All Forum Posts by: Ken Boone

So they have all 4 of my properties all jacked up.  I thought I escaped one of them as my lead pool pic was still correct, but then instead of having my top 5 - 7 pictures first they had them scattered all over with 2 of my best pics at the very end.  My wife has an appt with her VRBO account manager tomorrow to hopefully find out more info.

Quote from @Lauren Kormylo:

Quote from @Michael Baum:

Thanks for the info @Lauren Kormylo.

I just checked my listing and it still has the lake shot I have been using from the beginning.

Keep us posted on your escalation and where it leads. This is pretty important, at least I thought so when I posted originally about this new "feature."

Thanks Michael, I will update this if they get back to me.

I have only looked at 2 of mine so far and both are no longer showing my lead picture of the indoor pool.  Both are showing the kitchen.  This is garbage.  

With Xfinity service as long as you pay for one cable box (has to be connected to coax but not TV) then you can stream Xfinity Live TV through all your Roku TVs.  That is what we have been doing for many years.  Guest mode is nice but you can't use it with a setup like what me or @John Underwood have.  

Hasn't been a problem doing it this way.

Quote from @John Underwood:

We have multiple ways to rise above the competition.

Here is one.

We have cable channels and NFL Sunday ticket. So many others are cutting corners on this and who knows what else! We use You Tube TV for cable channels that include the local channels. You can ALSO log into your favorite streaming services with our smart TV's using your existing accounts.

You deserve to stay where the owners aren't cheap and don't cut corners!

 We do the same.  I don't think it gets used that much outside of sports, but local channels become really important during special events.  Sports and weather are the main drive.  For instance, the fire we had two years ago near Pigeon Forge.  It was really handy being able to stay on top of CURRENT local weather during that fire.  I was able to let my guests know what channels to watch to keep tabs on the fire until it became time to evacuate.  

Quote from @Glen Wiley:

Two things that have caused me to choose to not install a hot tub at our STR:

1. Sustained maintenance costs that are higher than anticipated increased occupancy and nightly rates. I just can't make the numbers make sense assuming a $0 capital expense for purchase/install.

2. Potential problems resulting in bad ratings. If a guest spills food in the hot tub or fouls it, the cleaning crew will discover it during turnover and have to block it (no way to clear that kind of mess in a 4hr turnover). The next guests will almost certainly be upset that the hot tub is out of service for their stay and are likely to injure my near perfect streak of 5 star ratings which will injure search rankings and possible lose me bookings.

Just a couple of thoughts on your reasons for not having a hot tub.  First of all having a hot tub is market dependent.  If you are in the smokies for instance and don't have a hot tub, you will be below average.  No two ways about it.  So your market will dictate whether you need one to just compete or whether one will bring you more revenue.

Argument #1  Sustained maintenance doesn't kick in the first few years when everything is new.  When I do have maintenance it is usually to do a board needing to be replaced ($150) or a leak, ( new seal needed).  And it's not like either one of those happens twice in a year.  So sustained maintenance should not be your concern, your concern should be on how fast you can recover the initial cost of the hot tub, the maintenance is not the issue.

Argument #2 Seems like this is based out of fear and the unknown.  I have 4 STRs all with hot tubs and have had them for years.  My market mandates I have hot tubs just to be average.  The only time one of my hot tubs was unusable by a guest was due to the heating element going out and there wasn't one in stock.  With my worst guest who made the hot tub look like a cess pool, the hot tub was still cleaned and sanitized and ready for the next guest within that turnover window.  The hot tub should be drained and filled and sanitized after each guest.  

Your argument is like stating you shouldn't have any amenities, arcade games, pool table, etc.. because a guests may spill stuff on the arcade machine and ruin the circuit boards or a guest tears the felt on the pool table and the next guest is not happy.  These things happen, but they are few and far between.

I am not saying YOU should have a hot tub, I'm just saying your reasons may not be valid for most people considering adding a hot tub to their STR.

So I have been collecting emails for quite some time but probably started doing email marketing maybe like 8 months ago.  It is a slow game and takes time to build up.  At this point I am starting to see fruit.  The last 2 out of 3 emails I got bookings as a result of the email campaign.   

I don't think the name of the game is to provide a discount with the email.  I think it really is to provide some type of value to the customer and get your brand in their face repeatedly.  When they are ready to book, you have the name recognition and familiarity factor.  

Quote from @Brian Barch:

I think looking at the smokies for STR is a bit like looking at cyclical markets (coastal California, Vegas, FL, etc) for primary homes. It's a bit more boom and bust than the rest of the country.

throwing out a number here, but I’d be willing to bet 75%+ of STR owners either bought well, bought with a long term view, or enjoy personal use and this don’t really care about the next few years.

I mean, pick your asset class, shame on anyone who tried to get rich quick on a short term time horizon. It’s investing 101

You would be amazed at just how many people did not buy well in the smokies in the last year and a half.  Blows the mind!

Quote from @John Underwood:

Definately get a 240VAC hot tub. A 110VAC would take too long to heat and would.cost extra in electricity. 

Sam's club has some good deals on these.

Agreed do not get 110.  Guests will not be happy.  It will take a good 24 hours to reach temp after a clean and refill. 

So first of all, the large majority of direct booking websites will NEVER be able to compete with the big OTAs when it comes to SEO. Period. For heavy tourists markets where there are several STR management companies who have websites, most direct booking individual websites will not even be able to compete with that.

But if you work on your social media presence, social media ads, and routing return guest through your direct booking website, you are building a base of clientele which makes you less dependent on the whims and algorithm changes that the big OTAs have.  I have experienced top performing properties drop instantly to nothing, for no reason other than algo changes.  When that happens there is NOTHING you can do in the short term to resolve those issues. I have seen it happen a number of times.

But yes it does require work and it is a slow game not a fast one.  To me it's worth it, to not be as reliant on the big OTAs.  Right now I am about 10% direct, a year ago I was at 5%. Hoping within another year I will be at 20 - 30%.

Quote from @Chris Seveney:

@Robin Searle

Most people pay zero attention to their local a d state government. But the majority of these have ran significant deficits, especially during Covid. Like anything, it takes time to trickle down, but it is starting and it is time to pay for all of that spending and the easiest place to generate revenue property tax.

Only that in the case of Sevier County they made out big time during covid.   With the exception of the first 6 weeks of Covid, it turned that place into a non down season full on tourist packed place for 24 months.  

They raked in a ton of tourist tax money during that time.