Don’t overpay for your next vacation!
Use VRBO & Airbnb to LOOK but don’t BOOK.
You will find the LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEED on our site, DiamondGulfRentals.com. Savvy vacation rental seekers understand that while browsing through these 3rd party platforms (VRBO, HomeAway, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Flipkey, etc…) is helpful, it might not always be the wisest choice for making reservations. These platforms generate a significant portion of their revenue through service fees, which can range from 6% to 25% of the rental’s total cost.
Guests who choose to book directly through the property manager enjoy enhanced customer support. When you reach out to the property management company, you tap into their in-depth knowledge of the destination, enabling them to recommend the ideal rental for your specific requirements. Plus, they can provide valuable insights into local activities, dining options, and service providers in the area.
Check out how much more a $9,015/wk rental costs, if you book the same home on one of the other three sites:
Charges you 5-14% with NO limit
A summer $9,015/wk rental = $1,247.56 ‘VRBO service fee’
Once a small site, VRBO is now owned by Expedia and are charging guests fees that they aren’t used to paying in years past. They began adding a fixed-price service fee several years ago. Recently they have removed the cap on this fee! Don’t spend hundreds or thousands unknowingly.
Charges you 6-40% with NO limit
A $9,015/wk rental = $4,764.47 ‘Airbnb service fee’
Airbnb has always charged guests a service fee, but they don’t have a cap on the amount. Don’t spend hundreds or thousands unnecessarily.
Charging you 10-20% with NO limit
A $9,015/wk rental = $675.00 ‘hidden fee’
Flipkey and Tripadvisor hides their fee into the rent – they don’t show a guest a ‘service fee’ when they go to book. You could be spending hundreds or thousands unnecessarily by using them.
BOOKING DIRECTLY WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGER
When shopping for a vacation rental online, here are some tips to locating the home’s original property manager to save hundreds of dollars and ensure a better vacation experience with just a little extra investigative work:
- Look at the photos and description for clues that mention the name of the property management company or the house name.
- Copy and paste the description of the property into your search engine to see other sites where the home is listed. Often the property you are interested in is also publicized by its property management company directly.
- Conduct a Google image search with the photos of the home as another method of locating the primary source of the rental.