Do You Need VRBO Data to Succeed on VRBO?

There are many websites that offer different types of information, but they may not always be the most accessible. Is VRBO data easy to find?

Table of Contents

1. What Is VRBO?
2. Is VRBO Affordable?
3. Is VRBO Reliable?
4. How Successful Are Vacation Properties on VRBO?
5. Where Can I Find Real Estate Investing Data?
6. Recap

In this article, we will look at how accessible VRBO data is to real estate investors. Then, we will explore different platforms that may offer different kinds of Airbnb data.

What Is VRBO?

Similar to Airbnb, VRBO is one of the biggest short-term rental companies in the world today. It is an online platform that allows users to both list their short term vacation rental properties and search for available properties to rent out for traveling. Additionally, VRBO is an international company, meaning you can look for available vacation rental properties in over 190 countries.

Some users may know the platform VRBO as HomeAway. Though the two companies were once separate, they’ve since been purchased by the same organization, Expedia Group. Expedia then merged the two platforms under a single name, VRBOin 2020. The group rebranded everything about VRBO, including its logo and pronunciation.

Originally, the name VRBO was really just an acronym, the full name of the company is “Vacation Rentals By Owner.” After the merger, the company decided to just make VRBO its own thing, including taking away the acronym.

Is VRBO Affordable?

Users can choose between two different payment options to use VRBO services. The first option of payment is to pay an 8% commission fee, which is comprised of a 5% fee for services and a 3% fee for card payment. This first option is the most common payment plan.

The second option is an annual payment option, which is worth $499. The annual fee covers all potential bookings you may get from the VRBO site.

Between the two payment plan options, users can typically find one that fits their budget. The fees allow the site to generate a profit for itself.

Related: Airbnb vs VRBO: Where Should You List Your Rental Property?

Is VRBO Reliable?

Many different components determine how reliable any real estate website is. Some of the key aspects include trustworthy data, accurate user information, and precise rental research. Let’s take a look into how reliable VRBO rental data is.

Does VRBO Protect Its Users?

VRBO offers protection to its users through the following:

Travel Insurance Policies

VRBO does a fair job at protecting all kinds of its users. In terms of the users looking for vacation rentals, VRBO offers travel insurance. It allows guests to add, for an additional cost, insurance on their overall trip. The coverage includes unexpected delays and cancelations that may come up during your trip.

The VRBO travel insurance is an excellent way to ensure you are covered for any situation that can occur during your trip. It helps to make a safer environment for VRBO users. Though it is recommended by their website to always purchase travel insurance, it is good to check their policy to see what exactly it covers and doesn’t cover.

For their property owners and managers, VRBO offers a similar insurance policy that properties from anything that may happen during a guest’s stay. Also, the insurance doesn’t necessarily cover everything that could happen during a guest’s stay. It means it is important to always review the policy to know what you are covered for.

Background Checks

The property owner and managers should be aware that VRBO rental does not require any type of background checks for guests. It means anyone can book your listing. Though some property managers may not care, others may want some additional information on their guests before confirming a reservation.

As VRBO consists of private rentals by the owner, it gives the property owner the right to request any additional information from guests, such as a background check or information confirming identity. The property managers must communicate the requests directly with the guests to obtain such information.

Secure Payments

If you are using VRBO for vacation rental properties, you should always make sure you are paying for your property in a secure way. A secure payment system both protects you as the renter and the property owner themselves. Typically, people pay for their rentals through the VRBO website. Other common methods are major credit cards, PayPal, or e-checks.

To also make sure you are using a secure method when checking out on VRBO, there will be an option to “ book with confidence and guarantee.” Clicking the said box ensures your booking will be done through secure payment. If the said box is not offered, it is likely the property manager is asking to be paid in cash or money order. Such types of payments are not considered secure and create a higher possibility to be scammed.

How Successful Are Vacation Properties on VRBO?

If you are a real estate investor thinking about listing your property on VRBO, you may want to consider their Airbnb statistics to see if it will actually generate your listings. Additionally, if you are looking for new investment opportunities, you may be wondering if VRBO data is available on new properties.

Unfortunately, VRBO data offers no services for users to find new investment properties. Some Airbnb stats may be available regarding your personal property, such as how often it is rented or how much money it generates annually. However, no other information is available besides the said information.

It means if you are looking for tools to compare your Airbnb analytics to other properties in the area, you are unable to do so on the website. VRBO data offers limited tools for investors to judge how successful their properties will be.

VRBO is a great website for people who already own successful short term vacation rental properties, as they can just list them and start making an income. If you are looking for more information on investment opportunities or how your property will perform in an area, you may need to use additional resources.

Related: How Does VRBO Vacation Rental Work?

Where Can I Find Real Estate Investing Data?

VRBO data can be limited, depending on what you are looking to get out of it. If you are looking for reliable and accessible data that will help grow your Airbnb business, consider using Mashvisor.

Mashvisor is a real estate investing platform that offers tools and resources for almost everything you can think of when it comes to investing. Our tools use only the most accurate and reliable data so you are able to make decisions that make you money in real estate. We suggest using our services along with VRBO to get the best experience.

While VRBO data doesn’t offer much for determining how your vacation rental will perform, Mashvisor offers such tools. After you use Mashvisor to make sure your Airbnb will be successful, you can list it on VRBO and start making money.

Below are some tools we offer for Airbnb investment properties:

Property Finder

Before you can list a vacation rental on VRBO, you need to find a property that will be successful in your desired location. To do so, use our Property Finder tool. Here, our users are able to search through available listings in any city across the US. We only show you the most profitable locations that fit all of your wants and needs.

To make sure we show you properties with desirable qualities, we offer filters so you can only view properties you would be interested in investing in. It saves time by searching through every available listing on the housing market.

Below are some of the filters we offer:

• Budget
• Location (you can input multiple locations in a single search)
• Rental strategy (Airbnb or Traditional)
• Property type
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms

Real Estate Heatmap

One of the most important aspects of real estate investing is finding a profitable location. Our Real Estate Heatmap tool is an excellent way for you to search through different areas in the US and find a location that is both desirable and profitable.

Our heatmap tool conducts a neighborhood analysis that shows you the most profitable locations. To determine which locations are considered successful, we look at areas with the highest rental income, most affordable listing prices, best Airbnb occupancy rate, and good cash on cash return rates. The data helps to ensure you are choosing the best location for your investment property.

Investment Property Calculator

As VRBO data doesn’t offer a way for their users to see how successful their Airbnb is, we suggest using our Investment Property Calculator tool. Here, we conduct a complete Airbnb data analysis to determine how much income their vacation rental property can make. We only use the most accurate data and up-to-date trends to conduct our analysis.

The first service our Airbnb calculator tool does is calculate your finances, as well as fine-tune any expenses. It helps you to stick to a certain budget, making sure you generate an income. We also offer calculated real estate data such as property taxes, interest rates, and repairs and maintenance costs. Investors use their own properties and numbers so our rental calculator gives the most precise calculations.

After receiving your calculated real estate costs, next, we offer a comprehensive rental strategy comparison. Basically, this function shows you how your property will perform as an Airbnb vs as a traditional one. To do so, we compare the real estate data between the two. Below are some of the key metrics we compare to show which rental strategy is more successful:

• Cap rate
• Cash on cash return
• Rental income
• Cash flow
• Occupancy rate

The goal of our Airbnb calculator is to help our users make the best decisions in real estate and generate the most profits.

Real Estate Agent Directory

When purchasing any property, whether you are an experienced investor or just starting your career, you should always work with an agent. Real estate agents can help you get the best deal for your property, as they know the area’s housing market best.

Even if you don’t know an agent in the location you are looking into, you can use our Real Estate Agent Directory to find agents available in any city in the US. Here, you can read through their bios, as well as find contact information to reach out to ones you feel you would work best with.

Related: 10 Benefits of Hiring a Real Estate Agent

Recap

VRBO is a real estate website that allows users to list their vacation rental properties for others to rent. The site also is used by travelers looking for Airbnb properties. They can review VRBO data and book listings right through the website. It is a secure and generally safe way for users to host and be guests.

VRBO offers insurance policies for both parties, as well. For hosts, the VRBO protection policy includes covering some of the damage caused by the guests on the Airbnb. Though it does not include everything, it still provides them with some kind of protection. For guests, VRBO offers a travel insurance policy that protects them from anything unexpected that may occur during their travels.

The platform offers helpful features to its users. However, VRBO data does not offer any accessible resources on how well your property is performing or even where to find new investment opportunities. For this reason, we recommend using Mashvisor.

Mashvisor can offer tools and services to help you find profitable locations and properties and make smart rental decisions. Then, you can use VRBO to list the properties you found on Mashvisor. Using the two websites together is an excellent way to achieve the best overall real estate investing experience.

To access Mashvisor’s real estate investment tools, click here to sign up for a 7-day free trial today, followed by 15% off for life.