tasks. Post clearly -- the refrigerator is usually a good spot -- the days for trash and recycling pickup, lawn mowing, and pool maintenance, among other regularly scheduled services.

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List every bit of info they could need while they're there, from emergency numbers to Wi-Fi passwords to the rental's address, so they have it handy for food delivery and car service.

If you're in an area with lots of local attractions, include a community calendar or a list of websites where they can find more info. Sure, there's always Google and Yelp to find the local hot spots, but if you've got favorites, go ahead and list them, along with any tips on how to score discounts or the best time to go.

If you want to keep that smart thermostat or your television in proper working order, don't assume your guests are savvy with tech devices. Write instructions on how to regulate the temperature, how to operate the coffee machine, or even how to turn the TV or stereo on so that people can easily use any of these devices without damaging them.

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Checking out of a vacation rental is much different from checking out of a hotel room. Place the checkout procedure in a prominent space -- several, if your space is large -- so that your guests are well aware that they must adjust the temperature, lock gates, turn off lights, or any other closing-up task upon leaving.

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Your vacation rental guests can be finicky, but if you pull out all the stops to provide them with a clean, comfortable space to stay, you’ve done your job well as a host. Time to welcome another guest!

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