How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Vacation Home?

When it comes to renting a vacation home, there are many factors to consider. Property taxes, rental income, and maintenance costs are just a few of the expenses that come with owning a vacation home. It's important to calculate the numbers carefully and estimate the cost of owning a vacation home before investing in a property. Many first-time homeowners underestimate how much it costs to run a rental home and have unrealistic expectations about the amount of benefits they will reap.

Comparing and finding a vacation home that meets your criteria is easy with the 35,809 multi-vendor options available in Ohio. Dog-friendly Ohio rental cabins are also available, with 3,819 pet-friendly homes on offer. When you connect a dynamic pricing tool to your vacation rental software, you can set a simple rate per night, week or month in the blink of an eye, or offer dynamic rates based on length of stay, number of guests, day of the week, and other factors. Owning a vacation home can be costly, but you can consider buying and managing it as a joint venture with family or friends, which can reduce your risk.

Based on KAYAK vacation rental searches, the most popular destination is Portsmouth (6% of total searches in Ohio). A vacation home needs maintenance like any property, from lawn care, oven tuning and a new coat of paint to cleaning gutters or replacing putty. You may love your vacation rental, but that doesn't mean everyone appreciates it as much as you do, so your rates shouldn't be based on your own evaluation, or that of your aunt, best friend, or the vacation home down the street, but should have a stronger foundation. Unlike a typical long-term rental where your tenant may be responsible for some or all of the utilities every month, in the world of vacation rentals, you usually pay for all of them.

Keep in mind that you may need special insurance coverage, such as homeowners insurance, if you plan to rent your vacation home. Buying a vacation home comes with rewards and risks, including the possibility that if you plan to rent the home for income, you won't earn enough to offset your expenses. If you manage your rental through a site like Airbnb, VRBO or HomeAway, keep in mind that they also take part of your nightly rental rate.

Cathleen Testa
Cathleen Testa

Typical travel ninja. Hardcore food enthusiast. Evil webaholic. Avid internet expert. Unapologetic social mediaholic.