It's Vacation Time. Is a Vacation Home Better for My Family?

Vacation homes are an excellent choice for many travelers, especially with more people wanting to enjoy more extended trips. However, many vacationers wonder if vacation homes are a better option than hotels.

There are multiple benefits to these types of accommodations that help make them suitable for different kinds of travelers. With the travel industry continuing to have significant growth and adapting to the needs of new demographics, anyone who travels is likely to find such properties available as an option. With the bevy of options available to travelers, choices need to be made. Quite simply, will a vacation home provide a better option and better value than going to a hotel?

Vacation housing information. Vacation homes offer an alternative to hotels that many see as being suited to the needs of people taking more extended vacations and people traveling in bigger groups, like families. There are different options available, too, which makes a significant difference in peoples’ travel needs. Although many of the properties available are single-family houses, other options might include condominiums or cabins. These homes are available in many locations as well. Even though people commonly think of vacation properties as being in beach locations, they are also popular in ski, lakeside, and even urban areas.

Benefits of vacation homes. Vacation home benefits include greater privacy, consistent amenities, and economic benefits. These properties offer options where guests will not have to use shared facilities if they prefer not to. Buyers or renters will also know what to expect from the amenities that the property offers. These features stand out in contrast to hotels, where many areas like pools are shared with other guests and customers might get different amenities from what they expected. There is also an economic benefit because the cost of renting a vacation home is often far less per person than staying in a hotel. This can save a good amount of money.

Finding a vacation home. Many people hear about vacation home rentals through word of mouth. Someone stays somewhere wonderful and then passes it on to their friends and families. There are also many apps which work to provide vacation home rentals. The proliferation of apps like HomeAway and Airbnb means that it’s easy to find a vacation home to rent for a week or month. There are additional online listings that can be relevant as well. Some realtor sites also list rentals in addition to sales.

Vacation home apps. Apps for vacation homes have taken a lot of time out of the search process both for renters and buyers. Because apps are easy to install on phones and tablets, seekers can look for properties while on the go. These programs also allow users to receive text and SMS notifications about new listings or changes to existing listings. Other popular features include the ability to filter the listings using specific criteria, being able to save listings for follow-up, and options for sharing to social media profiles or via email. Such programs help put shoppers closer to finding a property in less time.

Popular vacation home destinations. Several destinations see a lot of interest in vacation properties, but some stand out among the many options. Panama City and Kissimmee rank among some of the most popular locations, along with Cape Cod, Corpus Christi, and Myrtle Beach. Those looking for alternatives to beach living may want to consider places such as the Napa Valley, Palm Springs, Gatlinburg, and Savannah. Buyers or renters looking for locations ideal for skiing trips frequently enjoy visiting Killington or Aspen. The most popular locations not only offer memorable vacations but provide a good return for those who intend to make a return on the investment made in the property.