VRBO questions-help me! Overwhelmed.

Hi everyone!

Okay, I have finally decided to take the plunge and look at the VRBO website. With so many rentals I was overwhelmed at first but...oh well! So, I know that since these are by owner each unit will differ greatly. So far I have been looking at price, how many pictures and what quality the picture are of each unit.

However, although some of these look good I am a bit afraid that I will fall for some scam and when I get there it will suck! I already have accom. booked for when I am in Maui but they can be cancelled at no cost so now I am looking on VRBO for something better.

Please let me know how I can be safe and not fall for a lemon of a condo. As well, do the owners hvae to be registered somehow so they won%26#39;t take my money and run? What if they are posting fake pictures or soemthing!

I know that some pepole have posted reviews of their condos on here but with so many being offered it would take forever to match up reviews on here with that site.

As you can see I really need all your advice and help!

VRBO questions-help me! Overwhelmed.

Start by searching the condo in question on this site. If there are a lot of bad reviews, it is probably one to bypass. We%26#39;ve had good luck with Papakea, others have said to stay away from that one. We%26#39;ll be there again in October (we%26#39;ll wait and see if it is as good as last time).

VRBO questions-help me! Overwhelmed.

I think that most of the owners are legit. I wouldn%26#39;t hesitate to rent by owner ever again. I have rented studios on the beach in Napili Bay, houses on the beach in Florida and condos on the East Coast all directly by owner. If you are hesitant, email the owner and see what kind of response you get. I also always have phone conversation with the owner. You can get a feel for something that is right. I wouldn%26#39;t hesitate. If you find something that looks good to you, then book it. Happy searching!!

Start a communication with the owner and see how well they respond to you. My trip this year was the first time I rented from a private owner and he asnwered every email and call in a timely manner. He also provided great documentation of all the transactions that took place between the two of us.

A few ideas:

Look at the bottom of the VRBO ad to see how long the ad has been up. (Unlikely someone can be a fake for years. However some are just new owners so the date can be recent.)

Ask when the photos were taken and ask to see pix of every aspect that interests you.

Read the %26#39;Guest Comments%26#39;. E-mail some of the guests if you like.

If you want to verify that the unit is really owned by the ad taker, call the complex%26#39;s resident manager and ask. Maui County records can also be accessed online to see check the name on the title.

Make sure the rate includes everything. No extra charges for cleaner, parking, reservation or registration...what EVER!

The main complaint we%26#39;ve seen on the forum concerns desputes over damages. If you put the damage deposit on a credit card you have protection. (Putting the whole condo charges on a card will not protect you as long as the condo is as described: an inhabitable 1 BR 2 bath Ocean View in X Complex with a King Bed, etc. That%26#39;s why a rental agency can stick you in an outdated unit and still have fulfilled their contract as far as the credit card company is concerned.)

I%26#39;m not so crazy about speaking with the owner. What I like is an e-mail trail that lays out the whole deal.

Ask what happens if something breaks or fails while you are at the condo. Is the owner local? We employ a full service agency in Kihei for our place because we want any problem solved fast..and because *I* don%26#39;t want to hear about a leaking toilet at midnight Chicago time! LOL

Once you pick a few condos you like, ask the forum.

Hi Beach724,

Ourselves and 2 groups of friends have booked at the Maui Kamaole through VRBO twice. The condos have been exactly as we hoped each time. Beautiful. We have booked again for Feb 2009.

Good luck!

You can verify ownership of the property (to help you avoid scams) by looking up the property on the Maui County Tax Assessors site:

www.mauipropertytax.com/AddressSearch.asp…

That way you know for sure that the ';owner'; you are dealing with is the real owner of the property. Checking reviews of the unit here on TA can help you verify the quality of the specific units.

Our experience with such rentals is pretty terrific. We got a nice little condon at Kamaole Sands for a great price (also went this route on Kauai, in Tucson, and even in the Cook Islands)

Ken

Hello

I booked 2 condos through VRBO last year and they were exactly what I expected. I try to find condos that the owners manage and not a rental company. If the owners live on Maui , even better. Now with that being said, that%26#39;s not always possible. You can usually tell which condos are in a big rental pool. The description of the condo is vague, where as an owner will have a lot of pride in their condo and tell you about it. The generic rental condo%26#39;s look all the same. Same couches, furniture etc. Most times you won%26#39;t know which one is yours until you get there. Just ask. Ask what condo# you will be and in what building #. Ask for exact pics. Also ask if you can book with the owner directly. That can also save you money.

Good luck.

P.S. I have found 2 great condos for this year. The search can take awhile. But its fun planning a holiday.

Bellini

I%26#39;ve booked a few condos thru vrbo and never had any problems. I always try to find someone that takes credit cards or Paypal, instead of just checks.

I like you was very nervous as it also was my first booking with vrbo. I actually e-mailed vrbo directly with respect to my unit number and they returned my e-mail with the fact that the owners had been registered with them for many years with no complaints.

We have booked through VRBO for condos in Wailea, Acapulco and Solvang, CA. and have never had any problems and all the condos were exactly what they say they were and better. Like ChiSue mentioned look at the bottom of the ad to see how long the ad has been up.