Ocean Front Vacation Rentals

[Mike O'Connor]

Hi all - My extended family and I are currently on a week long vacation in Garden City, SC (south Myrtle) and are all staying in an ocean front beach house (extended family is here, so we all pitch in to make it feasible). As we were looking for the house we wanted to rent, I was reviewing the weekly rental costs and, to put it simply, it isn't cheap.

So, my question is... does anybody focus on vacation rentals, specifically beach front rentals? Do the numbers make sense? While the weekly rental rate is high (even in off season months), I would imagine that the costs associated are also extremely high... insurance, property management, maintenance, repairs, etc. I know, from our personal experience, that vacation renters are also very needy and expect everything to be perfect. Also, I know that they are fully booked in the summer months, but what does vacancy look like in the winter?

If anyone has perspective on if the benefits outweigh the costs, I would love to hear it!

Mike