New Reality Show on Vacation Rentals Now Airing on PBS
A screen shot from Getting Away Together's episode in Kissimmee.
A new reality show highlighting the trend of sharing a vacation rental with families and friends is now airing on PBS. The show, Getting Away Together, is a part of a Vacation Rental Managers Association (VRMA) initiative to showcase the trend and raise awareness about vacation rentals as a growing alternative to hotels.
The show is expected to generate great publicity for the professionally-managed vacation rental industry and the thousands of managers across the nation. Boise-based LiveRez, the vacation rental software Gold Sponsor of the VRMA, works with more than 500 professional vacation rental manager partners from across North America and beyond.
“This show allows America to see firsthand what staying in a vacation rental is all about,” said Tracy Lotz, founder and CEO of LiveRez. “With Getting Away Together, the VRMA has done a great job documenting not only the value and quality of vacation rentals, but also the bonding friends and family experience when staying together.”
Yet Another Reason to Rent from Professional Vacation Rental Managers
Last week TODAY aired a segment on a number of vacation rental scams, highlighting the importance of booking your vacation through a professional vacation rental manager.
Just last week TODAY highlighted yet another reason to rent from professional vacation rental managers. The segment (see video below) detailed a number of vacation rental scams where criminals listed and took payment to rent homes they did not own. In many cases, there was no way for the victims to recover their money, especially for those that wired funds or paid with a check.
Incidents like this have been widely reported in the news lately, stressing a growing concern about the security of renting vacation homes. The prevalence of these scams reinforces the importance of renting from professional vacation rental managers.
Steve Trover, CEO of All Star Vacation Homes in Orlando, FL, said that when researching vacation rentals, there are many things travelers can look for to feel confident in booking.
VRBOs Not Paying Taxes Creates Competitive Disadvantage for VRMs
When VRBOs don't pay transient occupancy taxes on their vacation rentals, they can often rent their vacation home out for a lower price, which often creates a competitive disadvantage for professional vacation rental managers and even other VRBOs who follow the law.
Last Friday, The Desert Sun newspaper of Palm Springs released the latest in what seems like a string of articles nationwide about local governments cracking down on individuals operating vacation rentals and not paying taxes. Similar issues have already been raised in Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina and more.
But this issue goes much farther than cities collecting the taxes due to them; it goes straight to the heart of a competitive advantage these tax evaders have over vacation rental managers that pay taxes.
Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet told the Desert Sun that the effort wasn’t just about raising revenue from TOT (transient occupancy tax) funds.
“It levels the playing field for rental agencies and hotels,” he said. “It gives the city oversight over who is renting the property and how it's being managed.”
Professional vacation rental managers (VRMs) in the area know this situation all too well.
LiveRez the Focus of Today’s Cover Story in the Idaho Statesman’s Business Insider
Tracy Lotz, founder and CEO of LiveRez, has his photo taken by Idaho Statesman Photographer Darin Oswald at the LiveRez corporate offices in Boise, ID.
LiveRez and Founder/CEO Tracy Lotz were the focus of the cover story in the Nov. 2 edition of the Idaho Statesman’s Business Insider Magazine. The article, titled “The Boise Business Behind Your Vacation Rental,” spans five pages and includes a lengthy Q&A with Lotz.
In the article, Lotz discusses his background, how LiveRez was founded, the company’s business model, its software, trends in the industry and the company’s consuming-facing directory of vacation rentals called RezSecure.com – Trusted Vacation Rentals, Trusted Vacation Managers. The story also included photos of Lotz, members of the LiveRez staff, and property photos from LiveRez partner Valet Vacation Rentals (in McCall, ID).
You can read the full story online at IdahoStatesman.com (NOTE: Requires Subscription).
Are You Protected from Vacation Rental Scams?
According to police, at least 15 people in Coachella Valley in Southern California were the victims of a vacation rental scam. According to police, two Palm Springs men – Michael Maloney, 49, and Matthew Wehling, 45 – were arrested and will likely be arraigned today.
Avoid vacation rental scams by dealing with established vacation rental managers.
Police say they used websites, including HomeAway and Vacation Rentals by Owners, to list homes they did not own or manage. Allegedly, they took down payments on these homes and kept the money for themselves. When their unsuspecting victims finally showed up to the homes they thought they rented, they discovered they were scammed – definitely not the way they wanted to start their vacations.
This situation brings to light a major security issue with renting homes directly from the owner. One way to avoid these issues is to rent from a professional vacation rental manager (VRM). Vacation rental managers are active members of their communities. They’re often members of their local chamber of commerce. And, they’re rated by the Better Business Bureau. But, even more importantly, they have a brand to protect.
Most all VRMs are established and trusted. When you rent from them, you can trust that the property exists, is as advertised, and is available for the time you booked it. And, if for some reason you have a problem, they’re ready and available to help you – not hours away as is the case with many owners who rent their vacation homes.
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