
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
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Newcomers are often times shocked at the number and wide selection of weekly vacation rentals available in the Ocracoke area. Rental home accommodations have gained in popularity with the rise of essential research sites like Tripadvisor and VRBO.
Virtually all rentals in Ocracoke are privately owned and many are represented by experienced local property management companies. For owners not directly engaged in the management of their vacation home, management companies are critical in helping families with reserving, check-in, house cleaning, and any maintenance problems that may arise.
We have assembled a short guide to help you get the most from your rental home experience.
Before you start to book "'Baby Duck' -Make Memories in Our Charming Island Bungalow", go through our brief checklist of points to consider.
Ocracoke vacation homes are reserved months (and up to a year) in advance. Reserving your rental property 6-12 months in advance is recommended, whenever possible. Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years are excellent times to find and book your vacation rental home..
Oftentimes, the hardest part of planning your trip is deciding where to go, and when. After the big decisions are tackled, everything else becomes simplier and easier.
Take a head count. How many beds and bedrooms will you be needing? Try to remember that a lot of rentals list maximum guest capacity, which oftentimes includes sofa beds in the family room. You will need to determine what is suitable for your group. Precise descriptions of bedrooms and beds are commonly available online. If not, communicate with the property manager before you reserve the home.
Make certain "'Baby Duck' -Make Memories in Our Charming Island Bungalow" fits your price range *during your desired dates*. If many groups or relatives are sharing the cost, check to make sure each group knows their obligation and has agreed to a maximum they are prepared to chip in. A single individual in your party needs to be in charge of gathering contributions and agreeing to responsibility for the entire rental payment at time of reservation.
What home features is the group interested in? Do you want a rental property with outside lounge? Are you more interested in wildlife or night life? Are items like beach chairs, grills, beach umbrellas, buggies or coolers available and included with your rental home rate? Build a list of priority amenities to facilitate filter your search.
Grandparents will thank you for not renting a stairs-access-only condo on the 3rd floor. Be sure to remember and ask about wheelchair access, pool lifts and special equipment needs..
Don't forget to include your best friend! Animal friends are welcome at a number of vacation rentals, but guidelines can vary. Type of pet, size and dog breeds may be controlled. Ensure that you study descriptions and contracts carefully. Additional fees or costs may be applied to your contract. Ask questions *prior to* you book!
. In addition to Homeaway, VRBO and Tripadvisor, we suggest searching Google for "Ocracoke local rentals" for local vacation home management companies. Besides offering exclusive rental properties, local companies offer top-notch service..
When you've identified the rentalhome of your dreams, double check to make sure your trip dates are available.
Some rental owners will negotiate prices, and some won't. If the price isn't negotiable, the number of nights may be. Your easiest potential for a reduced rate will be changing to a less desirable week.
You'll want to know which services are included:
Ensure that your price includes all taxes and fees.
Cancellation policies vary with each rental. Many rental property contracts include an option for trip insurance. Trip insurance protects the renter against emergency situations and weather events, It gives you relief should disaster strike.
When you think you've found "the one", start the reservation process. Bear in mind that most rental contracts will require a considerable rental down payment and/or security deposit to safeguard the rental home owner.
Put the property manager's contact info into your smartphone and wallet for quick access to answers throughout your trip.
Congratulations on booking your vacation home! You're on the right path to a fantastic vacation!
Hold a debrief with the people in your group. Does everyone want to go back? With some luck everything ended up being ideal and you are excited to re-book the rental home for next year. Maybe the rental property was not ideal, and you'll better recognize how to perfect your search for the next vacation.