If you have a rental home in a popular summer vacation area, you might consider turning it into a summer rental home. This can be a great way to cash in on travelers who want a home away from home experience. Many families opt for a rental home instead of staying in a hotel, especially if they are planning a long trip. You can make quite a nice second income if you are willing to put a little work into transforming your rental into a summer home getaway.
Understand What People Want
It is important when first embarking upon this endeavor that you learn a bit about what people want in a summer home. Imagine if you were vacationing and think about what you would want. Most people want luxury and cleanliness. They expect everything to be in good working order. They want comfort and ease. Basically, they want no headaches and nothing but fun.
It is up to you to come up with summer home designs that will wow your guests and make them want to come back again and again. The very first thing you should do is hire a contractor to look over the home and inspect all the main systems to ensure everything is in good shape. Get anything major fixed right away before you begin putting money into the design. This will give you a clean slate upon which to build your summer dream home.
Choose the Right Colors
Color is everything in a summer home. It sets the stage for the overall feel of the place. You want to go with tones and colors that match the surroundings. If the home is by the beach, choose blues, greens, and tans. If you are in a wooded area, think browns and greens. Try to make the home feel like an extension of the outdoors. A summer home is all about that compatibility between the indoors and outdoors.
Fix Up the Kitchen and Bathrooms
You want the kitchen and bathrooms to be a focus of your renovations. These areas need to be welcoming. The kitchen should be light and sterile. It should feature high-end touches, like granite countertops. Consider glass front cabinets or open cabinets. Choose flooring that is easy to keep clean and that looks crisp and bright.
In the bathroom, keep things warm. Consider heated flooring. Add in a high-end shower and tub. Use a natural stone countertop and tiles on the floor. You can put little touches into this room that pump up the luxury factor.
Focus on the Bedrooms
The bedrooms will really be important if you want guests to keep coming back. You have to provide soft beds that are comfortable to sleep in. Bedding should be extravagant. Provide plenty of storage space. When people rent a home for vacation, they basically move in, so they will want space to hang or put away clothing and store luggage.
Don’t Forget Outside
Because summer vacation is often a mix of indoors and outdoors, you want to create outdoor living areas that are inviting. Consider adding an outdoor kitchen. If there is a pool or a beach right outside, then put in an outdoor shower. Depending on the setting, you might even add a bar or outdoor firepit. A hot tub can also be a nice touch regardless of the location of the home.
While it can take some work to create a summer home rental, it can be well worth it. If your rental home is in a prime location, you can make a very nice profit off renting it out. The renovations will pay for themselves over the traveling season, so go ahead and make the investment.