8 Things You Must Know to Turn Your House Into a Vacation Rental Home

Is it time to turn your house into a money-making getaway? Proceed with caution. It's more complicated than it seems to convert your house into a vacation rental, and you must keep some of the money you earn to secure your vacation rental home. Here's what you should buy before your house goes on the rental market.

What items do you need to buy before turning your house into a rental?

A Combination Deadbolt Lock

It can be hard to hand over the keys to your house if you want to travel or work while it is rented out. A combination door lock can be used to give renters access. It is safer and more accessible than making key copies and distributing them to strangers. You may consider purchasing a durable combination deadbolt, which allows you to set multiple combinations and even temporary codes.

Home Monitoring

Are you anxious about your property when you are not there? You can monitor your thermostat, smoke alarms, and security cameras remotely via your smartphone to keep you informed. You can use home-monitoring devices to see who is at the door or receive notifications if there is an issue. You can add security cameras outside, upgrade your smoke alarms, or opt for a remote thermostat, among other possibilities. When you leave, will your guests leave the air conditioner on? You will.

Wi-Fi Locks 

If you want an additional level of protection in case your combination lock is compromised, or if you want to be able to enter your code or key to lock up from away, you might want to consider a Wi-Fi lock. This is a good choice if your guests need to keep out. You can lock up via code, smartphone, or Amazon Alexa with Schlage's Connect Touchscreen Deadbolt. It combines Wi-Fi and combination locking technology.

Toiletries

Buy bulk or keep a basket of goodies in the bathroom to save money and time. It's a bad idea to disregard the small things when you put together your house for visitors. Tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the bathrooms help guests who don't bring their own, as are other toiletries like soap and mouthwash.

Garage Door Opener That Is App Enabled

Have you ever overlooked closing your garage before leaving home? The Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Door Opener notifies you if your garage is left open via your home Wi-Fi so that you can close it remotely via a smartphone app. Your guests may do the same.

A Safe Box

If you are leasing it out, every inch of your house should be decluttered, down to the closets. Some small objects might need to be hidden away and locked in your vacation rental. With a safe box or two, you can hide objects you don't want your visitors to have, such as tools, spare keys, and valuables. For instance, Paragon's electronic wall safes might be hidden behind wall features to save you time. For a simpler repair, attach a different keylock to a closet to keep it off-limits.

Insurance

You should always be insured as a vacation rental homeowner, even if your service covers damages. In case something goes wrong that the service does not cover, Airbnb and HomeAway offer insurance. Airbnb covers hosts for up to $1 million if guests damage the property or get hurt, but specific incidents such as personal injury or terrorism are not covered. Ask your insurance company about converting your home into a rental and what additional coverage you might need.

Enough Bedding And Bathroom Towels

It's best not to skimp on the essentials when renting your home. Extra linens and towels might come in handy if you have new guests. Doing laundry a little less often is fine as long as you have plenty of linens. In addition, a lack of sheets and towels will likely give your listing some negative reviews.

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