Is Your Vacation Home or Vacation Rental Ready for the Season?

Vacation rentals and part-time homes are popular in the Prescott area. More and more people are purchasing homes and using them for their own vacation getaways or renting them out as vacation rentals. There are many things to consider if you do not live in your home full-time.

If you own a part-time home that will be unoccupied during the winter months, it is very important to take these steps: 

•  Notify the police department that you will be away, and have a trusted neighbor or friend keep an eye on the home while you’re away. You may also hire a bonded and insured company to do periodic house checks. Maid to Order offers this service at a minimal charge.
• Make your home unattractive to pests by closing up any openings to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Clean and defrost fridges and freezers, turn them off and prop open the door so that mold does not grow. And don’t forget to close the fireplace flue.
• Drain pipes or set the temperature at 55 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing and unscrew hoses from the hose bib on the outside of the house.
• Check and test all alarm systems, including fire alarms. Check all locks, deadbolts and window locks to make sure your house is secure.
• Forward mail and stop newspaper delivery so that your home does not appear unoccupied. You may want to install lighting on timers.
• Hire a company to remove snow after a storm to keep the outside from appearing unattended.

If you own a vacation rental, keep these things in mind:

• Hire a reputable, bonded and insured hospitality professional to be your eyes and ears.
• Make sure the people who are doing the cleaning after each renter leaves is also a reliable and reputable person or company.
• Get estimates and recommendations for any company you hire to come to your home when you are not there.
• Have them take pictures of any damage or loss after each visit.
• Make sure you have access to a handyman or company that can come and take care of the smaller issues such as a leaky faucet, a toilet that runs, burned out lightbulbs, etc., and someone to come and wait for technicians on larger service items.

Protect your home by hiring only reputable people to assist you with your part-time home or vacation rental. Prescott Maid to Order is here to help with any of these items listed previously, including vacation rental cleaning, housesitting, house checks, handyman services, snow removal and yard maintenance.

We wish everyone a very happy Holiday Season! QCBN

By Lucy Leyva

Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Maid to Order. Prescott Maid to Order also offers home maintenance services through our sister company Prescott Property Maintenance and can help with any of these tasks with one phone call.