That was not the Clouse Responce to anything....I doubt they care very much anymore?  That was their charge and part of the reason for forming the VRBO Website.  I found the quote on the internet....an interview with the founder. When I signed up with VRBO...they were the owners of a Chalet in CO and they began a website for Owners of Vacation Properties.....because there was not one that did what they were looking for, in renting their Chalet by OWNER and they were very caring people about owners who signed up to use their website, people like them looking a place to advertise "BY OWNER" vacation properties.

Just an FYI to those of you who may not already realize this, in the state of Hawaii, as well as many other US communities, if the owner does not live on site, they must have local representation. Therefore, if you own a condo on Maui, and you list it as a vacation rental, you have two choices, a renatl agency, or another individual that the owner trusts. That is what I do, I am not a real estate agent, but I am compensated, live next door, love the property and give stellar service. I also believe that the rental agencies in the area that I have talked to do a great job of giving good service. Without it they would be out of a rental. No owner or rental agent wants to see a bad review.

So by way of these rules for Hawaii, there could be no listing for VRBO unless the owner lives in Hawaii as well.

I'd hope and think that most if not all owner rented Vacation properties have CARETAKERS to look after the property.  Do the cleaning between stays, inspect the property after each stay, supply help to guests and the property when needed (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.), possibly supply linens, clean pools and hot tubs, etc.  I have ZERO problems if a management company or Realty handle the caretaking for the owners....ZERO.  I have ZERO problem with where a Realty advertises other the VACATION RENTALS BY OWNER.  Realtors use 1-5 ads to help with rentals to 20 -400 properties and VRBO is supposed to be by OWNER...not by Realtor.

No one is saying Realtors don't do their jobs for the owners who pay them a commission.  We're saying VRBO is an Owner advertising website....it opened that way years ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also...there's hundreds of VRBO ads advertised in Hawaii that have phone numbers in other states and many more that bought toll free numbers for their customers to call.  I'd hope 100% have caretakers...paid to do that job.

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The VRBO Story...  http://www.breckenridgenews.com/otherbreckenridgenews/vrbofoundedinbreck.html

From the founders David and Lynn Clouse... VRBO goals and website vision - "To promote privately owned Vacation Rental Properties."

"Property OWNERS can "list" their properties on VRBO website by completeing an online application which asks a series of questions about the property...OWNER can post photos of the properties...we charge an annual fee.  Renters contact the OWNERS directly to rent the property, we do not collect commission."

I am one person "caretaking" if you will, the owners property, she listed it, she is available, but most of the contact the guest has is with me. I still fail to see the issue with rental agents. And yes, I have seen plenty of reference in past postings on this issue that are very derogatory towards rental agents. I can way compete with them...no problem. Yes our renters contact the owner directly, some times through me, and sometimes on thier own. I think you just like to complain.

Reading comprehension.....

I have absolutely no problems with Rental Management companies or Realtors doing their jobs!  My problem is with Realtors advertising on VRBOwner and advertising 1-5 condos and renting 200-400 condos off an ad on a BY OWNER website.  No calendars, toll free telephone numbers, big company CC rates, whomever is manning the phones that day does the rental....if the one you call about is booked we have 200 that are similar. >>>>No the condo pictured is not the one you'll be staying in but the floor plan is the same.  Realtors should not be able to advertise on VRBO.....how simple can it be stated?  All ads on VRBO should be Owner advertised.

My caretakers at my condo and my beach house on 2 separate beaches are Property Managers.  I do all the advertising, the rentals, the paperwork, the major off-season cleaning and fixes and condo parking passes.  They are there to help guests if something goes wrong or is not working (they have maintenance or call a professional and me on bigger jobs), they treat and clean the pool and hot tub twice a week at the beach house and both companies inspect at checkout, clean and provide rental linens......I pay them to do so.  They offer for extra money to my guests and others...concierge services, free discounts from local businesses, personal shoppers, private chef, daily maid service or a tidy up service, party planning, boxed lunches, babysitting, airport pick-up and more.

Anyone that works with those companies and advertises on VRBO...the owner does the advertising and the rentals.   1 property - 1 VRBO ad and by owner.  I have 4 HomeAway ads....2 for each property....you may notice that I have not complained about VacationRentals.com allowing Realtors to advertise?????  I am complaining about Vacation Rentals BY OWNER doing so however.  I have 6 internet ads on 3 timeshares ($20/each), 6 ads on my condo (~$1000) and 7 ads on the beach house (~$1000)....all through some vacation website company.

Again....my only complaint is.....Owners should be the only people advertising on VRBO....1 ad for EACH property.  Who or whom advertises elsewhere...I don't care.

Well stated jbrun. 

VRBO is still my best rental site too but it's gone downhill a ton!  You're right...they would not let us advertise on Realtor.com!!!  Well stated.  I have nothing against Realtors either....my dad's job for 18 years after retirement was as a Realtor.  I know many and worked with many.....athough I never used it, I got my Realtors license in 1988 before I got my General Contractors license.  Realtors should not be able to advertise on VRBO!

We are new with Homeaway.  We've just noticed the new Homeaway sort. We used to be able to get to the top sometimes by updating, now it seems impossible to move up as owners.  If they had it before we joined, we probably wouldn't have signed up. 

Thanks for the suggestions, I've tried what I can... not sure what I'm missing... but will keep working at it... :O)