Villageidiots covered most of the bases here. I have two villa rentals that have largely been nearly fully occupied with renters for the two years that I have had them. As a landlord, I do prefer to speak directly with the potential renter. I have a simple but thorough rental agreement that is required. I hold the reservation with a deposit and then as noted, require the balance with a security deposit/cleaning fee typically 30 days before. note this is for seasonal rentals. Long term rentals of more than 6 months often are done with a typical lease, monthly rent payments and a 1-1.5 month security deposit.
While there is always the risk of a bad egg out there, I think it's pretty safe with the villagers 4 rent site or Our Villages rental site. Look at the number of visitors and how long the listing has been up, look at the property description and availability. You may be more comfortable with a rental listing with good activity or that has been up a while.
Using Homeaway or **** will allow you to pay with a credit card. Having a 3rd party in between may make you feel a bit more comfortable as well but working through a site like this also carries additional fees.
Just as we sometimes do with our renters, you can also ask for references from a possible landlord. **** has a reviews section for renter feedback. This is ok but again, I tend to gain comfort in speaking with the landlord/renter directly if at all possible. They should be informative and patient with your questions - and you should ask a Bunch - consider it an interview. You would ask questions when buying a car or a refrigerator. Why not do the same when spending the money on a rental.
If you have any other questions, feel free to send me an email or PM me. I'd be happy to help you out.
|