What I have Learned Since March

Charley's Hideaway

 I need to take new photographs.

March 2021 was when I wasn't ready to open, but Russell, the handyman laying my floor, said you need to get listed in order to have bookings by Christmas. He has his own vacation rental so I decided to believe him. I ran into him yesterday and he asked how it was going. First I rented the week after I listed.

In the midst of things I do not often stop and ask myself those sort of questions. To be utterly honest I figured I did not have to be wildly popular as a vrbo. For one I am five miles from the ski area so in my mind I had written off Ski Season when most other vacation rentals make all their money. Summer and Autumn will be mine. And that was fully booked. I will shut done during winter. Ha! Absolutely no open dates in December. Up to yesterday half of November was open and I had this list of improvements I was going to make. Had purchased materials and had them staged in my entry hall. I was wondering about ski racks and do I decorate for Christmas.

Wrong. Do not count on open times. Got my Moderna booster and planned on taking it easy when I received two instant back to back bookings during my open time. Note to self: Always prep the rental for occupancy the minute it is vacant.

Have doubles of everything so if you do not have time to get the towels washed and dried you have towels already washed and dried. And those thick and large towels you want at the hotel you stay at are very time consuming for washing and especially drying. But I am not willing to give that amenity up. 

Your rental may sleep five but all dishes and glassware come in sets of four. And sooner or later one of those four gets broken. Amazon does not get stuff here in two days especially with supply chain issues. Tuesday Morning's deals in odd sets so quickly you master mix and match. And the local thrift store cannot be counted on for other than wine glasses. Yesterday they were even out of blankets.

If I am trying to get ramped up for December so are all the other vacation rentals. There are four within walking distance of me!

Which brings me to why I really was inspired to write this: Everyone hates us. 

1) The resort, major employer, hates us new vacation rental owners because we destroyed long term cheap rentals for their employees. Never mind they did the same with all their employee housing.

2) All other businesses who need employees hate us. See previous discussion of long term cheap employee housing.

3) Real Estate agents hate us. They claim it is because we are destroying neighborhoods. I think it is because they cannot convince us to sell because now we can afford to stay. And really isn't constantly selling, and reselling the same house destroying a neighborhood? Or having drug dealers moving in and out on 6 month leases? And leaving them unrentable for at least two months while you fix things.

4) Hotels hate us. This was new to me. We only have two hotels in Angel Fire. Here it is condo associations which promote owning a condo because you can rent it out during holidays (the original airB&B?). One of the former hotels was bought up by a contractor so he could provide lodging for his employees. Give that man a hand! Really forward thinking.

But to conclude on a positive note. I am doing very well and learning a lot. Of all my "little businesses" to survive living on Social Security with continually rising prices of necessities, it is my most profitable even if I only sleep five, and do it for just Summer and Autumn. 

But I am getting pickier about my first impression. I confess to rushing to be ready for the first guest. And now I am adding the little things which make it more comfy and also a bit easier for me. I have learned tons from my cleaner so I can keep it up to her standards when I have to do it myself between her visits. And making more money than I anticipated allows me to spend money to upgrade the amenities. If and when I get the time.