Barefoot Technologies Blog- Vacation Rental Industry News

With the summer winding down, Canadians have flocked to vacation rentals from Coast to Coast. The Canadian vacation rental market took a huge leap forward this summer season both in terms of popularity and ease of booking.

The National Board of Realtors (NAR) on August 3^rd provided some new purchasing statistics comparing people who are purchasing investment property compared to vacation rental property.  There are some great statistics in this short article in particular the vacation rental buyer average distance from their vacation home is 375 miles, which is a drop from the last few years. This may be because of increased fuel prices, but I think it has to do more with people taking shorter vacations and long weekends and that is just about the edge what I would consider what one will drive for a long weekend.  Most important about this number is in reference to those who are considering doing for rent by owner.  If the home is rented on a daily or weekly basis this number is significant.

Tracey Wolter, who  has been a long time FRS user and recent convert to Barefoot, has joined the Barefoot team.  Tracey has been assisting Leisure American in Ft Myers Beach, Florida for the past few years and was very involved in their transition out of FRS and into Barefoot. 

The Delaware Times is reporting that Arthur Bethae has been arrested for vacation rental fraud regarding a property he placed on HomeAway, took money and then was unable to provide the home for a family reunion.

Barefoot for the past 4 years has seen a significant increase in vacation rental fraud as we have talked with our clients and prospects.  Most of it has not been reported by the press, but more and more of the heart wrenching stories are starting to hit the press.  As we have stated in past blogs many victims have either been ashamed and not reported it or reported it to local authorities who dont publicize it and in most cases the case is never solved.  Almost every client I have talked with know of an event in their market and no press was given.  I have suggested that not only should you assist these victims, but expose their story to the local chamber of commerce, the newspapers, your blogs and anyone else that can get the word out.  For if we are not proactive, 1. others will pay by your silence. 2. professionally managed inventory is grayed into what historically has been a serious weakness in For Rent By Owner model. 

Barefoot has signed a partnership agreement with the world’s most trusted electronic signature network – DocuSign, to provide clients the freedom to finish business faster with electronic signatures. Not only will Barefoot clients be able to finish business faster, they will also be able to do so with greater ease.

Barefoot, a leading provider of browser-based reservation and asset management systems, and Red Awning, the only full service, multichannel advertising and reservation service for vacation rentals, have partnered to offer Barefoot clients more portal options.

Barefoot Technologies, a leading provider of browser-based reservation and asset management systems in the vacation rental industry, has formed a new partnership with Direct Axess, who specializes in powerful Real Estate Content Management Systems.

Pegasus Solutions and the VRMA have been negotiating to develop a vacation rental switch, but those negotiations have collapsed. However, Pegasus say they will continue to develop the switch and bring it to the market on its own.