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This is the dining area of Richard Aragon’s small vacation rental house called Casa de Siesta near Downtown Albuquerque. The house also features a fully equipped gourmet kitchen. Aragon, a former professional chef, offers vacationers a New Mexican cooking class. (courtesy of Sam Covarrubias/SC Photography)
There are some nice literal twists available for enjoying the comforts of home while on vacation.
You can get the spaciousness and privacy of a real home as compared to a hotel room, and add a kitchen, separate bedrooms for the kids, and maybe a backyard deck with a barbecue grill. And yeah, wouldn’t it be great to be within walking distance of a world-class museum or a funky local historical attraction?
These are just some of the benefits made available by homeowners for the growing number of travelers who choose to access short-term vacation rental homes through various listing agencies. It’s a growing trend among travelers desiring to add a bit of pizzazz to their accommodations and perhaps even save some money as well, particularly if they share costs with other family members or friends.
“Vacation rentals of homes is not a new concept,” said Adam Annen, a spokesman for HomeAway, a large online listing company with a bevy of smaller, specialized listing agencies under its umbrella. “It has been popular in Europe for many years.”
For the owners of a second home, or with mother-in-law quarters available, or even just part of their existing house, these short-time rentals (often a minimum of three nights is preferred) can be a money-maker, particularly if a vacation home is sitting idle most of the year. Why not rent to vacationers, asks Annen.
Casa de Siesta, a former “mother-in-law’s quarters,” features one bedroom, but has enough space elsewhere to sleep six. (courtesy of Sam Covarrubias/SC Photography)
That’s what Albuquerquean Richard Aragon decided to do with the “mother-in-law’s quarters” built in the 1980s as a 980-square-foot detached home in the backyard of his primary residence close to Albuquerque’s Downtown. Because his late mother had lived in the home previously, Aragon had a sentimental attachment to the small house, named Casa de Siesta. Because the casita is separated by only 30 feet from Aragon’s own home, he decided to turn his steady nearby presence into a marketing tool, becoming a concierge of sorts.
“It’s a one-man show,” said Aragon. “I’m gardener, maid and accountant. I run all aspects of the business. The home is immaculate.”
While some homeowners have little contact with their guests – and indeed may live hundreds of miles away from their rentable second home – Aragon has taken the opposite route. He greets guests with a box of doughnuts, New Mexico coffee, and provides maps and brochures. As a former professional chef, he offers a New Mexican cooking class followed by a shared meal of enchiladas with all the regional fixings.
Aragon calls Casa de Siesta a “boutique” vacation house and ignores common business advice to keep the home neutral. Instead, there is a fully equipped gourmet kitchen, bursts of color and art everywhere, and a comfortable courtyard that has pleased groups ranging from bridesmaids to families. The one-bedroom casita can sleep up to six guests, and rates vary by the season from $89 to $125 nightly.
Balloon Fiesta Week is Albuquerque’s busiest and most-expensive season for vacation rentals. Aragon declined to reveal his annual income from the rental, but concedes it is his primary means of support.
Nationally, the average annual income generated by steady rentals by HomeAway is $26,000, said Annen. That figures encompasses home styles ranging from a private island mansion to a log cabin in West Virginia.
Albuquerque’s Horace Martinez, a former engineer, offers an extra amenity for his renters – a limousine ride to and from the airport, if needed, as well as use of an automobile in Albuquerque. He started in the vacation rental business five years ago after buying a small local home to renovate and “flip” just prior to the recession. Instead of selling he kept the home, started a business known as Route 66 Vacation Rentals, and became a vacation rental businessman listing with Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO.com) and several other popular agencies.
This distinctive entryway at Casa de Siesta de Aragon greets vacationers with a Southwestern touch. (courtesy of Sam Covarrubias/SC Photography)
Martinez is about to buy his third home in Albuquerque to join two others in Santa Fe. His income stream pays several mortgages and Martinez has become an enthusiastic world traveler by directly “trading” the use of his own vacation homes for the opportunity to stay in other homes across the globe.
“It’s opened up a whole new world for me,” he said.
While Martinez handles emails and reservation schedules from the road, a small staff consisting of housekeeper, handyman and gardener keep things running in his absence.
The motivation for many vacation-home owners, Annen added, is to enable the early purchase of a retirement home that, with steady vacation rentals, will be paid off by the time the owner is actually ready to retire and move into it.
Whether doing much of the work themselves (listings, reservations, repairs, cleaning between visitors, to name a few of the tasks), or working hand-in-hand with a property manager that specializes in vacation rentals, owners must gauge their own availability, ability, and investments in making the decision how to best manage the property. Overall, about one-third of owners with HomeAway choose property managers, said Annen. Regardless of management, guests will expect high-quality mattresses, access to Wi-Fi, and a clean home at minimum.
Owners who rent by the house or by the room generally have an inherent curiosity, trust, and fondness for their fellow wanderers, according Annen. Telephone conversations between renter and rentee prior to finalizing arrangements are encouraged, extensive information lists are provided, and private insurance is available. HomesAway listings also remind owners that it is the owner’s responsibility to meet all local taxation and zoning regulations.
Richard Aragon’s small vacation rental house is called Casa de Siesta de Aragon and features a Southwestern ambiance. This comfortable courtyard is just one of the homey touches that can be found in the 980-square-foot “boutique” casita. (courtesy of Sam Covarrubias/SC Photography)
HomeAway’s New Mexico listings for vacation rentals properties as of mid-March numbered 1,641 homes, according to Annen, who crunches numbers from his Austin, Texas, office. Most vacation rentals, as might be expected, are in cities or resort areas. A breakdown of listed New Mexico rentals with HomeAway follows: 108 in Albuquerque; 550 in Santa Fe; 310 in Taos; 270 in Angel Fire, and 129 in Ruidoso. Internationally, the agency boasts of homes in every American state and 171 foreign countries.
The money-maker for HomeAway, VRBO, or the other listing agencies is an annual fee charged for listing the property online. The higher the fee, better the listing visibility. Listing sites include space for photographs of the rental, a bio of the owner, descriptions of nearby tourist attractions, and ratings and comments from past clients.
