About this Property

How to Save Money on Your Rental

• Find the tourism bureau in the area you want to travel. Most official tourism bureaus will offer you printed travel guides with special deals for vacation rentals, dining and activities. Keep an eye out for these publications and discount books, because this allows vacationers to experience those fantastic attractions with a quite often significantly discounted.
• Are the trip dates flexible? Off-peak times provide significant markdowns.
• Several vacation rental companies and owners offer rate reductions for active duty and veteran men and women of the U.S. Armed forces, or returning guests of the same vacation home. Make sure to confirm with vacation rental company to see if your visiting group qualifies for a special offer.
• Some properties are essentially designed to serve specific customers, whether it's oceanside rentals with pier passes, city-center condos with walkable access to night life or waterfront homes that feature their own boat launching areas. If there's a specific Charleston area atteaction you simply love, look for rentals that cater especially to you.
• Think about obtaining trip insurance together with your lease agreement. Trip insurance, which usually costs somewhere between 1% - 5% of the base rental cost, provides visitors reimbursement of their travel expenses for any nights missed due to health emergencies or hurricanes, and additionally ensuing extra hurricane evacuation costs or expenses, such as an unforeseen hotel room stay or additional gas. Trip insurance might just be a bank account-saver if the unforseen happens (heaven forbid!).

How to Book a Rental Home

First-timers are often shocked at the range and wide selection of short term vacation rentals available in the Charleston area area. With such a big selection, clients are sure to discover a property that matches their desires and spending budget.

The majority of vacation homes in Charleston area are privately owned and many are represented by well-known local rental management companies. Property management companies are liked by owners mainly because they manage the internet marketing and operations..

Seasoned Charleston area vacationers have identified a handful of tips and tricks over the years when it comes to renting rental properties, however many beginners will be delighted to know that several "tips" are in plain sight, if you recognize where they should search.

Where to find and book the perfect rental property:

Do you believe "" is the best vacation property for your upcoming visit? Look over this checklist to confirm it fits all of your preferences.

Begin Your Search Early

Charleston area rentals are reserved many months (and up to a year) in advance. For the best selection, start your planning and search 6-12 months before a trip. Many visitors plan to start their search during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year gatherings.

Find your Area and Choose Dates

Begin by picking which particular area of Charleston area you want to visit, and the determine travel dates.

Bedrooms and Bed Sizes Matter

Keep a list of attendees. How many beds and bedrooms will you need? Remember that a lot of vacation rentals advertise maximum guest capacity, which typically includes sofa beds in the living room space. You'll need to determine what is acceptable for the party. Most vacation home listings will outline each of the unit's specific bedrooms and mattress sizes.

Determine Your Budget

Will your selected rental property suit your budget during that choice Summer week? Make certain to get cost-sharing commitments from family and friends before booking a costly rental property. Most rental contracts call for a single individual to be liable for the whole reservation.

Rental Home Features

What amenities is the family trying to find? Do you simply desire a rental home with a pool, spa or volleyball court? Does the property need to be beachfront, downtown, or close to restaurants? Are bedsheets offered with the rental contract, or do you need to take your own? Make a list of "needs and desires" from your group to help filter your search to the most suitable property.

Accessibility and Special Circumstances

Do members of your party have specific needs? If wheel chair accessibility, elevators, pool lifts or other specialized equipment is required, factor that into your search. Nearly all vacation rental listings will include a list of amenities.

Paws-Friendly, Please

Remember to include your furrry friends. Animal friends are welcome at a number of rentals, but policies differ. Type of animal, size and breeds may be restricted. Ensure that you read descriptions and contracts carefully. Extra fees or deposits may be applied to your contract. Ask questions *prior to* you reserve!

The best places to Search

Several websites exist to match visitors with property owners.. In combination with Homeaway, VRBO and Tripadvisor, we recommend searching Google for "Charleston area local rental homes" for local vacation home management companies. Local property management companies proudly offer an exceptional rental experience.

Negotiate the Price

Re-read the description to ensure that the home has everything you need. If it is something is missing, the property management company may know of comparable properties that fit your preferences and budget..

Although not true for all rental properties, many property owners and property managers will negotiate rates. If the rate isn't negotiable, the number of nights might be. Off-peak weeks will be negotiable more frequently than peak-season..

Study the Total Contract

Read the complete contract and make sure you fully understand who is responsible for:

• Utilities
• WIFI Access
• Long Distance Calls
• Hot Tub Heating
• Cable and pay-per-view TV
• Daily Cleaning (If Available)
• Trash collection
• Maintenance policies
• Key exchange
• Parking Space

Get a total that includes state taxes, animal and other extra fees.

If you need to Cancel

Be sure you are familiar with the cancellation policy before booking. Many rental property agreements include an option for trip insurance. Trip insurance shields the renter against emergency situations and weather events, It gives you relief should catastrophe strike.

Reserve It

When everything looks correct, it's finally time for you to sign on the dotted line. You will probably be asked to submit a security deposit at time of booking.

Know Who to Call

Be sure you get the manager's contact telephone number and entry/exit procedures for your rental home. We recommend storing the contact's information in your cell phone and wallet.

Congratulations! All that is left is making the most of your visit!

During your Stay

• To assure no damages are associated with your stay, create a record of any trouble spots of the property. We also advise promptly phoning the rental home manager with a report of any wear and tear, together with your request for any necessary repairs.
• Ask questions. You may need guidance for a fireplace, TV or spa. Contact your rental manager. They are there to assist. A phone call can save several hours of problems.
• Don't forget to respect your nearby neighbors. . Remember the golden rule and treat others the same way you'd like to be treated by visitors next to your home.
• Ask a local. Local people are a great source of suggestions. Who better to ask where to get the best chicken wings, have a great night out, or the best areas for night life?
• Make sure that you protect the rental owner (and your stuff!) by keeping the property locked up while you are away, exactly like you would at home.

At the end of your stay

• Make sure you've packed everything. Examine drawers, bath cabinetry and closets.
• Make sure to walk through the rental home one last time and look for damages. When possible, do this walk-out inspection with the property manager present. If the property owner is not available, make sure to take photos of the property to record its condition.
• Did you have a blast? Most rental home management companies and vacation rental websites make it easy for renters to offer comments. If your property and/or property manager was great, they will appreciate your recommendations. If something went wrong and they did not fix it in a practical manner, or when the rental was not as described, you'll want to note that in your comments.

Use Your Experience

Does everybody want to return next year? Ideally everything was fantastic and you're happy to re-book the same rental home for next season. Otherwise, you have gained valuable experience that will help with your next search.