Monday, September 29, 2014

Check Out Our Newest Home: 3 Bedrooms on the 28 Mile Marker!

Darling Drive: 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath


Darling Drive is a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath private waterfront home located on the 28 mile marker of the main channel.  Located near Seven Springs Winery, Big Surf Waterpark and a short distance from shopping and dining, this waterfront vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks is the perfect place for a family vacation or a girls weekend!

Main Level


The entrance to the home provides parking for up to 5 cars which includes the carport in front of the home. The main floor features a kitchen with all the conveniences of home, a living room with plenty of seating, a flat screen TV, DVD player and a dining room featuring a 10 top table, expansive lake view, access to the deck and a wet bar.


Lower Level


Downstairs you will find all of the bedrooms. Bedrooms 1 and 2 both feature 3 twin beds, while the master bedroom has a queen bed. Downstairs also includes a full sized bath, laundry room and access to the downstairs deck.

On the way to the dock, take a look at the shade and grass yard for the kids to play in! Dock features include a swim platform and a 12' x 20' boat slip.

For more pictures and information please visit:
http://rentals.yourlakevacation.com/rns/property/DarlingDr.aspx

Your Lake Vacation is your resource for the best vacation homes and condos at the Lake of the Ozarks. With over 100 properties to choose from, there's something to fit every groups' needs.  Give us a call today at 877-284-0267 to start planning your next Lake of the Ozarks vacation!

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  

Monday, September 22, 2014

Damage Deposits & Damage Waiver

When I first started in the Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental business more than 10 years ago, our company experienced a number of incidents where guests damaged the owner's rental property.  The guest usually claimed it was an "accident" and the owner always wanted the guest to pay for the damage.  As the rental management company, we were caught in the middle and it wasn't a fun place to reside.

Damage, Deposits and Cost


In addition, guests would glue things back together, hide broken items in closets, under beds or claim, "It was already broken!"  We collected a $30 damage deposit from our guests and if something was broken we would take it out of their deposit.  Our problem many times was determining exactly which guest it was that had broken the item, especially if they had hidden the fact that something was broken.

Some guests would admit to breaking something when called and others would act flabbergasted that anyone would even think that they may have broken something.  But in both cases, they didn't want to pay and felt they should get a full refund on their deposit.

While the vast majority of our rentals didn't involve damage, we were still collecting deposits and then refunding that money.  One day I figured up what we were losing just in credit card fees charging deposits and he number of otherwise good customers we were losing when we kept their deposit or even a portion of their deposit.  We were spending around $5,000 per year processing credit cards that we couldn't recover, ouch!

Damage Waiver Protection Plan 


Fortunately for us and our guests, we discovered a better way of doing business when it came to damages and damage deposits.  Our travel insurance company told us about their damage waiver program.  Each guest would purchase a damage waiver protection plan for a small fee and that plan would cover them up to $3,000 in accidental damages, such as breaking a lamp or kitchen cabinet door.  After we switched over to the new policy in 2005, our guests suddenly let us know more often when something broke. We stopped finding things "hidden" at our properties.  Owners were happy that they were not paying for everything that was broken. This is usually one of the first questions that I get asked when someone inquires about our vacation rental program, "How does damage work and who pays for it?"

We have now been offering damage protection for 10 years.  The product produces some income for our company and allows us to cover those "accidents" that tend to happen to even the best of renters. Our guests are happy and so are our property owners.

Russell Burdette is the owner/broker of Your Lake Vacation, a professional vacation rental management company at the Lake of the Ozarks since 1986.  Russell has served as the vice-chairman of the Tri-County Lodging Association, is past president of hte Lake of the Ozarks Vacation Rental Association, sits on the board of directors for the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council and is currently president of the Lake Business Builders BNI chapter.  If you would like more info on renting your home or condo as a vacation rental, please call 573-365-3367 or email russell@yourlakevacation.com.

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  

Monday, September 15, 2014

Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealer Show this Weekend!

As the Lake of the Ozarks is winding down for the season, there's one last great event you won't want to miss.  The Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers Fall In-Water Boat Show and Clearance Sale is this weekend!  There will be over 100 boats including new cruisers, performance boats, runabouts, personal watercraft and a good selection of quality pre-owned boats.  So come on down for a weekend vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks and check it out!

September Boat Show


Location: 
Captain Ron's at the
34 1/2 Mile Marker

Show Hours: 
Friday, Sept. 19 - 1-7 PM
Saturday, Sept. 20 - 10 AM-7 PM
Sunday, Sept. 21 - 10 AM-4 PM

Admission: 
$6 for Adults
12 & Under are Free
$1 of Each Paid Adult Admission is Donated to Kids' Harbor Child Advocacy Center

End of Season Clearance Pricing! 


Your Lake Vacation is here to make your weekend boat show trip a breeze.  From 1 bedroom condos up to 5+ bedroom waterfront homes at the Lake of the Ozarks, we can accomodate any size group.  Take advantage of our Fall Special and get one night FREE when you pay full price for 2 nights!  Give us a call at 877-284-0267 to set up your reservations today! 

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  

Monday, September 8, 2014

Need a Place to Stay During Lake Bikefest 2014?

Join us for the 8th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Bikefest! September 11-14 there will be over 200 bars and restaurants with live music all weekend long. Plus you'll have 2 chances to win a brand new bike!  This area offers some of the most scenic rides through the rolling Ozark hills. This is the Ultimate Bikefest Experience you don't want to miss, so make it a Lake of the Ozarks vacation!

Entertainment Headliners


The 2014 Concert Headliners will be performing at Camden on the Lake Friday and Saturday.  Other venues around the Lake area will also have live music. For more information on live music, please visit: www.lakebikefest.com/events.asp.

  • MUSTANG SALLY - Fri, Sept. 12
  • EDGE OF FOREVER - Fri, Sept. 12
  • HELLS BELLS - Sat, Sept. 13

Passport Ride 


The passport ride is always a favorite at Lake Bikefest.  Motorcycle enthusiasts will rumble their way around the Lake collecting stamps for their passport book.  The completed books can then be turned in for a chance to win a brand new 2013 Harley-Davidson FLD Switchback!  For a complete list of passport stops, please visit: www.lakebikefest.com/events.asp

Your Lake Vacation has everything you're looking for when it comes to accomodations.  From one bedroom condos to five bedroom waterfront homes at the Lake of the Ozarks, we can accomodate any size group!  Our vacation rentals are spread out all over the lake, in Osage Beach and Lake Ozark, so you can choose where you would like to be.  Give us a call today at 877-284-0267 to book your reservations for Bikefest 2014!
  
For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076  

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Do You Need a Property Manager?

Why should I pay someone to manage my vacation rental property at the Lake of the Ozarks (or any other property for that matter)? This is something that you should seriously consider before purchasing a rental property. Most companies charge anywhere from 30% to 50% to manage a vacation rental property depending on the location and length of the rental season. Typically the longer the rental season, the lower the percentage and the shorter the season, the higher the percentage.

Here are some of the things you should consider when looking to hire a rental manager.  How much experience do they have in managing a property similar to yours and in your specific location?  What types of services do they offer for their percentage?  How much is their percentage?  Are there any hidden costs, i.e. charging extra for handling maintenance issues, lawn care, cleaning, etc.  You should know what the costs for those services are prior to signing a contract for management.

Marketing and Advertising


Marketing is going to play a huge factor in how well your property rents and ultimately how successful you are.  And it isn't always how much is spent.  A rental company could spend a hundred thousand dollars advertising in Australia for the Lake of the Ozarks and I doubt that they would see a very good return on their investment.  Likewise they could spend $150 on a vacation rental website that would give them a few thousand dollars or more in rentals.  So the right question to ask is, "what types and where" they are advertising.  If they say print advertising within a 50 mile radius, I would recommend looking somewhere else.

Damages, Cancellations and Repairs


Damages, cancellations and how they handle repairs are a few things that you should research before choosing a company.  Who pays for damages?  Do they require a deposit?  What happens when a guest cancels their reservation?  If a repair is needed are you notified over a certain amount?  Who pays for the housekeeping?  What happens if the AC goes out during a guest rental?  Does the management company offer preventative services, spring cleaning services, etc.

Do Your Research 


Ultimately, if you are going to hire a manager you want to find one that you are comfortable with, that offers the level of services that you desire and that has a successful track record.  You may want to speak with other owners on that company's program, get professional references and see if that company has a good or bad reputation in the community.

Too often home and condo owners don't do much research when choosing a property manager and they can end up with a bad experience.  Asking the right questions and interviewing three or four managers before choosing one will make your vacation rental ownership more successful in the long run.

Russell Burdette is the owner of Your Lake Vacation, a professional vacation rental management company at the Lake of the Ozarks since 1986.  If you would like more info on renting your home or condo as a vacation rental please call 573-365-3367 or email russell@yourlakevacation.com.


For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!
4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076