Lake of the Ozarks Vacation Rentals: vacation rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks

4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076

Also Check Out Our Other Sites:

KnollsResort.com

LazyDaysRentals.com

Friday, June 15, 2018

17 Father's Day Fun Facts

The weekend of celebrating fathers and grandfathers is upon us! In honor of Father's Day, we wanted to share with you some fun facts about this holiday. Share these with dad and grandpa this weekend while you're spending time together.

Father's Day Fun Facts

1. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the proclamation calling for Father's Day to be celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June each year.

2. In 1972, it was President Nixon who officially declared Father's Day a holiday and signed it into law.

3. Sonora Smart Dodd is credited as the founder of Father's Day, as she led the efforts for father's to be recognized after hearing a Mother's Day sermon at her church. Her father cared for his six children after their mother passed away while giving birth to the 6th child.

4. The first statewide Father's Day celebration was held on June 19, 1920 in Spokane, Washington.

5. According to Hallmark, Father's Day is the 4th-largest card-sending occasion, with over 72 million cards given every year.

6. The first Father's Day card dates back before Hallmark was established. One of the earliest records is dated back 4,000 years, when a Babylonian carved a card out of clay to "wish his father good health and long life."

7. Of the Father's Day cards bought, 20% of them are sent from wives to their husbands.

8. The necktie is consistently the most popular Father's Day gift given. Did you know that neckties could date back as far as 221 B.C.?

9. Ramjit Raghav of Haryana, India became the world's oldest first-time dad by fathering his first child at the age of 94.

10. Father's Day is far from an American-exclusive holiday. Over 40 countries around the world have a special day to honor dads.

11. The official flower for Father's Day is the rose. A red rose is worn on your lapel if your father is living, while a white rose is worn if he has passed away.

12. The word "dad" used to describe a father is said to have began around the 15th century. It's believed that it was derived from baby talk, as in many languages "dada" or "tata" refers to a baby's acknowledgement of father.

13. In 2017, there were 2 million households led by a single father. That's a 900% increase from the 1960s.

14. In 2017, Americans spent an estimated $15 billion on Father's Day gifts, approximately $133 per person.

15. According to the National Retail Foundation, most of the money spent on Father's Day gifts goes to clothing, gift cards and electronics.

16. The latest census data estimates there are more than 70.1 million fathers in the United States.

17. George Washington, the celebrated father of our country, had no children of his own.

Happy Father's Day from Your Lake Vacation! Whether you're spending the weekend with us here at the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks or staying home, we hope you have a wonderful weekend celebrating with family and friends. Planning a future trip to the lake with dad? Contact us for all your Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental needs!

Nightly Vacation Rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks:

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4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076

Also Check Out Our Other Sites:

KnollsResort.com

LazyDaysRentals.com

Friday, February 10, 2017

Rumors About Banning Vacation Rentals at Lake of the Ozarks

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about various groups that are trying to ban vacation rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks. I have read articles, attended meetings and have spoken with various people who are concerned that our state legislature, along with Expedia, Inc. (one of the world's largest online travel companies) are out to either outright ban rentals or do so through over regulation.

Legislation on Vacation Rentals

Last year, Expedia, through the Missouri legislature and along with various state representatives, introduced legislation that would seek to prohibit municipalities within Missouri from banning vacation rentals or from over regulating them in order to in essence ban them. That bill ultimately failed.

There were a few issues with that legislation that were not friendly to vacation rentals. My opinion is that occurred because our representatives and Expedia do not own or manage vacation rental properties. Therefore, they didn't understand that some of the items in the legislation would actually harm Lake of the Ozarks vacation rentals. This was not the intent of the legislation and thankfully it did not pass.

Educating About Vacation Rentals

After it failed, I met with Diane Franklin (Representative for the Lake Area's 123rd District) in an attempt to educate her on the various aspects of how legislation could affect our rental community. We had a great conversation and she was very receptive to the information that I provided. I left that meeting knowing that she wanted to do what was best for vacation rentals in general and for the Lake of the Ozarks area specifically.

Afterwards, I, along with other rental property managers at the Lake of the Ozarks, Realtors, local authorities and others associated with the vacation rental industry, were invited to sit on the committee that would seek to get the legislation correct (as we knew that it would be reintroduced in 2017).

We have had two meetings with our representatives and the Expedia lobbyist. Those meetings have resulted in getting everyone educated and seeking to protect the vacation rental industry, and by association the real estate market here at the Lake of the Ozarks. The reality is that a large number of vacationers turn into real estate buyers, fueling our economy first as a visitor and later as a resident. Hurting the rental market would also hurt the real estate market.

Vacation Rentals Moving Forward

Those opposed to the legislation think that the intention is to ban or regulate vacation rentals out of existence. Logically, if that were true, then Expedia would not have anything to advertise on their platforms, thus cutting off their source of income. The new legislation, currently HB608 specifically states, "A political subdivision shall not enforce an ordinance or law enacted after January 1, 2018, that prohibits or that has the express or practical effect of prohibiting residential dwelling rentals."

Diane Franklin has introduced a separate bill (HB632), "which will make sure all homes, regardless of how they are used, are assessed at a residential rate" (instead of commercial). So as you can see, (and look the bills up and read for yourself) that our legislators, far from trying to ban rentals, are working to protect the Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental industry.

Russell Burdette is the owner/broker of Your Lake Vacation, a professional vacation rental management company at the Lake of the Ozarks since 1986. Whether you own a home that you're looking to rent out to vacationers or you are a vacationer looking for a place to stay, give us a call at 877-284-0267.

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, June 7, 2016

Do You Have a Boat Slip at Your Vacation Rental Condo?

The main reason people vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks is, well, the Lake. When I was a small boy visiting my grandparents who has a home on the water, I would float on an inner tube about a half mile from the dam and wait for the Tom Sawyer and Larry Don to pass by so that I could ride the big waves they created. Later as a teenager, my dad and I would go fishing in a small 14 foot Jon boat, but I never really thought about the size of the boat.

Photo Credit: FunLake.com

About The Lake

While those days are long in my past, the Lake is still the main attraction that draws over 4 million visitors to our area each year. We have a playground that includes 1,150 miles of shoreline (more than the state of California), a surface area of 54,000 acres, is located in 4 counties and has a main channel that stretches about 92 miles from Bagnell Dam to Truman Dam. In fact, our lake was recently recognized as the number one recreational lake in the United States!

Boats on The Lake

Today, the boats are a lot bigger than my dad's little Jon boat. When it comes to vacation rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks, many people are bringing their boats with them to enjoy the lake and last time I checked, they weren't getting any smaller. At one time, a 10 x 20 boat slip would suffice for those bringing their fishing boat or small runabout. Today, you almost need a minimum slip size of 12 x 32 to accommodate the majority of boats that guests are bringing.

Vacation Rentals

I get a number of condo owners that either don't have a boat slip with their condo or they are using it for their own boat. Typically, 40% of our guests are either bringing a boat or renting one while they are here. That means, if you don't have a slip for guests, you are telling 40% of the vacationing public that you don't want them at your condo at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Therefore, if you are thinking about purchasing a condo for vacation rentals, you need to ensure (beyond the good location and that it is a nice unit) that you get a good sized boat slip with it. A 12 x 32 to a 12 x 38 will allow you to accommodate most boats that guest are bringing. Some guests like to keep an eye on their boat, so if you have a choice, try to get a slip that is also available from your unit.

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 serves as the vice-chairman of the Tri-County Lodging Association, is past president of the Lake of the Ozarks Vacation Rental Association and sits on the board of directors for the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council. If you would like more info on renting your home or condo as a Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental, please call 573-365-3367.

For more information please call us toll free at 1-877-284-0267!!

YourLakeVacation.com

4571 Osage Beach Pkwy, Suite A
Osage Beach, MO 65065
Local - 573-365-3367
Fax - 573-365-5076

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Monday, November 16, 2015

Beds, Beds and More Beds

One of the more frequent questions that I am asked is what size beds should the vacation rental home or condo at the Lake of the Ozarks have how many? The answer to that question is not as simple as you would think. The bed situation in any given home or condo can make a big difference in the number of rentals a property receives.

Beds Can Make or Break Your Rental Success

Our research over the years has shown that most guests want at least one room, preferably the master bedroom, outfitted with a king bed. Our properties in the past that did not have a king bed or our properties that currently do not have one can see their rentals reduced anywhere from 15-40% compared to similar properties. While there are exceptions to every rule, a king bed definitely can attract more rentals. Additional beds in bedrooms can also increase rentals. If the room is big enough, you might consider putting two queen beds in the second bedroom or a queen and a twin bunk bed. You want to appeal to the widest variety of guests, and by having additional beds, you can sleep people separately when the need arises.

Beds to Avoid

You should avoid using full/double beds unless you can fit two into one room using two double beds instead of two twins or if it is the lower bunk of a bunk bed giving you a twin on top and a double on the bottom. Otherwise, use a queen instead of a full/double bed. When it comes to a sleep sofa or air mattress, we have found that our guests prefer a nice queen, self-inflating air mattress to a sleeper sofa. They are also about ten times cheaper and that much lighter! You could purchase about 10 air mattresses for the price of a good sleeper sofa. If the guests need additional sleeping you have it and if not, you have saved a bit of money.

Russell Burdette is 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 give us a call at 573-365-3367.

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