HOMEAWAY VACATION RENTALS
HomeAway is one of the biggest names in the travel industry. Not only are they a huge company but they also own a large number of other very successful sites including VRBO and VacationRentals.com.
According to their website, the average owner on their site earns about $12k per year. However, that number also includes the extremely luxurious properties that rent out for much more that most...in other words...the majority of people who rent out their condo do not make a large income. HomeAway offers five subscription levels based on the amount of exposure you need. Your subscription level determines where your listing will be ranked on the search results page when a user searches your area. The higher you rank, the more likely you are to be seen by travelers, but you have to
HomeAway offers an Annual Subscription Model, Pay-Per Booking Model, and Professional Help (only available in US and Canada)
According to their website, the average owner on their site earns about $12k per year. However, that number also includes the extremely luxurious properties that rent out for much more that most...in other words...the majority of people who rent out their condo do not make a large income. HomeAway offers five subscription levels based on the amount of exposure you need. Your subscription level determines where your listing will be ranked on the search results page when a user searches your area. The higher you rank, the more likely you are to be seen by travelers, but you have to
HomeAway offers an Annual Subscription Model, Pay-Per Booking Model, and Professional Help (only available in US and Canada)
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION MODELBest for year-round rentals
Classic $349/year** Basic ranking in search results Bronze $449/year** Ranks above Classic in search results Up to 10% more inquiries than Classic Silver $649/year** Ranks above Bronze in search results. Up to 15% more inquiries than Classic. 1-month listing in "Featured Rental" area at the top of your area's search results page Gold $849/year** Ranks above Silver in search results Up to 35% more inquiries than Classic 6-month listing in "Featured Rental" area at the top of your area's search results page Platinum$1,249/year** Ranks highest in search results Up to 70% more inquiries than Classic 12-month listing in "Featured Rental" area at the top of your area's search results page |
PAY-PER BOOKING MODELBest for people new to renting or that rent for fewer than 6 weeks per year
Homeaway also offers a "Free-to-List" option with no up front charge, and with a commission structure at 10% per booking. Which to be notes, is a great option for owners with shorter seasons and smaller income potential. But it's important to know that even the CEO himself has admitted that their rankings favor listings with paid subscriptions, stating that "on average their exposure is still very, very low". Also, depending on your rental income, the commission-based model can start to get pretty pricy. When their average owner earns about $12K in bookings, that will raise your listing costs up to $1200 (almost 4X than your paid listing option). |
