Preparing for the Proposed Lodging Tax. Part II: Pricing your home
Given the likelihood that Massachusetts will pass a Lodging Tax bill at some point after January 1, many homeowners are wondering if they should price their homes any differently for next season given...
View ArticleLodging Tax Possibly Delayed until 2020!
As we have been saying for several months, the lodging tax is likely not to be taken up by the State Legislature until after the first of the year, when their formal session begins. We recently...
View ArticleManaging Your Bookings with Ease!
Every fall, when we meet nearly 200 clients at our Homeowner Forums, we ask how many of them take advantage of our Booking Management feature. And we are always surprised how few do! But, when we ask...
View ArticleSurprise last-minute revival of the lodging tax bill!
GOV. BAKER EXPECTED TO SIGN RECENTLY APPROVED LODGING TAX BILL Breaking news for homeowners on lodging tax legislation: In a surprising move, the MA House and Senate last night pushed through the...
View ArticleWhat you need to do regarding the new Lodging Tax Bill
As most of you are aware, the new MA short-term rental tax for occupancy beginning on or after July 1, 2019, went into effect on January 1. Any contract you enter into with renters for this summer...
View ArticleThe Lodging Tax is here – What do you need to know?
Many of you continue to have questions as you navigate the rules of the new MA short-term rental tax. Most of them can be answered by reading our Lodging Tax FAQ’s post, which we update regularly....
View ArticleAbsorbing the lodging tax in your rental rates is a bad idea
As expected, the passage of the controversial lodging tax in Massachusetts is having a significant impact on vacation rental homeowners as well as their guests. In addition to meeting registration and...
View ArticlePricing and marketing for the 2020 rental season
Pricing for 2020 Every year at this time, homeowners ask our advice about whether they should go up in their pricing or stay the same. Keep in mind that all those vacationers who signed leases prior to...
View ArticleThe Power of a Vacation Rental Home Makeover
Last spring, WeNeedaVacation.com embarked on a new and exciting project. Together with interior designer Joanie Landers of RefreshRentalsCapeCod.com, we completed a home makeover of a Harwich vacation...
View ArticleProtect yourself from a possible tax increase!
The lodging tax that was expanded to include short-term rentals on January 1, 2019, was based on town rates that were already in effect. Since that date, however, several towns have already increased...
View ArticleLiving with the new lodging tax
The passage of the controversial lodging tax in Massachusetts has certainly made for a challenging year for rental homeowners. In addition to meeting registration and insurance requirements and having...
View ArticleSuccessfully managing a vacation rental for the 2020 season
As part of our four Homeowner Forums this fall, I focused on some practical recommendations for vacation rental homeowners from both managing and marketing perspectives. (Read about the full...
View ArticlePosting extra fees on your listing
Homeowners often ask us if they should include any extra fees – such as for cleaning or linens – in their rental prices. The fact is, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. (See our previous post about...
View ArticleAddressing vacationer concerns about COVID-19
As you well know, the corona virus is significantly impacting the travel and tourism industry. Although we are in uncharted territory, we believe it’s important for vacation rental homeowners to get...
View ArticlePricing Your Home for the 2021 Season
Of the myriad questions we’re frequently asked, one of the most common, and important, is about pricing. Should I go up in my prices for next year or keep them the same? Some historical context For...
View ArticleSummer Rental Demand Soars and Continues into Next Season
Cape COVID Conversations – (CC) Summer Rental Report with WeNeedaVacation,com from Lower Cape TV on Vimeo. COVID-19’s Impact on Vacation Rental Demand From the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in...
View Article2021 Early Bookings and Pricing Report
After the roller coaster ride experienced by Cape and Islands vacation rental homeowners last year, what can we expect this year? Well, as noted in our previous Blog post, Outlook for the 2021 vacation...
View ArticleAdapting to the VR Industry’s New Normal
As the 2021 vacation rental season on the Cape and Islands draws to a close, the vast majority of homeowners report that they enjoyed tremendous success. What are some of the changes that have taken...
View ArticleIs the Rental Market Beginning to Soften?
Although website traffic and inquiries continue to be very strong versus pre-pandemic numbers, the demand from vacationers seems less frenzied now than this time last year. Could it be that the...
View ArticleOutlook 2022: What’s fueling the demand?
Covid has had a significant impact on vacationer demand for short-term rentals. As that impact begins to wane, however, inflation, labor and housing shortages, higher wages, and energy costs now...
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