Just returned from a trip with the family and used vrbo to find a condo. Condo was nice, clean and maintained. So no complaints on that end. The associated taxes and fees with the rental approximated 25-30% do the total cost. I knew the total costs and satisfied with the rental but was wondering if I missing any cost savings on future rentals.

Any thoughts on this or is this pretty standard?

Thanks and Gig Em.

I have been using VRBO for years. When it was actually just owners & you could communicate w/them directly. Every thing went downhill after they sold out. The fees are insane! Rental companies like Vacasa are also on VRBO & AirBnb which is annoying. Vacsasa is a large rental company & I have read horror stories about people having issues w/their rentals & getting no help from Vacasa. I might go to FL in Sept & if I can't find something w/an owner on Airbnb I will go w/a small local rental agency.

AggieOO said:

---

I'm getting tired of looking at 4 nights on vrbo or airbnb and...oh look, this place is only 175/night. Then the total cost is like $1400 or something.

---

I was looking at rentals in the Austin/Hill Country area in the early weeks of the shutdown. So many of them increased their non-refundable fees - some to the tune of $500-$800! And the cancellation policies have only gotten stricter. I gave up trying to find something and booked at La Cantera instead.

We had an Airbnb booked in Alaska. Rescheduled once only to finally cancel, and I got 100% of my deposit back, no hassles at all. There are good ones out there, you just have to search for them.

If anyone wants some Friday literature regarding air BnB and the like. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/43k7z3/nationwide-fake-host-scam-on-airbnb

FancyKetchup14 said:

---

If anyone wants some Friday literature regarding air BnB and the like. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vice.com/amp/en_us/article/43k7z3/nationwide-fake-host-scam-on-airbnb

---

Thank you for posting that article! I have a friend In Austin who has rented rooms in her house through Airbnb for years and been really successful.

I just went to the Airbnb site and searched listings in the area of her house. I found her house listed for $800/night by a host who is NOT her.

I just texted her, and she said the host on the listing is the guy who she bought the house from (he also had the house on Airbnb before she bought it). But she's lived there 4 years, so there is no reason for that old listing to still be active.

She's going to talk to him and report the issue to Airbnb. Sounds like someone could have stolen/hacked the previous owner's account and is trying to "fake rent" her house.

One way to cut AirBNb or Vrbo out is to look that the owner/manager on the app then google them. They often have their own site which is cheaper, for instance in Port A, Silver Sands

IMO AirBnb has always been shady for me, they let a lot more go. VRBO has more fees but is more stable, I agree the fee structure sucks, show me the damn price when I search, no reason fees should add more than 20%

ecoag80 said:

---

Just returned from a trip with the family and used vrbo to find a condo. Condo was nice, clean and maintained. So no complaints on that end. The associated taxes and fees with the rental approximated 25-30% do the total cost. I knew the total costs and satisfied with the rental but was wondering if I missing any cost savings on future rentals.

Any thoughts on this or is this pretty standard?

Thanks and Gig Em.

---

Many times on the VRBO site you will find the property managers information listed. You can call them directly and tell them you want to book directly through them and not through VRBO. That will save you the VRBO fees.

I usually ask for their "best all-in price".

Sometimes they get a bit cheaper, other times they say " the listed price is the best".

I do miss the old VRBO days, dealing with the owners directly.

I usually message the owner / manager and ask if they are willing to have me book directly for a lower cost or less fees. Generally they are.

I've got a condo on N Padre Island that's listed through all the sites. However, whenever anyone I knows wants to rent it, they contact me directly and they get to skip all those fees...

I've used vrbo for years but hate the new fee due to sellout to expedia. I use vrbo this way...just to find the property I want. I then see who the manager is and google for them to see if they have other site. Very common for property management companies. Book their site with no vrbo bs fee
On vrbo if not property MGMT but actual owner just contact them via site. Once emailing with them tell them u hate the fee and ask to book direct. I've done this as well

Book directly with us and we can drop VRBO fees. Port A, walk to beach.

https://www.vrbo.com/1088404

I found a place I liked on Vrbo. It was managed by Evolve Vacation Rentals, so I googled the name. I found the same place on their website for several hundred dollars cheaper. I have done something similar for several properties.

Be careful with Evolve. They are shady AF, read the reviews. With the pandemic cancellations it's looking like they may go under and aren't giving refunds or paying owners in a timely manner.