Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Shop Black Friday Deals at the Lake!

With our 110 outlet mall, in addition to all your favorite department stores, the Lake of the Ozarks offers the perfect place to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Take advantage of the area Black Friday deals and stay in one of our many vacation rentals at the Lake of the Ozarks this weekend!

Black Friday at Lake of the Ozarks


While you might always hit Walmart and Menards for those great Black Friday deals, the Lake of the Ozarks offers even more holiday savings at our 110 outlet mall. Since our outlet prices are already lower than other shopping malls, the added Black Friday discounts make this weekend a great time to shop at the Lake!

Osage Beach Premium Outlets 

From OshKosh and Carters to Levi's and Eddie Bauer, all your favorite stores have great holiday deals this holiday season! Special holiday hours throughout the entire mall also start this Thursday. Check out each individual stores' deals here: http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/osage-beach/deals.

Walmart in Osage Beach

Black Friday at Walmart is the perfect time to get a jump start on your holiday shopping! Door busters start at 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day this year. While you already enjoy "Every Day Low Prices," now you'll find even lower prices on some of the season's most popular gifts and other holiday items. Take advantage of some of the best values of the year this Black Friday!

Target in Osage Beach

Target is doing Black Friday a little differently with 10 Days of Deals! Take advantage of 100s of doorbusters starting at 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day. You'll also want to do some of your shopping on Friday because when you spend $75, you'll get 20% off one of your Target trips between December 4-13 and if you shop on Saturday, you'll get 50% off your Holiday Shop purchase of $100 or more with coupon.

Menards in Lake Ozark

Menards has mind-blowing deals on tools, home goods, apparel, toys, electronics and even food on Black Friday! Doors will open at 6 AM on Friday, November 27 and the prices will be good until noon or while supplies last. There are also a few deals that you can snag on Saturday, November 28.

Kohl's in Lake Ozark

Kohl's is offering their Best Black Friday ever! Shop online now through November 27 or shop in store starting at 6 PM on Thursday, November 26. You can preview their Black Friday doorbusters here: http://www.kohls.com/sale-event/coupons-deals.jsp.

Places to Stay Near Shopping


At Your Lake Vacation, we have plenty of great places to stay, many of them just a few minutes from where all the Black Friday shopping will be happening. Check out these Lake of the Ozarks condo rentals that are still available for this weekend:

Bridge Pointe Condo 441: 
3 Bedroom, 2 Bath 

This beautiful condo offers a spacious master bedroom with a king bed, a guest room with a queen bed and a loft area featuring two twin beds that overlooks the living room and has a splendid view of the water. Other features include a full kitchen with seating for two at the breakfast bar, a separate dining area with seating for four, tiled floors in the entry and kitchen, a stacked washer & dryer and a top floor deck.

Indian Pointe 622: 
3 Bedroom, 3 Bath

This waterfront condo features a living room with 42" flat screen TV and DVD player, wall of floor to ceiling lakeside windows, laminate wood floors and deck access. The dining room features a 4-top table, with seating for four more at the bar, laminate wood floors and deck access. The kitchen features all the amenities of home including pots and pans! Downstairs you'll find the 2 master suites.

Lands End 637: 
3 Bedroom, 3 Bath 

Bring the friends or bring the family as this condo has it all! The dining room features a 4-top table, with seating for four more at the breakfast bar. The large kitchen features solid surface counter tops, stainless steel appliances and all the amenities of home. In the living room, you'll find a leather sectional with recliners, flat screen TV with Blu Ray DVD player, built in surround sound and a gas fireplace.

Lands End 737: 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath

Another fantastic luxury condo at Land's End, this is a walk-in, end unit, featuring tiled flooring in the dining room and kitchen. Stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops complete the kitchen. The living room features the floor to ceiling 3 panel slider, sectional with chaise lounge, flat screen TV, DVD player, gas fireplace and ambient lighting. Step outside onto the tiled deck for that great 180 degree view featuring the Grand Glaize Bridge and main channel.

Your Lake Vacation wishes you both a Happy Thanksgiving and a great Black Friday shopping experience. Call 877-284-0267 to book your reservations with us today. From one bedroom condos to five bedroom homes, we have everything to accommodate you and your family this holiday season!

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, 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.

Most Popular Bed Situations


Here are some of the most popular bed situations based on the number of bedrooms at a property.
  • One Bedroom - should have a king bed and either a queen sleeper sofa or a nice queen air mattress. 
  • Two Bedrooms - should have a king bed, a queen bed and a queen sleeper sofa or air mattress. OR you can put two twins in the second room. 
  • Three Bedrooms - should have a king bed, a queen bed, two twin beds and a queen sleeper sofa or air mattress. You could also set the second bedroom up with another king instead of the queen and you would probably see more rental nights with that configuration. 
  • Four Bedrooms - should have two king beds, a queen bed, two twin beds and a queen sleeper sofa or air mattress. 

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  

Friday, November 13, 2015

Winterizing Your Vacation Home

A vacation home is a big investment, so it only makes sense to use every precaution to preserve it through the winter. During the winter months, your vacation home at the Lake of the Ozarks probably isn't going to get much use and therefore, you'll need to winterize it for while you're away. Here are a few tips to follow when preparing your home for the cold winter months ahead:

1. Exterior Maintenance


When winterizing your home, the place to start is outside. You want to prevent any damage to the outside of your home to keep it from affecting the inside of your home. Try these tips for protecting the exterior of your home this winter:
  • Clear all gutters so that rainwater, melting snow and ice can successfully flow away from your home instead of forming ice dams, which can lead to leaks inside your home. 
  • Trim trees and remove dead branches around your home to prevent property-damaging breaks caused by the weight and force of winter winds, snow and ice.
  • Protect your outdoor furniture, cooking appliances and recreational gear by storing them away or protecting them with weather-proof covers.
  • Keep pest from seeking warmth in your home by covering chimneys with screening and blocking any possible entries in the foundation or around the eaves.

2. Prepare Your Plumbing 


Failing to winterize the plumbing in your vacation home could lead to extensive damage while you're away. Before you check out for the winter season, be sure to do the following things to keep your pipes from freezing and busting during those cold winter months:
  • Open all the water faucets and valves inside your home to let the water drain from the pipes.
  • Turn off the main water shut off valve inside your home. 
  • Wrap all exterior pipes as well as pipes in unheated areas of your vacation home with polyurethane or fiberglass pipe insulation.  
  • Use spray foam insulation to fill in the gaps around outdoor spigots.
  • Turn off or remove any back flow prevention devices from your faucets before insulating them.
  • Disconnect and drain your washing machine hoses, ice maker waterline and dishwasher's supply and drain lines.  
  • Turn off the water heater and drain the water from the tank.
  • Drain the water from spray attachments at your sinks and from the handheld shower head hoses.
  • Flush your toilets and remove any excess water from the tanks and bowls with an old towel.
  • Pour one cup of antifreeze into the toilet bowls and an additional cup down the overflow tube in the toilet tanks.

3. Interior Preparations


In addition to making sure your pipes aren't going to freeze on those cold winter nights, there are a few other items that should be addressed inside your home. Follow these tips to ensure a problem free winter for your vacation home:
  • All electrical components in your vacation home should be shut down, with the exception of such essentials as the heating system, security system and outdoor lighting. Use carefully marked breakers in your home's circuit box as a guide.
  • Unplug all appliances from the outlets.
  • Adjust the heat to a minimum of 55 degrees to maintain proper interior humidity and prevent the development of molds and mildew. 
  • Open all cabinets where plumbing is present.
  • Make sure the smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms in your vacation home are in working order. 
  • Make sure there is ample insulation in the attic, basement and crawl spaces. This will also help to keep your pipes from freezing. 
  • Empty and defrost the refrigerator, leaving the door ajar and the unit unplugged. 
  • Discard any food, toiletries or medications containing liquids that could freeze. 
  • Seal air leaks that allow cold air into your home, paying special attention to door frames and window sills. 
  • Turn off the pilot lights on stoves and fireplaces and turn off the gas. Also check for possible gas leaks. 

Not all of these items may be applicable in your situation. If you plan to have guests coming and going throughout the winter, you might want to leave the water heater full of water and the refrigerator plugged in. One of the great things about having your Lake of the Ozarks vacation home on our rental program is that you have someone keeping an eye on your house all year round. When a guest checks out during the winter months, we make sure to turn the water off and turn the heat down to 55 for you. We also have maintenance people on staff to take care of any issues that may arise during the cold winter months. For more information about having our property management company at the Lake of the Ozarks manage your vacation home, give us a call at 573-365-3367 today. Now is the time to get everything setup for the 2016 summer season!

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  

Saturday, November 7, 2015

What Makes a Great Rental Home?

My family and I recently went on a vacation to another destination here in Missouri. Therefore, I got to see what the other side of the phone is like and I was the one asking the questions about our rental home, location, amenities, etc. It was actually kind of weird, but I also learned a few things, so it was a good experience.

Great Location


Location was our first priority, as we have season passes to a certain theme park and didn't want to drive a long way to get there. We could have stayed in town and the five mile drive could have taken almost an hour or we could stay 14 miles from the park and have a scenic 20 minute drive with minimal traffic.

Plenty of Space 


Once we decided on our location, we needed enough room for nine of us. We found a number of four, five and up to seven bedroom homes near where we wanted to stay and we found varying price ranges. We settled on a five bedroom, three bath home with two levels and a family room on the lower level that included a pinball machine.

Just Like Pictures


The home was awesome! Most importantly, when we arrived, it looked just like the pictures on the internet. Sometimes you worry that you are seeing the home 20 years ago when it was new. That is why at our company, anytime an owner updates their unit with new paint, new furnishings or new appliances, we take new pictures. All of our properties look just like they do on the internet.

Added Amenities 


It was comfortable for all of us. There were flat screen TVs in every room but one, with 6 TVs in all, plus an X-Box system in the family room. However, the hit of the weekend was the pinball machine. We only stayed two nights and most of one whole day was spent at the park, but we managed to play around 40-50 games of pinball. (I had the high score for the weekend, but I'm not very competitive, so it wasn't a big deal).

What's Missing? 


The only thing the home didn't have that would have been nice was a dresser in one of the bedrooms. That was our only complaint, if you could even call it that. We had Wi-Fi, plenty of room to relax, a well-appointed kitchen, good appliances, soft beds, nice pillows and a great location. All those things together make for a great vacation!

When you have a home or condo that you're planning to rent out to people, make sure it have everything that would make someone feel comfortable. Games for a rainy day, maybe some books or magazines and a pool table, Foosball table, pin ball machine or card table. All of those things can set your property apart from the rest of the crowd and make for a great vacation rental property at the Lake of the Ozarks.

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 at the Lake of the Ozarks as a vacation rental, please call us 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  

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

2 Bedroom Waterfront Condo at Lake of the Ozarks' Knolls Resort

Knolls Resort: Unit 1412


Whether you're looking to get away for the weekend or an entire week, The Knolls Resort at the Lake of the Ozarks has just what you're looking for. Stay with us and enjoy the relaxed lifestyle here at Lake of the Ozarks, while nestled in the natural setting of a wooded peninsula. Even when the weather gets colder, The Knolls Resort is the perfect place for you and your family to stay!

Condo Features

This 2-bedroom, 2-bath waterfront condo at the Lake of the Ozarks features a Master Suite with a private bath and a king bed. The second bedroom has two twin beds, and the home will sleep up to to 6 with the queen air mattress. There are 2 TV’s, a gas grill, and a deck overlooking the water.



This very nice two-bedroom, two-bath is a waterfront unit with a main channel view. Features include a full kitchen, a wood burning fireplace, a bathroom for every bedroom, and a deck.


Knolls Resort Features


The complex features an indoor and outdoor pool (with hot tub and sauna), a clubhouse, a game room, tennis courts (one indoors), a basketball court, a playground, and exercise facility.



Why crowd your family in a small hotel room when you can feel right at home in one of our Lake of the Ozarks waterfront condos! We have some of the largest condominimums in the area, with the most amenities of any other condo complex at the Lake. Our condos range from one to four bedrooms, each with one full bath per bedroom. Give us a call at 800-648-0339 today - let our friendly reservation staff help you plan your next vacation at the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks!

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, October 19, 2015

Join us at the Lake this Halloween!

With Summer over and Fall officially here, Your favorite Lake of the Ozarks vacation rental company is gearing up for the holidays! First up is Halloween! The Lake of the Ozarks area is a great place to celebrate this spooky holiday. From hayrides and trick-or-treating to costume contests and more, the Lake of the Ozarks is the place to be this Halloween. Check out some of these great events going on over the next two weekends and book your stay with us today!

Kid's Activities 


Pumpkin Patch at Hy-Vee Hollow - Fun activities for the entire family, Saturdays and Sundays 10am - 6pm through October 25. Straw bale maze, old fashioned water pump duck races, a corn pit, seesaws, hay mountain and free hayrides.

Bonfire & Hayride at The Lodge of Four Seasons - Saturdays from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm through November 14th. Come enjoy a hayride and bonfire on the beach complete with s'mores, hot chocolate, hot cider and complimentary pumpkins for children under 12. Hayrides begin at 5:00 pm and run every 20 minutes with the last ride leaving at 6:40 pm. Reservations are strongly suggested as there is limited space available on each ride. Hayride & bonfire are $5 inclusive per person. Ages 5 and under are FREE. For more information or to make your reservation, please call 573-365-3000 ext 0.

Lucas Oil "Spookway" Free Trick-or-Treating - This Annual Safe Trick or Treat Night is a big hit with the area youth as the "Diamond of Dirt Tracks" gives kids a safe trick or treat experience. The event begins at 5:00pm on Saturday, October 24th. The event is FREE to the public and everyone is welcome to attend. Last year over 500 trick or treaters visited the Lucas Oil "Spookway".

Dogwood Animal Shelter's Howl-O-Ween Festival - Dogwood Animal Shelter's annual HOWL-O-WEEN Festival will be held October 24 from 10 am to 2 pm! Family fun, contests, food and entertainment, plus vendor booths and lots of smiles!

Eldon PTO Trunk-or-Treat - Join the Eldon Elementary PTO in a FUN, FREE, FAMILY fall themed event on October 24 from 6-8 pm at the Eldon Air Park. Along with a large Trunk-or-Treat the City of Eldon will be providing a hayride, maze and bounce house all for FREE!

Kid's Halloween Spooktacular at Captain Ron's - Bring your little ghosts & goblins to Captain Ron's to grab some loot from 5-7 pm on October 25! Several local businesses will be handing out goodies!

Hy-Vee Hollow Trick-or-Treat Maze - Safe trick-or-treating and family fun in the Hy-Vee parking lot from 4-7 pm on October 29. Cost is $2 per child. All money raised from this event will be donated to Dream Factory, an organization making dreams come true for critically and chronically ill children.

Tunnel Dam Gardens' Haunted Maze & Hayride - The Tunnel Dam Gardens Haunted Maze and Hayride is back, October 30-31 from 7-11 pm each night. Admission is $5 per carload.

Halloween at The Ice at Old Kinderhook - Dress up in your favorite Halloween costume and come to The Ice on October 31 from 4-10 pm! We will have games and activities. Candy for the kids and a Halloween costume contest. Cost for skate: $10 for a skate session and $3 for skate rental.

Halloween Bash on The Strip - Trick-or-Treat at the businesses along the Historic Bagnell Dam Strip, Bagnell Dam Blvd from 2-4 pm on Saturday, October 31. Costume contests for both kids and adults!

Adult Activities


Oktoberfest at Ozark Yacht Club - 2nd Annual Oktoberfest - Live Music by Spontaneous Serendipity, Authentic German Food & Wine and Beer Specials from 12-6 pm on October 24.

H. Toad's Halloween Costume Contest - Join us on Friday night, October 30, for a Costume Party & Contest this Halloween at H. Toad's Bar and Grill. Our party features a live DJ, Costume Contest with PRIZES and spooky drink specials from 8:00 pm - 12:00 am.

Halloween Party at Shawnee Bluff Winery - Come one come all for a SPOOKY party this fall. Join us this Halloween (October 31) from 3-7 pm for a fun afternoon of live music, wine and entertainment. Live music by Shawn C and Gabriella, playing a wide variety of acoustic covers from all decades ranging from Dolly Parton and Jackson 5 to Meghan Trainor and John Legend. (Halloween costumes optional) Costume contest, winner gets a Shawnee Bluff Winery wine basket.

Places to Stay 


From large private homes to small waterfront condos at the Lake of the Ozarks, we have all types of accommodations to fit your needs. Here are a few options still available for this weekend or Halloween weekend:

Bridge Pointe Condo 220 - This beautiful two bedroom, two bath condo is located on the main channel at the 19 mile marker and by land just off Highway 54 in the heart of Osage Beach. The spacious Master Bedroom has a king bed, private bath, walk-in closet and screened deck access. The guest Bedroom features a king bed, 32" flat screen TV with DVD Player and an adjacent bathroom. Other features include a full Kitchen with seating for four at the breakfast bar, a  separate dining area that seats four, wood floors (entry & kitchen), full sized washer & dryer and a screened deck that allows seating for eight.

Falls 152-1B - This gorgeous two bedroom condo has a panoramic main channel view to match! Relax in the stunning Master Suite with King bed and deck access. The second bedroom has a queen bed with a private deck. The second bathroom also has a shower/tub combo. The dining table has comfortable seating for six and with the gas grill on the deck a bbq is just minutes away! This condo is located on Horseshoe Bend off Carol Road or on the 2 1/2 mile marker by water.


Gray Haven - This 5 bedroom, 4 bath ranch style home is located off Highway KK in Osage Beach! Walk right into on the main floor to the great room featuring an immediate fantastic view from this waterfront home! Includes Living Room with flat screen TV, DVD player, fireplace and massive Dining Room with seating for 12.  Kitchen features an island that seats 4, flat top range, microwave, dishwasher and side by side refrigerator with water and ice in the door.Downstairs includes a game room with flat screen TV, game table, bumper pool, foosball, guest bathroom and wet bar. The best thing about this house is the oversize decks! 

Imperial Point - This 3 bedroom home is located off of Horseshoe Bend Parkway in Lake Ozark. Upstairs you will find two bedrooms, each with queen beds and twin trundle beds, as well as flat screen TVs. Downstairs features two stories of windows overlooking that great main channel view, along with the large Living Room with attached game area, open kitchen with breakfast bar, half bath and lakeside Dining Room.  Also on this level is the oversize Master Suite with jetted tub, private bathroom and access to the lakeside deck.  

Grab your costumes and head on down to the Lake of the Ozarks for a fun-filled weekend! Whether you want to bring the whole family or just sneak away with that special someone for a few days, Your Lake Vacation is here to hook you up with the perfect place to stay! Give us a call at 877-284-0267 to book 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  

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

6 Creative Ways to Save Money for Vacation

Whether you're taking a trip to visit family over the holidays or planning a big family vacation next summer, traveling can be expensive. You have to pay for transportation, accommodations, food and entertainment for the entire time you're away. Some places are obviously more expensive than say a vacation to Lake of the Ozarks, but now is the time to start saving for whatever trip you're planning to take in the near future. Here are a few ideas on how to save up for that vacation you've been dreaming of:

1. Open a Dedicated Savings Account


Money sitting is your checking account is just asking to be spent. If you're serious about saving for that trip you've been wanting to take, open a separate savings account just for your trip fund. You can even setup and automatic transfer of a certain amount to be deposited into the account each month. This idea will also help keep you on budget when you actually start planning and paying for your trip. 

2. Online Savings Account


If option #1 seems like too much work, too many trips to the bank, consider using an online savings account service like SmartyPig.com. Services like this allow you to set a goal and transfer money regularly to reach that goal. Family and friends can also contribute to your fund. Often times, these online services offer great interest rates. Do some research and see what online savings account services might work for you.

3. Start a Change Jar 


Have you ever collected spare change before? You'll be amazed at the amount of money that can accumulate from those little coins.  It only takes $1.37 per day to get to $500 in a year. If you have everyone in the family emptying their pockets into the change jar, that shouldn't be hard to do. Encourage your children to start saving this way as well.

4. Begin a Monthly Budget 


Many people don't even realize where all of their hard earned paycheck is going each month. By starting a budget, you can see exactly where your money is going and how you might be able to cut back on some of those expenses. Do you really need to eat out 3 times a week or could you save some money by preparing something at home? How many shopping sprees did you go on for new clothes, movies, toys, etc. last month? See where you can afford to cut back and set that amount back for your travel fund.

5. Sell Unwanted Stuff


If you like to travel, use the philosophy that life is about experiences, not stuff. This is especially true when you can turn that unused stuff into cold, hard cash. Try having a garage sale and keep an eye out for city-wide garage sale weekends. You can also sell  your stuff in Facebook garage sale groups or on eBay. You never know what someone else could be looking for that you could be selling to them.

6. Pick Up a Side Job


Working a little harder right now could really be worth it if you get to relax on a nice long vacation. Look for ways to earn money outside of your regular job, such as babysitting or serving. Consider short-term work opportunities as well; many retail places hire seasonal workers for the holidays. Working these side jobs may mean sacrificing your weekends for awhile, but it will help make your vacation possible.  

Planning a vacation can be fun! Depending on when you're planning to travel, Your Lake Vacation has some great deals on Lake of the Ozarks accommodations during the off-season. We can also hook you up with golf packages and offer suggestions of other activities to enjoy during your stay. Contact us today at 877-284-0267 to book your stay in one of our many waterfront homes and condos at the Lake of the Ozarks

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