Reliable...I believe that having your own website is very important. You are able to put things on it that you might not be able to on your paid listings. Also...big importance, by having link from your website to other important sites helps your website show up in searches.

If cost is the issue, then build your own. It will take a lot of reserch and some time but it is usually the most cost effective way to go if you only have one rental.

There are 2 website hosts that have been recommended to me recently (I don't know anything about them):

weebly.com and (ooops, sorry can't remember the other one). WebChalet is another one..speak to Sarah (she posts on here occassionally)

I would not recommend the one that we use (Homestead/Intuit)...it does not seem to be very user-friednly and is hard to edit. (see our website for some ideas www.ThreeSistersVacatonRentals.com )

If you are looking for something that is easy to use....then I would go with one of the hosts that carter to VR's...like BookIt or something else. A lot of the owners that post on here include there website link. Check these out to get an idea.

I agree that a personal property website is an important marketing tool. As there are so many thousands of websites dealing with vacation rentals, your chances of ranking high are remote but refering an inquiry from Homeaway to your website enables you to "sell" your property and make it stand out from others.

There is no doubt that incoming links are the most  important in your website,  more so than a reciprocal link  (I link to you and in return you link to me). It is also important that the links are relevant to the website subject, Such as vacation property to vacation property.

I suggest that we have an opportunity to help each other improve our search engine standing  by sharing website links.

For example. If you tell me your website URL, and agree to add links to your website, I will set up a system where website A links to website B, website B links to website C, and so on, the last website links to the first. That way every website has incoming links without having outgoing links to the same website. If we went ahead I would ensure that you are not linked to another property in your area (so you are not linking to a competitor) and also inform you which sites you are linked to and which sites are linked to you.

If you want join me in this project I need your email and website addresses

send to: exumadolphin@yahoo.com

Thanks for the mention, Three Sisters Rentals!

Here at WebChalet we specialize in website templates built specifically for vacation rentals and have a lot of great tools that tie in with HomeAway and VRBO, including a calendar sync and one click import of reviews. 

Here are a few samples:

Single property: http://www.cultuslakehouse.com

Multi Property: http://whymmsvillas.com

As mentioned above, a website can really enhance your current marketing efforts for your vacation rental. A personal website gives you the opportunity to include content and images that don't fit on your HomeAway listing and also helps establish credibility and professionalism. 

Other things to think about when you are considering website providers are price and easy-of-use.  You don't want to break the bank and be charged every time you need to make a change. Plus, when you need to advertise a last minute vacancy or special, you should be able to change your website yourself, without having to know HTML or have other special computer skills.

If you have any questions about the benefits of a websites, feel free to give me a call at 855-777-2284.

Sarah

www.webchalet.com