Adding Value To Your Holiday Home

As peak season ends, it is a good time to think about adding value to your holiday home, which will make your home stand out in a competitive market. A beautiful, well presented holiday home is, of course, a great start. Here are some more ideas you might think about to make yours the holiday home that grabs attention.

Location

Location is the one factor, according to lettings agencies, that makes the most difference. It is a good rule of thumb to choose a location that is no more than two hours from a city or local towns. This gives you a much bigger market to which to sell the special attractions of your holiday home. It also makes offering short breaks a more viable option.

Remoteness can itself be an attraction to some but if your holiday home is in walking distance or one bus or cab ride from a train or coach station, this can also increase the size of your market. It is particularly pertinent in these times when reduced car use, walking and cycling is greatly encouraged for the sake of the environment.

Target your audience

Targeting your audience and appealing to them directly is another way to add value to your holiday home.

Find out why people visit the area in which your holiday home is located. If the area is popular with walkers for instance, think about providing an area to take off muddy boots and waterproofs. Think about including walking maps in your welcome pack or as decorative pictures for your walls, or both.

If sand and surf is what brings guests to your holiday home’s location, then think about a wet area, tide information in your welcome pack, the location of the best beaches, how to get there and the best equipment shops. You might also want to target some of your marketing efforts through a specialist website catering for surfers and water-sports enthusiasts.

Be flexible

Offering short weekend breaks with a Friday and Monday changeover can boost bookings in all seasons. In off-peak times think about extending short breaks to any time of week. Also try to be flexible with price at different times of the year. A letting agency can often help with this, given their experience and wider market know-how.

Allow pets

If you make your holiday home dog friendly, it can make it much more attractive to the great British animal-loving public. Being able to take a beloved pet is a make or break condition for many people. See our guide about how to make your holiday home more dog-friendly.

Furnishing and decoration

Getting a good night’s sleep on holiday is, understandably, an essential requirement for most people. Pay special attention to this and to the comfort you provide in the living areas. A good rule is to only offer something you would be happy with yourself. Give some thought to the type of mattress, the soft furnishings, cushions and places to stretch out. A small investment in these items will help to provide greater value to your guests.

In addition, people on holiday tend to do more walking and travelling around than they do at home and somewhere to rest tired muscles and recuperate really adds to the enjoyment they can get from your holiday home.

Think about the British Weather

Even in the summer, the weather in the UK is notoriously changeable. To avoid your guests’ well-earned and highly-anticipated break being ruined by wind and rain, think about what you can do to make your holiday home a cosy sanctuary from the elements.

An open fire or log burner is a guaranteed draw, which can transform the experience for your guests from stuck-in to cosy and warm, should the weather send them indoors.

If you have enough capacity in your holiday home, consider reducing the bedrooms you are offering and turning one of them into a games and cinema room. Invest in some board games, a console, a large screen and extra touches like a popcorn-making machine. Table tennis or table football are also a fun addition to make those bad-weather days enjoyable, if, of course, you have enough space. Offering some fun facilities that people are unlikely to have at home is another way to add value to your holiday home.

Don’t forget your outdoor spaces

An outdoor covered eating and seating area with outdoor heating is an investment that can pay off in extra bookings and longer stays. Even in the summer there can be a chill in the air or play-stopping rain. A simple awning, gazebo or tethered canvas covering and some comfy outdoor seating can make sure that your holiday home is a pleasant place to enjoy al fresco living.

Buy a hot tub

Although this can be a significant outlay, a hot tub is a proven way to increase holiday home bookings, which should quickly pay for itself. The chance to lay back and relax under the stars while the warm water takes away the aches and pains of a day spent exploring is a real winner with many holiday makers.

WiFi

Finally, make sure your home is properly equipped for the 21^st century with a strong WiFi signal and broadband that can support several devices at once. This is something that guests routinely take for granted. Remember to check the signal levels throughout your holiday home as weak WiFi can often be frustrating and worse than none at all. Devices that boost the signal around your home are easily found online and not hugely expensive. Take a little time over this as it is one of those details which can undo all your other good work.

Adding value to your holiday home is all about thinking what your guests would like and providing personal touches so that you exceed their expectations. With a little thought, this can often be achieved without too much financial outlay.

This is a marketing article from My Holiday Home Insurance, a specialist provider of insurance for holiday homes, leisure homes, holiday lodges and static caravans. Our team of experienced advisers are always happy to help, so for more information call our Northampton office on freephone 0800 988 0890.

To stay up to date with similar topics please like and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.