villa or perhaps condo?

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

You've (handily enough [msnwink]) forgotten owner C who bought a few years ago thinking owning a villa was a quick and easy way to make money. They did absolutely no research on owning a villa longer term and bought purely to try and flip the property when it was finished at a possibly big profit to themselves.

Owner C then got caught with his pants down big time with the global downturn and was left with a property they had no option but to rent out as they could not sell it for anything near what they paid for it.

Money could well be very tight as far as the villa is concerned as they had not budgeted for actually keeping the villa and indeed quite a few were daft enough to buy multiple properties on this basis, stretching themselves to the limit (and beyond [msneek]).

They have no interest in renting the home (other than to try and keep foreclosure from happening for another month) and absolutely no interest in keeping their villa up to a high standard for guests.

Owner C will happily undercut both owner A and owner B and does not care as it's just another month they don't get foreclosed on and thus lose all their initial investment.

Believe me, there are lots of owner C's out there, all trying to pick up any s c r a p s they can. From what we have seen, a lot of them have already been foreclosed on and many more will over the coming months / years. Guests who have the mis-fortune to book one of these 'bargain' homes will then have the un-enviable task of finding an alternate villa for what is possibly their family's "once in a lifetime" vacation at the last minute. Not a position I'd ever want to put myself in [msnscared].

I'd think very carefully about booking something that seems too good to be true price-wise and that's talking without what could possibly be construed as my vested interest. I do also have a vested interest in seeing guests book the right villa for them as happy guests are guests that come back and use our site again [msnsmile].

I do take your point about owner B which is a very valid one though [msnsmile].

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Regardless of what we think of the business acumen of owner(B) he is in a position to massively undercut owner A and does so frequently!
[/quote]

[florida4sun]

I was not going to comment as it is the same old routine, I know you like to yank owners chains but it is not rocket science and easy to speculate when you are not an owner and have no idea of what the costs are. I own villa and have done for many years, mortgage is paid off, bought at the right time blah blah blah. Even so my annual running costs are around £350 - £400 per week depending on exchange rates. The average home will get 30 weeks per year rental (if the owner knows what they are doing). Just do basic math to figure what you need to cover costs and that is without maintenance.
Selling your villa for less than cost is idiotic, there is no value in it at all other than increasing your costs and subsidizing someones vacation.
Yes you can get bargain villas at £300 per week and yes you may be lucky. However that is the risk you take. I cannot figure why anyone would take the risk on their families vacation.
As said before in this thread find an owner you are comfortable with, find the average market value as guide as to what the price is.
Having been in management for 5 years, I can tell you that we were never cheap and the houses were high quality. We often came across folks in the house next door that had paid bargain prices and were disappointed.
As for the hotel scenario, that is simply wrong. They have very tight break even points. They need to sell x amount of rooms at x amount of price. This may be done by selling some at higher rates than others. This obviously cannot be done with a single unit. Chalk and cheese.
I don't know but we always get the same people trying to catch owners out, this quite simply is one of the best sites out there, with quality homes and owners and we are very protective of what we offer.
If you want cheap fine, go for it but do not knock us for trying to offer a good product at a reasonable price.
For the record if you want mine I do not rent out for anything less than £1400 per week (and I get it), then again it is not for general release.
Those with no mortgage have mush less in tax breaks. My running costs actually went up when the mortgage was paid off, due to the tax situation. So thats that scenario out of the window. Just because you have no mortgage does not mean low running costs, that is ridiculous.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: oh and subsidising strangers holidays.[/quote]How do you define subsidise?

As stated frequently on this forum the business model and motive for renting out property varies.

It ranges from owner(A) who bought a couple of years ago at sky high prices with a large mortgage, who wants/needs to cover all outgoings.

At the other end there is owner(B) who bought years beforehand at a bargain price, has no mortgage, and sees their home primarily as a place in the sun.

Regardless of what we think of the business acumen of owner(B) he is in a position to massively undercut owner A and does so frequently!
[/quote]

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:I know you like to yank owners chains but it is not rocket science and easy to speculate when you are not an owner and have no idea of what the costs are. [/quote] Well I have been an owner for the past 7 years and so do have a good idea of costs, however I choose not to rent as it is my place in the sun.

I also have 2 relatives in Orlando and Cocoa Beach who are real estate brokers and I investigated with them going into the STR market when property was really cheap - especially in the aftermath of 9/11.

We have discussed endlessly the costs involved in running a property. However the facts remain that some people have no mortgage, are prepared to pay the standing costs(property tax, insurance etc) themselves and are happy with a very modest rent.

Not a business model that makes sense I agree, but happens a lot.

I also agree that the villas on this website are the best I have seen and are generally very good value. However even on this website there are those who are 'owner B' and undercut with special deals.

The 'yanking owners chains' is because, for some, their self interest overules objectivity in their posts!!!

I very much take John's point about Owner C as well so research is essential. After all Owner C can also charge a high rent!

[floridadreamvilla.co.uk]

I don't see any hostility here. I do see people articulating their point without recrimination or marginalisation [msnwink].
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Father
I honestly don't understand the hostility here. For a forum to work effectively, people need to know that they can articulate their point without recrimination or marginalisation.
[/quote]

[Katys Grandad]

My experience as a very frequent renter over many years is that, like with most things, over time you learn what represents good value for you and what doesn't.

Because there isn't any effective independent assessment of the comparative merits of the homes available on this site and elsewhere, the new renter takes a chance whichever way they go. There just isn't such a thing as a 'going rate' and no equivalent of the websites on hotels that we're all aware of.

If you jump onto what appears to be a low price you run the risk of it being of poor quality but it might just turn out to be ideal for you. Similarly, paying a high rate doesn't, in my experience, guarantee high quality or that it will meet all the renter's needs - but it just might. I personally would pay £1,500 a week if I could be certain it was exactly what I wanted but I certainly wouldn't do that only on the basis of what the owner said about it.

At any price there's a chance it won't work out. I personally have never found a consistent correlation between rental rates and quality. In fact, paying high rates without proper research hasn't ever really worked out for me.

About the only thing in Martin's post that makes any sense to me is the advice to find a good honest owner and do your homework but if you follow that advice don't assume paying more will always be better.

[FraserLynn]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
I was not going to comment as it is the same old routine, I know you like to yank owners chains but it is not rocket science and easy to speculate when you are not an owner and have no idea of what the costs are. I own villa and have done for many years, mortgage is paid off, bought at the right time blah blah blah. Even so my annual running costs are around £350 - £400 per week depending on exchange rates. The average home will get 30 weeks per year rental (if the owner knows what they are doing). Just do basic math to figure what you need to cover costs and that is without maintenance.
Selling your villa for less than cost is idiotic, there is no value in it at all other than increasing your costs and subsidizing someones vacation.
Yes you can get bargain villas at £300 per week and yes you may be lucky. However that is the risk you take. I cannot figure why anyone would take the risk on their families vacation.
As said before in this thread find an owner you are comfortable with, find the average market value as guide as to what the price is.
Having been in management for 5 years, I can tell you that we were never cheap and the houses were high quality. We often came across folks in the house next door that had paid bargain prices and were disappointed.
As for the hotel scenario, that is simply wrong. They have very tight break even points. They need to sell x amount of rooms at x amount of price. This may be done by selling some at higher rates than others. This obviously cannot be done with a single unit. Chalk and cheese.
I don't know but we always get the same people trying to catch owners out, this quite simply is one of the best sites out there, with quality homes and owners and we are very protective of what we offer.
If you want cheap fine, go for it but do not knock us for trying to offer a good product at a reasonable price.
For the record if you want mine I do not rent out for anything less than £1400 per week (and I get it), then again it is not for general release.
Those with no mortgage have mush less in tax breaks. My running costs actually went up when the mortgage was paid off, due to the tax situation. So thats that scenario out of the window. Just because you have no mortgage does not mean low running costs, that is ridiculous.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: oh and subsidising strangers holidays.[/quote]How do you define subsidise?

As stated frequently on this forum the business model and motive for renting out property varies.

It ranges from owner(A) who bought a couple of years ago at sky high prices with a large mortgage, who wants/needs to cover all outgoings.

At the other end there is owner(B) who bought years beforehand at a bargain price, has no mortgage, and sees their home primarily as a place in the sun.

Regardless of what we think of the business acumen of owner(B) he is in a position to massively undercut owner A and does so frequently!
[/quote][/quote]I have no desire to tell people how to run their business and of course you are very welcome to tell the customers that they are wrong!

But this question was posted by a renter not an owner and my view as a regular renter remains:

There is no direct correlation between price and quality and the only reason I can imagine why people constantly suggest this is to justify their own pricing policy. That's fine and their call. The balance I am trying to give is that I think a much bigger predictor is the level of service and attentiveness during the booking process.

Ask questions, check details and g

[steph_goodrum]

At the end of the day, albeit on a small scale each home owner is running their own business operation and in the same way as you can go into any high street and find the same products for different prices or very similar brands for diferent prices, it all boils down to what you perceive to be good value for money. Sometimes you buy a cheap brand and it works out to be a good saving, sometimes it works out to be a false economy.

[bargainqueen]

We haven't rented a Condo but have stayed in a hotel. It was noisy with people slamming their doors shut and the air conditioning in the wall. I didn't sleep well at all.

Six months later we returned with a friend and hired a villa, after that we were hooked. We've hired quite a few over the years even though for most of the time it was only for 2 people. I think it worked out to be a difference of £50 when booking flight, villa and car hire separately to a package deal for 2 people.

We like the sense of space, the fact that you can get up early in the morning or stay up late at night without effecting anyone else you're sharing with.

I also like to sit outside, have a swim or just enjoy the peace and quiet. Pop inside, make a drink or something to eat and just relax. I don't think I would like a Condo as the space outside is restricted. Also carrying all our cases down those stairs to the car would also be a chore if you're allocated one on the first floor.

We've also found that we like to book a villa that has a conservation view, lovely to look at early in the morning with mist rising off the water.

[Susan J]

I agree with this Bargain Queen. Before we bought our first villa, we went to stay in Disneys Wilderness lodge for 14 days. I was worried my 4 year old son would prefer a Disney Hotel above a house. OMG- you are all in one room, you have to pack a bag for the pool, and have eyes in the back of your head to ensure your child is okay/ not run into pool alone / run off anywhere.......then you have to gather everything up to go and find some lunch, lose your place by the pool etc- in the evening, you can only all watch the same TV channel and when your offspring is asleep, you have to watch that with ears straining -and god help you if you need a drink -its a trek to the cafe to stock up. Then you have the slamming of doors and people talking in the corridors, the sound of the lift/ice making machines, and in our case, the bruised shins from the hidden sticky out wood corners on the bed LOL -and if it rains.......oh need I go on, you need to trek doen to the laundry room to wash/dry clothes -the whole thing is so inconvenient -I am not saying the odd night at a hotel isn't okay, but you do not sleep as well, and you cannot beat the luxury of knowing your children are safe, and you can nip and get a drink- even a nice cup of tea if you take your own tea bags -or snack, any time you like/ fire up your laptop, or just sit and enjoy the wildlife with your sun lounger exactly how you like it -aaah I wish I was there now...........sigh!

[feathersonline]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Susan J
I agree with this Bargain Queen. Before we bought our first villa, we went to stay in Disneys Wilderness lodge for 14 days. I was worried my 4 year old son would prefer a Disney Hotel above a house. OMG- you are all in one room, you have to pack a bag for the pool, and have eyes in the back of your head to ensure your child is okay/ not run into pool alone / run off anywhere.......then you have to gather everything up to go and find some lunch, lose your place by the pool etc- in the evening, you can only all watch the same TV channel and when your offspring is asleep, you have to watch that with ears straining -and god help you if you need a drink -its a trek to the cafe to stock up. Then you have the slamming of doors and people talking in the corridors, the sound of the lift/ice making machines, and in our case, the bruised shins from the hidden sticky out wood corners on the bed LOL -and if it rains.......oh need I go on, you need to trek doen to the laundry room to wash/dry clothes -the whole thing is so inconvenient -I am not saying the odd night at a hotel isn't okay, but as with a condo, you do not sleep as well, and you cannot beat the luxury of knowing your children are safe, and you can nip and get a drink- even a nice cup of tea if you take your own tea bags -or snack, any time you like/ fire up your laptop, or just sit and enjoy the wildlife with your sun lounger exactly how you like it -aaah I wish I was there now...........sigh![/quote]Have you ever stayed in a condo?? Sounds like you haven't. Ours is in a small block of 8 units - there's no noise - you can sleep perfectly well!

Also, the communal areas - pool, bbq, tennis courts and gym are all great places to meet people...

I would have thought you'd need to keep more of an eye on the kids in a villa as the pool is so close and too tempting for them.