Blog

Twas the Night before Vacation Rental Christmas

Published on 12/31/11 by Covey, Jan — The Christmas and New Years Holidays are a big season in almost every vacation rental market. Read how one plucky manager gets through the hub bub. read more

Emilie's Ski Blog Visits New Paradise Basin at White Pass

Published on 12/24/10 by Westphal, Emilie Kippen — I just got back from a great ski at White Pass. (That's in South Central Washington State) and I just gotta tell you they have opened up 767 new acres of terrain in Paradise Basin. Its that area up and behind the original highest lift. That area that we all dreamed of skiing for a long time. read more

Vacation Road Trips Start at the Dentist

Published on 04/01/10 by Adair, Gail — Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offe read more

Sunbanks Resort - Little known Secret Location

Published on 03/31/10 by Taylor, Penny L. — Warm weather took me on a drive to Central Washington state, to little known Banks Lake and SunBanks Resort. Toasty hot in summer it boasts warm warm water unlike most big lake resorts. read more

Drive to Sunbanks Resort in Central Washington State

Published on 03/15/10 by Taylor, Penny L. — Warm weather took me on a drive to Central Washington state, to little known Banks Lake and SunBanks Resort. Toasty hot in summer it boasts warm warm water unlike most big lake resorts. read more

Become a Vacation Rental Angel

Published on 03/01/10 by May, William Victor — Operating a vacation rental business can be fun and profitable but it also an opportunity to do some good in the world. Now property owners and managers can do that by participating in a public program that offer read more

Chief Joseph Welcomes Everyone

Published on 12/17/09 by May, William Victor — Can I invite you to the most unique and remote mountain lodges in Washington State? It is called Chief Joseph Lodge and sits dead center in the middle of the state and five miles up from the summit of Blewett Pass highway. Click here to take a look. www.ChiefJosephLodge.com. There are photos, vid read more

Snoqualmie Pass Real Estate, Mortgage, and Economy

Published on 12/14/09 by Wolter, Thomas — KEEPING ON KEEPING ON - For the fourth week in a row the markets moved sideways, with one index slightly up, one a bit down and the third flat. Recently, there haven't been any extreme weekly market moves in the indexes, up or down. Investors aren't quite ready to believe things are as good as some read more

Complaints, Compliments and Compassion

Published on 11/19/09 by May, William Victor — For a number of years our company has been donating vacation rental use to a wonderful group called OutdoorsForAll.org (Formerly SkiForAll.org). Their mission is to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with di read more

Everything Robert Fulgham Learned in Kindergarten

Published on 11/01/09 by May, William Victor — I stumbled onto an Internet posting the other day that told me it has been twenty years since Robert Fulgham wroteEverything I Really Need to Know I Learned in kindergarten. read more

Seeing your Name in Print

Published on 10/01/09 by May, William Victor — Sometimes it is nice to see your name in the media and sometimes it is not. As the volunteer Director of the Vacation Rental Industry Association (VRIA) I receive calls from media all over the country. Speaking with most reporters reminds me of sitting in Journalism class while pursuing my college read more

Remembering the "Thank You" Game

Published on 09/01/09 by May, William Victor — Surprises are great. And thank you's are best. In an industry like property management that requires attention to detail, constant supervision and reconciliation of occasionally conflicting goals between guests and owners it is too easy to forget the little personal things that make life worth liv read more

Ocean Shores and Westport are Beaches Like No Other

Published on 08/01/09 by May, William Victor — A truth in advertising disclaimer is required first. Although I haven't lived in the area in almost 40 years, I must admit that I did grew up in several towns on the Washington Coast. Up until 4th grade the town of Raymond was where my parents lived and, you know how that goes, so did me. After th read more

World's First Vacation Rental Multiple Listing Service (MLS)

Published on 03/18/09 by May, William Victor — The every increasing cost of advertising on the mammoth impersonal vacation rental listing websites has spawned innovation. On April 6th, the Vacation Rental Industry Association, with the help of Plumbob Publishing is unveiling the first every Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for Vacation Rentals. T read more

You Can Still Go On Vacation

Published on 03/09/09 by May, William Victor — What will happen if unemployment hits 8% in the US? If you passed remedial math in school you know that means 92% of folks are still employed. While the 92% may be holding back on expenses but life goes on. The employed will continue to buy groceries, clothes, cable TV, phone services and - make n read more

Sunspot Houdini Websites Are Like Magic

Published on 01/10/09 by May, William Victor — Our current website design is about a year old. Built by our great programming staff of Salman and Ozair with photograph help from Jonathan and Joseph. Oh and I do a little of the text. Guests compliment us all the time because the site is chock full of information about our destinations as well as read more

Sometimes the Best Ideas are Obvious

Published on 01/10/09 by May, William Victor — It was our very first vacation rental. A sumptuous 3,000 square foot vacation home located at Washington State's top destination - Wapato Point a private resort on 50 miles long Lake Chelan Washington. Because it sits on Native American land we dubbed it the Totem House and filled it with native Ame read more

Hello Blog. Goodbye Newsletters.

Published on 01/10/09 by May, William Victor — After years of writing newsletters I've succumbed to writing a blog. Not sure what the difference is - we've been posting newsletters online years ago- as well as emailing them and, in fact, snail mailing them years ago. What better way to keep in touch with all those people I should keep in touch read more

Lotus Hale Hawaiin Villa Vs. Poipu Grand Hyatt Hotel

Published on 01/09/09 by May, William Victor — The Grand Hyatt at Poipu Kauai Hawaii is a real gem. If you want beauty and pampering this is your place - provided you want to a small room, high prices, less privacy and a hike to everything you might want to do. For just about $400 per night you get one of the 602 motel 6 size rooms. Better appo read more

Barack Obama Endorses Vacation Rentals

Published on 11/24/08 by May, William Victor — The next President of the United States has effectively endorsed the entire concept of Vacation Rentals by renting a private home in Kailua on the North Shore of Oahu, a Hawaiian Island. He is staying there for a week with his wife Michelle and two daughters. He is staying at a secluded beach re read more