Stating the Facts About Real Estate

A vacation rental is a fun and affordable place to stay for a trip, and there are steps you can take to make the rental even more affordable. If you're planning a trip soon, here's how to save on a vacation rental.

Rent During Non-Peak Times

First, time your trip for a non-peak time of year. What season this is will depend on where you're going, for locations are busier and slower during different seasons. Whatever the non-peak time is, though, you'll get a lower price on a vacation rental because there's less demand for the place.

When looking for non-peak times to travel during, there are three seasons to know:

• Peak season is the busiest period of a year

• Off-season is the slowest period of a year

• Shoulder season is the period between the peak and off seasons

In many cases, the shoulder season is the best season of these three to rent a vacation home during. You can get non-peak rates, but businesses in the area should still be open. If you go during the true off-season, businesses might be closed and you may not have as much to do during your trip.

Select a More Distant Vacation Rental

Second, consider choosing a vacation rental that's a little farther away from the main attractions of an area. The extra distance will create a lower demand for the rental, which will reduce its price. In some cases, the added distance won't have any significant impact on your travel activities, though.

You probably don't want to stay an hour away from the area's main attractions, but driving just a few extra minutes could net you a sizeable savings. If you can find a vacation rental that's farther away but on mass transit, you can likely get a good deal while still keeping your commute to different attractions quite reasonable.

Book on Either End of the Main Time

Most people plan their vacations a few months ahead of time and book a vacation rental when they're planning their next trip. If you book a vacation rental either before or after when most people are making reservations, you might score a deal.

Booking in advance gives a vacation rental owner assurance that their place will be rented for the time when you stay. In exchange for this assurance, the owner might offer you a slight discount.

If you're comfortable waiting until the last minute, you might be able to find a price reduction on a rental that's not been reserved yet.