"Have you checked out Houfy yet?" You should!
VRBO/HomeAway vs Houfy (House For You).
Originally written by Stephanie Libes Cole
Save yourself anywhere from $200-$600!
Expedia bought VRBO and HomeAway. In 2017, an attempt to maximize their profits, Expedia decided that the users of their companies, VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner) and HomeAway, will pay a service fee, a.k.a. a "booking fee". This is to follow the model that AirBnB has always used. This fee, they say, is to pay for the website, customer service and advertising. For those booking Vermont Cottage Lake Amherst, the service started out at up to $399, then a year later it went up to $499, and now it is up to $599. Where will it end? Owners also pay a yearly advertising fee of $499 per listing.
It didn't stop there- HomeAway/VRBO and the rest of the Expedia Group of OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) found another way to get more money from our guests. The more people in your group, the more they will charge. Don't believe it? Below is a copy of a letter they sent to an owner asking why the service fee increased based on the number of guests, even though her rate stayed the same..
So what about this Service Fee?
The service fee varies, depending on the cost of the rental and demand for the house. Renters find the service fee can fluctuate from one view to the next.
Did that even make sense!?
VRBO/HomeAway has also made it difficult for owners and renters to deal directly with each other. Contact information is kept from both renters and owners, and owners can be penalized for trying to take inquiries from the site, off platform, or to allow customers to book direct. The companies want their money. Is it really a deal? Before you inquire on one of these booking sites, know what you are paying for and decide if it is worth it. Wouldn't you rather have a discussion with the homeowner to see if the rental is right for you?
Advertising. Security. Convenience. That is what the service fee is supposed to pay for. Many choose a privately owned vacation home because they want to deal with the owner instead of a customer service agent that has never been to the house; that is what you are paying for. Do you really want to pay for advertising to help them make more money? The current websites are notoriously difficult and confusing to use for both owners and renters. Is this what you are paying for? The website was maintained and functioned better, according to owners, before they charged renters a service fee.
The truth is there is very little value they provide, except the use of their website. Owners pay the credit card fees and subscription fees, while renters pay to use the website. They are rated only 1 star by Consumer Affairs for service and quality. So why pay it?
Fair and True Pricing at Houfy
If you want fair and true pricing, check out Houfy.com! There are no service fees, so you pay less for the same home. The value you receive (for FREE) is direct contact with owners, TONS of information in the owners posts and guides, and an easy to use website to look at various homes, different seasons and their prices, and instant quotes. VRBO/HomeAway just can't compete! Check out our guides below so see what we offer and the information that is always at your fingertips!
Vermont Cottage Lake Amherst has 25 GUIDES
Alecia and her husband John are the owners of Vermont Cottage Lake Amherst in Plymouth, Vermont. You can call us directly.
The best part of Houfy is it's FREE! They never charge service fees, they verify owners, and they allow you to deal with owners directly. The next time you shop on AirBnb or VRBO/HomeAway or any of the big sites, ask the owner, "Are you on Houfy yet?"
If you ask me, I can say, "Yes! I am on Houfy!" Check us out! Vermont Cottage Lake Amherst! Make us Your Rental House too!
To rent the entire place, go to this listing. ~~~~~ 6/7 bedrooms, futon in upstairs getaway space & 4 bathrooms.
To rent just the downstairs for smaller groups, go to this listing. ~~~~~4 bedrooms ~ 3 bathrooms ~ Not available summer weeks in July and August
To rent just the downstairs for smaller groups, go to this listing. ~~~~~3 bedrooms ~ 3 bathrooms ~ Not available summer weeks in July and August
To rent just the downstairs for smaller groups, go to this listing. ~~~~~2 bedrooms ~ 3 bathrooms ~ Not available summer weeks in July and August
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"Book Direct" ~ Word is slowly spreading and the idea is getting planted. ~ Real Simple magazine, January 2020 edition, page 56. "Accommodations"...."Avoid the expensive middleman."...."To get the lowest price on hotel rooms-and potentially have the best experience- reserve directly with a property, says Melanie Liebman, an editor at the travel site The Points Guy."
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