Each season has its appeal. You may have a year-round opening schedule for your vacation rental home or a peak season during a specific period. Just like the summer, the winter is wonderful for excursions; all you need to do is convince your visitors that your property is the best location.
Traveling during the winter is common, whether it’s for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or just a vacation. In actuality, more than 50% of Americans intend to travel this winter.
Ensure that your lodging selection distinguishes out from the competition. Set your home apart with these ten rental improvements to increase the marketability of your property this winter.
Why is your rental home in need of winter upgrades?
It can be difficult to consider investing in more work and labor for your vacation rental after a busy summer, especially during a slower season. However, upgrades could help your short-term rental get some momentum this winter and draw some off-season stays.
Your bottom line will benefit greatly from adding winter enhancements to your holiday property. How? Your home will gain value as a result of these modifications, which could result in a higher average daily rate. Furthermore, if your guests find it convincing enough to stay, you might be more inclined to fill your calendar in the months that are often lean.
Of course, some of these improvements will enable you to save costs and boost profits. In the end, every improvement you make to your winter rental property can only benefit your company.
The ten improvements your winter vacation rental requires
This winter, if you’re prepared to make some changes to your vacation rental, excellent! Most business owners are left unsure of where to begin. Is it just the comforts, or do visitors want to see more advanced technology this winter? The top 10 improvements to make to your vacation home once the weather gets chilly are listed in detail below.
1. Installation of a fireplace
Everyone wants to experience the classic winter chalet feeling of sipping hot chocolate while lounging in front of a nice fire.
It’s time to improve and make your rental more attractive for the winter if it doesn’t already have a fireplace. Installing a gas fire may not have the same rustic appeal as a conventional fireplace, but it will save your renters time and labor. They don’t have to carry wood to keep the fire blazing; they just need to flip a switch and enjoy.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay for a second gas line every month in addition to the original purchase and installation charges. However, the fire won’t be burning all day every day due to many visitors coming and going and spending time away from the house.
2. Purchase heated floors.
Any visitor will find heated floors in the bathroom or living room to be a fantastic invention, especially during the winter. The square footage of your property, the type of flooring you currently have, your current flooring, and other factors will unavoidably affect the costs. Accordingly, Forbes estimates that the 2021 national average will be between $1,700 and $6,000.
The fact that you won’t need to replace your flooring is a major advantage of this long-term investment. The majority of the time, radiant heating will work with what you already have.
Currently, a variety of flooring types are compatible with the installation of radiant heating, including:
- Ceramic
- Wood
- Linoleum
- Carpet
- Stone
3. Add a hot tub next.
A hot bath is one of the few amenities that help visitors decompress and unwind, especially if your property is in the mountains, where visitors will probably be skiing or trekking outside all day in the chilly weather. The backyard is typically where hot tubs are located. However, if you lack the necessary space for a hot tub, consider installing a jet tub in place of your regular bathtub to turn your bathroom into a temporary spa for winter guests.
Using signage to guarantee that visitors always take good care of it is the key. The following hot tub signage, which can also be used for your new jet tub, is suggested by Carolyn Mosby of Hot Tub Works:
- No food or drink is permitted inside the tub.
- How to operate the spa’s jets, air, heating, lights, etc.
- Checklist for troubleshooting: Quick fixes for typical problems
4. Install epoxy flooring
Initially, epoxy flooring was used in commercial garages due to its durability and safety. For similar reasons, homeowners now replace their flooring with epoxy; you may do the same to increase the wintertime appeal of your property.
The greatest benefit to your tenants at this time of year, according to Calvin Kwekel, proprietor of Kwekel Epoxy Floors, is the slide resistance, particularly for snowbirds who enjoy being outside in all types of weather.
Accidents can occur when you’re stumbling in between the car and the house. Epoxy flooring, on the other hand, is slip-resistant and made to be readily cleaned up in the event of spills or puddles (such as melting snow). For quick cleanup of spills, make sure to keep a bucket of soft cloths or a mop nearby in the garage.
5. Improve your Facilities
In addition to the standard comforts, you can add extras for the chilly winter months or customize existing ones. There is more time for guests to spend indoors rather than outside in the dark since it often darkens around 4:00 pm.
You can include extra cooking utensils like a fondue set for a traditional winter dish or a muffin pan for baking. You can also stock your kitchen with various teas and mulled wine.
Giving guests access to your Netflix account will be helpful because they can also just unwind on the couch and watch a movie. You can also provide entertainment for your visitors, like board games. This can set your company apart from the competition, particularly with young families.
It is especially crucial to have cozy blankets in the bedrooms. To create a warm atmosphere, you can also add extras like fluffy towels, scented candles, bathrobes, and slippers.
The home’s façade should not be overlooked. For instance, you may offer sleds, which the whole family would enjoy! Especially the children. If there aren’t any garage parking spaces available, make sure to leave de-icer spray and ice scrapers for visitors who arrive by automobile.
6. Install intelligent locks.
Smart locks are a terrific method to provide visitors access to your home even if you aren’t there. As a result, they won’t have to wake you up in the middle of the night to check in if they arrive late due to delayed flights or poor weather. Additionally, scheduling cleaning, maintenance, and repairs are made simpler by smart locks.
Furthermore, WIFI door locks might increase the security of your property, possibly luring in more families worried about the security of their children. Depending on the sort of lock you install, you can give each pair of renters a unique unlock code or let them scan their phone to gain access. There are many more ways that home automation can help increase your property’s all-year appeal; smart locks are only one.
7. Use an intelligent thermostat.
How are you going to control the heating and cooling in your house when the weather becomes colder? The thermostat is out of your control when guests are making reservations, but what about when your property is empty? Installing a smart thermostat will enable you to control your home’s temperature and costs from anywhere.
It doesn’t make sense to maintain the heat on full blast on days that are a little cooler. You can easily control and manage the climate in your home thanks to a smart thermostat. Not to mention that visitors will like how contemporary it makes your house look!
8. Purchase snowsports gear
Don’t forget to enjoy nature! Beyond the warmth you can offer your visitors inside, there are many other things to adore about winter. Providing guests with winter sports gear and a variety of outdoor activities will enhance their entire experience.
Sleds, for instance, are a cheap way to provide something that the whole family will enjoy! especially the children. Snow tubes, ice hockey gear, and anything else that might make for some wintertime fun could be included in the additional winter sports equipment for your vacation rental.
9. Have parking in a garage
It can be worthwhile to spend the extra money if you have the extra room on your property to construct a standalone garage. A garage can be a great benefit if the majority of your guests drive and you own a winter destination vacation rental.
It doesn’t sound like a very “holiday” activity to have to warm up the car and defrost the windshield. Making your visitors’ lives simpler can help them have a nice stay and may even lead to repeat business.
10. Strengthen your insulation.
Comfort is important, but at what price? If your house isn’t adequately prepared and insulated for the cold, you can be shelling out tens of thousands of dollars in winter utility costs. The above-mentioned hot tub could be purchased with that extra cash! Consider these changes to your home to make it more insulated against the cold:
- Install fresh, water-resistant windows.
- Include sun blinds in your window coverings.
- Attic insulation is covered with a pad.
- Don’t forget to weatherproof outside doors.
The most useful upgrades aren’t always the best. Although visitors won’t likely notice the modifications, they will undoubtedly feel them when they are warm and cozy in your vacation home in winter.
Promoting your residence for the winter
You may improve your property’s marketability for the winter after making these upgrades, no matter how big or minor. Don’t forget to update your listing descriptions and images to represent these advantages to prospective tenants. Use bold formatting to draw attention to the fact that you have renovated your home, such as “hot tub for cold nights.” Even better, think about modifying the titles of your property listings to phrases like “winter vacation rental” to make them more clickable in search results and reflect their worth to potential tenants in the winter.
Takeaways
It’s time to sit back and enjoy the results of your labor after the adjustments have been made and the marketing has been organized. Once you’ve made the finishing touches, expect an influx of reservations because winter upgrades should lead to winter bookings.
