With so many ways to book a vacation rental available now, you may be wondering which way is the best way to reserve your beach home or condo. Online services like VRBO or AirBnB may be appealing. Smaller local companies like Sunset Properties might not be your first choice.
But what are you really getting? Are you getting the best deal with the best service options? What happens if you get to your vacation home and there’s an unforeseen issue? Who do you call? Are the “big-box” website’s faceless people going to help you?
To avoid confusion when you make your beach vacation reservation, why not just book direct with the local rental management company?
Book direct with Sunset Properties! Book with people with faces and happy voices and sincere smiles who have actually been inside your vacation home. Book with people who want your vacation getaway to be as great as you do!
Here are 5 Reasons to Book Direct with Sunset Properties and Say NO to VRBO:
- We Know Our Area
We live and work along the Alabama Gulf Coast and we know this area forwards and backwards. We know which roads to take to get to the best places to eat and play. We know how long it takes to get where you want to be. In Coastal Alabama, we give directions based on time, not miles. After all, that’s what you really want to know, right? We can you about how long it takes you to get to where your fun is. We know how long it takes because we drive it every day.
For example, when you call Sunset Properties, looking for a perfect spot for a family reunion extended weekend, we’ll tell you that not only is USA2 a fabulous beachfront home that has five bedrooms and sleeps 18, but that it is perfect for family reunions because it is in a private neighborhood with a private beach. We can tell you that if you leave your neighborhood heading West, it is only about a five minute drive to the Mobile Bay Ferry from this house. So for a great family day-outing, your group can ferry across Mobile Bay, visit the Dauphin Island Sea Lab or Fort Gaines and come right back all in one day, and all with minimal driving. We’ll encourage you to have your camera ready, because you’re probably going to see some dolphins swimming alongside the ferry.
On the other hand, we’ll share with you another option. If you leave your private subdivision and head East on Fort Morgan Road, in about 25-30 minutes you can be at the Hangout in the heart of Gulf Shores or eating dinner at King Neptunes, a local favorite for delicious seafood for more years than we can count.
2. We Know Our Properties
Sure, you can do your web research and review a property’s pictures and written details. Any good rental management website offers those things. But, unlike the VRBO website folks, we at Sunset Properties, have physically been inside of each of our rentals. We know what kinds of comforters and coffee pots are in each unit. We know which ones are easy to push a baby stroller into and which ones have steps making access a bit more challenging. We know what the surrounding yards and parking areas and common areas are like. We even know if there’s a barbeque grill or not.
And, if by chance you happen to ask a specific question about a property and we don’t have an answer right then, we can just jump into our cars and drive to the property, get the answer and call you back. And we, at Sunset Properties, will call you back.
3. We Know Our Property Locations
If you search Gulf Shores on a large site that hosts properties worldwide, you may get a true Gulf Shores, Alabama property suggestion returned. You may. Or you may get a property some 25 or 50 miles away.
However, if you search for a Gulf Shores vacation property with Sunset Properties, you get a true answer. If you want to be in Gulf Shores, we will make sure you stay in Gulf Shores. Same goes for Orange Beach or Fort Morgan.
So, if you’re looking for a fun place to stay that’s close to Souvenir City in Gulf Shores, we suggest you consider Pat-Ti-O, which is a 5 minute drive.
And, if our website is not clear to you, if something’s just a tad bit confusing, we are always just a phone call or text away. Call or text 251.543.1370 to reach a real live vacation specialist who is waiting to help you make an informed decision about your vacation reservation.
4. We Know Our Guests
We love getting to know our guests! The person you speak with on the phone or email with as you make your reservation wants to get to know you. To all of us at Sunset Properties, you’re not just a guest, you’re OUR GUEST. And you’re vacation is just as important to us as it is to you. We want you to have the best possible experience while you’re on the Alabama Gulf Coast and we are available, not only to help you plan your getaway, but also to meet you after you arrive. If you need to speak with a Sunset Properties representative while you’re vacationing, we have two locations to serve you. Our main office is located on Alabama Highway 59 just north of the Dr. W C Holmes Bridge and we have an office on Fort Morgan Road in The Dunes Subdivision.
5. You Save Money
You read that right! You save money by booking directly with Sunset Properties instead of using VRBO. You save between 4-9%. All the base reservation fees are the same, but VRBO tacks on an additional ‘service fee’. For example, if you choose to book Dunes 303 for the week of July 21-28, you will see VRBO charges a service fee of $148 over and above the normal reservation rental rate. This is $148 more than you would pay to reserve the same condo from Sunset Properties. VRBO charges this fee but it is not for the owner. Even though the property is listed as a Vacation Rental By Owner, the owner does not get this extra money. VRBO does.
We think you should keep that money! It doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but why not keep it and spend it on yourself or your family while you’re on vacation?
You may be asking: What can I buy with $148? Well, there are a lot of options actually. But here are a few that you might want to consider:
- You can get a week of unlimited yoga and a massage. Visit Glow-Yoga in Gulf Shores. And you’ll even have a little money left over for ice cream!
- You can rent a jet ski and a go pro from Alabama Extreme Watersports . How much fun would that be?
- You could treat your whole family to an amazing seafood dinner at Mikees, another local favorite that’s been serving great seafood for many, many years!
- You can get come cool new beach gear at Ron Jon Surf Shop. With locations all around the Gulf Coast, these guys are definitely experts in beach wear!
No matter what you do with it, at least you’re not giving it away to some big website company and getting no visible return for it.
Instead, book direct with Sunset Properties. You get expert advice from someone who has been inside of your vacation rental home, who knows exactly where it is and can give your actual driving directions to get there. You get local folks who are happy to see you and are available to help you if issues arise after you reach the Alabama Gulf Coast. And you get it all for less money! All you have to do is just say NO to VRBO.
We, at Sunset Properties, look forward to helping you finalize your upcoming vacation plans and to adding your name and face to our list of guests who have become some of our best friends!
251.543.1370
