About this Property

Money Saving Rental Tips

• Find the tourism bureau in the area you want to travel. Most official tourism bureaus will send you guide books with special offers for rental homes, restaurants and tours. These guides provide an excellent start to your rental home search.
• Would like to avoid the crowds of people? Shoulder seasons offer terrific discounts.
• Are you a military veteran? Many vacation rental companies offer discounted prices to veterans and active-duty servicemembers. Be sure to ask property management company to see if your vacationing crew qualifies for a price reduction.
• Some rentals are basically catered to particular guests, whether it's downtown rentals with weekly fishing pier passes, city-center condos with close access to restaurants or waterfront homes that have private boat launching areas. You should prioritize your proximity to the outdoor activities and points of interest you are most excited about.
• Think about obtaining trip insurance together with your leasing contract. Trip insurance, which usually costs between 1% - 5% of the base vacation rental rate, offers travellers reimbursement of their rental costs for any nights missed due to health related emergencies or weather, and additionally ensuing additional hurricane evacuation costs or expenses, such as an unforeseen hotel room stay or additional gasoline. Trip insurance might just be a bank account-saver if the unforseen happens .

General Rental property Tips & Tricks

Many people are surprised to learn how many rental properties are offered in their area of interest. With such a wide selection, guests are certain to find a vacation home which matches their desires and budget.

Rental homes are often owner operated or managed by rental management companies. Rental owners often select management companies to manage advertising and marketing, cleaning and routine maintenance.

Seasoned Charleston area vacationers have discovered a handful of tips and tricks throughout the years when it comes to renting rentals, however many novices will be delighted to learn that several "methods" are in plain sight, if you understand how to look.

Finding and reserving the best rental:

Do you believe "" is the perfect vacation property for your next visit? Read through this guide to confirm it fits your preferences.

The Earlier, The Better

Charleston area rentals start booking very early. Booking your rental 6-12 months before your travel dates is highly recommended, whenever possible. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years are excellent times to plan and book your rental home..

Find your Area and Choose Dates

Start by figuring out which particular area of Charleston area you'd like to visit, and the determine travel dates.

How Many Beds?

How many relatives are joining your getaway? Be aware that a lot of vacation rentals advertise maximum guest capacity, which usually includes sofa beds in the home's living room. You'll need to determine what is most appropriate for your company. Specific descriptions of bedrooms and beds are commonly accessible online. If not, email or call the property manager before you reserve the home.

Decide on Your Budget

The majority of vacation homes are marketed with a cost range. Determine the cost for your chosen trip. It might be at the high end of the range. Make sure to get cost-sharing commitments from loved ones well before booking a costly rental home. Most rental contracts call for a single person to be responsible for the entire reservation.

Property Amenities

What amenities is your group looking for? Is a screened-in porch a requirement? Does the unit need to be beach front, downtown, or close to night life? Are extras like beach chairs, grills, beach umbrellas, carts or coolers at your disposal and included in your rental property payment? Make a list of priority features to guide narrow your search.

Accessibility and Special Issues

Proper accessibility could make or ruin a visit for the less-mobile. Ensure that you remember and inquire about wheel chair entry, pool lifts and special equipment needs..

Have You Considered 4-Legged Family Members?

Are you or other individuals in the crew traveling with a four-legged friend? Animal guidelines are different at each rental. Study descriptions thoroughly. Type of pet, size and dog breeds may be restricted. Read your contract thoroughly! Extra fees or costs may be applied to your agreement. If in doubt, ask the property owner and get it in writing.

Best places to Search

Several internet resources exist to match visitors with property owners.. Together with Homeaway, VRBO and Tripadvisor, we advise searching Google for "Charleston area local rental homes" for local rental management companies. Aside from having distinctive properties, local agencies provide you with excellent service..

Negotiate the Price

Re-read the description to make sure the home has everything you need. If it is something is missing, the home management company might know of very similar homes that better suit your style and budget..

Some rental owners will negotiate rates, and some will not. If they are hesitant to budge on a peak-season week, try asking for an extra night. This is more effective during the off-season when many vacation rentals sit vacant.

Go Through The Agreement

Discover which of the following is included in your quoted rate:

• Utilities
• Internet Connectivity
• Phone service
• Hot Tub Heating
• Cable and pay-per-view TV
• Cleaning Fees
• Trash collection
• Maintenance policies
• Key exchange
• Parking Space

In addition to the standard fee, travelers have to pay local taxes when booking "", along with various other fees that may be required depending on their situation, including a dog fee, earlier check-in or late check-out fee, or a pool heating fee for private pool usage during the fall or spring months.

Do you know the Cancellation Policy?

Make sure you understand the cancellation policy prior to reserving. You'll likely be offered trip insurance. Trip insurance, which typically costs somewhere between 1% - 5% of your base rental home rate, can provide guests with reimbursement of their vacation costs (and subsequent rental property costs) for any nights missed as a result of personal medical-related emergencies or storms, in addition to hurricane evacuation costs, such as a unexpected motel stay or additional gas.

Complete the Booking

When everything seems correct, it's finally time to sign on the dotted line. You will likely have to submit a security deposit at time of reservation.

Where to Get Help

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

Congratulations! All that is left is enjoying your visit!

During your Stay

• Record the condition of the rental home immediately upon arrival. If you discover damages, or if fixes are needed contact the rental manager immediately.
• Should there be any ambiguity about vehicle parking, policies of the house, property access, swimming pool operation, etc... we recommend you ask the rental manager immediately. A phone call can save several hours of problems.
• Be considerate of the community. Residents often times live within earshot. Respecting late-night quiet hours and vehicle parking restrictions can make a trip a little more pleasant.
• Ask a local. Local people can frequently point you in the right direction. Who better to ask where to order the best nachos, have a great night out, or the best places for night life?
• Enjoy your stay! Make sure to protect the property owner (and your stuff!) by keeping the property secured while you are away, just like you would at home.

Checking Out

• Double-check every room of the rental home to ensure you've gathered all belongings.
• Once your things are all out, perform a walk-through of the rental home to make sure no damage occurred in the course of your stay. We advise walking through with the rental manager whenever possible (this may not be possible).. If the property owner is not available, make certain you take photos of the property to record its condition.
• How would you feel about your stay? Nearly all rental home web sites seek comments after your stay is complete. Rental owners and rental managers will thank you for positive critiques. If something went wrong and they failed to fix it in a reasonable manner, or if the rental home wasn't as described, you may want to note that in your review.

Iterate

Hold a vacation recap meeting with your traveling companions. How did they like the rental choice? If everything was perfect, next year's trip planning will be easy. If not, you have gained useful rental search experience to aid with another search.