Spring break is right around the corner and many people are planning their summer vacations, mapping out excursions, and budgeting. If you are like me, you’ve probably already started to plan and organize, and you might have a spreadsheet of all of the daily activities already mapped out. But if you’re doing a little bit more research, here are five tips for finding the perfect vacation rental.
#1. Make sure you know what you want.
Do you plan on lounging around the pool or being out and about looking for the hottest nightlife, staying up till 2 AM, and partying with the locals? Know your preferences will help you find the right rental without overspending.
#2. Try to be flexible with your dates.
If you know what you want and you know where you want to be, being flexible with your dates is the best way to get you the best deal. Spring break can happen anywhere from the middle of March to the end of April so typically those prices are a little bit higher, but if you can wait until May 1 or even go next year before March, you’ll be saving a little bit of money.
Start searching for condos in Panama City Beach today.
#3. Check the map out before you go.
The vacation rental might say oceanfront or beachfront but those could mean two different things. Are you looking to be right on the ocean or just have access to it? Perhaps you’re saving a lot of money because the rental you’ve chosen just gives you an ocean view rather than access to the beach. Take a look at where you are considering on Google maps. You can even look right down on the street view to see if you like where the rental is located. Are you close to shops and restaurants or will you need to get a cab or rent a car if you plan on eating out?
#4. You’ll want to save money but try not to be too cheap.
Don’t overspend on amenities you’re not going to use so check out the building to see if they have a lot of amenities that you might not use. This might not be the best rental for you. If you’re planning on staying in the building and using all the amenities, then go ahead and splurge because you know you’ll get your money’s worth.
#5. Stay safe.
There are a lot of online rental listings that are not legit. There are numerous would be renters getting ripped off lately so it’s important to stick with websites that you feel comfortable with and even go directly to the owner of the condominium and ask for references. Ask questions, gather as much information, and if it just seems too good to be true or too fishy, it probably is. We want to have built-in security measures so that the condo you look for and be sure it’s the one you get.
